Shad, waits in the wings
There it is… Darren Burgess has left the building after 18 months in charge (well, since he actually joined up in London).
This is dramatic, make no mistake about it. A head of performance can’t really be judged on his body of work after such a short space of time, especially when there’s been a monumental managerial shift.
So whatever has gone on behind the scenes, it can’t have been pretty.
Still, that gives Arsenal a fresh opportunity to hire in someone elite or source from within. There are lots of incredible fitness people in the world of sport at the moment. Many clubs keeping players fit in high octane environments. Maybe Huss could shout up his boys at Sky for some reccos? JUST A JOKE OK.
I wasn’t sure about the hire in the first place, it seemed an odd addition considering the progress we’d made with injuries and general fitness… and it was dictated by Wenger in his dying days.
‘Burgess, who was handpicked by Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger, will commence his new role in July.’
3 weeks ago, Wenger hadn’t let anyone at the club know his decision to stay on. 3 weeks later, he’s signed a Performance Director. How did that happen? How many people did he interview? Who spoke to him? Where did Wenger get his time to do his due diligence? How are we sure this guy is the best candidate in the world?
The biggest question I have here is – what issue is Wenger solving with this hire?
To give perspective, we’ll have 6 fitness people at the club. Arsenal signed a guy called Shad Forsythe – after years of Wenger being in denial there was a problem with injuries – in 2014. Since then, our players are suffering less soft tissue injuries in spite of a manager who still loves to overplay his team and ignore the realities of the modern game.
The American has been an unsung sensation. Not just that, he’s worked at Bayern Munich and won things. He also oversaw one of the most impressive World Cup wins ever, taking the German national team to a final in some of the most aggressive weather conditions a European team could face (Amy Lawrence gives a rundown here).
As far as I can see, Mr Burgess has a less accomplished resume. His previous experience in the Premier League was working under Hodgson, Rodgers and Dalglish.
In my opinion, one that is far from expert, Shad Forsythe had come into the club and obliterated our soft tissue injuries like Wellington Silva would take down pizzas. The exGermany man helped his then team navigate one of the hottest and most humid World Cups of all time in destructive fashion. That really was some achievement, European teams traditionally doing very badly in South America.
The fact Burgess was brought in on a similar job title had disaster written all over it. A typically weak move by Ivan Gazidis… bring people in and let them work it out for themselves, he repeated the feat when he had Sven and Raul in on equal footing.
Burgess also made some odd decisions, firing Colin Lewin looked like a powerplay and felt very unArsenal. Moving on good people that have been at the club through the good times and the bad can be very damaging to the culture, it can also belie managerial insecurity. Can’t imagine that went down well.
Then Ivan hired in Unai Emery, and let the Spaniard bring in his own S&C coach (weak move again)… pretty sure that wasn’t approved by Burgess, because why would he allow a manager to bring in that level of expertise for a subject he’s probably not a world leader in… especially if you already have an S&C person employed.
His first full season in charge didn’t look great… which can’t all be on him per my last paragraph, but clearly something was up, especially around Christmas/New Year when injuries racked up and we looked dead on the field.
I would imagine Shad F is having a serious rethink about that Milan move now… club would be mad not to consider him for the vacant position, but we’ll see. Living in Milan has to be pretty damn elite.
Anyway, the Burgess Arsenal chapter is shut… though I highly doubt that’s the story over. No one leaves Arsenal without a job to go to… Arsenal is just too fucking good to ditch after such a short space of time, so we’ll see what comes of it over the next few weeks.
… but, before we go, this is Darren’s farewell totes inspo quote.
GOD DAMN IT THAT FIRED ME UP… BIG BAD WORLD I’M COMING FOR YOU.
Bankz is here for the tr4phy again
Dm where are you?
BOOOOOM
Tr4phy
clean sweep.
off to read the post
Fired up too
Damn 6th. That was close.
Now Bayern in the mix lol good ebening.
