Morning all.
Yesterday the final pre-match press conference Arsene Wenger will ever make as Arsenal manager took place. A light hearted affair it was too by all accounts. The Frenchman looked relaxed and stress free, certainly more healthy looking than he has for a while. Good, it was clear to see that life as Arsenal manager had been taking it’s toll on him but since his departure announcement, he’s looked more relaxed.
Here’s a few extracts from the clubs official website:
On how difficult he’s found it…
It’s difficult because this is my life, every year. I have 20,000 trees out there [at the training ground] and I saw every one like that (small) and they are now massive. I will greet every one of them before I leave and say ‘thank you’. Of course that’s my life, I don’t know anything else, and that’s why it will be difficult. I will leave a club where I can be proud of what is behind me because it has a fantastic structure, fantastic conditions for the next manager. I think I have been a little part in the development of a club that is historical and that has a huge fanbase. I leave the club in the conditions where the future of the club is in a strong position.
On how strange it’s been since Sunday…
It was very strange and I’m grateful for [Sunday] because you can say it’s sad but if you look at it in an objective way, when you have the privilege to manage a club of that stature for 22 years, you should be very, very happy and say ‘thank you very much, it was a great privilege’. That’s how I look at it.
On how difficult it’ been s for the players to get themselves up for these last two games…
I must say the players’ attitude was great last night [at Leicester]. They were fantastic. I believe there is a special bond in the team. There’s something waiting to come out of this team that is special, that I like very much. Hopefully they can express that next season. If you look at it in a very objective way, we’ve scored 73 goals and will score more certainly, but we conceded too many goals. It’s quite simple to look at what needs to be improved.
On if he is happy he has had a ‘long goodbye’…
I enjoyed some aspects of it, yes – and not all. It was not always easy to cut slowly with what you do everyday and always you want to do it as well as you can and you don’t want to forget to thank people who deserve it. There are some people here who I employed 20 years ago who fought for me every single day so it is not easy to say goodbye.on the changes he has seen in the Premier League…
There’s two aspects I would say. The Premier League has created many jobs, when I arrived we were 80 at Arsenal, we are today 700. That means from a private little company where you know everybody, we have gone to a normal company with an HR department where everything has to be processed and regulated. That’s not down anymore to your initiative, but every single decision has to go through a process in an over-regulated society. It’s sometimes discouraging, so the human aspect has dropped a little bit. On the other hand the financial power of the clubs has become huge. On the other hand, in 20 years the ownership has changed completely. If you look at the ownership when I was arrived and what it is today, it has become completely world wide. England does not own the clubs any more, it’s much more international. The world has become globalised and open, so the competition is worldwide with the players as well. These owners buy players from all over the world. The Premier League has become a world-wide championship. The next evolution? Maybe I will see you in a few years and you will certainly have a European league over the weekends. A domestic league will certainly play Tuesday/Wednesday. I think that is the next step we will see.
On if he’s booked a holiday…
Not yet, honestly no. I don’t know what I will do, maybe go to Russia.
On if he will go to the World Cup…
I will watch the World Cup, I will be at the World Cup at the opening game and I watch of course the Premier League. When I wake up in the morning I look first at what kind of game is at night and that will not change.
On what he will do in the next couple of weeks…
I have some work to do in France on Monday, Tuesday and after I will come back on Thursday and clear my office and that will be it – after that I don’t know.
Arsene Wenger the man is clearly a decent guy, a well respected guy too but being Arsene Wenger the Arsenal manager just wasn’t doing him any good anymore. To be fair, I don’t think the latter was doing anyone any good. Now he’s free though, free to do what he likes, when he likes and for who he likes. Some of us cynics might now be thinking ‘no change there then.’
The days of being super critical are over though and as I’ve said before, my memories of the Frenchman will be the good times he brought to the club, the great players he signed and the way he always stood up for the club. Never in his twenty two years of representing Arsenal FC did I hear him say a bad word against the club we all love and their aren’t many managers who can brag about that. Thursday will be a sad day for him, a big day too as he clears his desk and walks away for the final time.
