Published: 26 January, 2012
by RICHARD OSLEY

ARSENE Wenger handles press conferences just like I would if I was a football manager.

And I could’ve been a top football manager. What you lot don’t know is that I once took Brighton and Hove Albion to the Champions League (on Championship Manager).

I managed to convince Del Piero and Cafu to sign.

Hey, I didn’t need to be taking girls to the drive-in, I was in my room, staring at a laptop screen with letters and numbers on it, winning and being brilliant.

If somehow I’d been giving the press conference on Sunday afternoon, I’d have acted just like Wenger.

He got all shirty when asked about taking Oxlade-Chamberlain off for Arshavin against Manchester United.

“I’ve been a football manager for 30 years and made 50,000 substitutions, I don’t have to explain every decision to you,” he said. But I know I would – and probably you would – act just like that. You’ve just watched your team lose to big rivals and then you are asked almost instantly afterwards what you think.

What would you do?

Act like a gum.

That’s what you’d do.

I’ve heard you all on the phone-ins.

Coming up with mad excuses.

Boiling with irrational rage.

Managers should be allowed cooling down time before meeting the press. Let them come back tomorrow and give a sensible answer.

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