Former Arsenal star Paul Merson has continued his slanging match with Arsene Wenger. Merson, 46, compared Wenger's men to an under-12 team and repeatedly branded his old boss 'tactically clueless' after their collapse against Anderlecht last week.
But Wenger hit back over the weekend dismissing such criticism as 'a joke', saying: "I managed him. I tried. I'm not interested in Paul Merson."
Merson, who won five major trophies with the club as a player before quitting for Middlesbrough in 1997, told the Daily Star: "I think it's childish he's had a dig at me.
"Not interested in Paul Merson? He was begging me to stay when he offered me a new contract.
"I was surprised when I saw what he'd said about me. It shocked me. It's weird.
"I respect Arsene Wenger. He's a brilliant manager. When he first came here he was far ahead of his time. But times change.
"He's got to understand it's my job to give an honest opinion. I was at Arsenal 14 years and I only say these things because I care.
"I'm not backing down from what I said, either. You can't go 3-0 up and then draw a game you need to win to qualify.
"Me and Steve Bould played for one of the best tacticians ever in George Graham and that would never have happened with him in charge.
"Glenn Hoddle and Didi Hamann both agreed with me at the time. But things must be getting to him if he can get that upset over what I said."
