Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Arsene Wenger hits back at Raymond Verheijen criticism over Arsenal injuries: 'This guy looks like he knows absolutely everything'

The Gunners are in the mist of an injury crisis

James Orr
Friday 30 October 2015 12:21 GMT
Comments
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger looks on from the touchline
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger looks on from the touchline

Arsenal Wenger has defended his medical staff, after coming in for critcism from Dutch fitness coach Raymond Verheijen.

Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain joined the club's growing injury list this week. Aaron Ramsey and captain Mikel Arteta also currently sidelined as are England duo Jack Wilshere and Danny Welbeck.

Verheijen worked as an assistant coach for the Holland national team at the World Cup as well as with South Korea and Russia under Guus Hiddink, and joined the Wales national team set-up in February 2011 as assistant to Gary Speed.

In Twitter comments, Verheijen hit out at the "pattern" of Arsenal injuries to players like Ramsey, as well as Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas in the past, before pointing to a 10-year UEFA study which reported "football coaches are responsible for most injuries".

Verheijen, who has a new book called 'How Simple Can It Be?', also used media interviews to denounce Wenger's "old school" training methods, for which he was once heralded as a "revolutionary coach".

Of Verheijen's criticism, Wenger said: "This guy looks like he knows absolutely everything. I am amazed that he knows more than all our physios and all our doctors.

"I trust my medical staff to do well and my coaching staff to do the fitness planning very well.

"I can only invite you one day to see what work is done behind (the scenes). We have some players who are more injury-prone than others, but we are very well organised on that front.

"We have to analyse every single case and every single exercise, but also I think you have to not over-analyse when players are injured.

"When a player is injured, they are injured, this has always happened.

"We have not too many muscular injuries but it is post-international games we get all these injuries and is it linked with that? I don't know. What I'm focused on tomorrow is to continue our run (in the Premier League)."

The Gunners, who sit second in the Premier League table, travel to Swansea City tomorrow,

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in