Transcript of Wenger pre-match conference ahead of Crystal Palace clash

Arsene Wenger faced the media on Thursday ahead of the Premier League game against Crystal
Palace slated for Saturday afternoon. Below is the full transcript  of his press conference. Enjoy.

Good morning Arsene, firstly what’s your team news for tomorrows game?

Team news is that from last week, maybe Bellerin will have a test today, nobody else is back, Jack Wilshere could be back in the squad, because he’s available again, and I don’t believe after that anybody else should be out.

How pleased are you to have Jack Wilshere at your disposal again after 3 months injury?

He’s a bit ahead of schedule, and he’s worked hard, and had no big problems, so it’s good to have him back.

And the other injuries, Aaron Ramsey, Oxlade Chamberlain, how are they progressing?

Chamberlain is back in full training, he’s a bit short to be considered, and Ramsey I think is 10 days away.

What sort of test are you expecting at Crystal Palace?

It’s always very intense, and very dynamic ground, it’s a bit highbury ground, it’s an old fashioned stadium with a soul, and completely a crowd that is always behind their team, so we expect always a passionate afternoon.

 
You've had a lot of players coming back from injuries ahead of schedule, why are so many players coming back ahead of schedule, or are you doing something different with the dates you give us?

No, you mean do I give too long.

You used to get criticized for players taking too long to come back is anything changing?

Well, I just try to give you what I am given by the medical people, so if it’s shorter, most of the time when its straight forward surgery, you know a broken bone, and the guy has no setback, he can be a bit ahead of schedule, maybe they take a little security on the medical front and it looks good when it’s shortened up, but usually when you have no setbacks, they can be a bit quicker.

You said Jack’s close to coming back, you were also quoted recently that he needs to master his life, in this injury period, do you think he’s thought about that?

I don’t know well how everybody lives, but I think every professional football player has to control his life and be dedicated to the game.

 
How will your team selection be affected by the champions league match?

Not at all. The most important game is crystal palace because it’s the next one, and the champions league has no influence on that at all.

Fabricio Colloccini was hit by a coin very close to his eye at Crystal Palace, there was also a similar incident in the Liverpool game. Do you have any concerns about your own players safety in this game?

No, not really, because it went always well when we played at palace, but coins is something that is very dangerous, because it can hurt badly, and it needs to be controlled of course.

A youth team player said on twitter this week that he was coached by Thierry Henry, is that an addition to the club?

Yes, he makes his badges, and he makes his first steps as a coach and that’s always a bit impressive when you start, but it’s good for the young players to be coached by him, by a legend of the club.

Tell us about what he’s doing, how often he’s here?

Honestly, I think he has been here once or twice, but I don’t know how often, he has to do his sessions. I don’t see him when you see him because he’s on a different ground and he’s with the youth team.

Racism has been on the agenda again this week. What did you think when you saw the clip from that metro train in Paris?

Pathetic you know, dreadful and unfortunately we have a recurrence of that always, and you have to be extremely severe with any incident of that calibre.

Is it footballs' problem or societal problem?

Society’s problem.

How can we tackle it?

Look, more intelligent people than myself will think about that, and nobody has found a miraculous solution, but it certainly starts from childhood, from education and open minded attitude.

Horrible as it might be to admit it, do you think there is a group like that at every club all over the country?

There is a danger of having radical people in any society, I think since I observed the movements of the news, we have always a certain number of people who are ready for radical solutions. Most of the time you have to control them.

Luis Figo announcing his FIFA presidential campaign this week, will you support it, and was there anything in his manifesto that caught your eye?

Look, it’s interesting to see former players run for the campaign, apart from the spectacular names that is always interesting that people want to dedicate to improve the quality of our game, that’s after you have a spectacular announcement, then the bigger problems. I think in football now, what is very important is to develop our game at grass-root level all over the world, that is the most important, and I would like to support people who have solutions for that. Dedicate more money to give good coaching because coaching is as well we spoke about the news just now is about education, and giving values to people. What is most needed is that. For the rest, the job is done in football at the professional level, for 98% of the part is done you know, you can always bring some improvements, but they are minor now. What is the most important program for FIFA and the candidates is to continue to develop worldwide football at youth level.

Is that you endorsing Luis Figo’s bid?

Look, i endorse anybody, I’m not in a good position to judge all of the candidates because I haven’t read their program, but he’s one of the credible candidates of course.

Arsene, what do you make of Alan Pardew’s comments that Santi Cazorla is your player of the year this season?

