There is no denying that Arsenal has always been run on ethical values and given ourselves budgetary restraints to make sure that we our growth in line with our earnings, especially when compared to the Sugar-Daddy investment in some of our Premier League rivals like Chelsea or Man City. I think it is fair to say that most Arsenal fans are proud of the way that Wenger has brought through youngsters from the academy and taught them loyalty and respect, but also to play ‘The Arsenal Way’, which is exciting and attacking football that is great to watch as a spectator.
There are definitely some fans who just want us to win trophies at any cost, but Arsene Wenger obviously feels that trophies are great but to keep to our values is even more important. “We want to win trophies, but you cannot live inside a club thinking you want to win the next trophy and, if you don’t win it, you have lost.” he said.
The club has a stronger basis than that. On a personal level, I want to win every game. When we lose a game I’m absolutely mad and sad, but it is part of being a coach.
“I’ve been lucky to have had a very long career in my job and I’m completely committed to work for Arsenal.
“To do well of course means to win the Premier League, hopefully to win the Champions League as well, but I think I have stayed at Arsenal for such a long time because for me a club is firstly about values, the values I hold dear.
“One is to win trophies but more important is to know who we are, and what is important to us.
“I will always try to defend what I think is important in our sport, that means the values of our game. Football is a very popular sport now all over the world and there is a big responsibility.
“I think one of the ways to face up to the responsibility is to defend the values. That is important to me.”
We all know that Wenger is very highly respected throughout the football world, and he has very high principles. Some will say that Arsenal has been run more as a business than a club in the Kroenke years, but surely some of those ‘values’ of business are similar in business as in life. Slow but steady growth, promoting from within, corporate loyalty, reinvestment in the future, etc. I certainly don’t think the club could have grown this big without Wenger’s steady guidance and principles, BUT we would really like a few more big trophies please!
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