Arsenal Assistant Manager Pat Rice: ‘I don’t want top job’

Published: 29 September, 2011
by TOM FOOT

Champions League
Arsenal 2, Olympiakos 1

PAT Rice last night (Wednesday) insisted he is not interested in becoming Arsenal’s next manager after the Gunners beat Olym­piakos at the Emirates.

The former Northern Ireland defender and current assistant manager at Arsenal took charge while Arsene Wenger served a Champions League ban.

Rice, who has been Wenger’s number two since 1996, said: “It has never been my ambition to be a manager. I am quite happy being a coach. But when decisions go against the manager you have to get on with it.”

Rice, who as a boy worked in a greengrocers in Gillespie Road, Highbury, joined the Gunners as an apprentice in 1964.

In a frank press conference he spoke of the mental sharpness of teenage sensation Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

The 18-year-old bagged a brilliant first goal in the 2-1 win over the Greeks and became Arsenal’s youngest ever scorer in the Champions League.

Rice said: “He’s a confident, strong boy. He’s got good people around him and he’s very friendly with Theo. Arsenal fans are going to see a lot of this boy. A big challenge for him is to get in front of Theo. He won’t give in easy.”

The Rice press conference was watched by Brian Glanville, the lifelong Arsenal supporter and football writer, whose 80th birthday last week was marked with a special presentation on the pitch before kick-off.

Arsenal are now second in Group F with four points after Brazilian full-back Andrew Santos grabbed the winner on his debut. After a powerful run his cross bounced back into his path and he cut inside cleverly before smashing in at the near post.

Tomas Rosicky captained the Gunners in a high-tempo game that petered out into a nervy finish that saw Olym­piakos strike the bar.

The Gunners face Spurs in the Premier League on Sunday and Rice said that would be “a different kettle of fish”.