When he eventually departs his role at Arsenal, Arsene Wenger remains hopeful that "it will stand out what I've done for my club."
Keen to remind people that his outstanding first decade with Arsenal clarifies the growing disgruntlement surrounding the less-flattering second, the Frenchman now seems keenly aware that the end is nigh.
With rumours circulating that the club is looking to appoint former Dortmund manager Thomas Tuchal, reports that the German recently turned down the opportunity to manage Bayern Munich lends credence to the arguement that he must have a sizable offer on the table elsewhere.
Whether or not it will be Arsenal remains to be seen. Speaking to beIN Sport during this international window, the current Arsenal manager has opened up on his response to the criticism he and his team have received after a very poor start to 2018.
Willing to "accept that if the results are not good enough" you are going to take some flak, Wenger believes a nastier element is at play:
You focus on doing well for your club and ignore all the rest. Overall the older you get the more it becomes a little bit age discrimination.
We are in a job where we have to deal with the consequences but overall that perpetual thing of a link with how long you've been at the club, how old you are, I find that a bit difficult to take.
Much of the public chagrin surrounding Wenger's recent difficulties do tend to take into consideration the length of time he has had to correct certain persistent issues.
With a contract that runs until the summer of 2019, Wenger has recently suggested that he intends to see it to it's natural conclusion.
However, speaking of the broader trends surrounding modern football at the moment, it is clear that determined though he may be of staying with Arsenal, there are elements of the role he no longer enjoys:
I'm a little bit fed up with all that modern thing of completely taking care of your image. I've always worked my whole life with the idea it's more important who you are than how you look.
Always a fascinating manager to listen to, where his future lies remains as uncertain as ever.