Darren Burgess is the fella being sacked for the conditioning mistakes not Emery’s physio. It’s obvious that some [or most] of the errors were traced back to him upon review. You have to wonder is there’s a conspiracy to protect Emery’s staff member, if you believe the rantings of some here. There’s nothing to suggest that Emery has defied the advice of Burgess and the Arsenal staff, for all we know those errors may have come from the resident staff not the manager not his physio. Emery this…Emery that…as if he just dictates his way to getting everything he wants.… Read more »
‘Arsenal is just too fucking good to ditch after such a short space of time’
He didn’t ditch us, he got fired.
‘I would imagine Shad F is having a serious rethink about that Milan move now… club would be mad not to consider him for the vacant position’
The rumour coming out from the person who broke the story and now others is this is exactly what is happening. Forsythe stays in an ‘elevated position’.
The right play by Arsenal.
Pedro
One down, more to go
When we get a proper DoF then Raul Sanllehi too can leave. Too many cooks as they say….
Arsenal have a tradition for being too nice
Why don’t they just say someone was let go, sacked or fired.
They same way the Kroenke’s should have fired Gazidis when he mulled the AC Milan offer for too long and created a distraction.
The Liverpool owners would have fired him immediately and passed on his work to his assistant till a new CEO was hired.
Carrasco looking extremely close.Is a good bet at 25 mil.Lots of potential and i beleive with everything to prove he will develop into a world class player.Get in a good CB and LB in now.
Dissenter – I wonder if Kroenkes told Gazidis to look for another job instead of firing him directly? Presumably, Josh did his three month review and suggested Wenger be fired, and I wonder if he told Gazidis to look for employment elsewhere as well.
Milan is a dump. True story.
Dissenter
Raul Sanllehi is one wielding the axe. He’ll get rid of everyone but Kroenke. He’ll probably have the most say in who comes after Emery. Gazidis call the shots before, Raul is the main man now.
Probably the hold up with the Carrasco deal is we’re trying to negotiate how much we give them this summer. Likely £10-15 Million and then £10-15 Million next year.
Obviously Arsenal will want to give as little as possible now.
Dissenter, I am not saying that Emery is a bulldog, I am saying that he surrounded himself with people he was familiar with. Most of those people had no experience of the premiership and it showed. Now it seems that after a review conducted by Emery, none of his staff is responsible for any mistake, however Arsenal’s legacy staff are either pushed aside (Bould) or sacked (Burgess) or looking to quit (Forsythe). To me that looks like white wash. I made those points regarding the fitness regime and the change of defensive system. At the time you dismissed my concern.… Read more »
All these people in essentially same position is good way to dilute power with your underlings, that why Wenger and/or Gazidis had opaque hierarchy, they wanted to be in charge indisputably.
Valentin
You do realise that Emery doesn’t have control of the entire club? Sanllehi is the one who makes these decisions.
Milan is definitely a strange town, the LA of Italy.
It all happens in the back of the house.
Also the comment about a late season collapse – does that also apply to ManU and the Spud’s?
Maybe other factors were at play last season and had an influence.
25£m for Carrasco ?? WTF ??
Anyway… it’s always a guilty pleasure to look at the PL table in the summer, it’s the only moment of the year where we are first.
I want to hear more about the Ladyboy that lured Tony to Thailand and broke his heart.
I know someone that works for Burgess, and was here before him.
Apparently nothing much changed when he came.
The training ground was completely changed and massively modernised, but it was all knowledge that already existed at the club. All we did was copy other clubs.
Apparently we’re still behind some of the big clubs in terms of personalised conditioning programmes for players based on their specific positions.
I have literally no idea who Burgess is or what he did. However, if we were as ruthless getting rid of our players as we are with our backroom staff, we would be in a much better position.
Can someone please get rid of Mustafi and 99% of the rest of the squad. I would only keep Bellerin and that’s because he has individual style.
