So… after a whole week of debating the merits of loaning out William Saliba, David Ornstein reckons he’ll be staying this season.
What a bloody farce.
The only thing I care about is the player being ready for next season. Keeping him is all well and good, but not if he doesn’t land any game time. He’s not going to play in the Europa League because he’s not in the squad. It’d be a very random choice to leave him out of that then keep him in the Premier League one…?
He must have found a stash of pictures or absolutely obliterated a bleep test if he’s suddenly found favour after all the off and on the record commentary. Maybe he trimmed his facial hair? That did need to go.
There’s a story in Spain that Mesut Ozil is about to agree to terminate his deal and join AC Milan. It sounds too good to be true, but honestly, why wouldn’t he? Cancel the Arsenal deal, go to Milan and earn a fat fee, rip up a slower league, get a big deal next year. It’s also rumoured that Juve are circling. Staying at a place that doesn’t want you for another 9 months is bad for the rep and the psyche. Go Mesut… be free.
Gabi 1 is coming back from injury and he’s feeling good.
“I’m feeling very well, I’m regaining confidence and I can feel my knee is better.
“After an injury like this you are kind of scared to force the knee again but the past couple of weeks it has been fine and soon I can start training with the ball.
“I think we have an excellent squad and along with Mikel’s forward-thinking and winning mentality we can carry on doing well.
“We are playing well and training well, everyone wants to win and we are all giving everything. I believe this season is very promising.
He really is an exciting talent. Hopefully he comes back with the same aggression and pace. Question is, where does Arteta play him? Is he going to compete for a spot on the left, or will he look to compete with Eddie and Lacazette as a 9?
Just a short one today because it is NOT a high traffic news day. See you in the comments. x
Question for Wenger then, if we had to limit player wages to 50% of budget WTF were you doing paying Bendtner £52,000 per week when he wasn’t even a regular first team player?
I think we can all agree on the day Mesut Ozil finally leaves the club will be a great day for Arsenal.
Yeah, imagine a seat that is worth 4k pounds. What do you mean? Can this be true???
Graham62
Thats only a couple of pages!!
People can decipher what they want, I guess. It’s a good read though, especially about the players. It does give an insight you never get from the media and might better answer some of the questions fans have. Ultimately, agendas always skew accuracy; so if you like or dislike Wenger, you will take out of it what fits your own particular narrative. For me, it give an insight into the players and the running of the club so it’s cool.
Wenger is being very disrespectful towards Arsenal with these pathetic Ozil comments. He handled Ozil by overly indulging him. The new manager wants to treat him like the rest if the squad.
He knows the club can’t forcefully reply his public comments.
He should just eff off and go sell his boring autobiography. It’s like he compiled all his press conferences and rolled them into a book.
AFC Forever
Those excepts you posters are publicly available information. You didn’t have to buy a book to know that.
I guess that’s what happens when you stay too long.
Forever
I see why people are describing the book as “bland”. Those passages take topics that might be interesting and reduce them to bland generalities. No new details, stories or insights.
What does he say about his final twelve months, though? That’s what I want to know.
Assuming the banks felt more comfortable with Wenger signing a long term contract hence the 5 year contract. There cannot have been a stipulation that Wenger he to stay till the end of the contract. That would have been an unenforceable and illegal contractual cause because the contracted party was Arsenal FC, not Arsenal Wenger. I hope Wenger clarifies that the banks didn’t force him to finish that 5 year contract. That was him enjoying the total power he had to do as he wished. That was his choice. Same as all the subsequent contracts he signed. He would have… Read more »
@Raptora –
“Yeah, imagine a seat that is worth 4k pounds. What do you mean? Can this be true???”
No, he is using that as an example of the overall cost of the stadium. 4,000 x 60,000 = 240,000,000 the initial expected cost of the stadium.
Dissenter,
There was I recall a stipulation that Wenger remained as Arsenal manager for 5 years.
Can’t recall whether that was 5 years from when the bank loan was made or 5 years from when the stadium was complete.
I haven’t read the book but from the excerpts I’ve read Wenger sounds justified and accurate about his early Emirates era.
He almost got us there in 2011.
Thereafter it was downhill I’m afraid with Santi and one season of the Ozil/Alexis combo the only bright sparks
AFC
Got to remember though these are all of Wenger’s perceptions.
I’m not expecting revelations. Already interesting to read about his early childhood and how his character was moulded.
Now I have a better understanding of why we weren’t able to rectify our failings after 2006 and our move to the Emirates.
It had nothing to do with money either.
