Wenger deserves to remain as Arsenal's manager......Antonio Conte
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been at the centre of
speculation over his future, Wenger is yet to extend his contract
with Arsenal, which runs out at the end of the season, and has come under fire
from fans after failing to secure Champions League qualification for the first time in 20 years.
Arsene Wenger, who Has been Arsenal’s
manager since October 1996, where he has since become the club's
longest-serving manager and most successful in terms of major titles won,
but this time, the Professor as nicknamed could not apply his professor talent
to qualify the club for the most prestigious UEFA Champions League for
2017/2018 season.
It was earlier speculated that his
future with the club will be decided after Saturday’s FA cup final’s with Chelsea.
Antonio Conte, Chelsea’s manager who won the 2016/2017 EPL title has come
out to say he does not
believe Saturday's meeting with Arsenal in the FA Cup final will be Arsene
Wenger's last game as manager of the north London club.
He (Conte)
believes it is unfair to suggest Wenger's time
at theEmirates Stadium will soon be up and says the achievements of the Frenchman's 21-year
Arsenal tenure should not be overlooked.
In his words,
"I
know very well Arsenal's history in the FA Cup and also with Arsene," Conte said of Wenger, who is bidding to win a record
seventh FA Cup.
"They won a lot of
trophies in this tournament. I never won this trophy and I think for this
reason, tomorrow could be a good possibility for me and my team to lift the
trophy.
"For sure I don't trust
that tomorrow will be the last game for Arsene. I think he deserves to work
with Arsenal. Because he showed in this 20 years to be a great manager.
Chelsea's Boss Antonio Conte
"He
did a good job and only this season they missed the Champions League. In
England, this target, sometimes you can undervalue this. But Arsenal played for
19 years in a row in this competition.
"I think this shows his
work was very good. He won titles with his team. But we have to play great
attention (due to the uncertainty) in modern football."
In his
pre-match press conference, he was asked if if
Wenger deserved to be considered one of the greats, he was emphatic.
"For
sure, for sure," said
the Italian.
"Because when you stay for
so long time in the same team -- and we're talking about a great team like
Arsenal, not a simple team -- we must consider him one of the best managers in
history.
"Don't
forget that he won and he won a lot. When you stay for a long time in the same
team, someone can forget this. But for sure, Arsene Wenger is a great manager
for me."
He also reveal, however, that during
a fact-finding mission to England earlier in his coaching career, he was denied
an opportunity to watch Wenger put his players through their paces in training.
"I
tried to contact Arsenal during my experience in England when I visited
Chelsea, West Ham and Tottenham," Conte said.
"But in that moment they
were very busy and for this reason I haven't the possibility. I saw Arsenal
against Monaco when they lost at home in the Champions League (in February
2015).
"But I didn't have the
opportunity to see Wenger doing his job during the training session. I would
have liked to, but it wasn't possible."
He is
hoping to emulate his Italian countryman Carlo Ancelotti who won the Premier League and
FA Cup Double in his first season at the club.
His own contract has two years left to run and he said
he would be more than happy to extend it.
"At the moment my
situation is very clear," he
said.
"I have two years'
contract with the club. If the club give me the possibility to stay here and
extend my contract, for sure I'm available to do this.
"We have the same idea
about the future, the way we have to do together, to improve the squad and the
team. And I'm happy for this season. I'm happy to stay here and I hope to stay
here for many years."
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