I have just heard the news about the financing of the new stadium and have decided to put some thoughts up for comment.
Has there ever been a better time to be an Arsenal supporter? I don’t think so. We have without doubt a great team to watch, we also have one of the best coaches in the world and now comes through the news that we will soon have one of the best stadiums in the world in which to watch our beloved team. I think, therefore, that it is time for all of us to give thanks to the man who has made all of this possible. By this I mean the real architect of the modern Arsenal, DAVID DEIN.
When David Dein became involved with the club in the early 80s we were just another under achieving, going nowhere, mid- to top 6 table club like so many others. He saw the potential of the club and knew instinctively that things had to change. He forced the Board at the time to start to take winning seriously, and gave us the right attitude for a club of our stature.
He was responsible for the appointment of George Graham, who was the right man at the right time and even though this went wrong it was still an inspired decision. He then made a mistake when appointing Bruce Rioch but was brave enough to admit his mistake and correct it quickly before too much damage was done. But, surely, it was his appointment of the great Arsene Wenger for which he will always have our thanks. This was truly inspired.
Our history since that point has been one of exceptional football, and the feeling that the whole club had a clear strategy and was pulling in the same direction. While we all love Arsene and many people give him all of the credit for our present position, lets not forget that one of the main reasons Mr Wenger has stayed with us and grown to love the club is the freedom and respect with which he is allowed to work. This is directly down to David Dein.
Wenger knows that he is at a special club where Board members do not constantly interfere with the coach on team matters, he also knows that there are few clubs here or abroad where the coach will ever be allowed the freedom to work that he is given. Again I believe that all of this comes from the man at the top, David Dein.
It is very rare these days to find anyone praising the chairman, or vice-chairman in our case, of a club. All we ever hear are demands of fans to sack incompetent chairmen (think Spurs). So I think we are very lucky to have a man at the helm of Arsenal who has led us to this very happy stage of our history. A man who knows the importance of togetherness, from the top down, and who has the balls to back his choice of coach with the money and support he needs.
The time has come for us all to give thanks to the man who made it possible - David Dein.
5 Responses to “The True Architect”
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February 23rd, 2004 at 3:06 pm
I couldn’t agree more! Thinking back to when Arsene was hired, who was he ? Some success in France, Japan, nothing that would indicate a brilliant understanding of the game and the business.
Dein saw something that no one else did!
Tony Adams mentions in his autobiography was told not to worry about a new coach they had founs the right person, he thought Arsene who!
February 24th, 2004 at 7:52 am
I agree with all your comments, however the two men responsible for being the driving force for the new stadium are Danny Fiszman and Ken Friar and big thanks must surely go to them for this.
David Dein wanted to use Wembley.
Bruce Rioch did achieve one major thing while at the club, he signed The Iceman and to a lesser extent, David Platt.
February 24th, 2004 at 7:55 pm
I accept your point about DD wanting Wembley, but what I was trying to say was that this successful time we are having coincides with a long period of stability that emanates from the top of the club and I believe that David Dein is the person who is the most responsible for this.
Really I just think we should be grateful that we are not in the same position of some clubs who have seemingly been torn apart by internal disagreements over recent years.
PS: Great result last night, now lets finish the job!
February 27th, 2004 at 12:55 am
I do agree with you guys about the man behind Arsenal’s revolution. I am sure he deserves this applaud. But I do have slightly different view in terms of the freedom and respect Arsene enjoys at Hightburry. I would say He deserves that respect and it comes from the track record he is holding in Nagoya Grampus Eight (Making them winning the Japanese Champions) and AS Monaco ( Leading them from a 2nd Divn club to the French Serie A Champions). He had never given a chance to interfere into his job.
February 27th, 2004 at 1:00 am
Please read through as I posted it in a hurry. Wenger’s managerial acumen transformed Arsenal’s fortunes and saw them climb from the bottom three to runners-up spot in just one year. So David Dein made the right decision in bringing Arsene Wenger to Arsenal. And there was a time when (When I was a child who just watches football and not bothered to know the facts) I used to believe that Arsen Wenger is the owner of Highburry because of the name.