I don’t really want to talk about Spurs beating my German team, so let’s get knee deep in the Technical Director role that is open at Arsenal.
As I mentioned yesterday, I truly hope the execs approach this role with an open mind. We were supposed to move into a new era of smarts when Wenger left. Proper search and select, rigorous interview processes and smart decisions based on the needs of the club.
Arsenal did well at this with the vacant manager role, but I think they slipped at the last minute with Emery. Firstly, he was a late entrant, so the club wouldn’t have done due diligence. Secondly, I have my doubts we vetted his backroom team, and now we’re shipping in more of his mates. Great if he’s the next Arsene Wenger, not so great if things don’t evolve.
That’s why the idea of Monchi is a little worrying. Sure, he’s a sexy signing, but is he the best on offer? Who knows. I just hope Arsenal do a deeper dive than a browse of Emery’s WhatsApp contacts list before we invest in a hire that could change the face of the club for the next decade.
I don’t have the job spec for the technical director, but I assume it’s a powerful position that requires a broad understanding of many different disciplines that go into making a football club tick. It’s basically the Chief Operations Officer role of the football side of the business, with Raul as the CEO.
The name doesn’t have to be explayer, it doesn’t have to be a chief scout, but I don’t know the industry well enough to talk about non-footballing folk that could do it, so I’ll mostly be running profiles on people at clubs doing interesting things.
First stop:
Andrea Berta – Atletico Madrid
His start was at Parma, then Genoa where he gained an education in scouting. This area is the background of most of the names that would look to move into a technical role. He moved to Atletico in 2013 to look after international scouting, he then moved into the technical side of things before taking over the Sports Management role in 2017 where he looked after 5 groups: the first team’s coaching staff, assistants of the coaching staff, the first team’s area of coordination, Atlético de Madrid B and the scouting and analysis team (I think this is close to what the Arsenal role will look like).
He’s had quite a ride if you look at his numbers from 2013-14 season. The club has finished in the top 3 every season, finishing 2nd once and winning the league in 2013-14, they’ve averaged 84.2 points a season, conceding 24.2 (avg) goals, as well as dropping 67 goals (avg). They’ve been in 2 Champions League finals which they lost, won a UEFA Super Copa twice, and triumphed in the Europa League last season at our expense. Obviously, a lot of that goes to the managers credit, but the reason I mention this is because Atleti are not a big club and they’ve been brutalised in the transfer market with big names leaving on the regular.
From an outlay perspective, they have achieved all of the above on an average spend of 13m euros a season. Their total net spend since 2013 is 91m euros. They have spent 603m and recouped 512m. Think about that number for just a second…
Berta has spent net £79m since 2012.
Arsenal spent £73m in one summer.
Some highlights in that time are Mr Griezmann for 30m euros, Oblak for 16m euros from Benfica. Even the flops are good, Jackson Martinez for 37m, sold for 42m to China!
Think of the players they’ve had to deal with Losing. Falcao, Alderweirald, Diego Costa, Turan, Mandzukic… it never affects them. I mean, in the sense that they compete at the highest level. Hard to outmuscle Barca and Madrid every year.
Even their wage bill is low. In 2017 they were at £156m. Ours was £199m in the same year and we finished 5th. They finished 3rd and made the UCL semi-final.
Atleti are just a consistent flow of great players in and out. Every time you think it’s over, they pull in another gem. The Atleti story is all the more incredible because it all happened under the backdrop of them moving stadium for the 2017-18 season.
Back to Berta, the man knows how to work with a top manager. Apparently, Simeone was very upset when it was rumoured he was off to United. It’s a small thing, but remember Sven was banned from the training ground by the now PSG manager.
It hasn’t all been gravy, Atleti were dinged with a transfer ban for making illegal approaches for academy kids, but be real, we have Huss Fahmy from Team Sky and Raul wasn’t exactly nowhere near that Neymar deal. Also worth remembering a technical director sets the tone for theb football, and Atleti isn’t exactly joga bonito
Still, he’d suit Raul, he’s very chummy with the super agents, and interestingly for Arsenal, he has a real edge in the South American market. Somewhere we’ve struggled, and a market that will likely open up post-Brexit.