Unai Emery blaming Burgess for the end of season collapse?
who gives a fuck about this-we need to sign some fucking players asap.
we need to sell players sooner than later when teams want a bargain…. shop them hard now
Marc, Last week, Emery confirmed during an interview that he was doing a review of what went wrong during the season. This week the result of that review is Burgess getting sacked, Steve Bould moved to U23. To me Emery is using Raul playbook. It’s not my fault, they were not team players/good enough. Same thing that was said against Sven when he left. In the meantime, Raul who was supposed to be in charge of hiring a DoF, a head of recruitment since Sven told them he was leaving has still not done so. In some companies, a managing… Read more »
Where’s Edu the messiah to walk on water and save us from oblivion?
Has he got lost in Holloway or something?
You kind of get the impression that if our stadium needed a new toilet…it wouldn’t get done.
Valentin, not to defend Sanhelli particularly but do you not believe that Edu is coming in July to become DoF after his commitments with Brazil? Sometimes is it not worth waiting for the chosen candidate?
Torreria feeding some transfer rumors, states he prefers life in Italy.
Good lord, we bought him to be a lynchpin for a few seasons and looking like we may lose him after just one. The talk about fixing the club is cheap if this goon squad can’t even keep people they thought would be up for bringing it back from the dead.
“I would only keep Bellerin and that’s because he has individual style.”
lol, he is fashion.
(p.s. : gambon knows everyone, even Santa)
Who knows regarding Edu, why not just announce?
He’d be apparently starting in several weeks and thats if Brazil make the final stages of Copa. Everyone operating on speculation.
Well the latest theory I hear too.. is that Arsenal are waiting to reveal signings after new Adidas kit reveal.. which is in first week of July I think.
If so… plus delaying any announcement on Edu… Pedro is going to earn his Le Grove stripes yet again thinking of stuff to write..
https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/transfer-news/arsenal-transfers-carrasco-tierney-andersen-16411618
PedRo
“”” Moving on good people that have been at the club through the good times and the bad can be very damaging to the culture, “””
Wise Words….
Some of the Wisest Posted by PedRo….(AIOCTH4I)
Raul is Toxic
He has To Go..
Valentin “Now it seems that after a review conducted by Emery, none of his staff is responsible for any mistake, ” Who said the review that led to Burgess exit was done was conducted by Emery? Just because the media reported that Emery was seeking feedback from his players about his performance doesn’t mean the club wasn’t doing their own due diligence. Seeking feedback from peers, clients and underlings is part and parcel of the professional work space. You saw one snippet of a story and you’re extrapolating volumes from it as usual. I do reviews and obtain feedback from… Read more »
Man Utd have announced Dan James signing.
It’s a bold move although I wonder how much he will feature from the off, or have Man Utd adjusted their transfer strategy and now looking to recruit more from the UK?
I don’t know much about him, is he one we may have missed out on?
Chelsea’s appeal at the CIS wont be heard until after this summer’s transfer window.
That’s one inflationary factor removed from this summer market.
Midwest… unreal performance from you… keeping the squad motivated out here!
Chris
I think the lad was signed on the recommendations of Ryan Giggs, the Wales manager.
They probably reckon that a great winger would have eyes for a budding talent with similar skill set.
Pedro-
I do my part.. But I’m not switching to oatmeal milk.. I have limits.
Oatmeal stout.. however. I’m all in. 😀
Valentin, this latest debacle isn’t the fault of Raul or Emery.
Dissenter
I see, perhaps his heart was set on Man Utd then once he was aware of their interest. Just seen the goal he got against Brentford. At the very least he is bloody fast!
If we are talking wingers based domestically, has he got a higher ceiling than Fraser?
Bob, Edu may come in July, however until then he will be very busy with the Brazilian team. He sounds like a good, hard worker honest guy, but he has no experience of managing a club like Arsenal. He has no experience of the European market. So outside of some Brazilian kids, his influence on this summer transfer window will be extremely limited. By the time he will be fully up to speed and ready to make decision, it may be too late. He may turn out to be a great appointment, but we need somebody in charge of this… Read more »
Chris
I really think this lad is a punt, a low-cost risk United re taking.
