Gunners boss was close to leaving for Spain
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed that he was close to leaving the club in order to join Spanish giants Real Madrid.
The Gunners boss has admitted that he spoke with former-Madrid president Ramon Calderon a few years ago about a potential move, but his loyalty to Arsenal kept him in North London.
Wenger has been under pressure for the past decade or so following their major trophy drought, but back-to-back FA Cup wins restored the faith with some portion of the fans.
However, all could have been different for Wenger and Arsenal as it’s been confirmed he was in talks with Madrid a few years ago before he decided to decline the job.
Talks Revealed
“I imagine that anyone – be it a coach or a player – at some time in their career is interested in coming to a club like Real Madrid, especially when you have been at a club for fifteen years, or however long, in England,” Calderon told the Daily Mirror.
“Anyone working in any other industry would be interested in change. I think it’s a good idea to have a coach who has a long-term plan.
“He was talking to me about Real Madrid and, at that time, he was very interested in the club and what was happening. I remember he said: “Are you going to Hollywood again, or to make a football team?” He meant are you going for film star Galacticos or to make a proper football team.
“It’s something you have in England that is a very good thing. You have it at Arsenal, you had at Manchester United, that the manager could stay at the club for a very long time. It’s impossible here.
“In Spain, Barcelona and Real Madrid, fans and followers only want titles, trophies and championships. In England, it’s something they do well – to give the coach confidence and support. Get a good relationship between the club and the coach. Wenger is proof of that.”
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Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt
