Burnley vs. Arsenal: Arsene Wenger's Key Pre-Match Press Conference Comments

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was honoured by the club at his press conference on Friday after passing 20 years at the helm, while the illustrious coach also addressed the prospect of managing England in the future. 

Prior to his media briefing ahead of Sunday’s Premier League game with Burnley, Wenger was presented with a vase by Gunners chairman Sir Chips Keswick to mark his two decades in charge of the north London giants. Here’s a look at the moment, per the club’s official Twitter feed:

During those 20 years, there have been highs and lows for the 66-year-old, and he paid tribute to the Arsenal board for standing by him when things didn’t always go as planned.

“The board, to stick by me,” he answered when asked who had helped him the most since 1996, per Hamish Mackay of the Daily Mirror. “I believe this club is brave. We have shown for years that we can have a good togetherness at the club. We keep our feet on the ground and fight together.”

Naturally, the press conference had a reflective tone given the landmark Wenger had reached. Here’s more of the coach’s thoughts on his 20 years in charge:

Indeed, on what was a unique day, Wenger even handed new pens out to those journalists in attendance. “This is only to write nice things about the club,” he said, per Mackay. ESPN FC’s Mattias Karen shared a snap of his new pen:

Although the Frenchman's contract at Arsenal is set to expire at the end of this season, he wouldn’t rule out making it a quarter of a century at the club, per Karen:

While there was nostalgia aplenty, there was also a lot of discussion about what may be in store in the future for Wenger.

It was no surprise he was questioned about the England vacancy following Sam Allardyce’s departure from the position this week. While Wenger didn’t rule out the possibility of taking up the post, he reiterated that his focus remains squarely on the Gunners for now, per James Olley of the Evening Standard:

One man who’ll be hoping to cement his status in the England squad after a blistering start to the season is Theo Walcott.

After a testing 2015-16, the forward has rediscovered his best again on the right flank. Walcott’s performance against FC Basel in midweek, in which he bagged a brilliant brace, was one of the best displays the 27-year-old has produced in an Arsenal shirt.

“I think Walcott has added something to his game first by putting a big effort into his preparation and it transfers into the game,” Wenger noted. “When he plays like that I understand that the fans love him because I do as well.”

Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

Ahead of the showdown at Burnley, Wenger also provided updates on the fitness of some players, with disappointing news for supporters on striker Olivier Giroud.

“Giroud will be out, he will not come back,” said the manager. “[Francis] Coquelin is looking much better, but he will still not be ready. The ligament is not as damaged as we thought, but we have to be careful.”

The Arsenal boss also provided an update on midfielder Aaron Ramsey, per ESPN FC’s Ben Dinnery:

While there’s been a split in the Arsenal fanbase in recent seasons as to whether Wenger should still be in charge at the Emirates Stadium, there’s no denying the club has come a long way under his watch. In what’s become such a cutthroat industry, it’ll be a long time until we see another manager surpass 20 years at one club again.

What Wenger will be keen to do is commemorate this term with some silverware, and if they’re to remain in the hunt for a Premier League title, three points are imperative at Turf Moor on Sunday.

Given their sparkling recent form, the Frenchman will be confident his team will cap off a memorable week with a fitting performance.