As his last few days have gone by, he’s clearly trying to persuade Jack Wilshere to remain faithful to club which has stood by him for so many years through his injury troubles. This past season has seen the Englishman play more than he has done in a long time. Perhaps his injury struggles are over, or certainly more manageable and if that’s the case, he’s a great player to keep. Players with the club in their heart are hard to find, certainly ones as experienced as Jack and with so many coming through the academy, having someone like Wilshere around them can help.
There’s a few headlines in the back pages which suggest the club are trying to convince Steve Bould and Jens Lehmann to remain at the club too but the rest, well they’ll probably be part of the mass clear out expected when the new manager is appointed. That’s just speculation though as should Mikel Arteta get appointed, he might want one or two familiar faces around him, for a while anyway. I’m not convinced Arteta would be the right appointment, not yet anyway as it wasn’t that long ago he was playing alongside some of our players and for anyone who’s ever been part of a team then to be promoted to supervise/manage that same team of people, it’s bloody hard. Often impossible I’d say as friendships get in the way of making tough decisions and you’ll always get one or two who’ll try and take advantage. It’d be different for Patrick Vieira as he’s been away from the club for a long time now. In any case, managing a New York City club and being a coach, regardless of it being under Guardiola, doesn’t convince me that either are ready for such a big task ahead at Arsenal. We’ll know who that man will be soon though and I’d have thought his appointment will be announced before the transfer window opens.
Back to the press conference. Arsène joked around with the media men, they recalled his first ever interview and how his English was so bad and other stuff which had gone on over the last twenty two years. As said already, it was a lighthearted affair and rightly so. There was little point in going on about the defeat in midweek, just as there’s no point in concerning ourselves too much about what goes on on Sunday either.
Of course I’d love us to beat Huddersfield in style and I doubt anyone wants Arsène to walk away from his job having not won an away league fixture in 2018.
Please Arsenal FC do not give Mikel Arteta the job. He is inexperienced. Rather give it to Diego Simeone. I think Diego would surely deliver. His style of play is the same as of Arsenal. But the difference with him is that he knows how set his back four perfectly. He also know how to change defence to attack. He can also make a team to be physically strong. And that’s exactly we need as Arsenal. Teams like Man. Utd and Man. City are physical. So we ought to match in order to beat them.
We must be physically fit in all aspects. That is goalkeeper, defence, defensive middle-field, attacking middle-field as well as striking.
Season 2017/2018, we had quality players going forward but we were horrible in defence and defensive middle-field. We need to recruit 1 or 2 Viera like middle-fielders. We also need two very experienced centre-backs.
Arsene Wenger never ‘screamed or shouted’ about Arsenal’s transfer budget, says club director Ken Friar.
The board set it he just worked within it.
That potentially answers one question. Did Wenger have the money and not spend it or was he controlled by the board. Seems to be the latter.
The thing is, with just a handful of exceptions, like PSG, Man City, Chelsea etc, don’t the vast majority of major clubs in the big european leagues, of which Arsenal are one, work to a budget?
These Ken Friar comments, are they really news?
The question I’d like to ask is how often Arsene didn’t spend the maximum that he could every summer and January, despite the squad needing strengthening?
Tbh, I think if Arsene had wanted extra funds for a particular player or players, that the funds could and would have been found.
Of course, with Wenger gone, the focus will now switch to the Board and the Owner, so let’s see where this goes.
That would explain why the club may go down the younger ‘easier to control’ coach avenue…
Or is Ken Friar just telling porkies?
Afternoon…
I thought Dick Emery was dead…. why are we being linked to him?
“You are awful…but I like you!”
This place is dead too…
It’s just the vacuum between the leaving of the faithful old retainer and the introduction of the new young whipper snapper.
We just don’t have much to say at present. Just nothing is occurring!
It’s cool and overcast here. A bit miserable really.
We are all treading water,waiting.
Has the prospect of a new horizon done anything for season ticket renewals
I’ll give up then until we know who’s coming in…. ?
This is not good. Explains why he was replaced for the under 23s match v Porto…
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-5718695/Arsenal-suspend-two-academy-coaches-launch-investigation-allegations-bullying.html
Hi Rico and all. Just back from a brief trip. Seems almost surreal that this Sunday will see the end of Arsene to me.