Until now, he has been maybe the most consistent, he has won player of the month twice in the last two months, that means he has been remarkably consistent, and since he has moved centrally, his influence was bigger in the team as well.

What do you make of the Balotelli penalty incident yesterday?

Look, we have all experienced that as managers. The damage can be big if you miss a penalty, when you score, it’s easy to repair, and he scored, and you have to say well done.

Would you say ‘well done’ to Alan Pardew for what he’s done in the last month?

Of course, he’s done extremely well.

How do you think he’s changed the way his players play?

Look, they have found confidence again, and they make positive results, and that’s what it is about when you are a manager.

How do you get over such a heavy trashing as England experienced in cricket as a manager. How do you deal with that?

To heal the psychological damage, that means the safest team, confidence drops, and it’s always difficult to make a separation of the emotional aspect and the objective judgment of what happened, and the responsible people have of course to deal with both, but at the end of the day, you have to analyze why that happens. But what is interesting in sports is that it’s practiced by human beings and they are not robots, and they have good and bad days and after a very bad day, it can only get better.

So do you have to step back, just to let them stew on it?

No, you have to be severe when you win, and sometimes be heedful when the team loses you know, and not to just step away and dismiss the bad performances. You are part of it, you are part of the experience and you play a part in it as well.

Is Jack Wilshere gonna be ready to start?

I cannot tell you that now before the last training session. I have not picked the team definitely.

Do you have to manage him to just come back?

Look it’s difficult to come back straight away always you know, but what is good is that he’s already back.

From the signs that you've seen, he’s obviously had a few ankle problems in the past, do you have any long term concerns over him, or do you think he’s now over those problems?

The injury he had was on the left ankle, that’s not where he had all his problems, on the right ankle you know, and that’s a straight forward injury, once it’s healed, there is no problem.

On Thierry been here, how did that come about, did he ask you to come here?

Yes, we are very happy to welcome everybody, all out former players come back here you know, all of them.

Inevitably, it has led to people suggesting that when you eventually step down, he would take over, do you see that happening?

That is not my problem that will be the problem of the board to make that decision.

Do you think he’s got that in him though, that one day he could manage Arsenal?

Yes, of course I said that many times, but I had very many players who can do that.

On the Paris incident, is it important that Jose Mourinho comes out and condemns it?

It’s the whole club, I don’t think that managers agree with that kind of behavior.

It’s important though that he criticized it?

Everybody has to fight against that, why should you not, there is no reason at all. You have to be 100% against that, it’s absolutely ridiculous.

The team scored inside the first 30 minutes in the last 8 matches, is that a consequence of a change of approach?

Yes, it’s a consequence of change of approach. It’s not a change of attitude, just I think change of confidence, whenever the confidence in the team is higher, you start to be stronger, when the confidence is low, that is a bit more difficult.

If Jack comes back into the squad, does that have an effect on the balance of the team?

No matter who plays, we always worry first about the balance of the team yes,

Santi made a suggestion that Athletico Madrid wanted to take him back to Spain, does he have a long term future at this club, given his contract?

He has extended his contract last year, and I think he has still 2 years to go.

So you feel he has no reason not to be part of the team?

He just was 30 years old, he has 2 years to go, you know our policy at the club, so I don’t think there is anything special to worry about there, and we have not been approached by anybody about him.

Any more progress about the other contracts?

If you speak about Coquelin and Akpom, that is settled.

Any movements?

No, it’s early.

Manchester united away on Monday night. What do you make of the scheduling of that fixture?

We play when we are told to play, is it Sunday or Monday or Friday, we just want to win, and we adapt to the time, and I don’t think that will be a major problem for us, it’s certainly not the most prestigious timing for people who want to watch on television, it’s more suitable for a Sunday game, but television has made that choice, we adapt, we have no problem with it.

Would you rather have had a tough test like that, or Bradford at home?

Yes, but what I want is to go to Wembley no matter who we play.

Alan Pardew said Marouane Chamakh has regular game time since he transformed his career. Does it please you that he has gotten his career back on track?

Yes of course, I think Marouane Chamakh came here as a striker, the first 6 months he did very well, after, Van Persie came back from injury and he was a bit sub, lost confidence, and I’m happy that he went to Crystal Palace and makes a good career. He drops of as well he’s not the target man anymore, he’s more midfielder or second striker, and because he’s a real team player Marouane, that position suits him very well.

You obviously saw something in him to bring him to arsenal in the first place?

I loved him always because of his team attitude, and because he was the hard working type, but in the end he didn’t play, and you have to give the players a chance to go somewhere and play.