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Wenger: You’d be surprised by what I’ve turned down to stay here

Written by Jeffrey on August 20, 2011 – 18:10

The Gunning Hawk - ForumArsene Wenger

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insisted that he will never step down as manager as his loyalty to the Club is still intact.

Asked on Friday if David Dein is right in believing that he would walk away from the Club if fans don’t show respect for what he has achieved. the Frenchman told journalists that he turned down important offers to stay in charge of Arsenal adding that fans can question some of his decisions but they cannot question his love and loyalty.

On whether David Dein would be a welcome comeback, the Arsenal boss explained that the two worked very well together but also that the former vice-chairman took a different direction with the manager opting not to say whether the two actually spoke about a possible comeback.

Today, the Gunners suffered their first defeat of the season as they went down 0-2 against Liverpool at the Emirates with more and more questions being asked on the future of the manager and his plans ahead of the last few days of the summer transfer window.

On Friday, Wenger said:

[David Dein said that he fears that unless the fans show me more respect for what I have achieved I might walk away from the Club?] No, he’s not right, I will prove you one day my loyalty and what I’ve turned down to stay here and you will be surprised so I think you can question my decisions but not my loyalty to this Club.

[David Dein back?] Well, you know that I’m a friend of David Dein, that we have worked together very well.

He has taken another direction, will he one day come back to the Club or not, I cannot make that decision. [If we spoke about it?] I would like to keep our conversations private.

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  • Chris says:
    August 20, 2011 at 18:23

    I agree, I criticise him and a lot sometimes but I never questioned his loyalty, never.

    Reply to this comment »
    • SeattleGooner says:
      August 20, 2011 at 19:39

      Wenger is the King, no make that the Ayatollah, of Strawman Arguments.

      When has anyone ever questioned the man’s loyalty to the club? I question just about every decision he makes lately, but not for one moment have I ever questioned his love for Arsenal.

      When has anyone ever asked for 50m signings? People ask for the holes we have to be addressed, that’s all. I mean, right now, Scott Dann is a dream signing, we just need SOMEONE.

      Why does he feel the need to deflect from the real issues with nonsensical claims?

      THis is how it seems the conversation would go, were it face to face:

      Fan: Hey Arsene, we look a little thin at the back this year, can we buy an experienced centerback?

      Arsene: I WILL NOT SPEND 30M ON A PLAYER!

      Fan: OK, right, I get that. What about 17m for Cahill? or maybe 12m for Samba? Those seem like ok deals, all things considered?

      Wenger: People put to much importance on transfer fees? Don’t dismiss Carl Jenkinson simply because he cost 1m!

      Fan:People dismiss Carl because he is a 19-year-old with half a season of LEAGUE ONE experience, not because of his price tag. When you promised to buy experience this summer, fans assumed you meant, you know… Premier League experience.

      Arsene: We have a very talented and deep roster already, so signing someone is very difficult.

      Reply to this comment »
  • uz says:
    August 22, 2011 at 9:56

    THere is no loyalty.He knows that arsenal is the only club that can tolorate his lack of winning trophies forever! Elsewhere,there is zero tolerance and thats why he cant leave arsenal.He knows that as long as he keeps making money for them,his job is safe.So i fail to see any loyalty there.He is simply a failure and a coward.managers have walked away on their own for not being able to deliver in just 2 years.Here you have a manager that is content with 6 trophieless seasons.
    Liverpool beat us and we couldnt beat newcastle,Believe me,this will be arsenals worst season and AW will remain in charge as he has no shame.
    We need to think constructively.

    Reply to this comment »
  • shedzy says:
    August 20, 2011 at 18:25

    I would never question his loyalty, no way; and as for him saying that we can question his decisions well, gee, thanks Arsense. I’ll do that whilst thinking about the £1200 ive spunked on a season ticket again.