Words, there’s no way a bank can stipulate that an employee of another company remains employed by that company, if the person concerned wants to walk the day after the contract is signed there is nothing that they can do about it. All they can say is that he should be offered a five year deal. Perhaps rather than concentration on the restrictions Wenger might acknowledge the benefits. Gate receipt money doubled overnight from less than £50m a season at Highbury to nearly £100m a season at the Emirates plus additional revenue for non-football events held there. He seems to… Read more »
I will not be tempted to delve into the book to find out about his thoughts on Ozil and the contract negotiations.
I doubt there’s anything of significance to read about anyway.
Probably not Graham. Wenger said that Sanchez and Ozil going into the last 12 months of their contracts was an ‘ideal situation’. Given how it turned out I’m pretty sure that’s a statement that he will not want to revisit.
Graham.
Until I read the book I had no idea that the Borussia Dortmund player with the most red cards in the clubs history was a certain; Jens Lehmann. Considering he doesn’t have to make ‘tackles’ that is some record!
Arsene is not going to tell all
he has already signed the rights
for the Triology.
It’s hard to admit an idol has feet of clay. I was a staunch supporter of Wenger in the good years before the Emirates, and through the tough sell-to-buy years. (My villain was Stan K: a few quid from the multi-billionaire would have made all the difference.) So what changed? Wenger changed. He is a classic case of ‘all power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’. It’s clear that his self-esteem outgrew his judgement. Missing out on Suarez, buying Ozil, selling RvP to Man U…. My faith in him withered and died. A relic now, raking over a past that… Read more »
Jim,
Thanks for the explanation. As much as I loved him, he’s always had this habit of talking in riddles and twisting numbers in his favor.
Again anyone expecting that charlatan to give an honest account and admit to anything surrounding the tough times and frankly bizarre decisions and obvious mistakes that he made over the years were sadly and obviously mistaken. He’d never admit fault it was always going to be a puff piece to stroke his ego filled with excuses and no admission of guilt. But at least it’ll show how boring he is.
Don’t suppose there’s anything about the scandal and estrangement from his daughter? No? Ah well
englandsbest “Missing out on Suarez, selling RvP to Man U…. My faith in him withered and died” I am a bit similar to you but he gave us some unbelievable players, trophies, an unbeaten season etc so I am always grateful for that. Yes, in the latter part of his career we all know he lost his mojo and stayed too long. Anyway, this what the book says re Suarez and RVP:- Suarez. Wenger says Suarez and his agent had agreed to join Arsenal. The agent claimed there was a release clause; with an offer above £40 million obliging Liverpool… Read more »
That’s my lot from his book, you will have to buy it you cheapskates!!!!!!
Arsenal found out the clause never existed. To verify,, they offered £40,000,001 – Wenger himself admits the offer seemed ludicrous but it was to establish if the clause existed. It didn’t.
I take it back he’s basically admitting to not seriously attempting to sign Suarez here.
I wouldn’t buy Wengers book for 5p and if I was somehow gifted one Id use the pages to wipe my Arsenal
He was ok for his first 6 years but I was sick of him long before the heroics of 2006. Given a choice between a Ferrari and a Skoda. He would buy the Skoda and start telling you how in a few years it will turn magically into a Lamborghini. Just you wait and see
Marko
Didn’t we know that anyway?
I wouldn’t piss on Wenger’s book if it was on fire.
“I wouldn’t buy Wengers book for 5p”
It cost me less than watching Sheffield Utd v Burnley on the Premier Leagues rip off Pay per game scheme.
Can anyone explain to me why the Premier League have decided to rip off fans during a pandemic when people are losing their jobs or earning less?
Absolute disgrace.
Thanks AFC – some of it might have interesting insights, but generally I find books written by managers and players or their biographies written by star-struck sycophants to be the dullest reads imaginable. The one on Thierry Henry was deadly dull. The few exceptions were Roy Keane and Tony Adams – Kevin Keegan’s autobiography wasn’t bad, and Sir Matt Busby did capture my interest. Stanley Matthews autobiography definitely up there.. Most of this genre though is pure narcissistic drivel
By wanting to bring in Stan Kroenke, a Director at Arsenal since 2008 & majority shareholder, onto the bard, David had put himself into open conflict with the directors. David is an innovator, a highly sociable man with incredible tenacity and unparalleled generosity. When he left he sold his shares to Usmanov.
————————————
I’ve never understood this, he wanted Kroenke but sold his shares to Usmanov? Doesn’t make any sense.
I have to laugh at the left testicle comment about not wasting one’s piss to squelch a Wenger book from burning.
That one was funny.
Wenger … just go away.
Maybe he can get the Liberian government to but 1,000 official copies for the national library.. That book will be on the $1.99 pile on amazon.com pretty soon.
but it was to establish if the clause existed. It didn’t.
————————-
Suarez’s agent told Arsenal to make that offer at least thats what was mentioned at the time.
