Written by Iain Swan.
Oh dear! It would appear last weeks article on Arsene Wenger has ruffled a few feathers, if my savaging by a gaggle of North London intellectuals is anything to go by. The wonderfully eloquent Adi damned me as a ” blind moron” while the wildly inaccurate Mike suggested that I was a “failed journalist” whose wife would tell me to get a new job. Wrong on both counts, my friend.
Ouch! But I take issue with Sinbad’s comments about the article being poorly researched and poorly written. I think it is written perfectly well and the facts stated are accurate. There is an argument over whether Wenger’s contribution to the new stadium warrants the claim made by Oliver Holt that he “delivered” the Emirates . I believe that to be palpable nonsense , the Arsenal fans on here believe it to be true. It is merely a question of semantics.
But Sinbad, the article was an attack on the media’s fawning over Wenger, rather than an attack on Wenger himself, a point which has been wilfully ignored by a lot of the people commenting. The fact that it has been placed in the Arsenal section means that most of the readers will disagree with the points raised , I accept that, but the Gunners fans getting their red and white knickers in a twist are hardly unbiased. Some of their sanctimonious claptrap and self righteous indignation may speak volumes about how they feel about the ” Wenger project”.
A new stadium and aesthetically pleasing football is preferable to winning trophies. Really? Then clearly as one said, Wenger has totally changed the ethos of the club; for the Arsenal fans I met on my trips to Highbury during the George Graham era gloried in the boring Arsenal tag. While a nice stadium and stylish football are desireable, should they be pursued at the expense of trophies? ” Yes!” say the Gunners who sneer at the uncouth barbarians whose mantra is “winning is everything”. How the patrons of Old Trafford and Stamford Bridge would chuckle at that pearl of wisdom!!!
No, this will not do , why was your best player so desperate to leave and become a squad player at Barcelona? (a club that plays beautiful football and wins ) Can he see the writing on the wall? Does he realise that the Professor has no clothes and do the hysterical comments on this site hide the fact that some of the fans can see it too?
You cling to the belief that it was the financial constraints of building the Emirates that was the real reason for the barren spell, in which case Manchester City will win everything bar the boat race for the foreseeable future. The fear is that a self indulgent Wenger has lost his way and is unable to rediscover the magic touch. Of course a great manager could and should be able to overcome financial disadvantages and build a balanced side capable of winning things.
Again I say my article was a criticism of the coterie of broadsheet journalists who have created a cult of Wenger, elevating every pronouncement of his , be it commenting on the rise of the Bundesliga ,to his assessment of team or players, to that of gospel truth and far sighted enlightened wisdom and thus blinds them to the fact that for all his gifts he is “second five year plan” for Arsenal has failed to bear fruit.
Compare that to the English media’s treatment of Fabio Capello, a manager with a better record than the Frenchman, because he knows how to win and is unashamed about that being the bottom line. Capello is treated with disdain and has become a figure of ridicule for one disastrous summer.
It is possible that Abramovich may get bored and abandon Chelsea and that post Ferguson, Manchester United’s financial problems consume them and Manchester City self destruct and Wenger leads Arsenal back to the promised land , but deep down how many Arsenal fans truly believe it?
Would those wishing to vent their spleen please form an orderly queue.
**Thanks to guest writer Iain Swan for submitting this article. Please be aware these are the views of the author and do not represent those of Football-talk.co.uk. If you would like to become a contributor please get in touch.**