I’m in moderation.
All things Adam,
So am i…lol
Hi BT. Absolutely. Almost. 🙂
Hope you’re well.
Evening all and thank you Rico.
” If you look at it in a very objective way, we’ve scored 73 goals and will score more certainly, but we conceded too many goals. It’s quite simple to look at what needs to be improved “……………………………..if it`s quite simple how come he “didn`t see it” ! 🙂
Where`s Kelsey nowadays ?
Hi Adam, exciting though… lol
Lc, didn’t he say something about ‘areas to improve in’ too? The nerve eh….
Evening Rico and the house..
Big meeting today,
It is being said Peyton, Primorac and Banfield are leaving.
Bould staying but not in present job.
Also rumours Ljunberg returning to academy
Rico I am also in moderation
Evening Rick.
Any idea what Bould will be doing? Glad the others are going, long overdue…
Night guys.
It is being said that the club want him and Jans to stay ,
talks will be had with new manager as to what role they will be givenm.
Re Gatting and Larramen, I have always thought their attitued towards
the younger players was not very good.
I think I may have posted comments about it 3or 4 years ago,
I reckon announcement on 31st may if they have anyone lined up.
Looks like a root and branch clear out of coaches as well as players. maybe the board also.
Come on Rico, I’ll get things going again 🙂
Hey, Arsene has gone-nothing left to argue about hahahahaha
Morning All…
Interesting (well, to me ?) to see Ryan Garry progressing through the ranks at the Arsenal academy which might see him take over the U18’s if Ampadu gets the U23 gig permanently.
Garry was a promising young defender who saw his football career ruined by injury about 15 years ago.
Greg Lincoln, another ex Arsenal trainee is in charge of the U14’s.
Typo alert
Kev, what about Freddie too if he is coming back…
Waiting for Le Frauds successor will be like waiting for White Smoke at the Vatican. Then finally ARTETA appears on the Emirates Balcony without a hair out of place and we all go “Holy Sh1t ” So you heard it here ARTETA for Pope or Arsenal Manager (whichever comes first)
Look at the structure model of Porto or Sporting.
It works.
If they find us responsible or sub-responsible, assign the necessary functions, opposes everything right.
Who was a good player is not necessarily a good coach, a good man driver or a football manager.
Surely Arteta won’t get the job…
Rico. You never know. 🙂
Nothing would surprise me Adam.
Evening all and good to see Scott back even if just from a break from brewing !………….
If no Simeone then Arteta is a good call for me as I`ve advocated in the past………………………………..again I say, he knows Arsenal inside out and knows Peps secrets of tactics/coaching etc etc………………………will just need the same sort of quality players which we must have some of, if not, then he would in common sense tell Kroenke how much he needs to spend for such quality…………………………..so a win win situation, we get Peps secrets on the cheap and we get to see if Kroenke will back the manager !………………………….you know which one I take to disappoint us first………….the one who has been the bigger disappointment than Wenger !
Think maybe Ornstein follows me ! hahaha
https://twitter.com/bbcsport_david/status/995291131922567168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Farsenalfever.com%2Fbbc-journalist-reveals-massive-hint-arsene-wengers-successor-arsenal%2F
Evening Rico and All
Listening to Arsene talking of how Highbury
had a spirit that has been hard to replicate
at the Em’s,and how he felt when DD went,
the uphill struggle he has had to endure all
these years with limited resorces,paying the huge debt
to the banks..
It reminded me of that Chelsea worrior Winston Bogade,
that poor lad..He had to sit on that bench,
for just 40,000 a week.
Hard old life …Ein’t. Guy’s.
Vegemite alert !
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Arteta gets the gig, and i’d not be unhappy at all as I think he will make a great manager but it could all be too soon for him.
The problem is, if he does go to a smaller club for experience and impresses enough, he may end up on the radar of Real or Barca.
Of course, if he fails, would we be any worse than 6th or 7th spot anyway?
Time will tell.
I can smell the Guinness from here 🙂
Just to add a bit more from the LCM note via the BBC re, new coaches. Ornstein has spoken!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/44094251
The link explains it al or nothing at all! It just fuels,the fire.
New post up
Morning all.