Premier League - Wenger issues Walcott warning

PA Sport - Tue, 24 Nov 09:45:00 2009

Arsene Wenger has warned his Arsenal stars, including Theo Walctott, to forget about the World Cup and concentrate on driving the Gunners to success both in the Premier League and Europe.

2009-2010 Arsenal Theo Walcott - 0

The Gunners fell eight points behind leaders Chelsea following a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Sunderland on Saturday, when they were without Holland striker Robin van Persie, who damaged ankle ligaments while away during the international break.

England forward Walcott, however, made a welcome return to action against the Black Cats, and could feature again against Standard Liege in the Champions League on Tuesday.

But when quizzed about the importance of the campaign for Walcott, given what is ahead at the end of it, Wenger snapped.

He blasted: "For f***'s sake the World Cup is in June. Is he on holiday until June 11?

"You cannot be serious. For me, the big season is with Arsenal, not at the World Cup,"

"We do not pay players to go to the World Cup - we pay the players to do well for Arsenal.

"The first pride of a man is to do well for the guy who pays you in life, not to go to the World Cup.

"He's not played this year. It's not his fault but he's paid by Arsenal every week to perform - and well paid. Let's do well for Arsenal.

"Even during the World Cup he will be paid by Arsenal FC."

Wenger added: "Listen, a guy who has a poor season has a poor World Cup. A guy who wins with his club goes to the World Cup and has a good chance to win.

"Because the players are not afraid of you if you do f*** all the whole season.

"You have no respect from the manager if you don't do anything at your club.

"The only experience I have of players who won the World Cup was with Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit.

"They won the Premiership, they won the FA Cup, they went to the World Cup and they won that.

"You can't think that the players have to be within themselves and then turn up at the World Cup.

"Sport at the top level doesn't work like that. Sport at the top level is more simple and more complicated than that."

Eurosport / PA Sport

Comment 6 - 25 of 25

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  1. Wenger should stop wingeing about players performance.­ Its his job to assess players ability, his job to buy­ new players, his job to assess weknesses in the team,­ his fault Arsenal are always so near and yet so far­ away. Any idiot would let you know Arsenal as it easy­ will win nothing, fail to perform in crucial games for­ example 29/11 with Chelsea. Wenger was boasting that he­ was given £40 m and did not spend it. Why? He needs an­ imposing defensive midfielder, an all out striker and a­ goal keeper. This man must be living in Kukooland to­ think that he will win anything with this team.

    From echem3, on Tue 24 Nov 7:15PM

  2. are you interested in african football? visit­ africaplays.come
    are you interested in african­ football? visit africaplays.come

    From Second S, on Tue 24 Nov 3:38PM

  3. have a bet on france to win the world cup at 20/1 at­ bloombergoffshoreracing com

    From katesilverton, on Tue 24 Nov 3:25PM

  4. Never mind walcott what about some Kick-@#$% for­ Ashavin who unlike Walcott is on the field, but­ dos'not preform

    From The watchmaker, on Tue 24 Nov 3:13PM

  5. well said Wenger coz France are going to win the world­ cup .AISHA

    From Aisha, on Tue 24 Nov 3:00PM

  6. very true Wenger ,because France are going to win the­ world cup

    From Aisha, on Tue 24 Nov 2:59PM

  7. very true Wenger ,because France are going to win the­ world cup

    From Aisha, on Tue 24 Nov 2:59PM

  8. Personally i dont believe it. Wenger is way too­ diplomatic to curse at reporters. These newspapers­ exaggerate things so much.

    From Kareem G, on Tue 24 Nov 2:19PM

  9. Good for you Arsene, its about time you got tough with­ the players at Arsenal they'v had it all too easy -­ Walcott has been out injured every season and for long­ periods, he owes the Arsenal a good season so time to­ pay up - as for the other slouchers, pull yourself­ together and play football or else face getting taken­ over by those blokes down the road and that would be­ disasterious -

    From michelle.lieberman23, on Tue 24 Nov 2:15PM

  10. If the players play very well in a club football,they­ will surely select by their country.So don't worry­ about,like Wenger said.

    From Wt, on Tue 24 Nov 2:01PM

  11. well said arsene, its not as if england are going to­ win the world cup any way.........

    From giannat, on Tue 24 Nov 1:35PM

  12. well said arsene, its not as if england are going to­ win the world cup any way.........

    From giannat, on Tue 24 Nov 1:34PM

  13. Legend, this just adds to it. Priority should always be­ with club football, which is why pointless­ internationals should be banned .

    From Darren, on Tue 24 Nov 12:19PM

  14. Arsene Wenger goes even further higher in my­ estimation. A brilliant manager harrassed by stupid­ worthless hacks should be able to give these answers­ more often, without the journalist w@*kers sniping­ back. I'm not surprised he was angered,­ considering the performance against Sunderland. Very­ well said, Arsene.

    From colourblindfan, on Tue 24 Nov 11:50AM

  15. The game between arsenal and sunderland painted me and­ i took no interest in washing other clubs at all , so­ what i may say is that arsenal didn't its moral­ interest to position to win sunderland .the absences­ of van persi brought failures and wasn't a great­ wellcome to sunderland home arsenal should get ride of­ small teams by there names.this is were they normally­ end up failing.so arsene wenger is also rigt to warn­ those players who have boycotted the team to go for­ world cup the money spent for buying the players means­ a lot to the clubs.
    Ben-Alex

    From BEN-ALEX, on Tue 24 Nov 11:43AM

  16. lol,i'd love to see the video of Wenger saying @#$%­ all and @#$% sake's.
    Superb response from my­ favourite frenchman,but of course a player has his­ whole heart and eyes on the world cup,is there any more­ prestigious award ? In anybody's right mind ? But­ of course,the world cup finished, all players will go­ back to their respective teams and i'm quite sure­ they'd love for their team to still be in the­ champion's league next year and why not,title­ holders of something like an EPL trophy,an FA cup or­ whatever.

    From coolworld, on Tue 24 Nov 11:42AM

  17. let the chaps play club football before they play for­ their countries for they are better known whan playing­ for the club then their coaches pick the best players­ from the club to make a team that wins the world cup. ­ I WISH ARSENAL ALL THE BEST THIS SEASON ROUND. ­ WENGER PLEASE DO IT WITH THOSE CHAPS YOU WILL MANAGE

    From chacha, on Tue 24 Nov 11:13AM

  18. well done wenger, let them realise that a player who­ goes to the world cup with a trophy at hand from his­ team plays better than the one who goea there with­ nothing, so let them win matches first at the club­ level then the world cup

    From chacha, on Tue 24 Nov 11:08AM

  19. I'm a United fan and loving that for an answer!!­ He's a club manager!! Though he comments France­ matches, his first interest should be and rightly is,­ his club!!

    From Belyab, on Tue 24 Nov 11:01AM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    world cup is just as important
    wat is arsene wenger­ thinking

    COME ON ENGLAND !!!!!

    From haidar, on Tue 24 Nov 10:58AM
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