He’s hot property, but the sort of talent that can really change the mindset of the club. PSG, United, Milan and Inter have all tapped him for his services, but he’s resisted so far. At 47, he’s still very young, but there’s surely a move in him at some point. There are rumours that the salary to move him is £12.2m a year (£234k a week)… I know that’s PSG money, but it shows the value the footballing world thinks this man brings.
… and let’s be real, where better than London to test your mettle (and spend those pound notes)?
Arsenal truly would be remiss not to interview this man. He operates at an elite level on less than half the wage bill of Barca and Madrid. He turns a profit on terrible players. He has an incredible eye for talent. He can work with sauce drenched managers. He looks like he’d steal your girlfriend if you stepped away from the bar. He could take us back to the top.
Right, that’s me done.
Arsenal vs Bate this evening. No Ozil or Ramsey. Let’s talk about that tomorrow.
Happy Valentine’s day xxx
Pedro As much as I can see that you have sharpened your knife vs UE (which I am really agreeing with now), I think you should start gearing this blog to be anti-Kroenke. As much as Bamford seems to hold him in high esteem, Kroenke has missed the boat of self sustainability by holding on too long to a past it manager and an inept CEO. Kroenke just thinks it will be a cake walk to get back into top 4. He is failing to see that this will take some serious investment if we really want to get back… Read more »
You know why I said a few days ago ago that Emery is Emery is a moron? He came Into a club with no real striker in the first team. Coincidentally some of the best youths we have in the youth team are wingers. When Saka made his debut in the EL his stats We’re so monstrous Neville said the only debut he could compare to it was Ronaldo’s. Yet Emery persists with Iwobi, a player so woeful he was already getting converted to a DM in the youth set up before Wenger decided it was time to promote a… Read more »
DB10
Sadly it’s much harder to force a billionaire to sell up than to get a manager sacked….
James Wood
“BATE last played a competitive game in December.”
They were well-rested.
*no real winger in the team
*were, not we’re
Words on a Blog
I know. But if we all stop turning up. Who knows?
There is one person who is not dividing us in our support of the club: Kroenke.
That was fucking painful viewing. I mean, Bate are fucking toilet, but we looked bereft of ideas.
I’m finding it continuously difficult to defend Emery, cos I cant believe that he’s communicating, to the team, what he wants them to do, with accuracy.
Yes we’ll smash 5 past them in the return leg, with a full strength team – but that an indictment of not actually having an effective philosophy.
DB10
“Kroenke just thinks it will be a cake walk to get back into top 4.”
I don’t hold him in any esteem at all, and as for the above, he thinks whatever the football men tell him to think. He doesn’t have independent opinions about football, mate; he literally knows nothing about the game. NOTHING. Tonight has nothing to do with Stan Kroenke.
Criticize Emery. Criticize the players. They deserve it.
I tell you what though, I was gobsmacked not to see Suarez start, over Iwobi.
Iwobi is done out ‘ere. We either need Bournemouth to fax over a 25m bid, or we relegate him to a squad player, useful for league, FAC and to get sympathy monutes against anyone were comfortably beating with 15mins to play
I think today everyone deserves the ctiticism
Should have been an easy win
Kroekne is clueless and does not invest in the team where and when needed
Emery needs to get a better performance from the team- this includes mentally being humble, and taking all opponents with seriousness
Players- need to step it up- EL league games are of utmost importance
Just fucking sucks
Bamford
I know he’s got nothing to do with tonight defeat. Did I blame for it tonight? No. Read my previous posts.
But he is happy with mediocrity as long he gets his top 4 CL money. Mark my words.
DB10- agreed about Kroenke. He’s kind of like an underwhelming absentee landlord. And the team is increasingly shaping up to be in his image: absent and underwhelming.
