Wenger slams European approach

ARSENE WENGER has claimed that European players’ insular attitudes are partly to blame for their struggles at the World Cup, although he added that in-fighting, poor technique and an easy qualifying campaign were also factors to Europe’s poor showing in South Africa.

Only six out of the 13 European sides in action made it to the last 16 compared to the previous five tournaments, when a minimum of nine nations made it through every time. In contrast, all five South American sides made it to the last 16 and four of them are in the quarter-finals with the fifth, Chile, only being eliminated by Brazil.

Arsenal coach Wenger was typically forthright about the reasons for the flop, and suggested an inability to cope in a different environment was responsible.