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Arsene Wenger: Arsenal fans make me feel like a murderer
Arsene Wenger, Arsenal's most successful manager, says that he has been left feeling like a murderer following the critical response to the club's fourth consecutive season without silverware.
By Jeremy Wilson, Football News Correspondent
The Daily Telegraph
Last Updated: 9:23AM BST 16 May 2009
With Wenger facing the prospect of watching Sir Alex Ferguson win his 11th Premier League title at Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime, the Frenchman has grown increasingly annoyed at what he describes as "unbelievable" criticism.
This season will be the third in a row that Arsenal have finished fourth and fans are running out of patience, turning on him at a shareholders meeting on Thursday night. But Wenger insisted the attacks on his young side were unfair.
"You sit here, you are in the last four in Europe, and every day, you feel you have killed someone. If you do not take a distance with it, you think what kind of world do you live in?
"We lost against United who have 10 times more resources, they are the best in the world. In sport, you have to accept that. It is like they are ashamed to be fair.
"There is no shame to say, 'Yes you are the best'. We were in the last four with a very young team – that is the reality.
"We have to keep a little bit of common-sense. Our average age in midfield is 22 – normally you play not to go down in the Premier League with a team like that."
Ferguson's side need only a point against Arsenal to secure the club's 18th League title to equal the number of championships won by Liverpool.
After guiding Arsenal to seven major trophies over the past 11 years, Wenger said he had become a victim of his own success but insisted that the inquest would not cause him to consider his own position.
"Frankly, I can take on that with the needed distance," he said. "I look in the mirror and think, 'Have I given everything, have you done the maximum you can?'
"I believe this club is in a fantastic situation, you look at the financial situation of the club, you look at the quality of the squad, I'm pretty envious of this club if I'm outside of the club.
"We have lost against Chelsea and we have lost against Manchester United. It hurts, believe me, but it's not like we have lost against nobody.
"I believe that the biggest regret of the season is that the supporters were ready for a hot night against Man United and we couldn't deliver. For me that was the failure of the season.
"Apart from that, I believe what the team has achieved in the last six months is amazing, but at the moment it's all one big tribunal. It's one of the best seasons for a long time considering where we were in November."
With Alisher Usmanov ready to ask fellow billionaire shareholder Stan Kroenke to consider a right issue to help generate a larger transfer budget, Wenger has said that wants to add a maximum of two experienced players this summer.
"These players will win and want to win – nothing is definite, it can all turn very quickly," he said.
Five possible transfer targets: Marcos Senna (Villarreal), Xabi Alonso (Liverpool), Matthew Upson (West Ham), David Villa (Valencia), Gareth Barry (Aston Villa).
Arsene Wenger, Arsenal's most successful manager, says that he has been left feeling like a murderer following the critical response to the club's fourth consecutive season without silverware.
By Jeremy Wilson, Football News Correspondent
The Daily Telegraph
Last Updated: 9:23AM BST 16 May 2009
With Wenger facing the prospect of watching Sir Alex Ferguson win his 11th Premier League title at Old Trafford on Saturday lunchtime, the Frenchman has grown increasingly annoyed at what he describes as "unbelievable" criticism.
This season will be the third in a row that Arsenal have finished fourth and fans are running out of patience, turning on him at a shareholders meeting on Thursday night. But Wenger insisted the attacks on his young side were unfair.
"You sit here, you are in the last four in Europe, and every day, you feel you have killed someone. If you do not take a distance with it, you think what kind of world do you live in?
"We lost against United who have 10 times more resources, they are the best in the world. In sport, you have to accept that. It is like they are ashamed to be fair.
"There is no shame to say, 'Yes you are the best'. We were in the last four with a very young team – that is the reality.
"We have to keep a little bit of common-sense. Our average age in midfield is 22 – normally you play not to go down in the Premier League with a team like that."
Ferguson's side need only a point against Arsenal to secure the club's 18th League title to equal the number of championships won by Liverpool.
After guiding Arsenal to seven major trophies over the past 11 years, Wenger said he had become a victim of his own success but insisted that the inquest would not cause him to consider his own position.
"Frankly, I can take on that with the needed distance," he said. "I look in the mirror and think, 'Have I given everything, have you done the maximum you can?'
"I believe this club is in a fantastic situation, you look at the financial situation of the club, you look at the quality of the squad, I'm pretty envious of this club if I'm outside of the club.
"We have lost against Chelsea and we have lost against Manchester United. It hurts, believe me, but it's not like we have lost against nobody.
"I believe that the biggest regret of the season is that the supporters were ready for a hot night against Man United and we couldn't deliver. For me that was the failure of the season.
"Apart from that, I believe what the team has achieved in the last six months is amazing, but at the moment it's all one big tribunal. It's one of the best seasons for a long time considering where we were in November."
With Alisher Usmanov ready to ask fellow billionaire shareholder Stan Kroenke to consider a right issue to help generate a larger transfer budget, Wenger has said that wants to add a maximum of two experienced players this summer.
"These players will win and want to win – nothing is definite, it can all turn very quickly," he said.
Five possible transfer targets: Marcos Senna (Villarreal), Xabi Alonso (Liverpool), Matthew Upson (West Ham), David Villa (Valencia), Gareth Barry (Aston Villa).