Markymark
It was once said that British intelligence has been so successful through the love of cricket. Long languid play, slow incremental gains then finito - game over before the enemy realised it’s been compromised.
I’m wondering whether Ivan Gazidis is a pupil of this school of thought? Either he appears to be a highly paid subservient doing whatever his employee (Arsene Wenger) requests. Or he is a thick skinned scheming individual, ready to accept a frankly poor public image whilst all the time working a grand plan to great effect.
What evidence is there for the long game? Certainly Gazidis’ ridiculed speech where he claimed Arsenal searched the world and could only find Arsene again will go down in history - we suspect for the wrong reasons. Arsene’s hotline to Kroenke surely is a further humiliation? But is Ivan the courtier who will take the rancour to finally topple Arsene?
We can see the complete refusal of Wenger to accept a Director of Football. Yet why do we constantly here of names being highlighted who are DOF in all but name? (As I write this it’s just been announced that Barcelona’s Raul Sanllehi will be joining Arsenal). Make no mistake, whatever his new title, the DOF role will have been sold to Raul. Ivan must have convinced him that Arsenal want to make a shift upwards and this would ultimately be without Wenger in charge long term. Further to this of course has been the recruitment of Chief Scout Sven Mislintat, labelled as head of recruitment.
A wry smile might appear on all those who were shocked to hear of the Kroenke hotline to bypass the board. How well will Wenger deal with a Mislintat / Sanllehi communication flow? One wonders whether Wenger will have to pack up watching his continental football matches on TV and concentrate on The Great British Bake Off instead.
We do of course hear constant rumours that managers have been interviewed every year since 2014, although with the ultimate decision left to Wenger as to whether he wishes to go. By removing Wenger’s circle of longstanding relationships and removing a built-in comfort zone is Ivan effectively forcing the famously inflexible Wenger into a decision that fits with the CEO’s ultimate goal? I would imagine Wenger’s job has just become a whole lot more lonely.
Certainly Wenger must now look around and ask if, in the winter of his career, has he the energy and drive to build a whole new set of relationships. The decision to go may now be a whole lot easier.
The new issue of The Gooner (268) goes on sale tomorrow evening at the home match v Huddersfield, and it’s a bit of a 1988-89 special. To buy a copy to be sent to you by mail, click here and we’ll get one in the post.
