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Wenger reveals he remained at Arsenal to guarantee Emirates Stadium loans

Reuters

Arsene Wenger committed to Arsenal for at least five years in order for the club to secure loans for the construction of Emirates Stadium, the manager revealed Friday in an explosive prematch press conference.

An impassioned Wenger defended himself in the build-up to Saturday's match against Norwich City, during which fans are expected to amp up protests aimed at the Frenchman. The demonstration will take place 12 minutes into the game and 12 minutes from the end - the number representing the years since Arsenal last won a Premier League title.

But Wenger has offered a reminder of his commitment in more tumultuous times.

"When we built the stadium, the banks demanded that I signed for five years. Do you want me to tell you how many clubs I turned down during that period? The banks wanted technical consistency to guarantee that we have a chance to pay back. I did commit and I stayed, and under very difficult circumstances," Wenger told reporters.

With the help of Wenger, Arsenal secured the loans for the Emirates Stadium in 2003. It was completed three years later at a cost of £390 million. In the intervening years, though, the club faced a mass exodus of players, including Thierry Henry, Emmanuel Adebayor, Samir Nasri, and Cesc Fabregas.

"So for me to come back today and, on top of that, be reproached for not having won the championship during that period, I think it is a bit overboard," said the manager. "I accept criticism. We had to sell our best players every year to survive."

Arsenal managed to preserve Champions League places, and Wenger is proud of that. But this season - in which Arsenal blew one of its best chances to end the title drought - has pushed supporters to the brink of patience. Leicester City officially eliminated the Gunners from the title race last weekend.

"We lost the championship at home against the lower teams, but we played at home in a very difficult climate," said Wenger, a clear shot at the fans looking to bring an end to his two-decade tenure. "We have to realise that, away from home, we are championship winners."

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