Arsenal rule out sacking Wenger
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Shanghai Daily, September 21, 2011
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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger reacts on the touchline. |
Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis insisted yesterday that Arsene Wenger's future is not under threat, and dismissed fan complaints that the manager may have lost his touch following the club's worst start in 58 years.
The Gunners are just a point above the relegation zone after losing three of their five Premier League matches and jeopardizing their hopes of a first title since 2004.
The dismal start has raised tensions among fans, with Wenger facing the deepest crisis of a 15-year reign that has yielded three league titles. But the club, which was recently bought by American sports tycoon Stan Kroenke, is not contemplating any knee-jerk reactions.
"Thinking spending money solves issues (or) firing a manager solves issues - these are short term cures that actually have tremendous costs for football clubs that are not often played out in the short term," Gazidis said.
"That's a route we are not going to go down."
At a question and answer event for business leaders in London, Gazidis maintained that Arsenal is "fortunate" to have Wenger, whose transformation of the London club has been widely praised.
"The amount of admiration for Arsenal, the way we play the game, the technical dexterity is extraordinary," Gazidis said at the Sport Industry Breakfast Club. "That is something Arsene brought to the club.
"Believe it or not, he didn't suddenly become a bad manager or someone who is out of touch with the game," the former Major League Soccer deputy commissioner said. "It's absolute nonsense."
While the 61-year-old Wenger has been characterized as struggling personally during the current turmoil, Gazidis said the Frenchman is holding up well.
"Arsene is not broken," Gazidis said. "That is a portrayal that is black or white. You are either flying high and everything as great or you are a broken failure. To see him portrayed, because he is responsible, as some kind of idiot is profoundly damaging, not to Arsenal or Arsene but for the game. We do this to people and we need to think about that. He is frustrated, he shares the same frustrations that we all do."
Arsenal twice lost the lead at Blackburn on Saturday, conceding two goals in the 4-3 loss that left the side with just four points from a possible 15 so far.
"The potential is there and everyone can see it - last year we played some of the most attractive football in the Premier League and yet we self destructed at key moments and we have seen that a couple of times again this season," Gazidis said.
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