Mesut Ozil dropped a beast of a press release about his treatment over the World Cup issues. His angst seems to centre around his belief that his Turkish heritage has made him a scapegoat for a shit show from the national team. He also seems very upset at the damage the picture of him with the Turkish President has done, particularly with charity partners who have abandoned him.
I feel for him. The racist overtones in the press are awful, it’s unfair that his performances at the World Cup are seen through dual nationality. However, I can’t feel for him losing partners. Standing tall with authoritarianism was an ignorant move. Whether he was badly advised, or he just didn’t think it through, when you align with a tyrant, you’ve opened yourself up to criticism. Erdogan is a monster, he is savaging Turkish institutions that protect democracy and regardless of where your heritage sits, to be seen as normalizing that with a photo opp is beyond stupid.
Where he does have a point is that in a society that’s said fuck it to consequences for behaviour in poor taste, it’s interesting that a German-Turk gets the full force of alienation. Still, I struggle with whataboutism when it comes to monsters. Mesut’s reasoning for the photo is that he didn’t want to disrespect his ancestry. I find that weak. He might think it’s just a cute pic for the family, but for others, it was normalising a tyrant. Tell your story of ‘I didn’t think of anything other than the pic’ to the jailed judges, civil servants and free press.
Ozil has a massive PR job on his hands, I’m not sure he’s going to shift sentiment with juvenile PR releases that seem to lack a north star. He should own the mistake, make a statement on the pitch and try and and remedy the broken trust with the German public with actions.
In CEO news, the Ivan G story won’t budge with Corriere stating he’s the choice for AC Milan and he’ll head there this September. Now this has been rolling in the media for a week without a firm statement of denial, you have to wonder if the smoke is starting to choke out the truth.
I’d still be surprised if he moved. It’d be a desperately poor show of leadership. He’s spent 9 months in real control of the club. He’s pulled in executives from around the world to guide his vision, luring them based on the trust he’ll be here to support the project. To duck out at the first glamorous door knock would tell you a lot about who is really is if he does it. He’ll be leaving a junior project rudderless, which in the short term could be damaging especially if the new manager doesn’t pan out. More to the point, CEO search and select isn’t a two-week process. It takes months. You have to craft plans, interview with a load of people, meet and greet staff and negotiate complicated compensation deals. If this story is true, he’s been making extremely long-term decisions for Arsenal with his head in AC Milan clouds. That’s really shitty if true.
In the grand scheme of things, it’s not a big deal. He’s been a solid administrator. He’s overseen a tough stadium move and we’re A-Ok. But really, can you say he blew it out the park? It took him 12 years to convince Stan that Wenger was a dud. He oversaw a train wreck transfer policy, he allowed Wenger to grow a ridiculous socialist wage policy, he was ineffectual at implementing a rugged football infrastructure and he lied to the fans over and over again. Not just that, look at our commercial deals. Hardly inspiring, are they?
He has the chance at to shape his legacy at a club he can become a legend. I hope he stays on, but if he doesn’t, it’s an opportunity to hire in someone who can find that elusive next level.
Finally, Arsenal is linked to the very sexy Yann Sommer. The 29-year-old Swiss was excellent at the world cup and he’d move as competition to Leno. That’d give me some relief.
Right, I’m ducking out. x
‘when 95% of a poster’s comments are negative takes on Arsenal and the players I don’t think it’s out of line to question what they’re in it for, bar the whining.’
Lol never did have you for honest.
Well Ozil has a choice to make. Maximum effort or expect more of the criticism. It’s that simple.
All jokes aside, getting cunted off must be shitty. But when you’re getting it from all angles is another thing, entirely.
As Dissenter said, now he’s all ours, the spotlight will be even more intense.
I do live in the Guinness Brewery though, have to give it to azed on that one.
@WE –
“I do live in the Guinness Brewery though, have to give it to azed on that one.”
Who allowed you to cross the river???!!! ha!!
I think that this will be an important season for Ozil. For all the criticism that he has received both on and off the field I would not be surprised that he will want to prove his critics that they are wrong about him.
I would not be surprised that we see a reinvigorated Ozil under a new head coach.
Then of course the “fair weather fans” and “so-called pundits” will change very
quickly as they usually do and turn on someone else.
Ozil will have a very average season.
