Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes he can rival Sir Alex Ferguson’s 21-years at Manchester United after admitting he would be lost without the pressure of management.
Workaholic Arsene Wenger is gunning to outstrip Sir Alex Ferguson’s record
LONDON:Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes he can rival Sir Alex Ferguson’s 21-years at Manchester United after admitting he would be lost without the pressure of management.
Wenger takes charge of his 635th game at Arsenal against Reading on Monday and recently signed a contract keeping him at the Emirates Stadium until at least the summer of 2010.
The Frenchman admits he does not enjoy holidays away from football, takes his mobile phone to the beach to carry out negotiations with potential new signings and even arranges meetings with players on the seafront.
“I do not need a rest,” insists Wenger, who gave most of his first-team the night off when Arsenal travelled to the Czech Republic for their 0-0 draw with Slavia Prague on Wednesday.
“I am a marathon runner. I am always busy, there is always work to do that we cannot do when we play."
“I must say I am quite lost on holiday but the holiday period is the transfer period so there is always football. I can sit on the beach on my phone and have even met players there. The players are at the beach as well in the summer.”
Workaholic Wenger, Arsenal’s longest serving manager in terms of matches, admits he does not know how much damage he is doing to his health.
The Frenchman’s dedication is reaping rewards, with Arsenal unbeaten in 26 league and cup matches and flying high at the top of the Premier League table.
Wenger said: “No one has found a machine to measure the pressure so I do not know how much damage it does to me compared to someone else.
“Many people say I am under massive pressure and it is terrible to experience but you cannot measure it to see if it is worse than someone else or not. I keep fit, go to the gym, go running. I do a little everyday. But for me if you are in sport then you are in sport. The players are under physical stress that I am not. Yes, there is mental stress but I like to be ‘in there’ and keep in.” Wenger will recall Alexander Hleb and Cesc Fabregas for the trip to the Madejski Stadium, Arsenal’s sixth game in a hectic 19-day period.
Fabregas this week claimed Arsenal can match Wenger’s ‘invincible’ 2004 championship winning team by going the whole season unbeaten.
Reading manager Steve Coppell has warned Fabregas and his fellow youngsters their free-flowing attacking football will count for nothing if they end the season trophyless. Coppell said: “Anything less than a trophy this year will be seen as failure.
“They can play wonderful football but they will be judged on what is in the cabinet at the end of the season. You can sense a real confidence coming out of their camp — from the manager downwards you feel there is more of a belief than last year. Given the start they have made and the foundation they have, they need silverware.”
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