Soccer: Wenger pledges to fight touchline ban

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is ready to take on the Football Association, backed by two top barristers, when he appeals against a 12-match touchline ban in a two-day hearing starting tomorrow.

The Frenchman was given the draconian punishment, in line with new FA guidelines drawn up in the summer, when fourth official Paul Taylor reported him after a clash in the tunnel which followed the opening match of the Premiership season at Sunderland.

At the original hearing in October, Wenger was accused of physically shoving new Premiership referee Taylor as both men reacted to a row between Arsenal’s Thierry Henry and Sunderland’s Darren Williams, the latter having figured in an incident which saw Gunners midfielder Patrick Vieira sent off.

Wenger, who expected a small fine for his part in the tunnel bust-up, was staggered to receive the 12-match ban and a fine of two weeks’ salary the minimum punishment under the new FA guidelines.

But now he says: ‘‘I’ll fight like a real Arsenal man to get rid of the sentence.

‘‘I’m very confident because I believe in the justice of the FA. I don’t have anything to hide.

‘‘Before, when I went for the hearing I just went in alone like a naive guy, but now I will have a case to present because a 12-match ban is a big punishment.’’

Wenger confirmed he will ‘‘field’’ two legal representatives in his defence and also call witnesses among his own players, which he did not do at the original hearing even though the FA allowed Williams and Taylor to both give evidence.

The Arsenal boss will attend both days of the hearing at FA headquarters in London’s Soho Square, handing over the running of the team in that period to assistant Pat Rice ahead of Saturday’s Premiership trip to Coventry City.

Arsenal will start that game back in second place in the Premiership following last night’s 2-0 Highbury win over Bradford City, unless Sunderland beat leaders Manchester United at the Stadium of Light tonight.

Wenger’s team strolled to victory against the Premiership’s bottom club with first-half goals by England hopeful Ray Parlour and Cameroon star Lauren.

It should have been much more emphatic, such was their overwhelming superiority, but Wenger was happy enough with their first League victory since the 6-1 romp against Leicester on Boxing Day.

And he was glad to take the opportunity to back the England claims of the impressive Parlour, who was watched by new national coach Sven-Goran Eriksson.

Wenger said: ‘‘I spoke to Eriksson before the game and I know Parlour’s name is in his mind, although I think he already knows all the players here.

‘‘Ray did very well again. He scored a great goal, hit a post and his work-rate is tremendous. He was a wide player when I came to Arsenal and I’ve used him there a lot.

‘‘But I like him very much when he plays inside where he can run ahead of the strikers and score goals. That is very important.’’

Ashley Cole, 20-year-old left back filling in for Arsenal’s injured Brazilian Silvinho, also hit a post and was another player to catch Eriksson’s eye, although Wenger warned: ‘‘Maybe he’s still a little immature to be thought of as a player in the England side.

‘‘But he has a very interesting potential and had another great game against Bradford. He is fighting for a place with Silvinho here but that will do him good.’’

Wenger added: ‘‘Eriksson knows what he wants and will pick the players he believes can do the best job.

‘‘He hasn’t said anything more to me about the Arsenal players he admires except Tony Adams, but we know now that’s not an option for him.

‘‘The main thing for me is another three points against Bradford, even though we should have had more goals.

‘‘I’m not saying who I would like to win when Manchester United and Sunderland play because you will accuse me of giving up the title completely if I say United.

‘‘But realistically we have got to try to stay ahead of Sunderland because it is hard to see United dropping enough points to let somebody else win the championship.’’