Arsene Wenger failed to quell rumours of his expected exit from Arsenal at the end of the season by insisting he will "manage for another season" at Arsenal or "somewhere else".
The 67-year-old French manager's contract expires at the end of the current campaign, and while the club were seemingly ready to offer him a new deal this term, Wenger has said he will only consider his future in March or April.
Speaking ahead of his side's FA Cup fifth round tie against Sutton United on Monday and following the 5-1 thrashing by Bayern Munich in the Champions League, the Gunners' boss remained defiant in the wake of some extreme criticism, most notably from former players.
He said: "No matter what happens I will manage for another season. Whether it's here or somewhere else, that is for sure.
"If I said March or April it is because I didn't know. I do not want to come back on that.
"I am used to the criticism. I think in life it's important to do what you think is right and all the rest is judgement. I am in a public job and I have to accept that, but I have to behave with my values."
He added: "We let everyone judge and criticise, we have to deal with that. We have to bounce back, that is what life is about.
"Even if I go, Arsenal will not win every single game in the future. It is not like before I arrived Arsenal had won five times in the European Cup.
"What is important is that the club makes the right decision for the future. I care about this club and its future and it is very important the club is in safe hands.
"The main emotion is everyone has a big disappointment. We have to regroup and refocus on the next game, and to take care of the consequences a disappointing result can have on everyone's spirit.
"We have to focus on the real problems and they are the way we play football, not my future.
"It is always important not to look for wrong excuses in life."
