Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was speaking to the press ahead of the Gunners’ clash with West Brom at the Hawthorns on Saturday, with the main topic of discussion dominated by questions on the Paris attacks and France’s tie with England at Wembley on Tuesday.
The Arsenal boss admitted he was in shock when the news about the horrific incidents in Paris, the capital of where Wenger is from was revealed. The Frenchman took time to speak about the game at Wembley on Tuesday evening, thanking England for the effort. Wenger went on to express how that game shows how football can bring people together.
I would like to thank the English community and English football who have shown great solidarity. It was a shock, a huge shock for our country. I think the football world has responded how you would want it to respond with a big togetherness.
When asked about Paris, and his feelings, Wenger admitted he was surprised and confirmed that he was not that far away from the incidents. He went on to claim that he couldn’t quite put the situation into words.
I was not far from the event. I think everybody in Paris on Friday night was under shock. The whole city was shocked and I think France like England is a tolerant and generous country and to discover how much your own citizens hate you and the country of course, it is a shock for the whole country as you wonder what is going on there.
You wonder why they have got this kind of treatment. I believe at the moment nobody in France has found a answer or a real explanation or why because what was targeted is a way of life – going to watch the football, going out, listening to music – and it is more of a way of life that has been targeted more than any type of community.
Relating the attacks to football, Wenger claimed that security measures must be reassessed, but highlighted the fact that some things cannot be prevented.
You have a bit more of a question of security because it looks like it’s not the end of it in France especially. A way for us [to overcome it] is just to get on with life and respond in a positive way to the situation. You cannot stop everything, we have to continue with our lives and try to get people to focus on something else.
With France hosting Euro 2016 next summer, Wenger admitted he has no doubts about the safety and security which will be put in place.
The country can provide that [safety]. France is a tolerant society. Maybe we were a bit too tolerant and didn’t have enough security worries. Certainly we have to raise the level. One of the good things after what happened is that security levels will be raised and maybe the 2016 Euros in France will be more secure.
Wenger then discussed Wembley and expressed his excitement over the ‘class’ that England showed, displaying the French colours and flag all over the stadium prior to kick-off.
I think it was fantastic for France and it showed the class of England. To see the arch of Wembley in the French colours was something that had a strong significance for French people. England handled this situation with a lot of class.