John Henry apparently told Kroenke it did exist but he wouldn’t sell him anyway!
If it’s a release clause can do selling club do anything to stop the deal? We saw in Spain Atletico couldn’t do shit. But maybe it’s different in England.
Marko “I take it back he’s basically admitting to not seriously attempting to sign Suarez here” No he isn’t. Arsenal had been wrongly advised by the agent that Suarez had a minimal release clause of just £40m. So the deal agreed with Suarez and the agent was pointless. Arsenal somehow found out that the release clause didn’t exist but posted the £40,000,001 to test. (You don’t have to believe this but it’s what has been said). The agents ‘trick’ worked because Liverpool improved Suarez’s contract and promised to sell him the year later to a club abroad (Barca) who the… Read more »
In Spain every single player has a release clause. Every one. They’re usually mammoth so as to stop them being an issue like fati has one for 400 million
AFC you literally wrote that we found out the clause didn’t exist tried to verify it by making a “ludicrous” offer according to Wenger. So he’s admitting to not seriously attempting to sign Suarez. Now if he had come back with a 45 million offer or 50 million then yes he would have been seriously trying to sign the player but he didn’t seem like he was arsed
Danny Dick Law the Arsenal transfer negotiator explained the situation. When Liverpool signed Luis Suarez from Ajax, the player had a clause in his contract which meant he had to be informed if any suitors made a bid of £40 million or more for him. This clause was NOT a release clause but just a point at which Suarez had to be told of the interest. In the spring of 2013 it became known that Suarez wanted to leave Anfield and Arsenal were aware of this. “That spring, news got round to us that Suarez wanted out of Liverpool,” he… Read more »
Andy1886,
At the time, I worked in one of the banks that Emirates, and knew the people working on that financing. all the banks wanted continuity of manage,ent, and specifically Wenger to be there for a period of time after the stadium was built to ensure continuity and to make sure that wages were under 50% as stated by Wenger.
“Key man“ covenants are not uncommon.
Marko
Yes you are right. Didn’t Messi have a £700m release clause?
AFC Forever
———-
Thanks.
Wenger has a strong case when he argues that he did very well Getting us into top 4 “with kids” given the financial circumstances in the period up to around 2011 or 2012. It’s when the purse strings subsequently began to loosen from around 2013 and he had access to much more money that his case begins to fall apart. The problem by then was that he had too much control of everything inside Arsenal, and as Pedro blogged at the time, he wouldn’t or couldn’t delegate, and wouldn’t or couldn’t rely on people with new ideas on using data,… Read more »
Always wondered what our reaction would’ve been two years on had Wenger actually matched United’s RVP terms and put him on 250-300 kpw for as many years as they did.
He only had one great season with them.
Another Ozil situation perhaps.
Words
I think you nailed it.
Key man clauses or guarantees are common in the investment world. If I invest millions in a racing team with Hamilton driving and Mercedes providing the engine, I may want a clause that ensures Hamilton remains the driver and Mercedes the supplier. If not, they could decide to employ some 17 year old novice to drive and have the engines supplied by Skoda., risking my investment.
No problem Danny.
Ultimately that’s the difference between Wenger and Ferguson, who was (despite being a miserable git) a great manager. Fergie, knew how to delegate and who to delegate to, and he knew how to move with the times.
Wenger didn’t delegate, and he couldn’t adapt or move with the times
i wont say Wenger but Arsenal Representatives messed up the Suarez clause. If you are serious about buying the player, you could have gone with 45 mil to start with. you cant activate the release clause with 1 pound. It was almost as if you are trying to mock Liverpool which irked them rightly.
afternoon,
if we had kept RVP im pretty sure we win the league that year.
his last season he got 30 in 38 games for us
he scored 26 goals in 38 games for united, they won the league at a canter.
we finished 4th, 5 points behind city in second that year and 16 behind united.
if we had won the league, he possibly signs a new contract and we kick on, instead we let him go.
never forgave wenger after that, and thats when i wanted him gone.
WOAB
Fergie did delegate the work, but everything went through him. He was the final authority. He was the main bridge between his coaches / players with the club management. he also enjoyed pretty much total control. Difference is where he was able to accept his mistakes and would rectify it almost immediately. Wenger was too strong headed to even accept that there are mistakes. you will never see a manager as shameless as Wenger who connned his own fans.
Ronaldo has Covid
https://www.skysports.com/football/news/13954/12103267/cristiano-ronaldo-portugal-and-juventus-star-tests-positive-for-coronavirus
To be fair to Wenger, he didnt want to pay RvP 300k pw. I mean, a one season wonder who has spent most of his time in treatment table does not warrant that kind of money. It was always a gamble. Fergie took the risk and it paid him off. but it could easily have gone south for him.
