Arsene Wenger is a trove of information. His knowledge about the beautiful game is amongst the best in the world and you can generally see that transpiring in press conferences. Apart from football, his economics also generally dominate his media briefings. But over the years, Wenger has delivered several witty quotes and has never failed to take a dig at his opponents whenever the opportunity arises. So, here are my 10 favourite Wenger quotes.
1. On Jose Mourinho, “He’s out of order, disconnected with reality and disrespectful. When you give success to stupid people, it makes them more stupid sometimes and not more intelligent.”
2. “A football team is like a beautiful woman. When you do not tell her, she forgets she is beautiful.”
3. “Everyone thinks they have the prettiest wife at home.” This was after Alex Ferguson claimed that he had the best team in 2002.
4. When Jose Reyes revealed that he wanted to leave Arsenal, “It’s like you wanting to marry Miss World and she doesn’t want you. I can try to help you but if she does not want to marry you what can I do?”
5. “I don’t kick dressing room doors or the cat or even football journalists.”
6. “I watched it when I got home and it looked very bad. You ask 100 people, 99 will say it’s very bad and the hundredth will be Mark Hughes”, on Adebayor’s tackle on RVP.
7. Wenger had more to say about Reyes, “Despite the global warming, England is still not warm enough for him.”
8. “Ferguson’s out of order. He has lost all sense of reality. He is going out looking for a confrontation, then asking the person he is confronting to apologise. He’s pushed the cork in a bit far this time.”
9. “I didn’t know the English were good at swimming. I have been in this country for 12 years and I haven’t seen a swimming pool.”
10. On Sol Campbell leaving Arsenal, “It is a big surprise to me because he cancelled his contract to go abroad. Have you sold Portsmouth to a foreign country?”
There are many more such quotes, but these are the ones that stand out to me. Happy Birthday Mr Wenger. In Arsene We Trust!
WTTGT Writer: Vivek Arulnathan