Wenger - my players have been bribed

[red g]

Wenger blasted the performance of referee Martin Hansson in the Gunners' Champions League last-16 first-leg defeat in Porto but said on Friday that he will view his display as "incompetent" rather than cheating.

Nothing would surprise Wenger, however, who implied he has managed players who had taken bribes to fix games.

"I believe he is incompetent or dishonest, so I prefer to believe he is not competent," Wenger said of Hansson.

Quoted in several national newspapers on Saturday, he added: "I have seen much worse than that in my life - my own players were bought by the opponent. And I didn't become paranoid."

The former Nancy, Monaco and Nagoya Grampus Eight coach did not give any details over the club or players concerned, however.

"I do not want to come out on the past," he said. "In my job, you always have reasons to become paranoid, so I do not want to go the way to think that people are not honest."

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,16368,2483_5961936,00.html

this is one hell of an accusation!!! surely he has to name names?

[Reece]

I would strongly doubt it was whilst at Arsenal, if true.

[Kinell]

I would strongly doubt it was whilst at Arsenal, if true.

Thats a fair shout, can't see him disgracing players of his current club. Very serious allegations though and I also think that names should be named. Only takes a forward to fluff a sitter and its all changed.

[red g]

I would strongly doubt it was whilst at Arsenal, if true.

oh i am sure it wasnt but surely every player Wenger must be questioning, was it my team?

I am thinking it was probably the french league that was massively corrupt back in the day, that bernard tapie fella got done for bribing players from otehr teams i think.

still got to raise alarm bells Wenger coming out with this

[-V-]

It would be naive to think the game is not corrupt. Ofcourse it is, wherever there is big money to be made and bookies there will always be corruption

[Vermilion]

Thing is he's very wrong to use it in this context, because he's talking about a referee that gave a decision he didn't like, and to prove that it's possible this ref could be corrupt he's using this analogy to prove his point, ok he qualifies it by saying he prefers to think he's incompetent, but he's not saying he believes he's incompetent, just that the alternative is that he took a bribe, which he's just decided to prove to us is possible and happens, with his story of bribed players, very wrong.

Oh and he adds he's not paranoid.

Arsenal used to be the masters of free kicks like this one too when Henry was there.

[Exiled_red]

Thing is he's very wrong to use it in this context, because he's talking about a referee that gave a decision he didn't like, and to prove that it's possible this ref could be corrupt he's using this analogy to prove his point, ok he qualifies it by saying he prefers to think he's incompetent, but he's not saying he believes he's incompetent, just that the alternative is that he took a bribe, which he's just decided to prove to us is possible and happens, with his story of bribed players, very wrong.

Oh and he adds he's not paranoid.

Arsenal used to be the masters of free kicks like this one too when Henry was there.

[Leyton388]

The guys is just a ****ing bad loser. They get beat by porto and he calls the ref bent. I hope Uefa throw the book at him.

[MrsB]

Thing is he's very wrong to use it in this context, because he's talking about a referee that gave a decision he didn't like, and to prove that it's possible this ref could be corrupt he's using this analogy to prove his point, ok he qualifies it by saying he prefers to think he's incompetent, but he's not saying he believes he's incompetent, just that the alternative is that he took a bribe, which he's just decided to prove to us is possible and happens, with his story of bribed players, very wrong.

Oh and he adds he's not paranoid.

Arsenal used to be the masters of free kicks like this one too when Henry was there.

Yes, I remember them scoring from one vs Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Wenger didn't complain then. He's one of the biggest hypocrites in football.

[dom9]

Telegraph reckons the bribery thing stems from the days when Marseille were found guilty of match fixing, were stripped of the title, and relegated.

Makes sense.

[Shaggy]

There are times when I find myself liking Wenger, but MrsB has got it dead right, he's a terrible hypocrite.

[dom9]

Most managers are though. They see only what they want to see. And ignore what does not suit their agenda.

[The Birdman]

There are times when I find myself liking Wenger, but MrsB has got it dead right, he's a terrible hypocrite.

Not once in the last 5 years have I found anything to remotely like about him

[Shaggy]

Sometimes he's gracious about us and says nice things about us/Rafa, but then like all the others he only does it when we're not a threat. He's a great manager, I like that about him, but he ****s it all up with his constant bitterness, hypocrisy and double-standards.

[-V-]

What about the linesman at the Bayern-Fiorentina game? Tell me he didn't have his annual salary on Bayern winning that game when he allowed that late winner?