Freddie Ljungberg reckons that people underestimate Arsene Wenger’s hunger to succeed.

After 20 years at a club, the latter half of which has been spent having abuse hurled at him from the media, opposition and even his own fans, you’d be a fool to believe Wenger wasn’t hungry to continue. If he wasn’t, he could have walked long ago. He’s confirmed himself that PSG have approached him more than once and he most likely would have enjoyed a pretty easy ride had he chosen the Ligue 1 giants.

But he didn’t.

Speaking recently, Ljungberg hailed his former manager, claiming that the reason that most neutral fans enjoy watching Arsenal is down to Wenger and his style of football.

“Twenty years is an amazing amount of time and to stay at the club for that long shows what a great manager he is,” he said.

“It does not really happen in football anymore. 

“The way he has made Arsenal play, he has given the club a great name around the world. Fans who do not have a specific team like to watch Arsenal because they know they are going to get entertaining football. That is credit to Arsene.

“In our heyday we had a great side and loved playing offensive football. The changes the club has been through, moving from Highbury to Emirates Stadium and all the financial restraint that he had, means it has not always been plain sailing but Arsenal are back to having the financial power to compete again.

“I think people underestimate his hunger to succeed sometimes. He is polite and respectful in interviews but he hates losing. He wants to win as much as anyone else.

“When you hate losing that is a gene than you are born with and I do not think Arsene is ever going to lose that. Arsene loves coaching. He is on the field all the time and you have got to enjoy it if you are going to be doing it for 20 years.”

Unlike us, Freddie actually knows what Arsene is like behind the scenes and therefore he knows far better than us how hungry he is.

This is how you talk about a man you look up to in the press…