Arsenal and Darren Burgess call it quits

by .

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.

 

 

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MidwestGun

Sal-
Yeah.. I’m working on it.. Just once … Indy, St. Lou, KC, Dallas, Houston, San Antonio..Nashville, Windy City… pretty much any fly over City or State .. it’s not too much to ask … is it? hahaha

HillWood

It must have been a colossal shock to Torriera when he discovered that people in England speak English

MidwestGun

Hillwood-

Nice! 😀 Although to be fair… There were a few Ray Hudson broadcasts I heard I was wondering what language he was speaking.

Champagne Charlie

Not sure about the translation with Torreira, but if taken literally it’s a bit weak sauce.

Struggling with the language barrier, hard to bond with teammates, struggling to adapt to England, all a bit whiny.

Could just be being candid and philosophical in his outlook poorly translated, but a bit concerning if not. Smells like budget Reyes in that sense.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Once he suss the queens he will be kosher….

He’s a South American who has settled in Italy an now got to resettle in London…

Like when you book a holiday to New York via. Vegas …. an you prefer Vegas .

He will be alright

HillWood

Let’s hope Torriera’s weekly wage will help him settle in and acclimatise
Bless him

salpardisenyc

RSPC

Anyone whom prefers Vegas to NYC is never going to be alright.

On that note:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ve82BbCk2fc

Dissenter

Pedro, Sal
Vagas vs NYC is a tough one
I’m for Vagas, any day any time.

HillWood

They both got a Statue Of Liberty so you’d never tell the difference

Champagne Charlie

Vegas is a shithole

Dissenter

CC
‘Vegas is a shithole”

The shithole that thrives on tourism. Nice try.

HillWood

Charlie
Why would anyone opt for dissentry in Egypt over a few nights at the Luxor in Vegas

Dissenter

Lets see if FFT probe all these wild Real Madrid spending?

Champagne Charlie

Didn’t say it wasn’t a fun weekend, but it’s Blackpool on roids.

Words on a Blog

Vegas???
NY???

Nah, London.

salpardisenyc

Every time i’ve left Vegas i’ve been on the verge of puking, lil bit of cash in pocket with hands smelling strong of females privates.

So its not all bad.

No argument w/ that Words.

HillWood

Charlie
And that’s why we all love it

Champagne Charlie

Sal

I hope that’s not a family holiday mate… #mumorsister

salpardisenyc

Woah that one got away from me.

WengerEagle

Mendy to Real Madrid, Marcelo looks to be Juventus bound to reunite with Ronaldo.

Any chance we could have a cheeky pop at signing Alex Sandro? I know we’d be punching above our weight there but you never know…

Emery can sell him the EL dream.

Champagne Charlie

Pedders

You not thinking of Mendy at City?

WengerEagle

Vegas is literally in the middle of a fucking desert.

Never a place that you’d want to live but fuck me, every single man ought to experience a weekend of debauchery there before they kick the bucket.

Planning on hitting it sometime next year for UFC.

WengerEagle

Hazard, Jovic, Militao, Mendy.

Real Madrid aren’t fucking around are they?

salpardisenyc

Eagle

If that comes off Marcelo is going to ruin the Serie A, still possesses immense quality.

Does present a problem for Sandro.

gunnermjj

Pedro and other Americans (you basically are now Pedders!)

Are you supporting Golden State (Go USA!) or the evil Northern Canadian Raptors (Go Underdog!)?

Canadian champions of the NBA must sting a little!? Can only liken it to Welsh (Cardiff!) champions of the English Premier League!?

CG

Unai Emery would fit nicely in Circus Circus……

WengerEagle

As seemingly the only NBA fan on the entire island of Eire, I’m riding with Kawhi and the Raptors.

Would be hilarious seeing a Canadian team beat the cream of the crop of the good old US of A, worth it for the Kawhi memes alone.

WengerEagle

Sal

He’s still the best attacking LB in Europe for my money. Dude has the tekkers most CAM’s are genuinely envious of.

