Why Wenger’s lost in translation

ARSENE WENGER has never been one to mix his words, but admits sometimes they get lost in translation.

Last week, the Frenchman was fined a record £15,000 and warned about his future conduct by the FA following his outburst against Ruud van Nistelrooy, branding the striker ‘a cheat’ in the aftermath of Manchester United’s 2-0 win which ended the Gunners 49-game unbeaten Premier League record.

Alex Ferguson - who had been pelted with pizza and soup outside the dressing room area in chaotic scenes after the final whistle at Old Trafford - questioned why Wenger requested a personal hearing at Soho Square and then did not bother to attend.

The Arsenal manager, though, wants to put the incident behind him. “I just want to go on with my life,” declared Wenger. “I knew what the outcome would be. I said what I had to say and not a lot has changed. I knew it would cost some money.

“I say what I feel, what I want to say. I am, though, not pretentious enough to say that I am always right.”

The Frenchman accepts he could have used a different phrase to describe van Nistelrooy, but nevertheless stands by his observations.

“I feel it is a misinterpretation when you translate from French into English,” he reflected. “In England you say to somebody ‘you cheat’ it is a big insult, if you translate that in French, you say ‘il triche’. I cannot say ‘you cheat with the rules’? I do not find another word.

“In England, it is just a word you cannot say - I don‘t know why. Why do you have in your dictionary a word you cannot use?

“It is strange. It is a cultural thing. I said what I felt what was happening on the pitch on the day of the game. Maybe I translated it in bad words or clumsy words, but the FA found him guilty and suspended him for three games - you cannot say he did not cheat the rules. Then how do you say that? I am always keen to learn.”

With the re-opening of the transfer window fast approaching, speculation over who will be going where is beginning to gather pace.

However, any suggestion England left-back Ashley Cole was one player set to be lured away to Real Madrid in a £14million bid with wages of £75,000 a week, were a bit premature, according to the Arsenal manager.

“We are talking at the moment that we want to extend [his contract],” revealed Wenger, who added any new deal would recognise the 24-year-old as one of the club’s key performers.

Wenger also was quick to rule out a £20m swoop for Tottenham centre-half Ledley King, a move which would certainly not go down well among the White Hart Lane faithful.

“First of all, we are not on the market to buy him, at all,” insisted Wenger. “Only Tottenham could decide whether they could refuse to sell a player to Arsenal - I don't think so, why should they if the price is right?

“I don‘t deny that Ledley King is super quality, but I feel at the moment we have two great centre-backs and we have two who are growing - [Philippe] Senderos and [Pascal] Cygan.”

Wenger also believes one day Thierry Henry will finally be recognised as the “player of his generation”.

The Arsenal and France striker has been shortlisted for the FIFA world player of the year award, along with Ronaldinho of Barcelona and AC Milan forward Andriy Shevchenko.

The accolade, set to be presented in Zurich tonight, is voted for by national team coaches, and Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein has already claimed it would be “a travesty” should Henry not win.

Shevchenko was named European footballer of the year last week, and Wenger admits he would not be surprised to see Henry miss out again.

“I think there is a little bit of anti-English attitude, I don’t know why,” reflected the Arsenal boss. “I have had that feeling before when I was not in England. I think it is difficult for people to acknowledge that England has become maybe a super-strong league.”

He added: “I am disappointed for Thierry. The Ballon D’Or (European award) is voted for in France and players who are less good than Thierry got it before, the FIFA award as well I feel.

“For a player in his position, I respect the number of games he plays - this guy has played every year over 50 games.

“Then here is a guy who scores goals every year - last year it was 40 altogether. He played the whole season unbeaten in the league, where you go to Manchester, to Newcastle and Southampton - on an average day you can lose everywhere.

“Then he is the best passerin the league, and yet still a player comes out who is in front of him.

“See who comes out in front of him in FIFA, and compare just the numbers, not whether they are a good player or not, and there is no comparison.”

Wenger, though, believes one day Henry will get the official recognition his talents deserve.

“Overall his performances over the years will make a big difference,” declared the Arsenal manager.

“Players come in for one year, then they disappear again - he is third or second every year. When he will get it, he will see that he is really the player of his generation, because when you look at it year after year it will come out that he is the one who has always made it.”