Arsene Wenger tells youngsters to wait their turn ‘in paradise’

Dec 29 2007

ARSENE WENGER maintains Arsenal’s “young players are in paradise” having been given the opportunity to play for the first team so early in their careers.

The Gunners currently sit second in the Barclays Premier League heading into 2008, which could prove to be a vintage year for the north London club.

Following the summer sale of talisman Thierry Henry, Wenger’s emerging squad showed great character to climb to the top of the league table, before being overtaken by Manchester United on Boxing Day, as well as reaching the semi-finals of the Carling Cup and to qualify for the last 16 in Europe.

However, there have been reports of frustration in the dressing room from some of the younger players at a perceived lack of regular first- team football – with the likes of 22-year-old Lassana Diarra, only signed from Chelsea during August, and Abou Diaby, 21, revealing they could consider a future away from Arsenal if things did not improve.

The Gunners manager, though, firmly believes everyone has to be content to bide their time, rather than complain about breaks not going their way.

Wenger declared: “You tell me one club in the world, of our size, that gives a chance to the young players as we do? There is not one.

“You go to Real Madrid, you go to Milan, where do the young players play? At our club young players are in paradise, because usually they have to wait to 26 or 27 to get a chance in a big club.

The Arsenal manager continued: “I try to make everybody happy, but it is impossible. You cannot always feel sorry for players who are a bit frustrated.

“We are not in a kindergarten here – we are in a job for men.

“Why should I come up and give explanations for every individual who is not happy? It is a joke.

“When you are a professional footballer, competition is part of your job. Why should we suddenly all feel surprised a player is frustrated? You cannot be at our level at one of the biggest clubs in the world, paid at a fantastic level, and have no competition.

“I will act for what is good for the club, because that is my first responsibly – what it important is what is good for hundred of thousands, not what is good for one.”

The Arsenal manager, however, sees no reasons why Diarra - currently behind fellow Frenchman Mathieu Flamini in the central midfield pecking order - cannot go on to be a “fantastic player” for the Gunners.

Wenger insisted: “Diarra has a 100% professional attitude every day in training. He is in the squad tomorrow >fr 1,8fr 3,8<.

“For me, players like Diarra are top, top level players. If you have a period for two or three months with the team doing well and you have a player doing well in front of you that is bad luck.

“But at the end of the day, it is a job for strong people and those who stay strong always come out.

“If they join a club lower in the league then they start saying: ’I should be playing at a top club’. You expect competition at a big club.

“Diarra has the talent to be at a big club. That is where his place is. It is as simple as that.

“He wants to play, I can understand that. He is unhappy not to play which I can understand as well.

“But you have to assess yourself and stay where you belong.

“He belongs at a big club because he has the talent for it. If he continues to fight then he will come through and play.”

Arsenal surrendered their lead at the top of the table following a goaless draw at Portsmouth on Boxing Day.

It was the first time the Gunners had failed to score in the Premier League this season, and was a third away >fr 1,8fr 3,8< game without a win.

Wenger is anticipating a stern examination of his side’s title credentials at Everton today – but declared: “We will be up for it. On that front, I have no problem.”

“The last three games we have not created so many chances, but in the programme we have played Chelsea, Tottenham and Portsmouth away.

“We took seven points from three very difficult games and that is not disastrous.”