The thing is, we’re still doing ok at the Emirates – third best in the league at hoe. It’s unlikely that people will vote with their feet, like they did in the dog days of Wenger, by failing to show up – unless we start drifting down into mid-table
Kroenke is like Trump- a fucking idiot who is clueless about most things. In this case. Arsenal, his play thing, and collateral for his massive loans
This is crunch time, and I have to say, Emery needs to really step it up. The team should be held accountable. No more shitty performances
Must be some consequences
Team needs a come to Jesus meeting
@DB10
I am with you 100%. We should all united and be anti-Kroenke. I keep saying that they own the fans an explanation of the finance of the club. How they can support the team to complete for PL and CL honour (What Josh said the other day). These continuously bitching between pro Emery and anti Emery would not help the club at all.
To be honest word on a Blog, I am ahead of the curve. The problem is the job is getting harder and harder for whoever the next manager will be.
Maybe I am getting a ahead myself. This summer’s TW will be very telling.
Emery may not be the man for the job — like others, I have my doubts — but aside from his not having managed in the PL, he was a reasonable choice for the job. Our aim is CL football, and we have two paths to it: finish top four or win the Europa. Emery has finished top four in La Liga with workmanlike squads — precisely what he was to have this season — and he has won the Europa title several times. You may not like him, and he may not work out, but he was a reasonable… Read more »
DB10
“But he is happy with mediocrity as long he gets his top four CL money.”
How do you know this, exactly? Have you spoken to him about this?
There’s a few clubs in the world that players would rape their grandmother to play for. Barcelona is one of them (although I’ve always seen them as arrogant scum tbh), I’m always suspicious of taking players who are rejected by Barca, Madrid or United. They’re being forced out of their dream. Fabragas was never the same after Barca dumped him, even with all that DNA coursing through his veins. Suarez might need some settling but I don’t see the point in taking a disinterested light weight on loan for half a season? What’s the point?
But at the bottom of my heart, I just don’t see us getting anywhere with Kroenke. We have so much potential yet the owner, because of his lack of desire, will leave the club in this still born status of elite mediocrity.
I just don’t understand why we as fans can’t aspire for more from a club who has the serious potential to go another level.
For me this started off with our greatest manager of all time: Herbert Chapman. This was someone who had a real vision.
Bam ford – you can infer motivation by someone’s action, and in this case, inaction, just as much as you can by talking to them
Bamford
This is my opinion, just like you like to say.
SF
“Kroenke … does not invest in the team where and when needed.”
This is nonsense.
Bamford
Who wants reasonable?
He’s not as good as wenger in any arsenal season ever let alone his pinnacle years. Why should we be happy to hire someone who’s worse than the guy we all wanted to be sacked??
Words on a Blog
What inaction, specifically?
Lots of people assume that we will smash BATE at the Emirates, but lots of people assumed that we would smash them away and that kids would be played in the return leg. With the exception of Aubameyang, this was the A team according to Emery. (Sokratis is injured so he won’t be available for the return leg either). Özil will not Emery the sack. Emery will get the sack because the results and the style of play does not match the expectation. If Arsenal were smashing team, nobody would talk about Özil. If we were unlucky in defeat, but… Read more »
I was going to ask the same thing, what inaction?
Un Na
Well, I don’t know that he’s not as good as Wenger. But what I do know is that we needed someone who could finish top four or win the Europa with a modest squad. He had an excellent (if not perfect) CV for that. Thus, as I say, he was a reasonable hire.
The club spends nearly as much on wages as Liverpool and Chelsea do. The club signed Lacazette for £53m, Aubameyang for £60m, Xhaka for £35m, Mustafi for £35m, Ozil for £42m. FFP rules do not allow the owner to spend his own money on transfers. Please stop saying that our situation is the result of a lack of investment. This simply isn’t true.
In the past, the inaction was the long-standing and persistent failure to let Wenger go, or failing that set up a structure to curb his power, the complacency with respect to the accumulation of cash reserves (equal at one point or the combined cash reserves of the the other 19 premier league teams, in an era of strongly inflationary player prices. Etc.
