Arsenal America

As this week?s poll clearly indicated, Bobby McMahon of Fox Sports World has a loyal following among Gooners. So I figured the least I could do was get him for an interview. Bobby was kind enough to accept the offer.

Arsenal America: What’s your background, how did you get to where you are today?

Bobby McMahon: I played to the junior level in Scotland and played an unsuccessful trial for Scottish Amateurs before moving to Canada in 1979. Played and coached in Winnipeg and won a few trophies in Manitoba and reached a few Canadian National Championships. I was involved in bringing a CSL team to Winnipeg in 1987. My professional training is Finance and so I was the Club Treasurer for the first two seasons. Along the way I did some colour commentary when the Fury games were broadcast on the local Global station(now the owners of FSWC). A couple of years later I was working at a Winnipeg radio station and they needed someone to talk about the 1994 World Cup. Eventually did 94 and 98 World Cup pieces for four radio stations across the country and started writing a weekly column for the Winnipeg Sun. That led to a call just before FSWC went on the air in 2001. After doing a once a week appearance for a year when the show was Global Sportslink, the
show changed to the FSWR and expanded to include the States.

ArseAm: (Said in a Chicago accent while eating 30 lbs of polish sausage and wearing a Bears jersey) Who would win in a match between today’s Arsenal side and a team featuring Pele, Maradona and Cruyff in their primes up front, with King Kong and Godzilla as centerbacks and an octopus in goal?

BM: Arsenal would have to be favoured as long as Pascal Cygan stayed on the bench.

ArseAm: What are your thoughts on some of the early season surprises for Arsenal - the play of Reyes, Bergkamp and Cesc?

BM: Reyes is going to be an absolute superstar. Bergkamp has always been one on my all time favourites. Even though in the past he has failed to turn up for some big games he is an artist. The “Indian Summer” he is enjoying is a gift to everyone who enjoys watching the game played with incredible intelligence and flair. As for Fabregas he is a fantastic prospect. I think Wenger would be advised to use him sparingly. I always thought Jock Stein handled the blooding of young players very well. He would give them a good 10-12 game run at the start of a season and then he would send them back to the reserves to make sure their head didn’t get to big.

ArseAm: You watch a lot of football, which European League is the highest quality?

BM: For highest quality I would pick Serie A. However I realize it’s
Not everyone’s cup of tea and that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy other
leagues. I think from a technical prospective the Italians still have the edge. When the top English teams play each other I don’t think anyone can criticize the spectacle, but the standard really drops off in the bottom third of the table.

ArseAM: Can Arsene Wenger’s name been mentioned in the same sentence with some of the All-Time greats like Shankley, Champman and Busby?

BM:At the moment I would rank him alongside Shankly but not yet a
Busby. Busby won the European Cup and developed three distinctly successful sides and that, I think, separates him. However Wenger has time and back to back Champions League wins would certainly move him up the charts.

ArseAm: Finally, which team do you support?

BM: Dundee. I was lucky in that when my Dad started taking me to games,
Dundee won the Scottish League (61/62) in my first full season. They
followed that with an incredible run to the semi-final of the European
Cup. After that the team was sold off including Ian Ure going to Arsenal in 1963. Big Ian was my first football hero.

Bobby, thanks very much for your time. Be sure to catch Bobby every Monday and Friday at 10pm eastern for the Fox Sports World Report. If you live in North America and are a fan of football, and intelligent football commentary, Bobby is the only game in town.