Had he signed for Watford, no one will be talking about him. We are only discussing him because he was signed during a bring lull before the real transfers start happening.
Had Arsenal signed him yesterday, people here will be saying it’s underwhelming.
chris and all of yall
Watched dan james against man city in a cup match.Daniel james and celina were running the game.From the one match you could say he is an excellent dribbler and has good pace.He was running Kyle Walker ragged tbh.That match was fun and swansea were leading the game.Then Guardiola did what he does and ofc luck was on their side so this swansea team couldnt advance in the competition.But Dan james definitely really stood out.For 15 mil looks a good signing.
Dissenter
” people here will be saying it’s underwhelming.”
That’s an understatement and a half – CG would be making claims that we’d signed him for £15 million so Sanllehi can sell him to his Barca mates for £3.50 next summer.
Can’t argue with what you’re saying Valentin. It’s far from ideal that Edu is not available right now. I would hope that although it appears he can’t formerly join us until July, that he is able to provide some input this TW.
Mid
Seems Raul has a few more to hack out of the equation, LG should have plenty of content to utilize until the season opener.
Fully expecting Josh K to receive his marching orders come July, only for Raul to realize he’s above the line.
Quite simple Really. Imitate what works. Best 3 Run clubs in England. Leicester, Liverpool and Spurs…… Have they got a Brazilian Tech Director with zero experience- arriving mid summer (After this so called Review has taken place) and presumably after players have been signed.? There will not a more preposterous and ostentatious signing this summer than Edu as our Tech Dir. By all means employ Edu as a South American scout or even ambassador…he is a terrific chap- I am sure. But tech Director- what is his actual job description? Tea boy? Translator ? Passport Checker? Just get Dein on… Read more »
AFC more obsessed with hiring/changing backroom guys than getting in a proper manager and improving the squad, farcical state of affairs.
Burgess is leaving. So what.
“Just get Dein on board to stop this continued Farce”
CG
Google is your friend.
David Dein is a 75 yr old man enjoying his retirement.
How about we bring back Herbert Chapman from the great beyond?
Spurs close in on Ndombele
F F S
Lucas Torriera: “I don’t know if there are many things that I enjoy. I think it was better in Italy. England is a totally different world, a very large country. The language [barrier] has stopped me, to be able to relate with my teammates and with the people. It is very difficult when you can’t have dialogue. And so is the climate. You go out in the morning and it is cloudy, you arrive late to your home and it is cloudy” “I see the notorious British weather and the language barrier made it difficult It is strange a little… Read more »
David Dein?
What are you talking about?
It’s as though your stuck in a time warp.
You do realise that Arsenal have been one of the worst run clubs in the country since we moved away from Highbury.
Why is dawning on you only now?
Oh that’s right, it’s all a game.
I forgot.
RSPC
Why on earth would Ndombele choose Spurs and their pithy wages over city, PSG or United?
That deal ain’t happening.
is it
Spurs will have to break their transfer record many times over and then push their wages structure over the cliff to get Ndombele.
It’s not happening.
Dissenter
I hope to god u r right
Remember Arsenal’s reputation? Well-run club, Bank of England Club? Well, it was true, or very close to the truth, back then. So what changed? Stan arrived, I’m not the equivalent of a manager-basher, and blame Stan for everything, the way some blamed Wenger (and now Emery) for everything. Stan was not the only one culpable, there were others. But Gazidis and Wenger are gone now. From the start, I made him the most culpable, the main villain. and for a very simple reason: he was the boss, he laid down the ground rules, he hired the people to follow them.… Read more »
Diss
I can only guess he’s been sucked into the hype that getting to big cup final could be regular thing…mid said earlier could be holding back on signings so legally they can wear new kit ….
