Arsene Wenger: 'A medical staff should be unified, not overruled by managerial fiat,' says Arsenal boss

Wenger speaking on the Chelsea row

(Getty Images)

Arsene Wenger told Chelsea this morning how he thought a relationship between management and medical staff should be, of the importance of unity and of management allowing doctors to follow the clear rules.

Chelsea’s internal politics have dominated this week of football news, and, therefore, the press conferences at the end of it. Wenger was asked this morning about his relationship with his own medical staff and did not give the impression he favoured an approach as confrontational as Mourinho’s.

“It is a problem inside the club, that if you are not united it is more difficult,” Wenger said. While he did not want to be drawn on specifics, he reminded Chelsea that there are clear rules about the role of medical staff at football, and they could not be overruled by managerial fiat.

“You know you speak about that story at Chelsea,” he said. “I have not followed that, as you know I’m not of great interest about what is going on at Chelsea.”

“The rules are quite clear, that when the referee gives an indication that the medical can come on, they come on. After that, what happens specifically in the situation I don’t know. But the rules are quite clear. It is the referee who makes the decision.”