Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger refuses to apologise for referee comments as FA charge looms
HE SPOKE of honesty and integrity having questioned in recent press conferences whether decision-making against Arsenal by officials was pre-determined.
Wenger comments on referees ahead of Chelsea match
He even laughed off a potential stadium ban, by saying on the plus side it might enable him to accept an invitation from his former Monaco player George Weah to attend his inauguration as President of Liberia on January 20.
Yet somehow Arsene Wenger seems to be positioning himself as a champion of referees in this country - not one of their worst detractors - as he awaits to learn his fate from an FA charge with the verdict expected later today.
“I think I’ve contributed a lot to give referees a great opportunity to be at their best because I’ve had a huge influence on whether they became professional or not,” he said. “I believe I’ve had more influence on that and a positive one too. That’s why I can also be demanding and what I want from them is to be at the top. I’m quite surprised that that is shocking.”
The Arsenal manager also said of questions about his charge: “We always spend time talking about things that are not really important in the game”; he just does not get it.
I think I’ve contributed a lot to give referees a great opportunity to be at their best because I’ve had a huge influence on whether they became professional or not
Arsene Wenger
All referees are human beings and they accept that. Wenger is entitled to believe Eden Hazard dived to win a recent penalty for Chelsea, even though the majority of pundits don’t. He is also entitled to ignore completely a Jack Wilshere incident in the same game which was a far more clear-cut act of simulation.
What he cannot do is suggest that these errors – or otherwise – are being made with an agenda.
“We got again a farcical decision on the penalty but we knew that as well before so we have to deal with that…” he said after that Chelsea game. Previously he had talked about a “concerning coincidence”.
Coincidence is only “concerning” if you feel there is an underlying causal link. In other words, the playing field is not level. That sort of insinuation is not only disrespectful to the officials directly involved, but unhelpful to the eager hordes of young whistlers who face much more direct confrontation on the football fields up and down the country every weekend.
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Arsene Wenger was not happy at Chelsea being awarded a penalty
Perhaps the forthcoming trial of Video Assisted Refereeing in the FA and Carabao Cups. Certainly Wenger sees one benefit for his “best mates”.
“It can create jobs for former referees, who can continue their work and have that influence,” he said with a wry grin.