Arsene Wenger
Patrick Vieira has accused Arsenal's players of letting down Arsene Wenger as scrutiny on the manager's future intensifies.
Some Gunners supporters protested against the Frenchman, who is out
of contract at the end of the season, prior to Tuesday's humiliating 5-1
defeat to Bayern Munich at Emirates Stadium, which sealed a 10-2
aggregate demise in the Champions League's round of 16. Read more stories after the cut.....
Chairman Chips Keswick released a statement on Thursday acknowledging
the grievances of supporters, while Wenger himself has confirmed the
clamour for him to go may influence his thinking when he decides whether
or not to consider a contract extension.
Vieira, who played a key role in all three of Arsenal's Premier
League title successes under Wenger, and also won the FA Cup, backed his
countryman to keep fighting and called on the players to take
responsibility for some poor recent performances.
"He is going through a really difficult period but at the same time I
know Arsene and he is not the kind of person who will throw the towel
in and walk out of this situation," the New York City FC coach told
Omnisport ahead of the Gunners' FA Cup quarter-final tie at home to
Lincoln City on Saturday.
"He will fight for it because he is proud and he will give everything like he has been doing for the football club.
"It is true that people are doubting his capability to manage the
team… but I think you have to look at the players and in some situations
the players have been letting Arsene down a lot because coaches have
responsibility but players have responsibility as well.
"You can work the whole week in how you want to play but when [the]
players [are] on the field they are the ones who have to fight and if
you don't do it then it is a problem.
"So we can talk about Arsene, we can talk about other things but I
think it is important for players to take responsibility and look at
themselves in the mirror."
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