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ARSENAL: Best was brave & artistic - Wenger

/noticias.info/ By Richard Clarke

Arsène Wenger has payed a fulsome tribute to George Best after the Manchester United legend died earlier today.

“To me it is a shock,” said the Arsenal manager. “You got used to him getting out of tricky situations on the pitch so you are shocked now because you expected him to get out of it again off the pitch.

“I can’t tell you a lot about his game. I could not watch him in France on television in those days but I remember him in newspapers at that time. He was regarded as a pop star like the Beatles.

“He had a special charisma. He played with an artistic view of the game and gave emotions to people when he played. That is why he is in the hearts of everybody.

Wenger met Best “once or twice” but, memorably, could not go when Manchester United played near to his home Strasbourg during his youth.

“I could not get to the game from my village,” he said. “I remember we could not get a car at the time. But I do recall they won 5-0 in Strasbourg and everybody came back to my village talking about Law, Best and Charlton.”

The Arsenal manager is known for his discipline about the game but he had an interesting take on the alcoholism that blighted Best’s career.

“It was part of the culture of the game at that time,” said Wenger. “We are not all equal in front of addiction. Some when they get on the hook they cannot get off. He was one of the examples.

“But I think he is in the hearts of people because, at some stage, we are all tempted to live the life he has led. He had this gambling attitude, even with his life. Somewhere we all admire that a little bit. It can be described as brave - I am not scared to live the life I want to lead even if it costs.

"All that together makes him a special guy.” notas_de_prensa_archivo