Sometimes you just don’t get how stupid somebody is until they open their mouth. Ok, they might look like a woolly headed, mouth breathing troglodyte but appearances can be deceiving.
Here’s Barcelona captain Carles Puyol:
Cesc is an excellent player and a great friend. For me, he would be perfect for Barcelona. But we need to respect that he has a contract with his club.
Respecting that he has a contract with his club would be nice but clearly to talk about respect when you and half your team have done exactly the opposite is a bit much. Cesc’s ‘Barca DNA’, the constant stream of stories from players, management and senior officials at Barcelona, the way they’re trying to drive down the price of the player by using these tactics and the fact they haven’t shut their fucking mouths about this since time immemorial show that respect is a word they simply fail to understand.
I suspect the more they talk the more intransigent Arsenal will become and even though it might drag this saga out for longer than we might like (or, indeed, long enough that we might like it), I’d be fully supportive of them in this regard. We’ve had to put up with this kind of bollocks from Barcelona time and time again. We had it with Overmars, we had it with Thierry Henry and now we’ve got it with Cesc. And frankly it’s really fucking annoying. I mean, they even did it to Hleb, a player they had absolutely no need for and while I was glad enough to see him go the point remains.
They waltz in, tap up our players, behave like arrogant, holier-than-thou cunts and then have the balls to talk about ‘respect’? Idiots.
Earlier this season Arsene got quite animated in one of the pre-game press conferences when he was asked about the Cesc/Barcelona rumours. He pointed out that players like Gallas or Sylvester could choose where they wanted to play next season because they were out of contract. Players, like Cesc, who have long term contracts were not. Cesc’s father spoke about Arsenal needing to respect Cesc’s wishes and I’m sure he wants his son to move back home and play for the boyhood club and all that. But respect works both ways and a player who has been handsomely rewarded by Arsenal needs to respect the fact that he made a decision to sign a long deal at the club. And the day we start doing what players’ fathers tell us to would be a sad day indeed.
Don’t get me wrong, I can fully understand why Cesc might want to leave and his frustration with various aspects of life at the club right now, but I think it’s right that Arsenal should do everything to try and keep him. If that means giving Barcelona a price they think is ridiculous, fine. Even better would be to bring in some good players to address the faults in this team and make staying a more attractive proposition. Outlandish, I know, but it’s worth considering.
But unfortunately for Cesc he finds himself in a difficult position. The hubris of Joan Laporta, a man who simply wasn’t content to leave behind a legacy of beautiful football and plenty of silverware, is in real danger of backfiring straight into our player’s face. It was under his watch that Barcelona lost Cesc to Arsenal – and while Barcelona and their fans use the word ‘steal’ all the time the deal was absolutely legitimate. After arbitration a fee was paid and Giovanni van Bronckhorst, a player who cost us £8m, was allowed to go there for free to appease them. Arsenal exploited a loophole in Spanish employment law but did nothing illegal.
On the eve of his departure Laporta decided he had to get Cesc back, not for the benefit of Barcelona who could clearly operate without him for at least another season or two, nor Cesc who I feel would been better moving back within that same time frame, but for himself. For the public image of Joan Laporta. No longer could he be ridiculed for losing one of the greatest talents the Barcelona youth system had ever produced.
And now we have a stand-off. Arsenal have a player who has a contract for years to come, Barcelona are playing nasty and using all their underhand tactics to drive down the true market price of a player like Cesc, Arsenal are unwilling sellers and probably at the end of their tether with Barcelona’s conceited behaviour, and it has the potential to get really, really messy (not Messi). And even still there has been no offer from them. They’d rather play this out in public than try and do a deal like gentlemen. I know they play nice football but as an entity they really are reprehensible.
As I said above I fully support all efforts by the club to resist this deal, even if they are eventually unsuccessful. After that we ought to sever all relations with them until such time as they learn the real meaning of the word ‘respect’. They’re used to being the big boys of Spanish football, bullying all around them to their own ends, and I’d like Arsenal to stand up to them and stay firm on this one. Overmars left, Henry left (in both deals you have to think Arsene knew the time was right), but I don’t think you can say that about Cesc.
Yes, he might have grown up at Barcelona but he made his debut for us at the age of 16, was a regular by 17 and it’s with us that he has developed into the world class player he is now. At Barcelona his chances of first team football under Rijkaard were slim as big money signings and grizzled veterans were the order of the day. He might have Barca DNA but we adopted him, allowed his talent to flourish and we should do everything we can to keep him.
I haven’t bothered my hole looking at the Catalan papers this morning because frankly I’m tired of their shit. Witless hacks inventing shite to further the agenda of the football club they’re in awe of. They’re like brainwashed zealots, with about as much integrity as a shoe, worshipping at the smarmy altar of Joan Laporta.
In other news Sol Campbell says he’s ‘seriously considering’ an offer from Celtic. He says:
Celtic is a serious option for me. We’re talking, although we haven’t yet discussed figures. Nothing is set in stone. I know Celtic are a massive club. I have to consider them. You can’t ignore it when such a fantastic club makes their interest known.
I suppose it all boils down to what kind of discussion he’s had with Arsene Wenger. I’ve really enjoyed Sol’s return and it’s been an eye-opener to see the kind of attitude from him that has been missing in so many others. However, as fans we’re clamouring for the club to sign at least one centre-half. With talk of Mertesacker, Papa Dhiakate, Hangeland and others, we’re looking for a player who can immediately slot into the first XI alongside Vermaelen. Johan Djourou will be fighting for that position too so Sol is looking at a situation where he’s fourth choice (at best) and not likely to play as much football as he’d like. I’d love to keep him around because I think there are players who should learn a lot from him but I can understand why he’d want to consider other offers.
At this point it’s not about money it’s about how much football he’s going to play. With just a couple of seasons left in his career he might well decide a lower level (sorry, LOTW!) and more time on the pitch is the way to go.
Another link this morning to Fulham’s Mark Schwarzer. At 37 he’s hardly one for the future but as John Cross points out it’d mean Scezsny’s path to the first team isn’t blocked for years to come. I have to admit this would be a rather underwhelming signing and perhaps the hype around the young Pole is misplaced. If he’s good enough he’ll make the breakthrough no matter who’s in front of him. To gamble on potential again, as we have with many of this squad, is too risky.
More whispers abound regarding Joe Cole from Chelsea on a free transfer. Nothing concrete though.
And finally for today, on the 21st anniversary of St Michael’s Day, let us remember one of the greatest nights in the history of Arsenal Football Club.
Till tomorrow.
