yesterday’s selection…" /> yesterday’s selection…" /> Gooner Survey 2008-09 Results - Part 3

Gooner Survey 2008-09 Results - Part 3

More of how you voted after yesterday’s selection



Gooner Survey 2008-09 Results - Part 3

Hiddink: Most popular option for an immediate successor


This is the third batch of answers to the questions posed in the Annual Gooner Survey. Which in this section include the vexed questions of possible future managers, the booing of players, the name of our ground and the dreaded pre-match anthem.

If Arsène left the club this summer who would you want to take over?
1 Guus Hiddink (Russia)
2 Jose Mourinho (Inter Milan)
3 Arsène Wenger won't be going or similar comment
4 Frank Rijkaard (Galatasaray)
5 Steve Bould
6 Dennis Bergkamp
7 Fabio Capello (England)
8 David Moyes (Everton)
9 Josep "Pep" Guardiola (Barcelona)
10 Martin O'Neill (Aston Villa)

The 'if' factor annoyed many who wrote in to say that Arsène Wenger is far too good to go, or that he never should or would. But I should point out that this was a hypothetical question and no one at Gooner Towers was suggested he should go. Although quite a few extremists have been heard to utter such banalities through the course of the past season in some less enlightened quarters.

However those who did name an alternative manager plumped for Guus Hiddink by a very long margin from Jose Mourinho. While both Frank Rijkaard and Stevie Bould also polled quite well. There were numerous mentions and also pleas for our coaching staff to include Uncle Bouldie, Dennis Bergkamp and/or Tony Adams. While a number more voters suggested that the Van Basten / Bergkamp manager/coaching ticket might be highly desirable. So quite a lot of Dutch influence amongst your managerial alternatives here.

But also desired at the helm in reasonable numbers were the likes of Marco Van Basten (Netherlands), Tony Adams, Slaven Bilic (Croatia), Roy Hodgson (Fulham) and Manuel Pellegrini (now with Real Madrid). That's just in case the board are reading this and wish to make some notes for the distant future.

Which of these youngsters who have been on the fringe of the first team this season do you think will make the most Premier League starts next season?
Kieran Gibbs 47%
Carlos Vela 33%
Aaron Ramsey 13%
Jack Wilshere 7%

The possible appearances in question may well of course depend upon injuries to others as much as on the individual progress made by the above named players. What can certainly be said for sure however is that they all clearly have the required ability given sufficient time and assuming full dedication on their own part. That Gibbs tops the poll is all credit to the lad for his stunning end of season stint. Where he proved to all those looking to follow in his wake that opportunities for first team football do arise for youngsters and that anything can happen if you make the most of your opportunity. As in Kieran's case 3 major semi-final appearances and part of your summer spent contesting an International under 21 tournament with England.

Should Arsenal fans ever boo their own players:
(A) During a game?
No 86% Yes 14%
(B) At the final whistle?
No 55% Yes 45%

To boo or not to boo that is the question. A debate that's divided Gooners ever since the infamous Ebooue boo in. There comes a point I suspect when any fans will reach the end of their tether, some just sooner than others. £50 or whatever it might be to spend on a match ticket is after all a lot of cash to shell out only to be massively disappointed - just ask any Tottenham fan.

How do you most commonly refer to our home ground?
Emirates 54%
Ashburton Grove 19%
Arsenal 18%
Highbury 7%

I'm assuming here that you and me are long term Arsenal fans and that if you're lucky enough to get tickets then our stadium will be your home from home for many years to come, just as Highbury was. Whereas the likes of JVC, Dreamcast, Sega, O2, Emirates, Umbro, Adidas or Nike are just in it for so long as it suits them and then they will bugger off.

That's essentially why many Gooners don't like the cheapening of our stadium's name and won't use the 'E' word. I suppose that given the massive publicity it was inevitable that the 'E' word would prevail in time. But I wonder how many will stick to the sponsor's name should it be renamed, for example, The J Arthur Rankmeister Sporting Goods Event Arena?

How many home games have you attended this season?
1-10 37%
None 19%
Over 20 17%
11-20 14%
All of them 13%

An indication perhaps that you don't have to go to games to be a fan as has quite possibly always been the case, or more probably that football is fast becoming an occasional event entertainment for those with far more money than sense.

With the current economic situation in mind how many home games do you think you'll attend next season?
About the same 74%
More >13%
Fewer <13 %

Seemingly Gooners intend to prioritise their spending on The Arsenal during the tough times ahead. Something not entirely borne out by the number of punters who've been attempting to lease out their season tickets this summer.

Have you generally been able to get tickets for home games when you've tried?
Yes 41%
Not Applicable (Season Tick Holder) 33%
No 27%

Given the huge gaps seen at the ground I find it hard to believe that quite so many haven't been able to acquire tickets, but then again the Red Membership can't always acquire tickets at the lower end of the price scale. So maybe we asked the wrong question and perhaps the 'no' response really refers to affordable tickets.

The club have persevered with playing "The Wonder of You" before every home game this season. For next season, should they:
Try another tune 48%
Keep it 33%
Drop the anthem idea 19%

I just find it hard to concede that around a third of our fans are so musically tasteless as to want more Elvis, familiarity has clearly bred indifference. The words are passable, but really, Elvis? It's an embarrassment. I couldn't stand Constable Alex Morgan (ask any ancient Gooner), but was he and the Metropolitan Police Band really so much worse?


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