Arsenal’s Wenger puts Mourinho in his place
Having piggybacked on Arsene Wenger’s 20th anniversary as Arsenal manager to promote a new book on Jose Mourinho by Rob Beasley, the Daily Mail has triggered a news flurry.
You can read how, while working at Chelsea, Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho threatened Wenger – a pensioner! – and told Beasley that he would break Wenger’s face. Now the BBC reports: “Arsene Wenger: Arsenal boss ‘will not read’ book about Jose Mourinho.”
What did Wenger say? Sky Sports reports he said nothing: “Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger refuses to comment on Jose Mourinho book claims.”
Nonsense. No comment is always a comment. Wenger responded. “I talk about football – that’s all I do,” he said. “I’m not in a destructive mode, never. I’m more constructive. I am focused on Saturday’s game against Chelsea.”
The Guardian is more circumspect, telling its readers that “Arsène Wenger refuses to enter into war of words with José Mourinho”. And that’s about right. But will Mourinho like being dismissed by the man the Mail says he ‘hates’? Will his “bitterness (Times) be abated by Wenger saying Mourinho is unworthy of attention? The Times says Wenger “shrugged” off the nastiness.
“For me it was always just a big game and the personal rivalry was never a big concern,” the Arsenal manger told the Press. “I have no personal problem with anyone, I respect everyone in the game.”
No word from Mourinho yet, but the dark part of the street by Wenger’s home has bad phone reception.
PS: For those who missed it, Mourinho apparently said of Wenger: “I will find him one day outside a football pitch and I will break his face.” The spoils go to the agonist who keeps his cool. Wenger wins.
Posted: 23rd, September 2016 | In: Back pages, manchester united, Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
