Arsene Wenger has revealed that he isn’t sure whether he would still be at the club if he failed to lift the FA Cup in 2014, when Arsenal faced Hull City.
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The Gunners boss took charge of the occasion at Wembley with pressure mounted on his shoulders more than ever, as an extra-time goal from Aaron Ramsey gave his side a 3-2 victory.
But despite the celebrations following the first piece of silverware lifted in a nine year period, the Frenchman has revealed things could have been a lot different if he failed to do so.
After enjoying 18 years with the North London side, Wenger’s contract was due to expire at the end of the season as talk began to emerge of who his successor could be.
Those rumours in the press and knowing his side had to win the final gave Wenger a massive moment to consider what was best for the club, and if he was to let the club down again could have tempted him to walk.
London Evening Standard reporter James Olley was at the managers pre-match press conference on Friday to speak to the 66-year-old, who admitted he wasn’t sure whether he would have waved goodbye to the Emirates if he failed to win the trophy.
I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t know. What was up in the air was to give everything to win the final and after to reflect on it. If we had lost it, I don’t know. Honestly I don’t know.
Usually I respect my contracts and I fight for everything. I think to say to you that 17 years at a club depend on one Cup final, so it’s better you don’t go to the final then.
It would have been a problem had we not won because it would have been a massive disappointment for everybody. But we won.
Of course the situation now is very different and Wenger’s hard slog through the tough years is beginning to pay off with Arsenal still in contention for three trophies.
The Gunners line up against Steve Bruce’s Hull City this weekend in a repeat of that famous final in 2014, something that sits in the mind of Wenger going into Saturday afternoon.
They are very strong because they have been together for a long time. Let’s not forget, if you go through their team they have all played together in the Premier League.
They are all Premier League players, even on the bench. I consider them a Premier League team.
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