Champagne Charlie

Marcelo would join us and be the best ‘footballer’ we have, he’s unbelievably good technically. Great career

HillWood

W E
I had no idea Vegas was in a desert
Did you know over half a million people live there

WengerEagle

Charlie

Where would you rank him all time? Same question for Dani Alves?

I honestly think that both are in the discussion with Roberto Carlos and Cafu and are arguably better. And they are generally held up as the benchmark for elite full-backs over the last couple of decades.

Marcelo probably needs a few more seasons before he overtakes Carlos tbf as he’s only 31, isn’t a given as he struggled this season.

WengerEagle

HW

Yep, funny old place to build a city isn’t it?

Same goes for Phoenix and Dubai. 50c summer heat must be fun to deal with.

gunnermjj

CG The god like praise of Dein is misplaced. His son (Darren) used their close proximity to the club to become agent for the Arsenal players like Sagna and Nasri, who all became very difficult to negotiate with, always ending badly for the club, forcing cut-price moves away. All other players had to be warned they would be immediately sold if they signed up with Dein. To this day the club will not even contemplate a player if represented by Dein Jr. Not absolving anyone else of any blame, just emphasising that on top of opportunistically cashing in on the… Read more »

Cesc Appeal

Saliba is apparently still very much on for us and Arsenal are the team who are most interested in him and are offering him the best deal.

I would guess that means wages and actual football.

MidwestGun

Vegas was built in desert because that’s where the mafia could get cheap land. Built entirely originally to launder money. Anyhow… one place has a soul the other does not.. so NYC all day not even a debate. Although… I have spent some quality time in Vegas where ironically time does not exist. As for NBA. I always root for best player.. so Steph Curry for me.. although to be honest I didn’t even really think about Toronto being in Canada. About the least Canadian place there is. It’s basically just Upper NY. I like Marcelo as well.. but age… Read more »

HillWood

W E
Make sure you take a helicopter trip that lands at the bottom of the Grand Canyon
The sheer scale of it is awe inspiring

Dissenter

Is there a Canadian on that Raptors team?
Canadian suck at every sport that does not involve snow or ice

WengerEagle

Dissenter

Are we an English club? Awful lot of foreign players here.

WengerEagle

HW

Grand Canyon is on my to see list in the States for sure.

Plenty down south actually, never been as much of a City dude although I loved Boston when I was there. NYC was chaos in comparison.

rollen

you goofs stop talking shit about my new home country lol. Raptors all the way.
Toronto feels more European. Vancouver is completely different.

Nelson

Looks like Boston is going to win the Cup tonight.

Alex Cutter

Based on them already being down 2-0 halfway through?

Are you a wagering man?

Dark Hei

Pedro

You sure Darren Burgress was a Wenger hire?

My impression was that Burgress was part of the revolution under Ivan.

He, Huss and Sven (not a DOF lol) were part of the works.

Shad F, IS a Wenger hire. We know this because that’s what Per M told us in the interview. The German contingent recommended Shad to Wenger.

Dark Hei

Peds

Here you go; Darren was a Ivan hire.

Personally, I would credit him for making our boys like Holding and Iwobi bigger and more muscular. That’s as far as the eye can tell.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/48614569

Tony

Midwest I’ve been to both New York and Las Vegas numerous times since the mid 70s. Chalk and cheese in my mind. Both great cities, though. Vegas is a fun, fairy tale kind of city whereas New York is earthy and urban. Bests times I had in NYC was in the late 70s and early 80s, especially in the days of Studio 54 when working with gigging named bands in NYC gave us access to the most debauched club on the planet in those days, and probably only matched by KIT KAT?. Pierre being the fetish kind (think Ozil &… Read more »

MidwestGun

Just read that city could be kicked out of the CL in the next couple of weeks. Does that mean we can take their CL spot? ______ Good read Tony.. I was big follower of the hairbands back in my day as well.. before I got into the Blues. Mid to late 80’s. Stevie Ray Vaughn was my guy…. though.. still miss that dude. Anyhow regarding FFP Everything I have read says the City ban would be enforced for 2020-2021. So next season would be the one which we would need to finish in the Top 5 should City finish… Read more »

MidwestGun

Also Congrats to St Louis.. not a hockey follower at all.. but that City really needed some good times and revitalization in their sports community after Stan Kroenke screwed them over.
I have a lot of friends from that area who will be hungover for a few days.

