Wenger wants domestic focus

Arsene Wenger is hoping his players can forget about the World Cup and focus their attentions on Arsenal.

The Gunners will see the vast majority of their first-team squad heading to South Africa next summer, with the qualification process now complete.

However, before then there is the important matter of securing domestic and continental success.

Arsenal are hoping to end a trophy drought which stretches back to 2005, so need their top stars to be more focused than most.

With Premier League and UEFA Champions League campaigns to concern themselves with, Wenger admits his job over the next few months will be to curb any talk of World Cup adventures.

"For me, the big season is with Arsenal, not at the World Cup," Wenger declared.

"We do not pay players to go to the World Cup - we pay the players to do well for Arsenal.

"The first pride of a man is to do well for the guy who pays you in life, not to go to the World Cup."

Priority

Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas agrees with his coach, with the Spanish midfielder admitting that performances at club level will help to shape international ambitions.

He said: "I can understand the boss' point. He is the manager and wants Arsenal to do well, the national team is secondary.

"Sometimes I don't play for Spain, I am on the bench, so definitely I want to play well for Arsenal to start in the World Cup.

"My first priority is to play for Arsenal, to play well and to win titles.

"Definitely on my mind in a World Cup year is to play well with Arsenal and be a starter for Spain."