Arsenal manager seizes opportunity to talk about how worldwide image of the club has taken a battering, not helped by fans inside the Emirates

It was never going to be a totally normal day. Even if so much of it slipped into the old routines – Arsenal played with every typical Arsenal characteristic and the crowd watched on without getting overly dramatic – there was a surreal sense that underneath it all nobody quite knew what to do about the bombshell. It felt like that quintessentially English thing of having a cup of tea or talking about the weather rather than delving into the deep emotional consequences of a turn of events everybody really cares about.

During the game itself Arsène Wenger tried to do the same, focusing on the job still at hand and not much else. But afterwards, entering the press room to face his first inquisition, feeling the intense currents coursing round as the questions rattled from the floor in search for finer details surrounding Wenger’s big decision, the man himself began to open up.

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If clues were being sought as to why now, and what the trigger was, to push him to call time on his life’s work at Arsenal, it all came splurging out suddenly. The nub of it revolved around how the club’s global reputation has taken a hit with the negative vibes that have trailed around a team struggling to hit the top notes consistently. “Values” is one of his favourite words and Wenger has wrestled with the idea that the club’s values have been tarnished. Notably, as if it was something he wanted to say, it came in answer to an unrelated query.

Question: “After 22 years of a stressful job have you felt some relief having made your statement?”

Wenger: “No, because I was not tired. But I believe this club is respected all over the world, much more than in England. Our fans did not give the image of unity I want, and that was hurtful. Because I feel the club is respected and overall the image we gave from our club is not what it is and not what I like.”

Q: “Can you elaborate on that?”

W: “I have nothing more to say. I feel that this club has a fantastic image and for me that is absolutely vital. We can speak and speak and speak but sport is about winning and losing and you have to accept you will lose games – even when I will not be here any more. But it is as well about something bigger than just winning or losing and for me that was always a worry: how the club is perceived worldwide, for kids playing in Africa, China and America and the dreams it can create for young children who want to play football. And all our clubs have a responsibility for that.”

Q: “The fans clearly hurt you in that sense?”

W: “No, not me.”

Q: “But they hurt the club?”

W: “I am not resentful and I do not want to make stupid headlines. I am not resentful with the fans. I just feel that, if my personality is in the way of what I think our club is, for me that is more important than me staying. It is nothing to do with the fans. The fans were not happy and I can understand that and I have to live with that.”

He did live with it for a while. But the wind-down has now begun. The long goodbye is not really Wenger’s ideal scene as he prefers not to be the story.

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But this farewell tour has a few more dates to go – six or possibly seven more matches if Arsenal can rouse their game enough to overcome the challenge of the upcoming Europa League semi-final against Atlético Madrid, with the first leg on Thursday in London. Wenger’s post-match comments came from the heart and he at times looked moved by the situation.

Q: “Can you describe the emotions of the last few days?”

W: “It’s a mixed feeling. First of all I must say I’m touched by all the praise I got from all of English football and I’m grateful for having had that experience in this country. In England football is special, passion is special and you find that nowhere else. I know I will not get that anywhere else in my life, so that’s absolutely special.

“After that I had the feeling a little bit that I have assisted life at my funeral, because people speak about you, how you were. It was a little bit interesting on that front. I don’t need to die any more – I know what people will say about me!

“Apart from a little sense of humour, I would like to thank everybody who has been absolutely nice to me.

“It’s a bit like my job – I certainly got more praise than I deserved and sometimes more criticism than I deserved. It’s been difficult but as well fantastic.”

After 22 years of conversations and explanations he still has plenty to say in his own way.

