Arsene Wenger has admitted that he’s frustrated by not being back on the sidelines already, and he misses the competition.
Speaking to beIN SPORTS in the last few days, Wenger talked about his current situation and his temporary absence from football. The former Arsenal manager left his post with the Gunners all the way back in May, but six months later we’re still not really any closer to knowing where he’ll end up next.
As a result, beIN asked him whether his ‘break’ was starting to feel more like a retirement.
“I don’t feel retired at all but I feel frustrated,” Wenger said. “I am basically a competitor and what I miss – honestly there are many things I don’t miss at all, like all of the stuff around the game you have to deal with.
“But of course, the day, the competition, the achievement that you can do together, sharing emotions, sharing competitions, ups and downs with others, of course, you miss that because I spent my life in that.
“I’m not finished. People always want to put you in cases, like you are retired or you are finished. People want to finish you completely when you have got older. But as long as you have an appetite for life I will go on.
“One advantage I have from 35 years in the game is sharing what I know with other people and if you don’t do that then life is useless. You should not leave this world without trying to give something to the people.”
Wenger to Milan?
One recent rumour suggested that Wenger might have already agreed to join AC Milan in January, working under Ivan Gazidis just as he did at Arsenal. The manager himself came out and denied the story, calling it ‘fake news’, but this wouldn’t be the first time he’s made a claim about the falsity of a story only for it to end up coming true.
The 69-year-old seems to hold onto the belief that you have to announce things in the right way. He wouldn’t want to unsettle current Milan boss Gennaro Gattuso, even if he does plan on taking over.
Wherever he’s going, Wenger’s already confirmed that he’s planning a January return, so we don’t have long to wait now until we know his next destination.