Tony

I’m not a conspiracy theory nut or anything like it but I found this interesting:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUr6eN9-NlE&feature=youtu.be

Worth a watch when you have nothing better to do like waiting for players to be signed 🙂

Rocky

“it can also belie managerial insecurity”

Do you mean reveal?

Tony

Mid Stevie Ray – brilliant. Prefer Jef Healy, though, and used the below track up in the Thai mountains again with a drone and truck/jeep and pillion rider based cameras with my MC club running along a narrow ridge at 3000+ feet followed by The Chain by Fleetwood Mac. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=660a3z7r2_4 I worked with Albert Collins in the UK, which I think was his last UK tour. The guy had a 60 feet guitar lead and would jump down off stage and wander while playing – nightmare for the out front engineer. If memory serve me right, he had Terry Williams… Read more »

Tony

Mid
From same CD:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sHIhvPYivU

Probably the best version of “It’s a Man’s World” since James Brown. IMO

Unless, that is anyone here knows of a better version.

MidwestGun

Tony- Albert Collins .. I saw .. saw most of the greats if they were still alive. Used to go to Chicago Blues fest every year back then in the 80 and 90’s. So Buddy Guy, Bo Diddly,Koko Taylor, BB King, James Cotton, Professor Long hair. etc.. Best slide Blues guitar player I ever saw live though was Johnny Winter. Dude was unreal and played with his eyes closed. No idea how he did it. Anyhow for me Muddy Waters was still the king… but I missed him live… died slightly before my time.. Great CD though… if you can… Read more »

MidwestGun

Oh and Ill check out those CD;s Thanks.. I agree Gary Clark Jr is very good.. saw him in Austin.

Tony

Mid Pleasure. Johnny Winter also crazy good – so many out there. Do you play? My instrument is the mixing desk but aways regret not learning to play guitar, but both my daughter and son play guitar and piano. The cinema I’m building at home will also double up as a song writing studio for them and other muso friends. Got some serious gear going into that. 10,000 watts with 17 speakers and 19 amplification channels. It’s not the volume but the quality of the sound I’m after both for movies and music. Still a lot fun to be had… Read more »

Ishola70

So we will know in a couple of hours whether Unai will be cooked by Christmas.

Hope it’s not too brutal for him. Poor sod.

Tony

That’s me done for today, Jamie.

The floor is back to you 🙂

Graham62

FFP is a joke!

How can you have Finances that are fair when RM can go out and splash close to £300m on players?

Champagne Charlie

Weagle

Both fullbacks are in that conversation which is praise enough. I think Marcelo is maybe better placed than Dani Alves, but they’re in proper company there. Cafu was a force, Roberto Carlos too but seemed more short-lived.

None of this world 33 shite 😂

Champagne Charlie

Madrid can splash that money for a couple of reasons.

1) they earn mega money
2) they sell mega players

Their activity isnt likely to be 350 mil worth of talent ADDED, they’re going to get selling in the next fortnight.

Leedsgunner

It was heavily hinted at that one of the reasons why Monchi turned down the job was because he saw our summer plans were well underway… and when Monchi rejected us the club assured us that he wasn’t strictly necessary… because we were well prepared for the window.

Well… we’re a month into the window and no one has been bought or sold.

I’m tired of excuses. Time to deliver results.

Really couldn’t give a fuck about pre season or even next season. We’ll struggle to make top 10 this year. But it does show how bad the club has been run and managed in the last 10 years, wengers statue should be burnt, because of him and that slimy snake gazidis, we are 10 years or more from getting anywhere near challenging for major honours. I mean carrasco? Who the fuck is he. Praet, oooh, a dollop of jizz just came out with that mega signing, amazing signings.

