Arsène Wenger will only retire when he loses the "physical
desire to win".
This week the Arsenal manager reportedly suggested he could go on
for another 20 years. However, at Friday's press conference, the
58-year-old was not prepared to put a time-frame on it. In reality,
Wenger said, his body would tell him when it was time to go.
“I was asked when I want to retire and I said ‘I don’t know’," he
commented. "It could be tomorrow, it could be 10 years.
"I must say I don’t think like that, I think about the next game
and say 'let’s do it'.
"It’s a balance between internal desire, the instinctive animal
desire to fight and win plus being wise enough to make the right
decisions.
"Also you must give yourself a good distance from the pressure. I
cannot imagine being sat on the bench at 92 saying ‘come on my
friend let’s do it’.
"Anyway," he joked. "Giovanni Trappatoni has just signed for
Ireland at 69 and you want me out at 58!"
The Frenchman took charge of his first club, AS Nancy, in 1984.
That was a full decade after his opponent on Saturday, Sir Alex
Ferguson, did likewise at East Stirlingshire. At 66, the Scot is
eight years older than Wenger but his inner desire has barely
diminished. It is something both men have in common.
“Of course," replied the Arsenal boss when the point was put to
him. "As long as winning means something to you, you go for it
because you sacrifice nearly everything for the next game and you
live the life of a professional football player.
"That means if it’s not so important any more you are not ready to
sacrifice, to not go out and prepare like a player.
"You only do that because it has massive meaning for you to
win.”