    Reply to this comment »
  • Berk Face says:
    August 20, 2011 at 18:34

    Yep – he’s as loyal as you’ll find and he will have turned down mammoth offers to stay with Arsenal when his stock was high…

    Reply to this comment »
  • gunner4life says:
    August 20, 2011 at 18:35

    well well, It was all his mistake that hasn’t reinforce the team. He knew about Fabregas and Nasri, he knew that he needs a left back and a central defender. He knows that Chamakh, Bendtner are not good enough, and he knew that V.Persie cannot make it full season. Additionally Arshavin, Rosicky and Diaby are not worthy either. Then of course he does nothing to rectify all these problems.

    Now we are in a situation that he needs at least 5-6 decent new players. Otherwise with next game at Man. Utd. then we could be far behind to even have a shoot at top 4 finish.

    Piece of advice Wenger, you need to buy Mertersacker, Baines, Scott Parker,(any playmaker like Da Costa, Edson, Willian, Arteta, Diego, Mvilla) Rodallega and maybe Hazard.

    And do us all a favour, sell Scquillachi, Almunia and that crap Diaby

    Reply to this comment »
  • smbadger4 says:
    August 20, 2011 at 18:35

    I just want to voice how great this site is but that I unfortunately have to log a complaint. The video advertisements are getting really annoying. Every time I come I have to listen to some garbage commercial instead of enjoying your well written updates and editorials. Please clean this up!!

    Reply to this comment »
    • Chris says:
      August 20, 2011 at 18:58

      smbadger4, please send me an e-mail to chris@thegunninghawk.com ideally with a screenshot of the advert and I will remove it straight away. If you don’t know how to take a screenshot, tell me what type of video it is, what it is advertising.

      We take these complaints seriously so action will be taken, believe me.

      Thank you.

      Reply to this comment »
      • SeattleGooner says:
        August 20, 2011 at 20:11

        It’s the Almunia beach calendar, It’s gotta be.

        Reply to this comment »
    • Frog says:
      August 20, 2011 at 22:50

      He’s rite. I’m getting it too. I can’t see it but you can hear it loud and clear. I have to turn the volume on my machine all the way down.

      Reply to this comment »
      • Chris says:
        August 20, 2011 at 23:18

        Please help me understand what you’re hearing, what type of music is it, I find it unlikely that you can hear it but can see no advert associated to it.

        Reply to this comment »
        • Selim says:
          August 21, 2011 at 0:18

          I think you guys are hearing the adverts from the Goonernews.com website? That happens to me and its ghighly annoying. Dont think its anything to do with this site though…

          Reply to this comment »
          • Chris says:
            August 21, 2011 at 0:20

            Thank you Selim, things make sense now. If you’re on GoonerNews.com and click a link, this will open in a new window and may have you think that the sound is from our website.

            Can you guys kindly confirm it’s coming from there?

            Reply to this comment »
            • frog says:
              August 21, 2011 at 23:26

              its not happening today.

              Reply to this comment »
  • richard says:
    August 20, 2011 at 18:36

    he turned down Madrid Barcelona man city and i think inter Milan city offered him 14 million a year after tax which would have made him the best paid manager i think he will go one day to city thats why he is selling our players to them adebayor toure clichy nasri but i think the real problem is ivan gazidis he takes to long on deals he is not good for arsenal fc

    Reply to this comment »
  • Tony Lane says:
    August 20, 2011 at 18:49

    I see Wenger is up to his old tricks again, telling us how lucky we are to have him. One thing he overlooks is that he would have been sacked at ANY of those clubs he’s inferring to with his record over the last 6 years – That’s why he didn’t go anywhere, not because of his ‘love’ for Arsenal.