HighburyLegend

“because of him […] we are 10 years or more from getting anywhere near challenging for major honours”

FFS, you’re gonna piss off Pierre… (lol)

Dark Hei

TYGN

Carrasco was apparently short listed by Sven.

One can only hope.

Champagne Charlie

Tyag

How are we 10 years from anything when Liverpool managed to turn 8th into 97 points within a few years?

Total hyperbole.

10 years if the CURRENT guys are hopeless, sure. But if they’re any good we should be challenging for the title inside 5 years.

CG

CG

“””””The more and more posters hark on about AW- the more and more the New Regime are exposed for their ineptitude and inadequacies. They go hand in hand”””””

Raul has been at AFC for 18 months.

Raul so ruthless with Burgess and Co. at the end of the season review.

And yet so lax with his puppet Emery

(Last 45 mins of the last season.We let in 4 goals.)

Fixtures out today.

If it’s a toughie- expect a tanking…

Tick Tock

Moray

CG, the fixtures don’t matter too much to us as we will screw up again at the end of the season, whoever we are playing, unless we hire in some balls into this side.

HighburyLegend

YES!! THE TICK TOCK IS BACK!! TICK TOCK IS THE NOISE HIS BRAIN MAKES ALL THE TIME!! WHETHER HE SLEEP OR NOT!!

(F*cking moron…)

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

I think that selling chambers will be an upson moment….

In emery’s management…

Maybe let Freddie loose on training him…

Could reap benefits

CG

Moray I am in particular – will be looking at the last 8 games….. They way we are going under this mob- uncharted waters.. It could be a battle of survival. Eg. Are we capable of getting points at a full house Villa Park ? Or Carrow Rd? I am looking at Brighton( who we failed to beat twice last season) , Saints, Newcastle fixtures- plus obviously the 3 that come up. I am hearing the Massage Man has also been culled. The morale around the place must be the lowest since the fag end days of the Billy Wright… Read more »

Ishola70

Pretty tough for Unai.

Liverpool, Man Utd and Leicester away up to beginning of November.

Don’t think we will be seeing another early season unbeaten run this time

Ishola70

Geordies away first match.

Spurs at home fourth match before that Liverpool way.

Nice

Ishola70

Will be calling for Unai’s blood on here by December lol

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

Look a tough start is best

A week end last season killed us so probably what we need….good tough start

Ishola70

Best get their skates on and delve into that transfer market and improve that first XI or else will be playing catch up most probably just for top four after Christmas.

@ishola

Enery will be gone within the first 10 games, then muppet puppet manager 3 will be installed to continue the ‘Arsenal’ way. Roughly translated it means ‘kroenkes’ way

HighburyLegend

My dream : relegation battle ==> Stan out.

@Champagne Charlie

Do you honestly have faith that the imbeciles running Arsenal will get it right? They haven’t got it right for last 10 years so why should that change now. They allowed that megolamaniac wenger to bring this club to its knees, buying dross, over paying etc etc.
Also if wenger was so amazing how comes no one bar Fulham have been in for him. Fucking prick should be kicked around the Emirates pitch for 90 minutes. Fucking hate that guy

Graham62

CC

I understand how it works.

RM and Barcelona are more than just football clubs.

State funded comes to mind

We have people on here begging Enery to be sacked and install someone else. Whether we’re based in London or not, what top class manager will accept the job? No one wants the job. A club with no ambition, no desire, no money, even the new clubs promoted will have more money to spend than us. This club is a fucking joke from top to bottom. Any decent manager coming in will need at least 200m to spend just to get us back near the top. Last season if laca or auba had got injured we would of barely squeaked… Read more »

Champagne Charlie

“Do you honestly have faith that the imbeciles running Arsenal will get it right? They haven’t got it right for last 10 years“ The faces are different, the two you blame for the next 10 years have long left the building. Gazidis and Wenger are an irrelevance moving forward. Liverpool were 8th with a vision landing Klopp. At worst we we’re flirting with top 4. No I don’t particularly have faith in the current crop, but that has no bearing on the previous lot at all. Just a new manner of incompetent of early signs are to go by. But… Read more »

Graham62

Tyag

Ah, a man after my own heart.

