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Wenger on his FA misconduct charge

Arsene Wenger faced the media on Thursday and was asked about his misconduct charge from the Football Association.

This is what he said:

on how he will respond to the FA’s misconduct charge…
Yes [I will hold my hands up and admit my guilt]. I’ve answered that in the press conference, there’s not more to add. I’ve been in England for 20 years, I have seen a lot on the bench, as you certainly know. I think if I am after 34 years still in the job it is because I am big enough to stand up for what I do. And as well, I’m big enough to know when I do well and when I do not do well. So that’s it.

on whether he surprised himself with his reaction…
No, I am a passionate guy and I believe that I am completely committed in my job and want to win football games and I am completely passionate about it, like all the managers who work in the Premier League. I was quite calm in this game, I must say, for 90 minutes.

on the saying that you mellow as you get older…
I haven’t been touched by that yet.

on a possible touchline ban…
Of course [a touchline ban would mean something to him] because you want to be there, to be physically with the team and the team as well is used to me being there. So it’s not the ideal conditions.

on if touchline bans matter…
Yeah, of course, because I prefer to be physically there with the team. The team is used to me being there - it’s not ideal conditions.

on if he is expecting a punishment…
I expect nothing. I came out after the game and I said what I think I had to say. When I don’t behave like I think I should behave, I’m big enough say ‘yes, that’s not right’, and that’s it.

on talk of a touchline ban…
I don’t know if I will be punished and how I will be punished. If I am punished, the only thing I can say is that I thought when I was sent off I was surprised and I was in the tunnel because I thought I had the right to be in the tunnel. Last time I was sent off wrongly, in 2009, I had to go in the stand at Old Trafford and I didn’t know where to go. No one tells you what you have to do when you are sent off.

on the guidelines needing to be made clearer…
I think so, because you don’t know where to go.

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