Arsenal gaffer Arsene Wenger is not at all concerned about his position and is “shocked” at the focus on his future.
The Gunners boss came in for heavy criticism for their performance in last Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final at Wembley.
Wenger has a contract until the end of next season but reports in England suggest he could be replaced this year, with Germany boss Joachim Low among those linked with the role.
However, the 68-year-old insists he is only worried about Thursday’s Premier League clash with Pep Guardiola’s side, having spent much of his two decades at Arsenal dismissing speculation about his job.
“My position is my position. Honestly, that’s the last worry I have at the moment. My focus is to get the team ready for the game,” he told a news conference on Wednesday.
“I just told you what my way of thinking is; it’s the next game. We’re in that kind of situation. I don’t ask you if your position is reviewed at the end of the season.
“My job is to perform. It’s not for me to evaluate. If you need clarity, I can repeat exactly the same answer. Does it stop you sleeping that my position is uncertain or certain? The game on Thursday is what is important.
“I’m amazed I always have to answer things that are the same. I’ve been here 21 years and turned the whole world down to honour my contract.”
Asked if he believes he has improved as a manager in recent years, Wenger continued: “How do you judge that? Only by results, or the quality of work? The problem for a manager is to take the best out of a team. How can you rate that?
“I try to be a better manager than I was five years ago and I put the effort in. You can say you don’t agree and I understand that but the effort, the commitment, the hard work is behind it.”
