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Wenger - Managers need to be given time

Arsene Wenger says his longevity as Arsenal boss is a result of the Club giving him time - and he'd like to see other managers get the same opportunity.

Andre Villas-Boas and Steve Clarke have left Tottenham and West Bromwich Albion respectively this week and, according to reports, Cardiff City boss Malky Mackay is under pressure.

Wenger is by some distance the longest-serving Premier League manager after 17 years at the helm at Arsenal, and he feels for those who have lost their jobs.

"Nobody goes in a job at 33, 34 years of age and knows the job. If he's not given the time somebody else comes in and he has the same problem"

"I sympathise with everyone because you need to be a manager to know how much you suffer," said Wenger. "How many sleepless nights are behind every manager and how much everybody wants to win. Of course you feel sympathy for people who lose their job.

"[The Cardiff situation] looks strange to me but honestly I don't know well what's going on there. I have only superficially followed that. But from outside I think the manager is doing a very good job there.

"There is no real secret [to my longevity] other than maybe I was given more time than many other managers," added Wenger.

"On my side I just try to be completely dedicated to my job. I think every other manager would do that as well and I believe honestly that apart from my case, technical stability is important for football and for the the quality of the managers.

"To be given time is important first of all because when you're a young manager you need to learn the job. Nobody goes in a job at 33, 34 years of age and knows the job. If he's not given the time somebody else comes in and he has the same problem.

"There are some countries where the instability of managers is chronic. After what happens you have no quality anymore because people with quality do not go into jobs where they are sacked every three weeks for ridiculous reasons.

"So it's very important for the quality of the game that there is a certain stability. We all know that it's part of our job as well when things don't work. But you have as well to be careful that it's just not based on emotional reactions."

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