Former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted that he never harboured any ‘hostility’ for Tottenham Hotspur.
The legendary Frenchman enjoyed many-a-battle against the Gunners’ North London rivals.
Having spent 22 years at Arsenal, Wenger got quite familiar with the feeling of coming up against Tottenham.
And the 70-year-old has revealed that his will to secure the bragging rights always stemmed from competitiveness, not disdain.
He told The Guardian: “Hostility no, competition yes. It was vital that you beat Tottenham for the respect of the club. Competition is important, as long as it’s not crazy.
“When you
[were due to]
play Tottenham, at the start of the week everybody was a bit more nervous than usual.”
It seems bizarre now, given that Spurs regularly finish ahead of Arsenal these days, but Wenger went unbeaten in a North London derby for a 21-match run spanning eight years once upon a time.
Wenger, who now works for FIFA, joined the Gunners in 1996 and didn’t finish below the Lilywhites in a Premier League season until 2017 – 21 years