At present it appears to be allowing an unwieldy executive structure, with Sanlehhi potentially accumulating Wenger-like powers.
In the future, we’ll as DB10 said, we’ll see what happens in the transfer window…
Bam ford – agreed that he was a reasonable hire for the top4 and Europa League objectives. His record has been pretty good. At first I also quite liked his “reactive” tactics, which took into account opponents’ strengths weaknesses and style of play, which was pretty refreshing as it was so unlike Wenger.
But in the last 10 games or so, something (other than the injuries) and I’m not quite sure what it is, is not quite right with the way the team is playing….
Football is a speculative game.
A club with genuine ambition will make funds available when needed.
Arsenal do not do this. Rigidly adhering to the self sustainable model is counterproductive.
We need better players. They cost money.
Bamford
We have Spent a net figure of 45 million the last 2 years which equates to 22.5 million a season.
Hopefully we go on to win the whole thing and this loss is irrelevant.
It’ll be a big ask though, Arsenal seriously do not look good right now.
Words
Agree that something is not right.
While everyone is right to be disappointed by tonight’s performance and result, I think people need to remember that it was -2° C and the field was complete crap. That played a part.
Anyone saw Giroud’s back heed goal. A true gooner.
@Carts, Have you seen the game? Iwobi was out best player. He and Kolasinac were the one creating something. Suarez did get some playing time and he was awful. Losing the ball, miscontrolling it and having its pass intercepted, not tracking, not tackling (in fact at one point avoiding tackling when in position to do so). Even his corners were dreadful. Systematic cut by the first defender. People talked about Özil and his attitude, but today Mhikitarian and Suarez were making a good copy of moody teenagers. When Robson the BT commentator accuse them of being lazy and track even… Read more »
Couldn’t catch the game but that result sucks
Emery has to do better
Spurs beating Dortmund 3-0
Arsenal loosing in El to some randoms.
Future is bright
The Arsenal Stan Kroenke self-sustaining business model, two steps forward, three steps back. Since the owner came into our lives, the Club has slipped from finishing either 1st or 2nd to 6th. How is that being sustainable. Oh, of course he means ‘business’ not football.
Wow, I can see/hear our away fans @ Stamford Bridge or Middle Eastlands goading the home fans with chants of
“we’re more fiscally responsible than you are,
we’re more fiscally responsible than you are”
Lacazette just put our entire season in jeopardy with his petulant lashing out.
If anything happens to Auba, we are doomed in the Europa League.
Emery has to bring Ozil back, away with all the nonsense. Start with Saka, Iwobi, Auba and Ozil…attack…attack and attack.
We don”t defend well with Ozil but we don’t defend well without Ozil anyways so what’s the point?
Champagne charlieFebruary 14, 2019 19:05:54 Benny Enjoy your dinner mate, pump the wife full and skip the recording. Missing nothing Dream10February 14, 2019 19:05:57 Bennydevito Enjoy the dinner and delete the match when you get home. From the sounds of it, watching this is a punishment for the eyes. >>>>>> CC, fucking lol! That was hilarious! 🤣 CC, Dream 10, Good advice but I’ve just finished watching and dear oh deary me. Team looks awful, disjointed and unprepared. Emery looks bereft of ideas and worryingly, is starting to look out of his depth. Gurning away on the sidelines with the… Read more »
Bamford
“Please stop saying that our situation is the result of a lack of investment. This simply isn’t true.”
If Kroenke infused £100 million cash into the club today, all it will do is increase our cash balance by a 100 million.
Maybe he can claim it’s a LA Rams paying Arsenal 10 year fees to use our facilities for pre-season till 2029. Even that will trigger an investigation.
InsideRightFebruary 14, 2019 19:46:30
Has a single corner beaten the first defender? Shocking.
We’re playing that Wenger-shite crab football around the outside of the box and no one is testing the keeper.
It’s soul destroying watching performances like this. And Emery just stands there looking like Wallace, just missing the tank top and some cheese
>>>>>>
More cheese Gromit?
