Arsene Wenger hoping for a happy 18th but insists he is not looking back on his career yet as Arsenal prepare for Galatasaray 

  • Wenger is longest serving Premier League manager
  • Arsenal face Galatasaray in Champions League on Wednesday
  • The Gunners lost their first game of the competition for the first time in 11 years against Borussia Dortmund 
  • But Wenger believes his side can win the Champions League 
  • Wenger also says Kieran Gibbs can be as good as Ashley Cole 

Arsene Wenger will one day sit down, take a deep breath and remember his remarkably long career at Arsenal. But that will have to wait until he finally calls time on his reign.

The 64-year-old celebrates 18 years since he took over the north London club on Wednesday, but insists he does not have time to look back over almost two decades there — especially with a crucial Champions League group stage game against Galatasaray marking his anniversary.

He is one of the last of a dying breed of long-standing managers who were afforded time and patience to build an empire, watch it grow, nurture it, then start over again when it floundered.

Arsene Wenger celebrates 18 years as Arsenal manager on Wednesday but is only looking forward for now

Arsene Wenger celebrates 18 years as Arsenal manager on Wednesday but is only looking forward for now

Alan Pardew is the next longest-serving manager in the Premier League having been in his job just four years

Alan Pardew is the next longest-serving manager in the Premier League having been in his job just four years

Alan Pardew at Newcastle is the closest boss in the top flight to the Frenchman — with just four seasons at the helm — but his tenure is dangerously close to ending.


Wenger said: ‘It’s a great honour and privilege to be in charge of such a big club for such a long time, but I have no time to look back right now, I will do it at another time. 

'I never look back. What is always your target is to take the maximum potential out of the team. 

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, ARSENE 

The Arsenal manager celebrates his 18th year in charge at Arsenal on Wednesday. Here are some of his key numbers:

1,021 Games in charge at Arsenal. He has won 590, drawn 230 and lost 201.

13 Trophies won by Wenger at Arsenal: three League titles, five FA Cups and five Community Shields.

1,880 Arsenal goals under Wenger — an average of 1.84 per game.

1,353 Premier League points won. Only Sir Alex Ferguson (1,752) has more.

1st In 1998, Wenger became the first foreign manager to win the English league title.

57.8 Overall Arsenal win percentage.

'The only thing I would say this season is that this team has huge potential and it has to come out. At the moment I am more worried about that.’

He added: ‘For the rest, Champions League evolution, maybe it was more open 15 years ago than it is today. The concentration of the big players in a small number of clubs is much more than it was before.

‘It’s much more predictable, the outcome of the Champions League, than it was 10 years ago. It’s harder to win it. 

'If you make a poll tomorrow and say to people “Give me four clubs who will win the Champions League”, 80 or 90 per cent of people will say they are these four clubs.

‘I don’t think that we are one of the four who will be favourites to win it, but football is strange and not always predictable.’

Former Italy boss Cesare Prandelli watches over Galatasaray training on the pitch at the Emirates Stadium

Former Italy boss Cesare Prandelli watches over Galatasaray training on the pitch at the Emirates Stadium

Wesley Sneijder and his teammates will be looking to inflict back-to-back defeats on Arsene Wenger's side

Wesley Sneijder and his teammates will be looking to inflict back-to-back defeats on Arsene Wenger's side

The competition winners may be predictable for the Frenchman, but he could not have envisaged the sound beating his side were given by Borussia Dortmund in their opening match. It was the first time in 11 years they had lost an opening group game in the competition.

The last time, a Wednesday night in 2003, they were hammered 3-0 by Inter Milan at home but still went on to top their group and reach the quarter-finals, where they were eliminated by Chelsea.

‘One thing that has not changed compared to 18 years ago, the players were very intelligent and they are still very intelligent today,’ said Wenger. ‘They know what is at stake. Mathematically they know Galatasaray is the game for us.’

Back in 2003-04, Wenger’s team became The Invincibles as undefeated league champions, which he will surely fondly recall.

Arsenal lost their first game of this year's Champions League, going down 2-0 to Borussia Dortmund

Arsenal lost their first game of this year's Champions League, going down 2-0 to Borussia Dortmund

It was the first time in 11 years that they lost on the opening day, and Wenger has never lost his first two

It was the first time in 11 years that they lost on the opening day, and Wenger has never lost his first two

Jack Wilshere is fit enough to make the Arsenal squad as they look to revive their Champions League hopes

Jack Wilshere is fit enough to make the Arsenal squad as they look to revive their Champions League hopes

But defeat at home to Galatasaray will heap pressure on qualifying for the knockout stages and would bring a more painful memory to mind for Wenger — who has never lost the opening two games in a Champions League campaign.

On Wednesday, Wenger will make a decision on whether to start Jack Wilshere after he turned his ankle against Tottenham. It was feared the midfielder would be out for a lengthy spell, but he came through training on Tuesday, when he looked sharp.

Aaron Ramsey, who has a hamstring injury, and Mikel Arteta, struggling with a calf problem, also suffered significant problems in that match and will be out for at least three weeks.

Kieran Gibbs is set to start in the absence of Nacho Monreal, and Wenger has tipped the injury-prone left back to become England’s long-term replacement to Ashley Cole. 

German trio Per Mertesacker (right), Mesut Ozil (centre) and Lukas Podolski (left) are all in the squad

German trio Per Mertesacker (right), Mesut Ozil (centre) and Lukas Podolski (left) are all in the squad

Wenger believes Kieran Gibbs could be England's next left back, emulating former Arsenal man Ashley Cole

Wenger believes Kieran Gibbs could be England's next left back, emulating former Arsenal man Ashley Cole

Indeed, national team manager Roy Hodgson and his assistant Ray Lewington will be at the Emirates tonight to monitor Gibbs, along with Arsenal’s other English players.

Wenger revealed on Tuesday that he only allowed Gael Clichy to leave for Manchester City in 2011 to give Gibbs a chance.

‘For a long time there was no discussion, it was Ashley Cole for England. Now it’s a bit more open,’ explained Wenger. ‘Gibbs has such great potential, if he lets it go.’

Wenger nurtured the teenage Cole from a forward into one of the world’s best full backs and similarly moved Gibbs back when he joined the club as a winger aged 16. 

Asked if Gibbs, now 25, can reach Cole’s level, Wenger replied: ‘Yes, it’s a good example to follow. When it mattered and when you had to be there, he was always there.’

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Kieran Gibbs (left) trains alongside teammates Danny Welbeck and Ozil before the Galatasaray clash

Kieran Gibbs (left) trains alongside teammates Danny Welbeck and Ozil before the Galatasaray clash

The young left-back has been superb so far this season for Arsenal and could be in line for an England call

The young left-back has been superb so far this season for Arsenal and could be in line for an England call