Wenger: It’s my way only on transfers

ARSENE Wenger has entered the great English managerial debate and insisted he will never allow interference in the buying and selling of players at Arsenal.

BATTLES Wenger BATTLES: Wenger

Gunners manager Wenger spoke at the end of a tempestuous period for the Premier League that saw Alan Curbishley leave West Ham just as Kevin Keegan walked out on Newcastle because of interference in recruitment.[>

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Arsenal are currently searching for a director of football although Wenger is being consulted in that process. [>

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And while Wenger is supportive of that move, he has laid down the law that his role in trading players will not be undermined.[>

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He said: “If I go into a job and someone says to me that you have a director of football who buys and sells the players, I accept it or else I do not accept it. [>

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“If I accept it, I cannot complain.  I would personally not accept that but I can understand as well that some people don’t want to deal with that and feel comfortable getting the most out of the players they have because they come from a different country. [>

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“There’s no problem with directors of football so long as you have a very good one. I feel myself and the board are on the same wavelength in that regard. I am scared managers have even less of a role here than on the continent. On the continent at least you are informed on what kind of players you buy. It looks like some are not even informed any more. It looks to me to be going a very worrying way. [>

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“We face responsibilities and stand up for it but at least you want to feel you are responsible for the decisions you’re judged on.”[>

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Wenger, who takes his team to Blackburn today, has also spoken out against foreign ownership in the Premier League with Arab owners investing huge amounts of money in Manchester City.[>

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After Arsenal were criticised by some for their lack of activity in the transfer window, City’s emergence as a financial force is apparently a cause for concern among some Gunners supporters.[>

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But Wenger said: “I don’t understand it because they have to trust the players and me to get where we want to get.[>

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“I’m convinced we can compete with them but we want to stay together and we want to develop players the way we see football being played. That’s why I say it is about more than just splashing out money. Football has to be more than that.”[>

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Wenger’s skill in spotting and developing young talent was underlined by Theo Walcott’s hat-trick for England in Croatia. But he hopes unreasonable expectation is not placed on Walcott at Ewood Park.[>

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“I know people want to see him on Saturday,” said Wenger. “And they will expect him to score four goals, but football is not like that.”[>

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