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
If anybody’s on Twitter please look at this picture I made a few weeks ago of Emery and Gromit together as that was the first thing that struck me quite some time ago about him!
https://twitter.com/BennydevitoBen/status/1089323622622265344?s=19
last night’s result was terrible. I’m a massive emery in but I don’t see where this team is going. Wenger even in his bleak years would have never lost to BATE or some other unknown team in a far off league. The team needs a creative force and like it or not, ozil is a creater. I think emery should play him against the lower teams and teams like BATE. So the flat track bully can do his job. But I do know one thing for certain, even if we fire emery, I don’t think arteta is the answer. I… Read more »
By the looks of his face, Emery’s already given up.
Cech is so passed it, Costs is every game.
The best thing about this match is that we get to see Hleb again.
We will win the return leg but it’s games like this that are really frustrating
We should have dusted that team but nope
Another game that’s do or die
What was that?
So bad. So nondescript. So not worth talking about.
Zero chance of progressing much further if we play like this. Bad pitch was no excuse. Bloody hell Bate hadn’t played a competitive game since December.
Emery looks lost. Dare I say, out of his depth?
Lacazette rightly punished, but understandable he lashed out.
dude is on thin ice that’s as poor as I have seen and I have seen some pretty poor performances from Emery already this season he definitely should not have lost 5-1 to Liverpool as that is where the first seeds of doubt creep in …then this result was very very bad and as everybody is saying the football is absolute shite but the biggest problem I see is that Emery appears to think he has time and it seems the general fan opinion is that he does not have the time he or the board are thinking he has… Read more »
Good teams don’t make Football look difficult on a substandard surface.
Artistic impression: 1/10.
Shite, where’s Liam Brady?
He could have opened up that defence with his eyes closed.
Wish we could just read without commenting. Some folks’ comments are just so pathetic handpicking whatever suits their narratives. Some are just being so thick and proud that they’ll say anything just to keep fooling themselves. I wonder how you lots live your lives in reality. How old are those Ajax fc players that gave the almighty real Madrid a scare two nights ago? The whole of this Belarus farmers team is just about £6m, how shameless can you people be for still supporting emery even after this shit show? You lot blame the players and you ask for world… Read more »
The Volatile Bd
“”My gut feeling is that we’ve got a serious problem with Emery haven’t we? “””
YES!
Meanwhile in Delaware
Josh: Dad Arsenal played last night.
Kroenke Snr: Who?
Josh: Arsenal you know our soccer franchise in London.
Kroenke Snr: Oh them. Look not now son I’m looking at some new property portfolios.
Josh: But dad they lost to a butt fcuk nowhere team who never win in the Europa Cup?
Kroenke Snr: Really? Are the shares holding up ok?
Josh: Yes dad, no worries there.
Kroenke Snr: Ok nothing to worry about then.
‘According to Calciomercato, Arsenal are preparing to make a bid at the end of the campaign for 19-year-old Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Kai Havertz as a replacement for midfielder Mesut Ozil.’ – BBC
Vickingz,
There’s nothing “shameless” about supporting the head coach of a club who’s only 7 months or so into a 2 year contract.
“Handpicking whatever suits their narratives ” isn’t that what every one does?
What’s shameless is not giving a guy a chance with one of the most difficult jobs in world football, taking over from a legend like Wenger.
Emery’s not the right man long term but whilst he’s trying his best we can at least support him until the end of the season.
2 of the 3 men responsible for hiring Emery; Gazidas and Sven have left the building.
Could it be as the January transfer window approached and the club having assessed team performance on the pitch, and fan feeling amongst the forums and online have decided to do a Rioch style reboot this summer and that’s why no money was spent in the window?
Could Emery already be a dead man walking, a lame duck so to speak?
If so, Pierre called it quite a while ago.