    Reply to this comment »
    • Charlie says:
      August 20, 2011 at 20:08

      He wouldn’t have been sacked because he would’ve been allowed to spend money. He’s done well on the budget and none of us know for sure whether he himself refused to spend more but we know that the club has debts and no billionaire owner. The profit gained from transfers is a disgrace and if the money isn’t spent in the next week i think that every fan has a right to voice their frustrations at that. Personally i don’t doubt Arsenes’ credentials as the best manger that the club could possibly have but i seriously question the lack of money spent in the transfer market. I just don’t know whether changing the manager would alter that in the slightest. Arsene is a football man first and foremost, he wants to have the best possible squad of players, i’m convinced of that and that’s what makes me think that he is not the one refusing to spend money. I believe that he has invested too much of himself in this club to ever want to leave but has been hamstrung by an uncooperative board. The biggest shame would be for someone to come in and have success with the same squad of players and for Arsene not to be remembered as the man who built this club for long-term success. I read some of the disrespectful comments and it saddens me because this man has revolutionised this football club and deserves eternal respect.

      Reply to this comment »
  • olatunji says:
    August 20, 2011 at 18:52

    He’s simply afraid of going to other club cos he knows clearly that no club would give him chance to do any nonsense and go trophyless for many years without being sacked! Wenger sucks!

    Reply to this comment »
  • muriku says:
    August 20, 2011 at 18:53

    Wenger should be serious enough!!!

    Reply to this comment »
  • hec says:
    August 20, 2011 at 18:59

    Old trick .when managers are under pressure ,they bring up old job offers they have had during the good times and say look at the offers I`ve had and turned down.

    Name one BIG club , just one who has had a manager for now 6 years , and clearly wll be 7 years without a trophy .

    Imagine Barca ,Real, Man utd, Chelsea , Man City , and even Liverpool, Bayern and more we like to regard ourself as a big club, we pay big prices to watch Arsenal but we are not a big club , Wenger and the directors have turned our club into a cash cow for our average players ,also the big money the management team get and all the huge directors fee`s , but the genuine fan is left again despondent with it all.

    I would love some Arabs to buy us so we can buy top quality , irrespective of all this self sufficiency bullshit stuff we get from Arsenal media .

    Reply to this comment »
    • Arsenal1Again says:
      August 20, 2011 at 23:01

      “Name one BIG club , just one who has had a manager for now 6 years , and clearly wll be 7 years without a trophy.”

      I do believe the current Manchester United Manager went 10 years without winning a trophy.

      Perhaps Arsene is doing an Alex Ferguson in reverse.

      It never seems to strike people as odd how Arsene’s success years ended COINCIDENTLY with the new stadium.

      One day, when you’re old and grey, and your grandchildren are going to the biggest Football Club in Europe called Arsenal, you remind them to tip their hats to the bust of Arsene Wenger because it’s them who’ll witness the club benefit from this mans legacy.

      I find it absolutely derisory that people are so shocked and outraged that we’ve gone 6 years without a trophy. The years between George Graham and Herbert Chapman … are you seriously thinking we didn’t go through a 6 year period without a trophy?”.

      Clue: Liam Brady in 9 years won an FA Cup with Arsenal. That’s it. He also left at the age of 24. Does this have any comparison with another player? Arsenal has been winning and losing since 1886. That’s just over 20 years after the American Civil War and before Jack The Ripper was carving people up.

      Nothing is going to take from Arsene Wenger his greatness. Not even another 6 years without a trophy.

      Reply to this comment »
    • Dhaval says:
      August 21, 2011 at 1:49

      Name one club which has manager that built them 400mln stadium and helped the club recoup that money in just 6 years. You understand what happens when a club goes in Debt, even countries like US have minor crisis, forget the clubs.

      I don’t know how many of you are actually working and having a job and how many of you are students who are leaving on your parent’s money. But let me tell you when it comes to getting resources it is the highest management that takes decision and not the lower one. Lower management jst tell you that we want these things or this kind of people and the higher management gets you that. For all we know AW isn’t the highest management in hierarchy. He will be supposed to give the board the list of players he wants and board is supposed to act. Its board which will negotiate and decide prices and not AW.

      And ask not any club but any country that what would they like a self sufficiency model or a model based on Debt financing? Your so called big European countries are facing the Economic melt down and bail out packages cause of such spendings. People pay higher taxes because of that.

      But you wont understand the meaning of being independent and self-sufficiency until you see the consequences of being not one.

