Wenger: Fergie my manager of the year

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In an unusual show of magnanimity towards the Manchester United boss, with whom he has had many public disagreements in the past, Wenger has insisted that the Scot deserves to be named manager of the year.

Asked who would get his vote, Wenger said: "I feel this year Sir Alex Ferguson, because he's in a position to fight on every front, and (Reading manager) Steve Coppell, who is in a position where nobody expected him to be and he has a team who do not play negatively - they have a positive attitude everywhere they go."

After 10 trophy-laden years in north London, it is unusual for Wenger himself not to be considered one of the front-runners when end-of-season honours are being bestowed.

But with Arsenal lying fourth in the Barclays Premiership and out of the FA Cup and Champions League, their controversial final defeat to Chelsea in the Carling Cup will remain their strongest sniff of silverware this year.

The Gunners' frustrating inconsistency has been widely attributed to the youthful nature of their squad. And Wenger admits melding a winning team out of his inexperienced current crop is proving a massive task.

"It is the biggest challenge of my career because I am desperate to bring them as far as they can go and I feel there is a lot of potential in there," he told the League Managers' Association's website, www.leaguemanagers.com.

"I have to make them realise that a sports life passes quickly and that you have to quickly be mature. The second thing is not to lose the belief, because this year of course we didn't win anything, and come back next season with the great belief that they can do well."

He added: "To be a professional and a young player is to learn as well how to deal with disappointment. This year we had a massive disappointment, I feel overall, especially in going out of the Champions League the way we went out.

"But it's part of a growing process as well to handle this kind of disappointment and to still not let your disappointment stop your progression."