Lots more speculation about the future of the boss this morning and the fall-out from the Q&A continues. Chairman Peter Hill-Wood said:
Frankly, some of the questions were disgraceful. There you have the most successful manager in our history and two or three of the shareholders made the most negative and somewhat hostile and sarcastic comments, which I think were completely out of order.
I was very upset by the questions, I have to say. We, and he, kindly agreed to have this meeting and whether we have another one is a moot point. Arsène was very diplomatic and honest in his answers and deserves great credit for that. But I wouldn’t have been anything like as polite if they had asked me.
I’m told that some comments/remarks were also made after the session which upset Arsene a great deal.
Now, on one hand I don’t think it’s out of order to question the manager or his decisions. He’s not a king or a deity that is beyond reproach. However, like anything it’s how you ask questions that’s important. If you ask a difficult question in a reasonable way then chances are you’ll get a reasonable answer. If you ask that question in an aggressive and sarcastic manner then that’s going to influence the response you get – and that’s true for football managers or anybody else.
Fans and shareholders have been frustrated this season. To all intents and purposes we’ve gone backwards from the last campaign when we challenged for the title, and indeed led the way, for a good chunk of the season. This time around we were out of the title race before November was over.
Arsene’s constant talking up of his team was often at odds with what we were seeing on the pitch and while we all understand why he was doing it, it doesn’t make it any easier to listen to at times. As Goodplaya pointed out comments about how bolstering the midfield would ‘kill’ players like Diaby, Denilson and Song seemed at odds with actions like bringing in Arshavin who, for whatever reason, would not kill Walcott or Nasri.
But the message in many of the articles this morning is that Wenger feels under-appreciated for what he’s done with the resources he has. And here perhaps the club has to look at itself and the confused messages its been sending. We have heard on countless occasions that there’s money there if Arsene wants it. The Chairman has said it, Danny Fiszman has said, even Arsene has said it.
Yet if his hands are tied so badly that he can’t afford to bring in players it makes things easier to understand. Now, I know the club can’t say ‘We don’t have any money’, that’s just stupid, but maybe keep comments about how if AW wanted to spend £30m on one player he could if that money isn’t there. Maybe the money was there at the time, this was pre-recession, pre-property crash, but it probably isn’t now.
Arsene said that he had never worked harder than he did this season and maybe we need to step back and look at what we did achieve with the players/squad we have. Leave aside your thoughts about how X is not good enough or Y is overrated and ask could any other manager get us to two semi-finals and fourth place with that squad?
I’m not making excuses or saying he hasn’t made mistakes but it’s worth thinking about. You might also question the wisdom of having such a meeting in the light of recent results and performances but that’s by the by now.
In modern times there’s an element of the support of every club that is unduly negative or at the very least hugely impatient. Look at United the other day, on the verge of winning the league and they boo the manager’s decision to take Tevez off. Incredible. It’s all rather bizarre but I think with the increase of corporate pricing and corporate fans it’s something we have to deal with now. Add to that the Championship Manager brigade who spend all day wheeling and dealing (If we sell Adebayor for £30m then we can buy Hangeland for £7m, Julio Guatmala from CF Minge for £12m, Ednkdhfg Dzumbhfgrizo from random Bundelisga side for £4m and still have money left over for a Scandinavian wonderkid!) and it’s just ludicrous at times.
Yet Arsenal, and every other club, has courted the corporate fans, built them shiny concourses and pre-game dinners and drinks and comfy seats, and the reaction Wenger got at the shareholders meeting last week was undoubtedly influenced by that. There are Arsenal fans who have found the club or grown up knowing nothing but Arsene Wenger and the successes and trophies he’s brought to us. They’re judging him by his own high standards and it’s difficult to step back when you have nothing to step back to.
Arsenal went 18 years without the league title from 1971 to 1989. While my first real Arsenal memory was the success of the 1979 FA Cup final the subsequent years were hardly much fun. Beaten in the Cup final in 1980 by Trevor Brooking and 2nd division West Ham, the Cup Winners Cup penalty shoot-out loss against Valencia and listening to Chippy, of all people, miss. Waiting until 1987 for another trophy when George Graham’s team beat Liverpool in the League Cup final. Stuff like that gives you perspective and the reality, like it or not, is that many fans don’t have that.
As I’ve said before I think criticism of Arsene is reasonable. He’s made some odd decisions this season, and in recent seasons, but some of it has gone too far, I feel. You listen to people calling him a ‘cunt’ and it’s grating. In a world full of cunts Arsene Wenger is not one. He’s a madly stubborn, intransigent, frustrating man at times but a cunt he certainly is not.
Asked if the criticism would drive him to Real Madrid, PHW said:
No, absolutely not. I believe Arsene is big enough as a manager and a person to accept that there are certain people who are not prepared to be reasonable. I believer that everyone must accept criticism but it must hope that it’s reasonable and constructive more than destructive.
It makes for a confusing time at the club at the moment but let’s not forget that for nearly 13 years Arsene has enjoyed almost unwavering support from the majority of fans. I don’t believe that in the face of his first real trial and loss of faith that he would walk away. I think he’s a bigger and better man than that.
I remember vividly reading Manchester United fans and blogs talking about how Ferguson was past it and should leave the club before tainting his legacy. Three league titles in a row and a Champions League later those fans are very quiet. It’s now down to Arsene and the board to work together and bring success back to the club.
Arsene deserves cash this summer. Not cash from selling players (which he might do anyway) but a decent budget so he can address the areas in the team which he knows, more than anyone I’m sure, need to be addressed. That’s down the club, the owners, directors, to provide. We have large match day income which will shrink with another unsuccessful season. Will the Club Level and Diamond Level renew after witnessing another battle for fourth place? It’s something they need to consider when they sit down and work things out this summer.
One final thing which should not be overlooked – Real Madrid are sharks, they can sniff blood in the water and will take advantage of that. We know that Perez is unscrupulous and practically villainous so there are no depths to which they won’t stoop. They’ll want to make the most of the confusion/ill-feeling at the club and using the press to do that is their principal tactic, something we should all be aware of.
Anyway, onto other matters and AC Milan are confident of signing Emmanuel Adebayor this summer. Their owner, slimy Silvio Berlusconi says:
There is a good chance that we can get Adebayor.
There certainly is if you offer enough money, Silvio. No, there’s no discount if you pay in cash. No, you can’t come anyone’s daughter’s 18th birthday, you filthy old lech, just give us the money, we’ll give you the player, thank you very much.
Samir Nasri on the Wenger stuff:
There is no question of him leaving. I know that he still has a project for two years and he is counting on allowing Arsenal to rediscover its glorious past.
Seems like a bit of a dodgy translation but I think I get what he means. The part about him not leaving is easy to understand though.
So, lot’s to discuss, I’m sure. Have at it.