      Reply to this comment »
  • TC says:
    August 20, 2011 at 19:08

    Yeah he’s very loyal to his 7m a year contract, bless him!!
    Sack him now and save our club!!!!

    Reply to this comment »
  • gazzap says:
    August 20, 2011 at 19:22

    I wish he hadn’t bothered being loyal. Somebody please beam him up now. the senile old fool.

    Reply to this comment »
  • Jekyll says:
    August 20, 2011 at 19:31

    Could I request that he takes up the next offer then. Though I’d guess they’re a little thinner on the ground these days. Unless some other board like the model of making money through the transfer market and fleecing the fans rather than chasing trophies of course. I imagine a few would.

    Reply to this comment »
  • chris from Cambridge says:
    August 20, 2011 at 19:37

    We do not question your loyalty for one minute. We question your ability to deliver a balanced game plan with …. attack / defence ; youth / experience ; technique / strength ; passing / shooting ; set piece / open play ; flexible tactics / Plan A only.

    You got it sooo wrong in summer 2010 when there WAS already money to spend to improve key weakness but you knew better (!) Now the problems are far far worse and you have lost the fan base.

    I only wish the fan base understood better how you are handicapped by the policies of the Board of Directors ….. like the egalitarian wage structure.

    Reply to this comment »
  • WillyG says:
    August 20, 2011 at 20:12

    I don’t think I have ever seen postings questioning Arsene Wenger’s loyalty to Arsenal. I’m sure he is very loyal to Arsenal. And I’m sure Denilson, Almunia, Rosicky, Eboue, etc are very loyal to Arsenal, too. But when they can no longer contribute to the Arsenal cause, they have to go,as should Wenger.

    Reply to this comment »
  • Robin says:
    August 20, 2011 at 20:33

    Hey le’ prof,who asked about what you abt what uv turned down 2 b here?who cares anyway,y dont u jst leave arsenal n go 2 another club,mayb we’d win trophies aftr u r gone

    Reply to this comment »
  • Sahoo says:
    August 20, 2011 at 20:47

    Not questioning his loyalty. But questioning his decisions which are ruining this great club. Please get lost before it’s too late. In Wenger we have no trust.

    Arsenal forever.

    Reply to this comment »
  • Sean says:
    August 20, 2011 at 20:57

    Did he really say that???

    Then GO! Where to? You’re not a better coach than Mourinho or Guardiola so you’re definitely not going to Madrid or Barcelona. And you’re definitely not going to Man Utd (let me not even compare you to Ferguson).

    So where are you going now? Valencia? Bayern? Inter?

    GO!!!

    PLEEEEEEASE GO!!!!

    Reply to this comment »
  • danigunner says:
    August 20, 2011 at 20:59

    hello arsenal fans… after seeing liverpool winning in today´s match. I saw arsene´s sad face , he´s sad because he focus every day and every year in our team , WE MUST SUPPORT ARSENE because he was always loyal with us and the team. Hope he finds how to controll all the disciplinary actions. and find a way to win soon .

    We are the fans and we have to support our manager… and our team.

    Love to be a gooner.

    Reply to this comment »
  • mo says:
    August 20, 2011 at 22:13

    A good manager is the one who could manage the team as well as the club resources successfully. For the people who think that Mourinho or Guardiola or others better than AV they should think again, and ask themselves how much money is available to these so called good managers to that available for AV. Please think before you start writing a lot of rubbish. Please stop winging!!!

    Reply to this comment »
  • Donnie says:
    August 20, 2011 at 22:35

    i think alot of fans are wanting us to be like city or chealse and spent 20 mill on a player
    but we dont have that kind of money.

    one of the biggerst mestaks this club has made is letting STAN take over if usmanov have taken over he would of given money and we would be able to compit agains the likes of city chealse not more on buying players but also playing them more.

    its jusr sad for wenger fab gone are best players.

    are are injopurie list is amazing i dont think anyone can blame wenger for players getting injoured

    united get only vidic and they are all ready panacing
    if united or chealse get 8 players out and played a full fit liverpool team like we did

    i dont think they would of done any better

    we need to get behind the team sacking wenger is not going to fix this

    Reply to this comment »
  • jason says:
    August 21, 2011 at 1:07

    Nobody will ever question his loyalty he truely loves Arsenal. He is a quality Manager regadless of what people say I doubt anyone can come to Arsenal and do better than him.