‘According to Calciomercato, Arsenal are preparing to make a bid at the end of the campaign for 19-year-old Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Kai Havertz as a replacement for midfielder Mesut Ozil.’ – BBC
Bamford. That would be excellent. Wonder if we could give them Ozil and pay his full salary for 2 years as payment. 😀
” ‘It’s the first match,’ said Emery. ‘We are going to play another 90 minutes next week and I’m sure it’s going to be different.’ Regarding Lacazette’s red card, Emery said: ‘I didn’t see the action but we need to control the frustration. It’s bad news, this red card. Next week we won’t play with [Lacazette]. But it gives chances for another player.’ The Spaniard chose to look ahead to next week’s meeting in London, adding: ‘Our big opportunity is next week at home. Today is not the result we wanted. We deserved more, but they worked for this. Next… Read more »
“Letting the team down like that is the worst feeling. I should have stayed calm, but it’s not always easy. Sorry. There are still 90 minutes to play and I believe that my teammates will make it to the next round.”
– Alexandre Lacazette (on Twitter)
“Emery looks lost. Dare I say, out of his depth?” Out of his depth against BATE?? He has beaten teams better than BATE with his eyes closed. There is something brewing at underneath in this team. I sense the players are no longer trying for him, they don’t believe in his methods as they probably believe it asks too much of them energy wise. I am worried, not for the manager, but our structure. Sven has left so we no longer have a head of recruitment. Nor a technical director, yes we have a Head of football relations but i… Read more »
Bamford 10.
Re: the fact that Bate where well rested.
Yes I agree.
But getting up to speed is another thing in football.
This just shows how methodical and slow Arsenal
are ,that Bate could compete and beat us after not playing
competively for so long.
(Anyway your still here by the number of posts since your threatened ban 🤪🤪🤪🤪🤪).
Here is an interesting article on data analysis in football.
It is worth reading, for education and so that we can ignore the shabmbles.
http://www.espn.com/soccer/club/barcelona/83/blog/post/3705925/barcelona-incorporate-data-analysis-into-their-cruyff-inspired-principles
Hairline
Well said.
Does look like certain players have gone on work to rule, no extra effort.
Club should nip in bud. Club should not be frightened to get rid of players if they create tensions.
As for the role of director of football, this interview with Jordi Cruff is enlightening.
Touches on the role of director of football and its varied interpretations.
http://www.espn.com/soccer/barcelona/story/3480743/jordi-cruyff-barcelona-sporting-director-role-only-rumours
“”Club should nip in bud. Club should not be frightened to get rid of players if they create tensions.””
One way of looking at it RSPCA – or another is: get rid of the coach who CREATES these needless tensions?
Management positions in any field or operation- is to get maximum out of your resources. ( see Poch at Spurs)……..
@bennydevito, how is coaching arsenal one of the toughest job in football world? Are they asking emery for epl trophy? Toughest or not, is that enough reason for him to lose to BATE? Every true arsenal fan can see a stark contrast between our games during emery’s early days and these shit shows we have been exhibiting recently and to me, I once voiced that the players are no longer playing for him which makes me to wanna tend to what has been said about emery’s handling of big players. Players are more powerful than coaches these days and they… Read more »
Seven to eight players need to be replaced and we know that’s not gonna happen till when transfer window opens, what’s a sensible coach expected to do? Manage the situation, get the best of whatever you can get from these players for now so every party can be happy and once the transfer window opens, you can show them who the boss is, but emery being wenger in nature is stubborn and can’t even face these players to give them a piece of his mind.
Management positions in any field or operation- is to get maximum out of your resources. ( see Poch at Spurs)…….. Yes let’s look at Poch at Spurs against Dortmund A 3-4-3 with a center back Vertonghen at right full back, Sissoko and Winks in mid, Son Moura and forgot who in front…they pulled it off because they are pro’s with pride. Contrast that to Arsenal against BATE…Kola and AMN who are supposed to be filled with attacking vig, Laca our so called best Center forward flanked by Iwobi and Mkhi, Xhaka and Guen in mid..and we limped to a 1-0… Read more »
Vickingz,
It’s one of the hardest jobs because you’re taking over from Wenger after 22 years with huge and very impatient fan expectation.
That’s how it’s one of the hardest jobs in world football.
New post.
Last!
😎