James Southby
Back in the day, I enjoyed and joined in with the Ashley Cole chants as much as the next fan. The manner in which he burned his bridges with the Arsenal fanbase remains a fairly stunning example of footballer greed and stupidity, and certainly helped give rise to his current reputation as…well, no-one in the English-speaking footballing world needs me to elaborate on that, surely.
By the same token, I understand why Emmanuel Adebayor has been vilified the way he has since leaving the club. His behaviour in the Man City game alone seems to justify this viewpoint, and this is forgetting the grievances many a Gooner had with his work rate and alleged character in the dressing room.
The fact that they were once Arsenal players of at least some renown means they stay on the peripheral radar of the average Gooner long after they have left. I understand that, and acknowledge that Arsenal fans doubtless felt slighted and offended when Ashley Cole left for more money, and when Adebayor chose to shamelessly mock the same fans that once sang his praises (in the process running faster than he ever did when he played for us).
But I am nevertheless compelled to ask this question: why are we still going on about it?
An entertaining chant is just that – entertaining. When there is a lull in the action, when the fans are restless, or just to keep the atmosphere going, these things doubtless serve a purpose, and I don’t dispute that for a moment. But in singling out former players, and in Ashley Cole’s case a player that left Arsenal no less than five years ago, do we not present ourselves as a group as being rooted in the past, petty or vindictive?
Considering the case of Adebayor, I am aware that he only left Arsenal two years ago, as if there is a statute of limitations on these things, but consider the fact that, Man City game aside, he has done absolutely nothing else of note other than get loaned to Real Madrid (and score against Tottenham). Not to mention during this time suffering a horrific and no-doubt traumatising attack as part of the Togo squad during the African Cup of Nations that left friends and colleagues of his dead. As in not breathing, not living – dead. Surely when we get to this point, a line has been crossed.
While we cannot say the same of Ashley Cole, I do feel that the man has been through a lot in his personal life. If nothing else, how much of an idiot does one have to be to screw up being married to Cheryl Tweedy/Cole? Add numerous nightclub incidents and other unsavoury stories to that, and you are left with a top-level player with a despicable national reputation, not just from football supporters but from all corners. Do we really need to add to that?
I’m not saying that we should lay off Cole and Adebayor because they have gone through personal situations of great difficulty. I’m not saying that we should lay off them because too much time has gone by, and I’m certainly not saying we should lay off them out of some appeal to the good and positive natures of football fans. What I am saying is that these guys have both moved on, and now so should we.
If Arsenal is a club that prides itself on doing things the right way, the Arsenal way, do we not have a responsibility to respond to that, and consider our own discourse to be part of that effort? What kind of advertisement do we provide of ourselves? I’m not saying that we’ve become monsters or anything of the kind, but there is a lingering pettiness that I feel we could do without, no matter how easy or tempting it is to express. I believe that we are Arsenal fans, and we’re better than that.
I would add to that by saying that I very much doubt these guys sit around thinking about us. Why should we pay them homage, which is essentially what we’re doing. Sort of…
I’m not foolish enough to believe this, or similar pronouncements from Arsene Wenger or anyone will change anything on this thorny subject. But not all Arsenal fans share the same view on this one. Ashley Cole came up through the youth ranks, played alongside Adams, Keown and Dixon and was an integral part of two league-winning sides. Emmanuel Adebayor…not so much. No matter the distinctions, these two players were found to be bad eggs, and they moved on. Now, can we as Arsenal fans do the same?
