Tiny Manyonga
Good Day, you Gooners.
Allow me first to apologize. I do, like you, love the Arsenal unconditionally since my early days of childhood after converting from those wretched red devils, as I wrote here when I was particularly frustrated by the impending departure of RVP. However, it seems to be quite a significantly discrediting factor that I haven't known as much of pre-'90s Arsenal as most of you undoubtedly do and that I am in no position to clap off the team after an 8-2 or 3-1 thrashing at the beginning of the season like some of you are privileged to do.
But as (still) a loyal fan, I thought I would take some time to reflect on our present situation and perhaps remind us all of what may, sadly, no longer be remembered, by taking time out of my life to post a little note. The truth is there is something terribly wrong with this club, isn't there? Lack of silverware, an agonizingly long period of fan unrest, a seeming lack of response from those who can bring change, a manager who undoubtedly was brilliant but has since become the face of deterioration and desperation in the club, and a seeming lack of commitment to ambition and success domestically and internationally. And whereas fans should have the voices to object, a platform to air concerns about the team and changes as you see fit, you seemingly have an authoritative audience deafened by profits piling from their pockets up to their ears.
How did this happen? Who's to blame? Certainly there are those who are more responsible than others. And they will (hopefully) be relieved of their duties. But again, truth be told, if you're looking for the guilty you need only look into a mirror.
I know why you did it. I know you were sold and you bought into a dream. Who wouldn't be excited? Here was a manager who had a knack for finding talent. He brought you a 49-game unbeaten run (f*** you red devils), legends who commanded a cult following and multitude of trophies never seen before in London in that era. A history which, in hindsight, conspired to corrupt your reason and rob you of your common sense when the signs of a need for change appeared. Your past glory made you weak, victory had defeated you. So you kept on buying into the dream, paying for season tickets, funding terrorism. Wenger's track record got the better of you. When your captains started leaving, and your rivals started spending and strengthening, you turned to the now High Chancellor Arsène Wenger. He delivered you a new stadium and promised a generation of teams that would be the envy of Europe's elite, but without the massive debt or a billionaire sugar daddy. And all he demanded in return was your patience with youngsters and season ticket renewals - silent, obedient consent.
And then some of you sought to end that silence as your patience ran out. Some of you marched, wrote open letters and blogged (who reads those things anyway?) to remind this club of what it has forgotten. That football isn't (just) a business. That trophies aren't merely temporary titles. That ambition, pride and "Victoria Concordia Crescit" are more than words. They are perspectives.
One day we all woke up to a shock; we are a selling club, the fourth-spot trophy etc.. Then came this rise of AKBs, believing the board was holding us ransom; denial of our manager's inadequacies. But the reason I believe that the fault lies with the man in the mirror is what followed. We got to a stage sometime after the departure of Cesc and during RvP's unrest; a lot of anger and dissatisfaction was flying around. Usmanov was making a lot of noise and finger-pointing was the norm. RvP got his f***ing wish at United but still, as it stands, we are firmly divided between those stuck in a bargaining stage, wanting signings that will give "our rightful and fearless leader" traction to aim higher than fourth each season, and those calling for Wenger's head, and the upheaval of his cohorts and henchmen in the boardroom. Is this not a classic "five stages of grief" model? I'll be damned if I accept our state as the norm. I am not content to be competing with Tottenham!
We have been victimized and we are still acting like victims of bad management and corporate greed. Who is going to remove Stan and Arsène? Who is the target of this ongoing tantrum? Surely it can't be the team. We love the lads. The board's ears are firmly padded with layers of profits, the majority shareholder seems to have no concept of football. What do they know about the horrors of Tottenham finishing above Arsenal?
Side note - Abramovich is so hands-on and involved with his team but I hardly see Stan at the stadium, whereas Abramovich was in the dressing-room last weekend. Which is the lesser evil here?
We are not in a good place, but I'm sure most will agree that better this Arsenal than Chelski, Mancs or Spuds. We are the Arsenal; Jack Wilshere and co are the team we love. But the businessmen saw a business opportunity and converted our passion into a product and our loyalty into profit. As we have seen over the years, there is only one language that this regime understands and it comes in the form of numbers and figures. They will not respond to open letters and marches, but they will respond to a balance sheet. Let's kick them where it hurts, in the bank!
*For f***’s sakes, STOP buying season tickets!*
Yes, I am a fan of "V for Vendetta" and I am still plotting a move to London.
