Arsene Wenger would not have walked out on Arsenal if they had lost the FA Cup final last season, and is determined to do all he can to deliver another open-top bus parade around Islington.
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The Gunners host Hull tomorrow in a repeat of what was a dramatic clash at Wembley in May, when Wenger’s side battled back from trailing 2-0 inside eight minutes to win with a stoppage-time goal from Aaron Ramsey which ended a nine-year quest for some silverware.
Wenger went on to sign a new deal following his side’s Wembley triumph, the euphoria which greeted it having seen the Arsenal players on their knees at the final whistle and then some 250,000 supporters turn the streets around the Emirates Stadium into a sea of red and white as the French coach held aloft the famous old trophy once again.
The Arsenal manager, though, insists quitting was never on his mind, no matter what the outcome had been that afternoon.
“Walk away? No. I have just won my 600th game out of 1,000 – that means I have won 60 per cent of the games and after 18 years, you would not be serious to walk away for losing one game. I do my job as well as I can and I respect my contract,” said Wenger.
“It was nice to see our fans happy and we want another cup run and we want to, if possible, keep the trophy.”
Meanwhile, out-of-favour Gunners forward Lukas Podolski was last night seen arriving at Milan airport ahead of his proposed loan move to Internazionale.