Arsène Wenger hails football’s improving image

Arsène Wenger believes technology in football has helped improve the game’s image while quashing hatred between supporters.

The Arsenal manager believes increased scrutiny of both players’ and supporters’ behaviour during games has helped clean up the sport over the last 25 years.

“The cameras have done a lot of good work for the game,” said Wenger. “Football has cleaned up its act because it was dirtier 25 years ago. It is much cleaner today because everything in Europe is checked.

“I remember having played some games in Europe 25 years ago and away from home it was not all clean because it was not filmed.”

The 62-year-old also says that football’s exposure through increased media coverage has helped dilute the “hatred” which he claims was rife in the game.

“Football is much cleaner and the players know each other better,” he continued. “When I was a young coach football was more localised and less global.

“People didn’t know each other so well and they hated each other much more because we were from one place and not from another.

“Today even in the hardest derbies you have people greeting each other before a game – you couldn’t see that 25 years ago. The tank of hate was much bigger than it is now before the big games. That has changed.”