Yesterday the club announced a list of 22 players that have been released by the club.
Firstly, the list was combined men and women’s. Not sure why the club did this. Without opening up a debate, the majority of fans only care for the men’s team. Separate lists should have been produced for clarity.
On the list was the likes of Mohamed Elneny and Cedric Soares. Neither player has played much in recent years, but reports from the training ground is both players have maintained their professionalism and provided much needed experience and guidance to the youngest squad in the Premier League. We wish both well.
The rest of the list was youngsters, including the likes of Arthur Okonkwo, Kide Taylor-Hart and Tyreece John-Jules.
As always when the yearly list comes out, their will be complaints that we have released players who “never go a chance.” I also find this a naive viewpoint. The Arsenal are a title challenging team and we can not afford to give a youngster an opportunity on the off-chance that he performs better on the pitch than they have in training or out on-loan.
Let’s remember, Mikel Arteta and his team see these guys in training every day, for years. They will know more than any of us the standard of them and whether they are ready. Just because you are an Arsenal academy graduate, does not mean you deserve a crack at the first team.
Okonkwo will be the big name this year fans are crying about, especially following his good spell at Wrexham. But there is a huge gap between League Two and the Premier League. He certainly does deserve a chance to be second choice, and is behind other equally talented youngster (Karl Hein) as 3rd choice.
The fact that we are in the process of tying down Hein to a new deal, rather than keeping Okonkwo, highlights we believe the Estonian is a better option.
“We could have got a fee for them” is also often commented when we release a player for free.
The only way we could have got a free is if we gave them a new deal. Tied further funds up in terms of wages on players we did not want, in the hope of getting a couple of million down the line for them. And if that offer did not come in, the same fans would complain as to why we gave them a new deal.
Football is cutthroat and very few make it at any professional level, let alone the highest level. Many of those let go will struggle for a career in football. They will drop down to the lower leagues and have to rebuild their lives. I wish every single one of them all the luck in the world.
We continue to work on deals with Hein, Reuel Walters and Amario Cozier-Dubbery.
Contracts have been offered and it is now up to the players whether they stay or go. I always take the opinion that if as an 18-year-old you do not want to be stay at your boyhood, then the door is open to leave.
I will not be upset if any of the 3 above leave. I rate them all, but as we have seen with Omari Hutchinson and others, the grass is often not greener.
In sad news, Kevin Campbell continues to fight following kidney failure.
We received the information on Saturday that the big man had been hospitalised and in a fight for his life. We agreed not to blog on the matter as it was just speculation and rumours. Nothing had come out from either his family or any of the clubs he played for.
Arsenal confirmed what we had heard yesterday via social media.
Campbell has touched many people within the blogging / vlogging / podcast community and has always been active both with his own shows and as a guest on others (lets not mention his work with AFTV though).
Thoughts and prayers are with our last great academy striker!
Enjoy your Tuesday.
Keenos
She Wore A Yellow Ribbon 