LONDON -- Punching the air with delight at the final whistle. Leaning casually against the railings of the Royal Box during the trophy ceremony. Smiling uncontrollably throughout his press conference.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is a happy man after guiding his side to the FA Cup. He will be around next season too.
Nine years without a trophy has been a huge strain on Wenger and Arsenal but finally their nightmare is over. Finally their trophyless run has come to an end. Wenger confirmed that he will be around next season and is expected to sign a new deal next week.
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Speaking afterwards about the relief of the dramatic win, Wenger was clearly delighted with his eighth trophy as manager and believes all of the suffering made it worth the wait.
However his expected new deal looked for a long time like it would come alongside a shock cup defeat but his team launched a rousing comeback in the sun at Wembley. After seeing his side trail 2-0 after eight minutes to Hull City, Wenger admitted he was surprised but delighted with the response of his team.
“I was shocked, the next goal against you is then crucial, they looked dangerous on every set piece. We looked hesitant and you wonder if the shock for the team will not be too hard,” Wenger said. " This team has a special spirit and togetherness I knew they would try to respond. It was important for us to get back to 2-1 before half time, to not rush our game and to keep calm and structured. Overall in the second half we created many chances.”
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Wenger has now won five FA Cups as the Arsenal manager is alongside Sir Alex Ferguson as the men to have won it the most and the Frenchman has won eight major trophies in 18 years in charge of the Gunners. Three PL titles and five FA Cups later, he still enjoys the euphoria surrounding a cup win. He also lauded the mental toughness of his team to fight back when it mattered most and the huge impact that could have for next season and beyond.
“The mental aspect of a game like that is very important,” Wenger said. “Everyone expects you to win and you are 2-0 down. Cup finals in England are special, you saw it last year and again this year. It was an important moment in the life of this time. To lose today certainly would’ve been a major setback and to win provides a good platform to move on and come back even stronger next year.”
Where does the 2014 FA Cup rank all-time for Wenger? Right at the top.
“It was more important today than all the others,” Wenger said. “We have already twice won the double and many times but we were not under the pressure we were under today. I’ve now won it five times. It is not too bad.”