Arsene Wenger insisted his focus was on the rest of Arsenal's season as he was quizzed for the first time about his future and reasons for leaving the Emirates.
Wenger spoke for the first time since making his momentous announcement both before and after Arsenal beat West Ham 4-1 at the Emirates in the first game of Wenger’s farewell tour.
The Frenchman insists he is not thinking about anything beyond the end of the current season, which he hopes will end in Europa League glory and qualification for the Champions League.
In his pre-match interview on Sky Sports, Wenger would not reveal the reason behind him deciding to leave Arsenal.
"I will come out on that a bit later,” said Wenger. "I think at the moment for me it is important to focus on what matters to people who love Arsenal. That means the results of the next games.
"After this game we have another game, so after the season maybe.
"I believe what is interesting to people is who is in charge of the club, who is in charge of the team and the future of the club.
"I feel I dedicated my whole life to make this club solid, with strong foundations in a very hectic situation and I always said that I wanted to leave one day with an opportunity for the guy who comes in to find a very solid and ambitious club and that's what we will do until the last day of my career here."
- 3/1 - Luis Enrique
- 4/1 - Brendan Rodgers
- 5/1 - Carlo Ancelotti
- 6/1 - Patrick Vieira
- 7/1 - Joachim Loew
Wenger also insisted he is not thinking about his own future just yet, whether that be in another managerial role or even back at Arsenal in the future.
"At the moment my focus is as it has always been: my loyalty to the club until the last day I am here. We'll see.
“I don't know, it does not depend on me. You look at the number of Premier League games, European Cup games, FA Cup games we have played together, we have a built a history, we have built a solid foundation on a structural front.
"If you look at what the club was when I arrived and what it is today, I think we have gone a good way together."
Henry won't rule out Arsenal job
Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry did not rule himself in or out of the running to succeed Wenger, but called on the club hierarchy to give supporters clarity about next steps.
"I'm not in or out. I'm nowhere," he told Sky Sports.
"The other day I said I would never back down from a challenge, that's my life. There are some people who should come out and talk about what's happening at Arsenal Football Club, and that's not my job.
"I hope that the guy who is going to go to Arsenal has massive shoulders, because it is not an easy job coming after Arsene, and that he is going to have time."
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