Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the opinion of fans will influence his decision over whether to remain in charge next season. Read more after the cut.....
A group of Arsenal supporters protested after Tuesday's 5-1 Champions League home defeat by Bayern Munich.
"It will not be the most important factor but you consider it, of course," Wenger said of the fans' reaction.
"I worked very hard for 20 years to make our fans happy and when you lose I understand they are not."
In
a statement released on the club website, Arsenal chairman Sir Chips
Keswick echoed those sentiments but was non-committal on Wenger's
future.
"We are fully aware of the attention currently focused on the club and understand the debate," he said.
"We
respect that fans are entitled to their different individual opinions
but we will always run this great football club with its best long-term
interests at heart.
"Arsene has a contract until the end of the
season. Any decisions will be made by us mutually and communicated at
the right time in the right way."
Wenger, who has been Arsenal
boss since October 1996, is expected to announce in the next month
whether he will stay on next season, but denied he had already told the
players of his decision.
"My decision is to focus on the next game and be absolutely sure we respond well on Saturday," the 67-year-old said.
Arsenal
are currently fifth in the Premier League, 16 points behind leaders
Chelsea, and host non-league Lincoln in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup
this weekend.
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