Soccer

Arsene Wenger relieved at lack of ‘nightmare’ tour

Arsenal will play only two far-flung pre-season friendlies in Singapore

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is happy with his side’s short pre-season friendly tour abroad. Photograph: Reuters/John Sibley
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is happy with his side’s short pre-season friendly tour abroad. Photograph: Reuters/John Sibley
David Hytner
Sat Apr 11 2015 - 11:44

Arsene Wenger has expressed his relief that Arsenal will not embark upon a “nightmare” post-season tour as a clutch of top Premier League clubs will do, while he rounded on the decision of the authorities to condense the summer break with an earlier than usual start to next term.

Wenger’s side will play only two far-flung pre-season friendlies – at the Asia Trophy in Singapore on 15-18 July, at which Everton and Stoke City will also compete.

Arsenal are set to travel the least of England’s leading clubs, with Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool committed to summer tours of greater timespan and/or distance.

Chelsea and United will play matches in the United States in July, City and Liverpool go to Australia at around the same time, with Liverpool also visiting Malaysia.

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In addition, Chelsea are expected to conduct a one-week tour either to the US or the Far East and City will visit Canada.

Wenger said he would not take his players away at the end of a season.

“A post-season tour is a nightmare,” he said. “In pre-season, you have the players under pressure with the focus of starting the season well. A post-season tour, I always feel people come along to watch but the players are half on their holidays.

“It is a relaxed atmosphere with none of the intensity of a pre-season game. Maybe it is a holiday tour and good to have a relaxed atmosphere together but from a purely football point of view, there is not much meaning.”

The summer will feature national team commitments for many of the players. There are Euro 2016 qualifiers as late as June 14th – when England, for example, will play Slovenia – while the Copa America runs in Chile from 11 June to 4 July.

Arsenal have three South American players who are in line to feature – David Ospina (Colombia), Gabriel (Brazil) and Alexis Sanchez (Chile).

Wenger, though, is vexed by the start date for next season, which the Premier League have announced will be August 8th, with a view to an early finish, with Euro 2016 in mind. Wenger said he had voted against the measure.

“That is after a season where you have had no winter break. I don’t see where you go from there to give the players a proper rest. It is impossible. You have had no rest in the winter; now the decision is no rest in the summer, either.”

Guardian Service