Wenger Lauds Arsenal's Values and Traditions

Wenger Lauds Arsenal's Values and Traditions
Soccer: Arsene Wenger was quick to side with the Arsenal board as he signed a new contract at the club and outlined his hopes for a bright future.

Arsène Wenger firmly allied himself to Arsenal's board yesterday when he extended his contract as the manager at the Emirates Stadium into the next decade. Alongside his announcement that he had committed to the north London club until May 2011 there appeared to be a veiled message for the shareholders who are vying for control of Arsenal. "It is a special environment for me," Wenger said of the club he joined in September 1996.

"But as well you must be careful to respond to that kind of trust and confidence by achieving the results and, as well, by behaving like the club wants you to behave. It's a club of values, traditions and you feel that you have to respond to that kind of responsibility."

That might be considered a tacit warning for his friend, David Dein, who was ejected from his role as vice-chairman over "irreconcilable differences" with his fellow directors in his strategy for the club. Last week Dein sold his 14.58% stake in the club to the Uzbek-born oligarch Alisher Usmanov for £75m.

The chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, yesterday took the opportunity to underline that Arsenal are thriving without Dein, who previously had responsibility for player contracts.

"I think the relationship with Arsène and the board has always been absolutely excellent," said Hill-Wood. "Recently I suppose it's been borne out by the transfer-market dealings that Ken Friar has been handling for us.

"He's got a very good relationship with Arsène. I think Arsène and the board of course are very happy with the results of those dealings - both selling and buying players. In short, the relationship between the board and Arsène, I think, is absolutely first-class."

Wenger has declared himself unworried by the investors who are battling for power, which has also seen the US billionaire Stan Kroenke build a 12.19% stake in the club, focusing instead on the quality of his promising young team, which lies second in the Premier League.

"I wanted to get a taste of how hungry this team is first before I definitely [signed on]," Wenger said. "I must say that it's a great pleasure to work with this team because we share the same hunger and desire to do well. I'm confident we can. I want to win the championship, win the Champions League and be consistent. It's simple. I want to achieve the maximum with this team and it is young and very ambitious as well, and I feel I share that ambition with my team."

He continued: "I love the job I have at Arsenal - I love to win and I feel I can win with Arsenal. They are the main reasons [I signed]. My heart is tied to this football club, so signing a new deal was always my intention. Arsenal is the club of my life. I feel I share the ambition with everybody to make Arsenal the best club in the world and that everybody works to be successful in that."

Wenger said his latest crop of players can eclipse the achievements of those over the past 11 seasons. "Yes, they have the ability," he declared. "The first signs this season are that the team has really matured. There is a completely different attitude towards the competition. They are more responsible, more disciplined and that can bring success."

By Guardian Unlimited © Copyright Guardian
Newspapers 2008Published: 9/8/2007