Arsenal give Wenger vote of confidence

ARSENE WENGER has received resounding backing from Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis despite his team’s poor start to the season.

“Arsene is not a broken man,” Gazidis said. “He did not suddenly become a bad manager or somebody who became out of touch with the game. It is complete nonsense. [Sacking him] is a route we are not going to go down.

“[Majority owner] Stan Kroenke is very supportive of Arsenal’s self-sustaining model and of Arsene Wenger. To see him [Wenger] portrayed as some kind of idiot is profoundly damaging, not to Arsenal or Arsene, but for the game.”

Gazidis says Wenger understands why the club’s supporters are unhappy but insists that the club’s consistent top-four finishes mean the last few years have not been a failure.

“When we look at Arsenal over the last six years that we haven’t won a trophy, many people will say that is a total failure,” said Gazidis, who was speaking at a Sport Industry breakfast in London. “I understand that, I accept it and I embrace it because in a sense it shows where we are as a club, which is right at the top of the game. But at the same time, I cannot accept it’s a total failure because actually we have been incredibly consistent over a long period of time.’’

Wenger himself issued a defiant defence of his position after guiding the Gunners into the fourth round of the Carling Cup with a 3-1 win over Shrewsbury.

Asked if he should consider bringing in a defensive expert — such as former player Martin Keown — to help shore up the backline, the Arsenal manager responded: “I have just completed 30 years of coaching. I don’t want to answer this kind of question.”

On his vote of confidence from the board, Wenger continued: “I am not bothered at all by this speculation.

“I am completely focused on doing well. I can understand that people are unhappy and criticise, but you know as well as I know people are very quick to go overboard.

“I accept critics and I do not say it doesn’t matter that people criticise us, and like anybody else, I prefer it when they say I am good.

“When we do well we take all the plaudits, so we have to take as well all the blame when it doesn’t go as well – but we have as well on both sides to take some distance.’’

Wenger added: “I have just managed 14 years at this club and I have kept them 14 years in the Champions League and I hope it lasts another 14 years.”