    Reply to this comment »
  • bolaaaa says:
    August 21, 2011 at 2:20

    Wenger pls stop all this silly excuse fake story u ar telling we fans wif heard enough ,pls stop disgracing ur fans ,i av no much to say please wenger bring out ur cheque and buy the necessary & experience mature players or else u will drag the good image of this club —– i watch my team yesterday against liverpool i was crying. please Wenger buy some genuine & needed player b4 the window close ———-Thanks.

    Reply to this comment »
  • sam says:
    August 21, 2011 at 2:58

    no one is questioning his loyalty, no one is wishing him to leave
    arsenal fc is enduring a long period of abuse of power, negligence and mismanagement.
    arsene wenger had all summer to fix this problem, whether cesc and nasri leave or not whats wrong with buying new players to improve the squad? why do he still have players in the squad who are not up to arsenal standards? it feels really hopeless when mancini are getting rid of players they consider bad ie adebayor, bellami, shawn wright but in contrary we are happy to keep our arshavin, bendtner, chamakh and co. i am not saying they are bad players but they have let us down in the past and they will do it again.
    and arsene as a manager he should take quick action.
    you watch how long david de gea will go on if he keeps playing like that at man utd. but arsene tortured us with almunia for 6 long years.
    ABUSE OF POWER OVERWHELMS YOUR SO CALLED LOYALTY MR ARSENE WENGER

    Reply to this comment »
  • PistolPete says:
    August 21, 2011 at 10:19

    Why would he leave, how sweet has he got it. At no other club can he have so much power and freedom to do what he likes.
    There is no way he would get away with this sort of behaver at other top clubs around Europe.
    Lets be honest here, we have enjoyed some great years with Wenger, 15 is a long time. I believe this has been go for Arsenal as well as Arsene. But for me it is time for a change,
    time to move forward, before he totally ruins what he has created.

    Reply to this comment »
    • Oba says:
      August 21, 2011 at 15:23

      I completely agree with you. He knows he won’t be allowed to experiment things with other clubs because he’ll get the sack, quickly. He treats Arsenal fans as guinea pigs, taking unreasonable risks. It just doesn’t make sense.

      If without hesitation you increase prices, then you should also buy players. Yesterday was an all time low. Jenkinson, Lansbury, Ramsey, Chamberlain, Miguel, Ryo, Frimpong. Good players in the future, but you can’t just throw them into a big game – not fair on them. We need experienced players, who the young players can learn from.

      Van Persie’s body language was there for everone to see. At 27, does he not think Robin wants to do big things and win trophies. If Robin decides to leave, any fan that insults or questions his loyalty is a moron – because I’do the same thing.

      Reply to this comment »
  • Andrew says:
    August 22, 2011 at 11:30

    What i don’t understand is why it’s all the fault of Wenger, i’d say 90% of comments i read on various websites and forums are from people slating him, why is there not as much hate directed at the board? Surely it’s not the managers job to bring in players? Surely it’s up to Ivan and the rest to go out there and get the players that Wenger requests?

    It all seems a bit strange to me, as if the board are restricting transfers, i know, i know we keep getting told that we have money to spend (by the board), but i wonder if they are actually willing to stump up the wages that these players ask for? Maybe, just maybe they’re setting him up for a fall and he’s doing his best to fight it.

    I’m with Dein on this, losing Wenger will be the biggest loss this club could face, bigger than Cesc, Henry, in-fact ANY player in my living memory, if he goes and the board remain we’ll end up mid table fodder.

    People need to start putting the board under some pressure!

    Reply to this comment »
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