AshwinG,
I wouldn’t call Wenger a fraud (except maybe towards the very end of his time). He had his football philosophy and he refused to beer away from it.
But I do agree with you that he was damn damn stubborn! And that despite his sophisticated persona, he was never really open to change.
So ultimately the man from Glasgow was
Much more sophisticated and adaptable than the suave multilingual Frenchman!
AFC Forever
I haven’t read the book yet, but might it be better-titled ‘My Lies in Black and White’?
The explanation of the ludicrous Suarez bid sounds like an attempt by Wenger and Law to make themselves seem less stupid.
Nor does his explanation of the sale of RvP ring true. As I recall Wenger made promises to him that he did not keep. To sell the best striker in the country to your major rival is unforgiveable no matter the price. And the idea that RvP asked for his job back sound unreal.
Words, I understand what you’re saying but a bank or any company cannot compel an employee to stay in his job if he doesn’t want to. Wenger could have walked whenever he wished, as we know in football contracts are there to be broken. Sure there may have been a renegotiation between club and lenders, but an individual always has the right to terminate their employment (even if a court case may ensue for breach of contract).
My point is that it’s just another example of Wenger playing the martyr.
Why the news about the fake Ronaldo getting Coflud? If it was cock AIDS, that’s a story.
Martenelli back from his blow ban I see.
ahh guns you do make me laugh, how you doing.
The Suarez bid was a balls up and the twats got some mixed up intel with regards to the actual ‘clause’. His clause was for £40m but that obviously only triggered it, what Arsenal failed to understand is that Liverpool never had to accept any bid, let alone for £1.00 more than the £40m. If a bid came in, Liverpool had to tell Suarez etc and then enter negs if they/he wanted. Arsenal obviously thought that the buy out was £40m so stuck a ‘fuck you’ in to take the piss. Arsenal just do not understand contracts, business or how… Read more »
Andy, Clearly you have no experience with loan banking covenant. That kind of stipulation is a lot more common than you think. Banks lend money to an institution quite often on the assumption that the main asset or rainmaker will still be involved. A bank can stipulate whatever they want in a loan covenant. If they wanted to have Wenger as part of their covenant, I am pretty sure they could. I have a friend who worked for a hedge fund where the line of credit was contingent on the rainmaker being in charge. Any attempt to sack him and… Read more »
Up for grabs
If being amazing was a crime, I’d be serving life in solitary.
Why have you been awol? Or are you p/t these days?
lol, im good mate.
been popping in to read the blog and comment occasionally, but the bickering has been pretty solid on here some days, so duck out just as quick!
seen a few of your posts though, they have brighten up a few dull days!
Up for
Believe it or not, I do the same. Dip in, cause havoc and slip out the back door for a while.
I do love this blog though. The self righteousness burns like a supernova.
Peace.
The Suarez bid was a balls up
—————–
Except for Suarez and his agent, Liverpool gave him a huge rise so well played on the part of the agent!
Every top club wanted him.
But he new how especially
Spanish clubs sacked managers
for failure and incompetence?
Wenger new where he’s bread was buttered.
And like Ozil milked it to the death.
Great memories but a sad ends.
Wenger u fucking absolute legend
Northbanker
“The one on Thierry Henry was deadly dull.”
Agreed. That was a cure for insomnia, as many are. Perry Groves book was quite a good one, very funny.
“ He was ok for his first 6 years but I was sick of him long before the heroics of 2006” You were sick of him before 2006? Honestly? I can’t help but feel that you are skewed by a probably intense dislike of him towards the end of his reign. In 2006 pretty much every Arsenal fan would have wanted Wenger to stay another 5-10 years at least, that’s obviously unbeknownst to what was to come post 2011 etc 2017 after the Cup Final Kroenke should have not given Arsene the option, and told him to walk off into… Read more »
AFC Forever
Perry Groves book was a laugh riot. Great to read more into the Tuesday club etc
Romford Pele’s book was good craic and I remember enjoying bergkamp book as well.
Valentin Your last comment about loan covenants was utter bollocks written in your finest tradition The banks can put anything they want on the loan including having a hamster deliver morning coffee to them every day but they can;t enforce it. Stipulating that an EMPLOYEE has to remain in that business is unenforceable and illegal because it is a violation of that employee’s rights. Don’t forget that the loan is issued to Arsenal FC not to Arsene Wenger. Wenger needs to lying that he was made to stay for five years at his prime because he could have left and… Read more »
WOAB- yes the huge diff between wenger & Ferguson was ol blue nose knew his limitations.Was prepared to listen to advice & take it AND had the sense to freshen things up every 3/ 4 seasons with a quick rebuild.He maintained power with regular success.Wenger as we all know never did any of this .