Makes sense.
Hand on heart
I ain’t pleased with any of the links … Tbh
Oh an the the lil urgyan wants out me thinks…
I know how Torreira feels.
I lived and worked overseas for 17 years and arrived back in the UK in 2001.
Still trying to acclimatize.
We need Boris!!!!
Graham, have you finally lost it……’we need’ untrustworthy, self-centred, ill disciplined, self-serving Johnson. What medication are you on because it’s messing with your head!
I don’t think it’s the weather or language, of course that won’t help and he likely feels isolated somewhat, I think it’s more to do with the EPL and what a shock it’s been for him.
He started well but certainly was one of those foreign imports that seemed to feel it. Likely shocked at the intensity and level of play week in week out.
I can’t put finger on it but this just don’t seem like arsenal ish at moment
Maybe acclimtising post him… But. Low quality interests showing plus where is this dossier that Emery had on the youths an was going to blood.
Graham
Tories no more …
Like any party in power lose the reason to govern …
Just don’t vote … Fuck all changes n posh people still get rich we will never change that …
englandsbest
I think what you should be asking is would the FANS of RM/ Barca / BM/ Man Utd/ Liverpool etc allow Kroenke the leeway to operate the way he does?
It was the same with Wenger.
Just sit back and glory in those values.
Such a wimpish fanbase.
Dissenter
“”He certainly wasn’t overplayed or anything of that nature.”
Maybe not overplayed , but the manager asking him to be more attacking midway through the season certainly didn’t help him as it required much more leg work, more energy and more effort to regain his position through playing further upfield.
Hopefully the manager has learnt from this mistake and next season returns Torreira to the position that he he flourished in during our unbeaten run, which requires less leg work leading to less fatigue.
.CA
“He started well but certainly was one of those foreign imports that seemed to feel it. Likely shocked at the intensity and level of play week in week out.”
refer to my previous comment and you will find the answer as to why he seemed to feel it.
Bob N16
We need a bit of fun.
Anyone that can host “I’ve Got News For You” and go on “Top Gear” and take the piss out of himself, deserves a chance.
What a photo shoot……. Boris, Donald and Kim Yong-Un.
Can’t wait!
Bob
Don’t take things too seriously.
You’ve hooked me Graham…. Either, you don’t really give a shit if you genuinely want to see Johnson as PM, seeing it as a bit of a laugh or you’re just trolling.
Bicycle clips/ baggy trousers/ flyaway hair/major gaffs.
He’s exactly what we need.
Pierre
The player has come out to discuss the difficulties he had in his first season.
His father had commented publicly in 2018 about the difficulty his son may face transitioning from growing up in a small Uruguayan town to living in London.
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2784581-lucas-torreiras-father-says-scared-son-ready-for-arsenal-transfer
You don’t know how hard it is for foreigners to settle into your little England; the skies that are perennially grey, driving on the wrong side of the road, having no winter break, frenetic pace of football etc.
You theory holds no water. The player struggled as his father had feared.
Bob
Just having a cup of tea and a packet of crisps waiting for a train at Victoria.
Ah the joys.
Fair enough Graham, but for me Johnson as PM is not a joking matter!
Fudge, even I would watch Today in Parliament.
If Boris could sort out Southern Rail, I’d vote for him tomorrow.
Unconventional politics.
It’s the only way.
Arsenal do have a proper manager in charge TR7. That you happen not to rate him doesn’t erase his decade plus of coaching experience garnered over 5 teams.
Don’t get taken in Graham. Johnson would just be the front man, just like Trump.
Damn…. RM signing high dollar players left and right.. adding Mendy today.. what’s new.. but surely ZZ is going to have to move some players out to be in FFP compliance? Seen some estimates they will have to raise circa 300mill or more. Wonder if there is any clearance sale players we could get?
https://therealchamps.com/2019/06/11/is-real-madrid-violating-fifas-financial-fair-play/
This is why missing out on CL was so devastating.. needed to take advantage of things like this.. and now we are shopping at Sampdoria, apparently.
