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Wenger vows to make Arsenal the best in world

Arsene Wenger is still holding the reins at Arsenal, 15 years after joining the club in 1996 © Getty Images

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Arsene Wenger has admitted he feels "very lucky" to have spent 15 years at Arsenal, and insists he is the man to bring back success to the club.

Wenger celebrates his historic anniversary on Saturday, with the Gunners travelling to Tottenham on Sunday. Ahead of the north London derby, the Frenchman reflected on his time in charge, revealing he uses past triumphs and disappointments to make the club better.

"First of all I think I have been very lucky to spend 15 years at this club, that's how I really feel," he said. "For the rest I live in the present and the future so I hate to look back.

"I use the history to improve, that's what I want to do. I am grateful and lucky to have spent so much time at this club and I will try to do my best in the next game.

"The vision is to make this club the best in the world, it is as simple as that. It is to carry through the values we think are important in the game. I'm very proud of the values I defend in the game and we will try to continue to do that."

Meanwhile, in the wake of the Carlos Tevez saga at Manchester City, Wenger has played down the notion that modern-day players are prima donnas. When asked if today's crop are harder to handle than 15 years ago, he said: "Not really no, players are very demanding with themselves.

"Top athletes are demanding with themselves as well as their environments and that creates tensions. Our job is to transform this tension into positive energy - that is why we are here and that is why we are well paid."

When asked how he would react if one of his players refused to go on the pitch, he said: "Every manager has his own personality and I don't want to interfere with that. Life at the top level is not without problems."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.