Quote Originally Posted by Letters View Post
That's right. And I said that none of us really know what goes on inside his head. We can infer from what he says in interviews (although do you really think he tells the press exactly what he's thinking?) or what he looks like on the touchline when things are going awry (which is generally pretty sulky, but so do most managers). But actually, none of us know the man, none of us really know.

So I said that one man who does have more of an insight is David Dein - someone who has worked with him for years and still sees him regularly - and posted how I saw an interview with him where he gave some insight into Wenger's state of mind after defeats. You said "that was a long time ago" so I found the video and found it was an interview Dein gave 2 years ago ahead of Wenger's 1000th game. No, it isn't a tribute video - there is no montage of people saying nice things about Wenger. It's just an interview with David Dein, like I said. Yes, he's saying nice things about him but he clearly thinks highly of him. Yes, they're friends but that isn't new information, maybe they're friends because he thinks highly of him rather than the other way around.

I don't know what you mean by "He's still at the dinner", Dein makes it clear they DON't go to dinner if we've lost because of Wenger's mood - "we only go if we haven't lost". Your quote from Wenger (if it is a quote) backs that up. Dein also relates a conversation with Wenger about how he must have managed 2000 games in his career and asks Wenger what that means to him, Wenger replies "2000 sleepless nights". It's not 3 seconds of evidence, it's 20 minutes of insight into Wenger from someone who knows him well.

Dress it up how you like, it's a man who worked with him for years and is still good friends with him talking 2 years ago, not 10. He knows better than you or me how much Wenger cares. The issue isn't whether Wenger cares, he clearly does. The issue is whether he's able to push us on and it's increasingly clear he isn't.
I am aware of how long ago this video was made, it seems to refer to me what he said about Wenger back in 2002 when he lost a champions league match to Auxerre in the champions league group stages and locked himself in his office instead of going out for his birthday celebrations.
What people here are saying is that they simply don't believe he takes defeats quite as personally now, this is not a slight on the man even....it's just a case that having become more accustomed to defeats it's impossible to think he reacts with that level of histrionics and this is borne out by his post match interviews. Yes we know that he might not say what he's thinking in post match interviews but you can't change body language, and his body language is that of someone who is indifferent to defeat and only seems to become agitated when journalist question his decision making/motivations.
Does that make him a terrible person?...No it makes him a product of his environment where there is a total disconnect between the management of the club by the board and the management of the club as a football team, and because the board don't want to manage the football side of things at all it's easy to defer it all to Wenger and say he's doing a fantastic job.
And with the best will in the world as you get older, with the only targets set are those by yourself it's unlikely that you can be as driven as you once were.....this is why i think it's not just Wenger that's the problem. There is not an environment at the club conducive to ambition or success.
If you are asking does Wenger want to win the title?....of course he does why wouldn't he?.....but does the idea of not winning haunt him to the point where he's driven to succeed at all costs....i don't see it.