Rice, who joined the club as a 15-year-old apprentice in 1964 and played 528 times for Arsenal, has been on the coaching staff in some capacity since 1984 and has always been Wenger's No 2 after a brief spell as caretaker manager before the Frenchman arrived from Nagoya Grampus Eight in 1996. Now 61, the Northern Irishman's contract expires in the summer and he is considering retirement, though Wenger intends to persuade him to stay on at the Emirates Stadium to avoid any upheaval.
"I hope he will not be leaving, and there have been talks about that," said Wenger, who saw Chelsea go six league matches without a win after Wilkins's surprise sacking. "He will be at the end of his contract at the end of the season, but he will not be going anywhere else. So it is a case of either staying or stopping altogether. I hope he will continue, and I want to persuade him. He has been vitally important because, when I arrived here, he was already a man of the club. And he's a man who know the British culture and he's a winner.
"He is a guy who is ready to give his life to win and you want to be surrounded with people like that. You can trust him, he is reliable, he has fantastic football knowledge. Now he wants to be sure to be completely 100% committed. He's not a guy who does things by half. He gives absolutely everything. From my side, there's no hesitation. I want him 200% to continue. I know how valuable he is for the club and for me, and I want him to go on. It's as important keeping him as keeping a big player."
Wenger was somewhat downbeat about the past year – "Every single defeat in 2010 is still very painful in my heart, so I hope 2011 will be less painful," he said – but, despite dropping two points wastefully at Wigan Athletic in midweek and with a tricky trip to Birmingham City on Saturday, had no complaints about the crammed fixture programme over the festive period. "It is the charm and craziness of English football," he said. "I personally like it. I'm vaccinated after the years I've been here. Somewhere, it certainly contributes to the promotion of English football."
"The whole world stops and England goes on. That means when Arsenal plays Chelsea, the whole world has no choice other than watch. That is maybe one of the strengths to promote English football. The whole world doesn't work and is bored, and watches English football which is not boring. I would like a winter break but after Christmas. I would like to keep that tradition and create now a two-week break after 2 January. You would just like a little breather."
Abou Diaby is the only casualty from the 2-2 draw at the DW Stadium ahead of Saturday's trip to St Andrew's after suffering a calf injury that will sideline the Frenchman for another three weeks. Robin van Persie, Alex Song and Johan Djourou are in contention for recalls after being rested in midweek, with Cesc Fábregas to return from suspension. Wenger is satisfied with the strength of the squad at his disposal and will only add personnel this month if "an outstanding opportunity" materialises. Regardless, he believes his side's prospects of claiming a first league championship since 2004 are buoyant.
"It's Arsenal's title to win," he added. "We want to go on a run and be consistent. The only thing we have learned from these first six months is that the team who have the greatest emotional stamina and resolve will win it. It could end up being the league of the mentally strong. It's a league with a lot of ups and downs, and the team that deals with that the best will win it. But we're more mature. We have strength, intelligence and talent. Putting these three ingredients together in every single game will be decisive."
Source: Dominic Fifield, The Guardian on 31 Dec 10
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