- Title: Ozil must accept consequences of China criticism - Wenger
- Date: 18th December 2019
- Summary: DOHA, QATAR (DECEMBER 18, 2019) (REUTERS) SOUNDBITE (English) FIFA'S GLOBAL HEAD OF FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT ARSENE WENGER, SAYING: "At the moment I support the manager in charge and the manager in charge is Ljungberg. When Arteta will be in charge I will support Arteta. For the rest of course Arsenal is going through a very difficult period so it is better I don't comment too much on that I just suffer like every other supporter. WHITE FLASH SOUNDBITE (English) FIFA'S GLOBAL HEAD OF FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT ARSENE WENGER, SAYING: "The club just needs to make the right decisions and the football club is first, we have to understand the football club built on values and on good players that is what the club will have to do is to get these two together." WHITE FLASH SOUNDBITE (English) FIFA'S GLOBAL HEAD OF FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT ARSENE WENGER, SAYING: "He (Arteta) is intelligent, he has passion, he has knowledge, but Ljungberg (does) as well. I believe that Mikel Arteta has certainly a great future, he has certainly learned a lot in his first position as an assistant coach and after that as well he will have to deal with the fact that he has no experience." WHITE FLASH SOUNDBITE (English) FIFA'S GLOBAL HEAD OF FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT ARSENE WENGER, SAYING: "I have given a big part of my life 22 years in a career of a football manager is not nothing you know, it is 200 years of a normal life. When I left this club I wanted the club to have stability and let's not forget we were 22 consecutive years in the top four." WENGER BEING INTERVIEWED
- Embargoed: 1st January 2020 12:51
- Keywords: Arsene Wenger Mesut Ozil
- Location: DOHA, QATAR / LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- City: DOHA, QATAR / LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA006BAI6Y4F
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: AUDIO AND QUALITY AS INCOMING
Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said on Wednesday Mesut Ozil must "accept the consequences" of criticizing China's treatment of its Uighur Muslims, but he defended the star midfielder's right to express an opinion.
Ozil, a German Muslim of Turkish origin signed by Wenger in 2013, posted messages on Twitter and Instagram last week calling minority Uighurs "warriors who resist persecution".
China's foreign ministry said Ozil had been deceived by fake news as the country's Twitter-like Weibo platform erupted with angry messages, some calling for the London club to sack their highest-paid player.
Wenger told reporters in Doha he did not know if there would be a long-term impact for Ozil.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo came out in support of Ozil on Tuesday, saying Beijing could not hide rights violations.
China has repeatedly denied any mistreatment of Uighurs. But the United Nations and rights groups estimate up to two million mostly ethnic Uighur Muslims have been detained as part of what Beijing calls an anti-terrorism campaign.
Arsenal was quick to distance itself from their midfielder's comments, posting a statement on Weibo saying it was his personal opinion.
Wenger said he did not want to get involved in the debate about the right balance between players' opinions and the commercial relationships big clubs, such as Arsenal, have internationally.
Meanwhile Wenger said he was saddened by the current poor former of Arsenal, and said potential new manager Mikel Arteta had a "great future" but might find the top job hard beacuse of his lack of experience.
(Simon Evans and Iain Axon) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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