Lehmann: I won't quit Arsenal

Jens Lehmann today vowed to stay and fight for his place at Arsenal. In an exclusive interview with Standard Sport, the German goalkeeper dismissed talk of a training ground bust-up with manager Arsene Wenger and reiterated his determination to help the Gunners close the gap on Premiership leaders Chelsea.

Speaking from his home in Dortmund, Lehmann revealed how:

Lehmann lost his place after the 2-1 defeat at Liverpool at the end of November. And just two matches into his exile, Wenger felt that Lehmann might be considering a career away from Highbury. After the 5-1 Champions League win against Rosenborg, Wenger asked to see the man he signed from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2003.

Wenger, aware that Lehmann and Oliver Kahn of Bayern Munich are involved in the keenest of battles to represent Germany in the World Cup next year, sensed his man may push for a move during the transfer window to keep the competition alive.

"I thought he was going to tell me I was back in goal," said Lehmann. "Instead he asked me if I wanted to go in January. I don't think he wanted to get rid of me, only to know if, because of the situation with the German national team, whether I had plans to leave."

He told Wenger: "No, I am staying." After the initial shock of his omission - "I still find it puzzling, " he said - Lehmann adopted a more circumspect view. "I treat this as a challenge. Of course I am not very happy about this current situation but I like challenges. I believe I will come out of this stronger. I am not upset, I am not angry but I intend to work harder and harder to regain my place."

"I have never had an argument with him [Wenger], never," said the 35-yearold. "In fact, I am still grateful to him. He gave me my chance to come to England. Without him, I would not be here. I like him and I respect him.

"When he told me he was leaving me out, I asked him why. He said : 'I don't see you as fresh as you should be.' He might have been right. Often, a coach sees what the individual player cannot see. Now, I have tried to do more quality work and I do feel more fresh. But rows and arguments? No, not one. In fact, I probably respect him more now than I did before. I have always had a good relationship with him. Not on a private basis, of course, because he is my coach. He has dropped me but I intend to come out of this stronger I have to cope with it. "

As for Lehmann's relationship with Almunia, there is a mutual respect between them. He said: "There is no problem between us. We have a good professional working relationship. I even arranged for him to have a deal with Uhlsport, a German company that makes gloves."