ARSENE WENGER really knows how to get into the festive spirit, claims Martin Keown.
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| Arsene Wenger isn't a grinch at Christmas time |
Wenger has been traditionally viewed as a bit of a scrooge, especially when it comes to transfers.
But Keown, who enjoyed great success during his time at Arsenal under Wenger, thinks the Frenchman embraces the season of goodwill.
"Wenger can definitely be quite festive, he’s certainly not a scrooge," Keown told the Daily Mail.
"I think he saw Christmas as a chance to reward players on and off the pitch.
"I remember winning the double in 2002 and the club designed a lovely Ralph Lauren watch for us all. But we didn’t see it for ages and I think one or two of us thought they had forgotten to do anything to mark the occasion.
"But we actually received them the following Christmas. I think that was a deliberate psychological move by Wenger – he didn’t want to give them to us immediately or early in the next season in case it made us complacent.
"Instead he was able to box it off as a Christmas present and make it a gift. That was very clever as he clearly thought carefully about it.
"But after a present like that you definitely couldn’t call him a scrooge!"
Arsenal travel to Southampton on Boxing Day (7:45pm).
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