Arsene Wenger got in a touch line battle with the fourth official in a Premier league game involving Arsenal Vs Burnley on Saturday. The Arsenal manager reacted to a call by the referee on Granit Xhaka's red card after he roughly tackled a Burnley player. Wenger's protest saw him get sent off by the referee who pointed to the dug-out, on refusal, he got into a heated argument with the fourth official and even pushed him along the line.
This singular act is tantamount to a ban by the FA to the Arsenal manager. Arsène Wenger faced the media on Thursday and was asked about his misconduct charge from the Football Association. He also spoke about the possible touchline ban and how the rules of the FA needs to be more clearer and elaborated.
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| Wenger during presser |
This is what he said:
"Yes [I will hold my hands up and admit my guilt]. I’ve answered that in the press conference, there’s not more to add. I’ve been in England for 20 years, I have seen a lot on the bench, as you certainly know. I think if I am after 34 years still in the job it is because I am big enough to stand up for what I do. And as well, I’m big enough to know when I do well and when I do not do well. So that’s it".
"Yes [I will hold my hands up and admit my guilt]. I’ve answered that in the press conference, there’s not more to add. I’ve been in England for 20 years, I have seen a lot on the bench, as you certainly know. I think if I am after 34 years still in the job it is because I am big enough to stand up for what I do. And as well, I’m big enough to know when I do well and when I do not do well. So that’s it".
"No, I am a passionate guy and I believe that I am completely committed in my job and want to win football games and I am completely passionate about it, like all the managers who work in the Premier League. I was quite calm in this game, I must say, for 90 minutes".
"Irrespective of my age, I still do things the way I should. I haven’t been touched by that yet".
"Of course [a touchline ban would mean something to him] because you want to be there, to be physically with the team and the team as well is used to me being there. So it’s not the ideal conditions".
"The touch line ban matters because I prefer to be physically there with the team. The team is used to me being there - it’s not ideal conditions".
"I don't know If am expecting any punishment but as it is I expect nothing. I came out after the game and I said what I think I had to say. When I don’t behave like I think I should behave, I’m big enough say ‘yes, that’s not right’, and that’s it".
"I don’t know if I will be punished and how I will be punished. If I am punished, the only thing I can say is that I thought when I was sent off I was surprised and I was in the tunnel because I thought I had the right to be in the tunnel. Last time I was sent off wrongly, in 2009, I had to go in the stand at Old Trafford and I didn’t know where to go. No one tells you what you have to do when you are sent off".
"I think the guidelines need to be more clearer and the rules clearly stated because you don’t know where to go".
"Irrespective of my age, I still do things the way I should. I haven’t been touched by that yet".
"Of course [a touchline ban would mean something to him] because you want to be there, to be physically with the team and the team as well is used to me being there. So it’s not the ideal conditions".
"The touch line ban matters because I prefer to be physically there with the team. The team is used to me being there - it’s not ideal conditions".
"I don't know If am expecting any punishment but as it is I expect nothing. I came out after the game and I said what I think I had to say. When I don’t behave like I think I should behave, I’m big enough say ‘yes, that’s not right’, and that’s it".
"I don’t know if I will be punished and how I will be punished. If I am punished, the only thing I can say is that I thought when I was sent off I was surprised and I was in the tunnel because I thought I had the right to be in the tunnel. Last time I was sent off wrongly, in 2009, I had to go in the stand at Old Trafford and I didn’t know where to go. No one tells you what you have to do when you are sent off".
"I think the guidelines need to be more clearer and the rules clearly stated because you don’t know where to go".
However, the FA is yet to issue their verdict on the incident.
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