“Fudging prick should be kicked around the Emirates pitch for 90 minutes”

I’d pay to come and watch that game.

@Champagne Charlie

I totally agree with you about emery. He isn’t the man to drive us forward. But no one of any note would want to manage us with fuck all money and a club from the youths up to first team, rotten to the core. Wenger and gazidis left this club in absolute meltdown. Seriously I would glady kick both those scum around the Emirates for 90 mins, followed by 30 min extra time then penalties.

@Graham62

And after every kick to the head of wenger I’ll be screaming ‘the next level is the next level is the next level’ to the useless fraud cunt.

R.S.P.C.Arsenal

So will Saliba n uppercanno be the answers to our dodgy defensive .?

Thing is why have we nots sold yet.

Could it be cos some completions are still ongoing … I’m guessing that mustafi is at the World Cup in France … and some on holiday…

Champagne Charlie

Tyag

Do me a favour and list who you consider a world class manager, or any manager you think could take us to challenging for the prem.

Then ask if they’d do that at a massive London club with all the modern trimmings, earning circa £6 million a year or more depending on their CV.

Put short, it’s absolute fantasy that Arsenal are a poverty hire. We’re in the next group down from maybe 6/7 mega clubs, so arguably a top 10 destination for a manager, almost certainly a top 15.

Graham62

Two things. 1. Wenger and Gazidis may be an irrelevance moving forward but, because of their gross mismanagement and negligence towards the club and its fans, the consequences will be felt for years to come. 2.”Liverpool were 8th, with a vision landing Klopp” but already had a sound ownership base who were willing and able to give Kloop 100% support. Our lot, the Owner/BoD/ Wenger and Gazidis had no vision. Why? Because our pathetic Manager was more concerned with satisfying his own needs rather than push for change. Shite, any manager with an ounce of fight and determination can go… Read more »

@Champagne Charlie

But that’s what emery is, a top 10/15 manager.

@Graham62

Couldn’t of put it better myself.

Graham62

Tyag

Sounds like a scene from Rollerball.

Still come to watch though.

@Graham62

Hahahahaha

Dark Hei

CC

We are a poverty club because Stan wants to cut costs.

Didn’t you receive the memo.

The deal is that as long as the ENGLISH League grows in value, Arsenal, one of the 20 clubs, will grow in value as well. By default.

Don’t do anything risky. Just stay in the black.

Champagne Charlie

“Wenger and Gazidis may be an irrelevance moving forward but, because of their gross mismanagement and negligence towards the club and its fans, the consequences will be felt for years to come.“ Absolute nonsense. Liverpool were worse off than Arsenal on the football side than we were left last season. This dire narrative has one goal, and that’s to harp back to a final criticism of Wenger, little else. All the technical faces are new or operating under a different remit so we shall see how that navigates us from now. But absolutely no reason not to assume with good… Read more »

Take Sanogo for example. Now how many of us who saw So no goals play his first game, realise just how bad he was? Probably all of us. Yet the man paid 10million a year and who has made 10 trillion substitutions took 2 years to realise he was shit.

Champagne Charlie

Dark hei

I’m far from Stan’s biggest fan, but I’m not talking poverty in terms of our spending. I was talking in terms of us as a hire for prospective managers.

This baseless talk of us not being able to bring a top manager on board is so delusional. I can accept an argument that we’re not selling ourselves well, but that’s a separate issue to having the means to draw in top talent. We absolutely do.

Nelson

We’ll be playing the Pools and SPUDs in August. Emery better gets his act together fast.

Dark Hei

TYNG

In his first game, Sanogo scored 4 goals.