Richard Lancaster
When I submitted my original article last week I was interested to find out the readers’ views regarding what I considered to be a cloud of negativity over our Club. The response was expected and taken on board. I would just like to offer an extended clarification on the points I made because I do not feel I explained them to the appropriate degree.
Firstly I would like to state that I am not an ‘Arsene Knows Best’ OR ‘Wenger Out’. Instead I described myself as a centrist, this is not code for AKB as was pointed out. Just moderate views on the situation and neither extreme hate or love for Wenger. Admittedly some of my points were similar to AKB views but this is because I sympathise/agree with Wenger on the particular point. It does not mean all my views correspond with Wenger’s, I am not blindly defending Wenger, rather what he has said/done that I felt needed rectifying.
My first point was that Wenger does not just bid for players to make Arsenal seem more ambitious, thus enticing fans to renew tickets. From the responses it was viewed that I must be AKB because I believe Wenger would never use such cunning and Machiavellian tactics to fleece loyal supporters. To approach this from a different angle and ulterior view would be this: if he is not being deliberately incompetent on purpose, then by definition, he must really be incompetent! Some of you suggested that Wenger was in his own little world when bidding for players. I agree that he bids what HE thinks for players and not what the market rate dictates, this is described as frugality and mocked by the media. Personally, I think that is common sense more than anything and would say that out of all 20 managers in the league Wenger is the one with his feet most firmly on the ground. However, I also believe you will never reach your full potential with your feet on the ground and any successful manager will spend over the odds if the player was right. In an economical sense Wenger’s decision making is second to none, perhaps even the ‘WO’ brigade would agree on that, after all they often claim that Wenger is there to make money out of them. Price is important when buying a player (as well as other things such as personality, attitude and mental strength. Yes really!) and Wenger is often put off by big price tags. To do so does not make him wrong but just biting his tongue and going ahead with it would make him a much more successful manager and that is where everyone agrees.
Development – Wenger Bids €50m for Mesut Özil which is accepted. Case closed. No fake bids.
My second and third points, both to do with negativity, perhaps lacked explanation. The main point I was trying to make was that many Gooners now resent Arsene so much that anything positive he or his team does is glossed over. We won away to Bayern Munich (arguably the best team in the world) but apparently ‘they didn’t care’ about the result because they already had one foot in the next round. This could be true but is it the usual viewpoint from a football fan? On the other hand everything negative is highlighted and Wenger is often deemed responsible. Aston Villa for example, Wenger failed to prepare his team for the new season. A perfectly valid criticism and one I agree with. However what I did not agree with was the Media/Blogging/Twitter sh*t storm that followed. I do not understand why it has become so extreme, it is like listening to a Spurs fan describe the situation. We have arrived at a stage where fans (who are usually very loyal) want us to lose matches to quicken the departure of Wenger. They think that Wenger leaving would mean a more ambitious manager would come in, spend some money and win some trophies (Short term failure = long term success). Perhaps that would happen? I just do not think that the team and manager are treated fairly given the job they are doing. If that makes me AKB, then by definition…
To finish I have a question.
At the time of writing (Ed’s note – Monday morning) Arsenal have bid €50m for Mesut Özil. In the comment section can you please give your reason as to why you still want Wenger out? Some of you have hated the Club’s situation for a long time because of the obvious lack of ambition and failure to invest the Club’s vast wealth properly. What is your opinion now? Do you still feel the same way or have you become more faithful in Wenger? The other problems are still there admittedly – ticket pricing, no trophies etc. but the Club is finally showing the ambition we wanted and paying good money for it too.
I will imagine someone will put: “Just because we’ve bought Özil doesn’t mean we’re ambitious, it’s just to please fans” or something along those lines. That is the sort of attitude on which both my articles are based upon.
I will not be returning with Part III you will be pleased to hear although if a similar situation should arise next summer I will be sure to raise my ugly head.
