Belief we can win silverware again is keeping me at Arsenal, says Arsene Wenger

 
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Jim van Wijk16 March 2014

Arsene Wenger would not consider staying on as Arsenal manager if he felt there was no chance of winning the Barclays Premier League once again.

The 64-year-old will take charge of match number 999 at Tottenham on Sunday, before chalking up his landmark achievement away to Chelsea next weekend.

Wenger has yet to formally announce whether he will agree a new deal past the end of the season, but is widely expected to stay on at the Emirates Stadium.

And the French coach stressed he would walk away if he did not think his team could again make a sustained assault on the top honours.

"I have the energy, believe me, and the excitement, but I want to do well," said Wenger.

"I do not stay here because I have been here a long time, but because I feel I respond to the expectation of our fans and of the people of the club, it is as simple as that."

The Arsenal boss added: "People want us to win the championship, people want us to win trophies, and that is what I want to do.

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"I accepted to stay here a long time knowing that we had little chance to win the Premiership, but I think now we are in a position again where we can fight with other clubs to sign big players."

Whatever happens this season in Arsenal's quest to end a trophy drought which runs back to the 2005 FA Cup, Wenger's place in the club's folklore is already secure.

Wenger, though, insists managing to keep Arsenal competitive in general terms, despite being out-gunned in the transfer market since committing to their new stadium move, should not be overlooked.

"I believe that when one day I look back at the first years, I will be very proud of what I did. The second period has been a more difficult period, a trophy-less period, but it has been much more difficult, much more sensitive and we needed much more commitment and strengths than the first part of my stay here," he said.

"I went for a change that I knew would be difficult because we had to fight with clubs who could survive loses of £150million a year, and we had to make £30m (to finance the stadium payments) and on top of that we had people saying 'you have to beat them'.

"If I ask you tomorrow to race with Usain Bolt and win the race, you will realise quickly it is difficult.

"I think we can be proud of the consistency of our achievement at the club."

Wenger maintains there will be no extra-special significance attached to his 1,000th match being played out against rival boss Jose Mourinho, who earlier this season labelled his counterpart a "specialist in failure".

"Honestly, I am conscious I present my club and that is much more important than what is happening to me," he said.

"That game will not be important because it is my 1,000th game, but it is what is at stake for our season and for our club."

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