Arsene Wenger: "Arsenal hurt by lack of unity among fans"

Arsene Wenger has started his goodbye from Arsenal with a 4-1 Premier League victory over West Ham United on Sunday, but the post-match news conference had little to do with that game. Wenger had announced his decision to leave Arsenal at the end of the season after 22 years in charge of the club, a decision that some of the fans wanted to happen a few seasons earlier. Arsenal are set to miss on a top-four Premier League spot for the second consecutive season, but they are in the Europa League semi-finals. About the fans that had been asking for his resignation, Wenger said: "The image we gave from our club is not what it is and not what I like. Personally I believe this club is respected all over the world, much more than in England. The fans did not give me the image of unity I want all over the world and that was hurtful because I think the club is respected". However, Wenger added that he won't make any derogatory comments about the fans: "I'm not resentful and I do not want to make stupid headlines. I'm not resentful with the fans, I just feel if my personality is in the way of what I think our club is, for me that is more important than me. That is what I want to say, it is nothing to do with the fans. The fans were not happy - I can understand that. That is my job and I have to live with that, I can accept that." Arsene Wenger has won three Premier League titles and seven FA Cups at Arsenal and he said that it would be difficult for him to manage another English club due to his emotional attachment to the Gunners. The Frenchman was asked about who should be his successor but he insisted that he won't have anything to do with picking the next Arsenal manager. Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis said the next manager will be chosen "as soon as possible" and that the new boss needs to be "open-minded, brave and bold". Former Barcelona boss Luis Enrique is 5/2 at SkyBet to become the new Arsenal manager, former Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is 5/1, Germany boss Joachim Loew is 7/1 and former Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is 8/1 to get the job.