Arsene Wenger Reveals His Future Was in the Hands of His Players as He Contemplated New Contract

Arsene Wenger has revealed that it was the players who were responsible for keeping him at the club this summer. 

The Evening Standard reports that the players performance would decide whether Wenger would stay or not. After coming to much criticism over the season Arsenal players delivered, winning nine of the last ten games and ending their season with a triumphant cup win.

After losing to West Brom, Wenger came out and said that he had decided his future. However, at the time Wenger was unsure as to where his future lay. 

Wenger clearly had faith in his players to deliver as they had previously lost seven in 12 games in their run up to mid April. He revealed all in an interview with NBC. “I felt for a while it would not have a big impact but in the end I think it had a big impact.

“I assured the players in the final part of the season if we respond and win games, I will commit. I felt in the middle of the season it was a handicap.

“Was it difficult to speak to the media? Yes because it was a current subject and like always public life doesn’t tolerate uncertainty and uncertainty was there. I felt overall, with a distance, it was a mistake on my part. I should have dealt with it one way or the other earlier.

“My deep secret desire to continue was always there but I thought ‘let’s first see how we do’. But at the end of the day, I think we finished very well. We won nine of the last 10 games.

“We had a very difficult semi-final of the cup and a very difficult final. Maybe I should have done it differently. There is always a reason but I would want to put that now behind me and focus on the future.”

Many pundits presumed Wenger had lost the dressing room as they neared the end of their season, but with their late surge it would suggest that he has the full backing of his players.