In an interview in The Mail on Sunday, SAF continues:
"When you've been in this job as long as I have, you thrive on the sort of challenge Arsene provides. I was really up for it.
"Maybe the confidence Arsenal were showing got my hackles up and the old adrenaline flowing. I enjoyed the battle.
"You have no idea how important it was to me to win the title back.
"I just feel winning the title justified my desire to stay on."