Torreiras Sruggles- and kudos for his honesty- shows you the folly persistently buying unsuitable players from overseas ( esp the South American market) It also illustrates the absolute absurdity of the Edu appointment. If a fairly experienced pro- like Torreira wants out and is struggling to adjust to the fierceness of the British Prem – what about all this young Brazilian talent supposedly coming over….( courtesy of Edu)….. It also shows the absurdity in allowing Chambers,Ramsey and Welbeck etc to Go… 6 Brits in the team 5 overseas players.. Think Fergies Teams.. Think Spurs current team Think Liverpool current European… Read more »
CG
I agree with you about the appointment of Edu
South American technical directors usually stink out the place.
Arsenal is taking a big risk bringing in a Brazilian with little knowledge of the European scene. It may help us sign some good south Americans too for resale.
CG, I’ve been getting some good stuff from in and around Arsenal about Edu and I am pretty excited what I am hearing.
He’s an excellent hire.
Knows his shit to insane levels of details, he’s a great person, has Arsenal DNA, has played in the league, has travelled around Europe honing his knowledge.
Don’t knock him… he’s a good’un
It also shows the absurdity in allowing Chambers,Ramsey and Welbeck etc to Go…
__________________
Ramsey perma crock… Welbeck Ultra crock… Chambers yet to show anything at all. at a top 6 PL team level. .. Yeah sounds like an amazing core to build your team around. Only absurdity is the amount of absurdity you pimp on here.
Pierre
“Hopefully the manager has learnt from this mistake and next season returns Torreira to the position that he he flourished in during our unbeaten run”
lol reference to that unbeaten run again. That unbeaten run where no team that finished in the top ten was played away from home and even then performances were sketchy and unconvincing plenty of times.
Unbeaten run = over-rated.
Aulas going to have a tidy lil summer, absolute champ at valuing and selling players.
Mendy sold, Ndombele next likely generating a profit approaching €100m.
Also last time checked Serge Aguero was pretty good. Alexis Sanchez didn’t seem to have a problem with the weather. Very good for us… for several years. Countinho… Luis Suarez..Tevez… to name a few others who were pretty good in PL. Been a good amount of superstars from South America that were plenty “suitable. ” Quite the folly.
PedRo (1) I am glad you have imbibed good news on the Edu Front…. He might surprise us….but he has no Prem Prem League Pedigree….and we need that- like yesterday…. He certainly surprised us on the pitch. A wonderful Artist of a player. Overmars would have made sense. A proven track record. Maybe taken a couple of his young compatriots But let’s forget all this tech Director nonsense Just employ a Heavyweight manager – not this non- entity we have.. Until we do that- it’s all Fluff… Midwest That injury prone Ramsey- is in The CL next year. We ain’t…… Read more »
Midwest
That injury prone Ramsey- is in The CL next year.
We ain’t…
___________________
Thanks for that Capt. Obvious. Did he help us get to the CL…? oh right he was injured,
Midwest
You may want to run that list by Torriera. He’s the one discussing his difficulties adjusting. It doesn’t men he wont go on to becoming a great player.
Diss-
Think mostly his difficulty was having a partner with legs of Granite. Probably why he is asking for his old partner in Sampdoria back. Anyhow.. I remember Alexis saying he had problems with language and weather as well. He did fine.
Mid
You cracked me up with that rebuttal.
I never saw that coming. He wants a mobile player next to him, makes sense tbh.
It seems to me this modern behind the scenes Spanish structure at Arsenal isn’t quite going to plan
Diss-
Hahaha I think it’s going to be a long summer. Are you going to any preseason matches here? I think Colorado, Cali, and North Carolina right? Unfortunately Arsenal seem to avoid the Midwest.
Once Midwest Gun is an Adidas sponsored athlete, surely a pre season match will be on the horizon.