Hopefully Emery will have the balls to drop him for under par performances and not play him based on his wage packet.
Emirates
Or…….when Ozil continues his slide into depression and is essentially useless, you will do an about turn and say how you havent rated him for years.
Just like you did with Wenger.
Defending him constantly, then instantly telling everyone how you felt he had outstayed his welcome within days of him being sacked.
Always makes me laugh when people say yeah all those people criticizing Ozil because he’s playing badly will change their tune if he plays really well this season.
Well yeah. No shit. Now sit down and rest your brain.
Do you think we bashed Wenger because we hated him and were anti-fans or because we thought he was doing a shit and the club at every level would be better with him gone?
You know, as has been proved.
But no, obviously the fans who spent years, literally years fighting and deflecting that narrative are the super fans who want what is best for the club and obviously proved that mindless backing of anything you can slap an Arsenal badge on his the way forward.
Clearly.
The Phil(or is it Gary) Neville of Legrove strikes!
‘But no, obviously the fans who spent years, literally years fighting and deflecting that narrative are the super fans who want what is best for the club and obviously proved that mindless backing of anything you can slap an Arsenal badge on his the way forward.’
Yep, Wallace in a nutshell.
Is it just me or has it been a pretty quite window??!
WE Then they have the temerity to talk about the fan status of others or call them Liverpool supporters or that they should support another club. No dickhead, if you had your way Wenger wouldn’t have been criticized by anyone, there would have been a full stadium every week, no protests and Wenger could have left when he wanted which would literally have meant we would not have seen any progressive and would be belting up for yet another season of dismal, boring, repetitive failure. If wanting that makes you s super fan then by all means sign me up… Read more »
park
We’ll try and use words with less than two syllables.
well let me rephrase that. blogs been disgusting to read for the past couple of days… downside of the off season I guess..
@WE & CA –
“No dickhead, if you had your way Wenger wouldn’t have been criticized by anyone, there would have been a full stadium every week, no protests ”
Imagine our transfer dealings this summer if he had stayed.. Wilshere new contract would have been a definite.
Jim
we Did our business early, that’s why you are in shock. the Wenger effect. Maybe we’ll get in one more player but it could be unlikely…
Does anyone know what they are smoking at Everton?
Buying Richalison for 50M and selling Lookman for half of that?
“But no, obviously the fans who spent years, literally years fighting and deflecting that narrative are the super fans who want what is best for the club and obviously proved that mindless backing of anything you can slap an Arsenal badge on his the way forward.”
For the super-fans, supporting something is akin to being a passenger on a boatride just thankful for the journey. And their co-passengers that paddle away to avoid rocks on the way are cvnts that ruined their experience.
CA
If many on here had it their way as you say, Wenger would still be in charge. It’s that simple really.
They had no desire to see Wenger sacked and wanted him to go out on his own terms, in other words, whenever he finally keeled over as any half-wit could see that Wenger never had any intention of calling it a day.
Jim Without doubt, Cazorla too and we would be hearing about how forgetful everyone is about the quality they both have and how Wilshere is fired up after not going to the World Cup. As well we have Maitland Niles, Nketiah, Nelson and Adeliade who returns from loan. People forget the quality they have just because they didn’t cost £40 Million each. You say a CB but I say Mustafi, Chambers, Holding and Mavropanos is already four with Kozz to return. Tell me why I need a CB? You say I need a GK but I can show you Cech’s… Read more »
New post you cunts
WE
It amazes me they still have this arrogance though and this audacity that means they still question others and speak with such certainty even though the last year has made them look a total c**t.
“‘But no, obviously the fans who spent years, literally years fighting and deflecting that narrative are the super fans who want what is best for the club and obviously proved that mindless backing of anything you can slap an Arsenal badge on his the way forward.’
Yep, Wallace in a nutshell.”
but even today, the glee with which you all jump on Hoeness’s comments about Ozil. that’s not being even-handed, or realistic, or whatever, that’s just getting off on a rival digging out one of our players. weird.
What glee are you on about? I literally just said that he was dead on the money and he was from a footballing POV.
How is it different to responding to somebody bad-mouthing Wenger in the public before he was sacked?
Ozil is a key piece holding us back from getting back to being a serious top contender.
Chika, you need to give it a rest mate. Kind of pathetic just jumping on everything ishola says.
Yolo swag