Wenger: Managing a national team might be cool someday, I dunno

Arsene Wenger is famous for many things, chief among them his utter refusal to ever speak about his future other than in the broadest possible generalities. Typically, when asked, he’ll say something about how he doesn’t worry about the future, and he’s committed to fulfilling the terms of his contract, and that’s about it.

Which is what makes today’s conversation so interesting. In an interview with beIN Sports, Wenger was asked about possibly someday moving into international management. Instead of his usual just-focusing-on-my-job, he said

“Maybe yes I will do it at some stage but until now I like to be involved every day in the life of a club because the real test is there. Four or five weeks is a different experience, it’s more concentrated but I believe the real experience of managing a team is on a daily basis. But I will not always have the physical strength to do that so maybe I will move into [international coaching]. It’s a fact my life is linked with football, in what way will be linked to my physical state.”

For Wenger, that counts as “revealing”. He’s right in that being a national team manager is less strenuous and demanding, so if he does literally want to die on the job as it sounds like he does, national team management might be the next step down the football road for him.

“My priority is to do well here [at Arsenal]. If I am free one day why not, but at the moment my focus is on my job.”

Aaaaaaaaand there it is! Anyway, it’s good to hear him open up even just a little about what his future might entail.