Tag Archives: Arsène Wenger

Arsene Wenger’s surreal send off

I have found the whole Arsene Wenger leaving stuff just a little odd.

The obituary style articles by the majority of media outlets were morbid. It is the type of stuff that they have saved for when someone dies. To have Wenger’s obituary written and published when still alive made uncomfortable reading.

Then we have the weekends big goodbye.

It was the final home game, the big goodbye. A chance for fans to thank Arsene Wenger for his 22 years service, and a chance for Wenger to thank those same fans for his support. It was just all a little OTT.

The guard of honour before the game, the guard of honour after, the t-shirts and those inflatable balloons with a gigantic picture of Wenger. The oddest of them all was the 6ft white letters which spelt out Merci Wenger.

It almost felt like somewhere in the club, there was a brain storming session, and instead of picking the best ideas, they decided to “do them all”.

Giving Wenger the gold Premier League trophy that the club were awarded by the Premier League after the 2004 unbeaten season was also frustrating. It is a trophy that belongs to the club. Had they given him a replica, I would have understood, but to give him the original was too much.

The trophy should belong to the club, the players, the fans, not something to be given away. Again, someone in that brainstorming event would have suggested it, and they have decided to do it. My only hope is that Wenger does the right thing and lets it sit in the Arsenal museum, for future Arsenal fans to view.

I think the reason I found the big goodbye so awkward is that it is not yet goodbye. We still have two games left to go.

The season might be over, we can not finish higher or lower than 6th, but to have such an extravagant farewell when he still has another week in the job is just odd.

It is like having someone’s leaving do at work when they still have a week left at work. They’ve said their massive goodbyes after a few beers in the pub, slagged the company off to their closest colleagues, but then still have to turn up for work the next day to sit and spin on their chair and annoy everyone.

I am sure London Colney will be a strange place this week. After the “celebrations” of Sunday, it will feel like the season is over, despite their still being 2 games left to play.

Sunday was a brilliant day. With The George shutting as well, it was a quality drink up in the sun. Wenger deserved a huge send off, but I question if it ended up a little OTT – and did not respect that fact that we still have two games left.

I am probably just moaning.

Keenos

Diego Simeone fails Arsenal interview

With 12 minutes on the clock, the interview was over. Diego Simeone got up, left the away dig out and left Ivan Gazidis without a decision to make.

Simeone would not even make the short list to replace Arsene Wenger, let alone be given the job.

As he left the pitch, snarling and swearing at all those around him, he showed why most top clubs would not consider employing him.

There is a huge difference between passion and abuse. Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola show passion on the touch line. Simeone just abusing anyone and everyone.

Constantly arguing with the 4th official, abusing the referee, attempting to intimidate the opposition. He is not passionate, he is just abusive. And his back from staff and players take lead from him. Jumping up in unison at every tackle, demanding a yellow card.

Last nights performance by Simeone should not be a surprise. As a player he was cynical, a cheat. He was the type of player I truly despise. A fake hard man. Happy to rake his studs down an opponents Achilles, always leaving his foot in on a challenge, but you go near him, he would throw himself to the ground and cry, no matter how little contact there was.

We all remember David Beckham in 1998, sent off for a petulant kick against Argentina. Guess who the Argentinian was who went down like he was shot? Yes, your correct, Diego Simeone.

He was an expert in the dark arts, and his Atlético Madrid team have been built in the vision of himself as a player.

Now I know they were down to 10 men early doors yesterday, but the behaviour of their players is no different to if they had 11 men.

Simeone has set them up to be anti-football.

10 men behind the ball at all times, wasting time at every opportunity, and throwing themselves to the ground at the slightest of touches.

Some will say “but he wins things” but this is untrue. Atlético have not won a trophy since 2014. And even if they were more successful, there are ways to win things, and it is certainly not the Simeone way.

Look at Manchester City. The free flowing attacking football wining trophies. Arsenal under Arsene Wenger in the early years. Barcelona or Real Madrid now. These are winners, who do it the right way. That is what Arsenal need to aspire too. We should not be looking to dive and time waste our way to a Premier League trophy.

“But George Graham played defensive football” you cry.

That might be true, and Arsenal were often labelled “boring boring Arsenal” under Graham, but one thing he did do was uphold the class and tradition of the club. Simeone is happy to sacrifice who we are and what we represent to impose his own brand of “success” on the club.

Look around world football, Jose Mourinho, Antonio Conte and Max Allegri are often considered defensive coaches. But in comparison to Simeone, they play attacking football, football in the right way.

There are ways of playing the game.

I have been highly critical of Klopp in the past. His lack of success in the last 4 or 5 years is similar to Simeone’s, but what he does is he upholds the dignity of the game.

Klopp plays an attacking brand of football, shows passion on the touch line, intelligence off the pitch, and is a gentleman to the press, media and opponents. He understands the history of Liverpool, the passion of the fans, and he has connected and revitalised them. Simeone is the polar opposite of Jurgen Klopp.

The likes of Allegri, Leonardo Jardim, Luis Enrique and Joachim Lowe are the types of men we should be going for. Men who are intelligent, respectful, and will uphold the traditions of the club. And men who are able to do all that whilst being successful.

I have never been a “success by any means possible” type of guy. I want us to win, but believe we are The Arsenal. That there is a right way to win and a wrong way. Simeone only cares about winning. He would happily drag the Arsenal name through the mud to win a game.

He is a man who lacks the class, lacks the integrity to be an Arsenal manager, and he showed it last night.

We are The Arsenal, we do not need to resort to employing someone like Simeone to make us challengers again.

Keenos

Arsene Wenger set to leave at end of the season

It has been announced by the club that Arsene Wenger is set to leave the club at the end of the season after 22 years with he club.

The Frenchman joined the club in 1996 and, after a successful first decade with the club where he revolutionised the English game, the last 12 years have been a struggle.

Recently, despite winning 3 FA Cups in 4 years, making a League Cup final and being in the semi-final of the Europa League, attendances at the Emirates have been dwindling.

In some recent Premier League games, estimations are that the ground was up to 25% empty, with barely 40,000 going through the gates.

Ivan Gazidis once said that he is governed by the fans. That Arsene Wenger will remain in his job for as long as the fans were backing him.

What began as a trickle with a few fans calling for his head has exploded over the last few years where the majority of fans wanted Wenger Out. A recent Arsenal Supporters Trust fan survey saw 88% of those who responded saiy the board should end his contract after this season, with only seven percent in favour of him staying in charge.

It seems the club have listened to the fans. They have noted the empty seats. The negativity on social media. The tide turning in surveys. They have listened and they have acted.

We still have a Europa League to fight for. This news needs to unite fans. 2with the home leg already sold out, lets get rid of the negativity surrounding the club. Use our voices for good. And back The Arsenal to glory.

Keenos