Wenger puzzled by Lehmann's remarks
LONDON: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said he had no intention of humiliating Jens Lehmann and has enormous respect for the goalkeeper who is upset he has lost his place in the Arsenal starting lineup.
The goalkeeper warned Wenger that it would be dangerous to "humiliate" him by leaving him on the bench much longer.
"It's possible that some day I'll feel like talking about the whole issue," Lehmann told German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere.
But Wenger said after Arsenal's 7-0 victory over Slavia Prague in the Champions League on Tuesday he had no intention of humiliating his keeper.
"There is no purpose to humilate anybody. I have said many times that I respect him a lot.
"That is how he experiences things, but that is not my purpose at all. We have had chats about that already. I do not know how and why this has come out.
"I have not read what he has said and do not give too much importance to that.
"What is important tonight is to praise the players who have done well and 60,000 people go home happy having watched good football."
Lehmann was left out of the Arsenal squad in the Premier League against Bolton Wanderers last Saturday and did not play on Tuesday with Manuel Almunia keep keeping his place in the starting lineup.
"At the moment I'm just swallowing it all as part of the humiliation. That's something one has to take in," said Lehmann. But I think - and this is aimed at my dear manager - one shouldn't humiliate players for too long.
"I'm an Arsenal player and I won't just fade away quietly."
Lehmann was expected to return after overcoming Achilles and elbow injuries, having played well in helping Germany qualify for Euro 2008 after a 0-0 draw with Ireland earlier this month.
Lehmann, 37, made mistakes in his opening games for Arsenal against Fulham and Blackburn Rovers.
Agencies
(China Daily 10/25/2007 page24)
