I read a story elsewhere, hopefully ArsenalAmerica will allow me to copy and paste part of them over here. It was an article written by Paul Haywood of the Telegraph on Arsene Wenger:
* Arsenal have been demoted to London’s second club by an accident of history: the post-Soviet splurge of an oligarch, who yesterday scooped up a player Wenger had identified long ago as a potential Islington aristocrat, Michael Essien.
*Arsenal are an institution built from the bottom up. Chelsea are constructed from the top down.
*Man United make Arsenal seem like jumble sale bargain hunters.
*Really the people’s gladiators are Arsenal. The whole bar has shifted up.
*To his credit, Wenger has not called himself a “special manager”, not started unwinnable battles with governing bodies, not allowed any insights into his family life, not shifted off the moral high ground over the Ashley Cole tapping-up affair, not told any of his players they need an IQ test and not appeared in adverts for American Express.
*Could it be that Wenger thinks the Chelsea empire will eventually crumble of its own accord - like its ideological opposite, communism - if Arsenal just hold their nerve and build, coach, invest in youth and stay true to the old ethos of their club?
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I understand, more or less, we are all frustrated by the lack of addition of the squad this season. But I’m a believer of everything happens for a REASON. Particular when you consider what a competitior Arsene Wenger has shown over the years. It’s true we should all try to make the most out of our capability, for the club, that means spending all they got in order to gain success. Nevertheless, can anyone imagine Wenger is purposely the transfer fund and willing to risk the humiliation in front of his old and new enemies Ferguson and Special One?
Spending is necessary. But spending wisely is a better alternative I believe. Over the summer, does anyone believe David Dein and Arsene Wenger did nothing and took a long vacation lying under the sunshine instead? They did try to buy the players they were targeted, in fact, they spent a whole month or so trying to land the Beast to Highbury. Only that the Beast decided grass were greener at Madrid. Either the players we interested were unavailable, being priced out of market (or at least out of our budget), or simply not keen joining us.
So there were really only two options for our under-fired manager:
1. To gamble on the players he’s not SO SURE, and play them at the expense of the development of our promising youngsters.
2. To keep the faith on the young guns, and save up the budget (note: LIMITED budget, after we spent it there won’t be any left) just in case the right player become available we still have a chance to recruit them.
It’s a gamble either way. By choosing the option one, if they fail (the players the managers bought with half-hearted), our young players’ develpment suffered at the same time. By choosing the option two, even if we end up winning nothing, at least we will have the comfort that our youngsters have one more year’s experience under their belts, and they will be even better next season.
From Pires, Henry, Reyes, and Hleb, those are the players Wenger had spent more than one year chasing them. Same applies on Essien as well. I remember we had already linked with him last season, it’s just that we don’t have the finanical muscle to finally land him that’s all. So we can see a rough pattern of Wenger’s buying policy here - once he identifies his TARGETS, he would keep on pursuiting them no matter how long it takes. I don’t want to say this is the best way of playing shopping or not, but in the cases of Pires, Henry and Hleb, it seems the policy go so far so good.
My final point is - Arsenal has a TRADITION on developing and relying on home grown talent, that’s from all the histories books I have read, and they all suggested the same. It’s not something I made it up. That was even before the George Graham era. And it’s something I’m extremely proud of. On the first part of Arsene’s era, it was a big let down personally failed to see a single home growth youngster bar Ashley Cole broke into the first team. I’m only a regular fan, and like everyone, I love to see us lifting trophies. But if we end up winning nothing, yet at the same time being able to see our youngsters grow and mature into a new generation’s Arsenal core players. I do not mind at all. Afterall, if trophy is what only matters, there would be no fan of any other team from Villa to Torquay but Chelsea, Man Utd.
22 Responses to “Arsene’s Transfer Policy Part XXXXXIII!”
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August 23rd, 2005 at 2:35 pm
Well we just got more to whine about. Wenger just confirmed that a keeper aside he isn’t signing anyone else (and nor should he, what we want isn’t available). I love this guy for being so contrarian, and thumbing his nose at us all.
August 23rd, 2005 at 2:53 pm
Andez a very good post but you missed the point. As for your article from the Telegraph hope you get a copy from the same paper after the FA Cup against United.
Buy yourself a copy of Yesterday’s Independent or Times and there is a good article about Arsenal under Wenger. I like Wenger as a man but can’t sit down and think Oh I’m Mr Wenger from Arsenal so I want special treatments from the transfer fronts.
No one I know is saying Arsenal should spent money for the sake of spending. Even Chelsea don’t do that. They have sold 2 players within the last 2 days. But back to Arsenal.
Is either we spend or stop pretending the world transfer market is against you. Someone once said you should feel sorry for Newcastle, Villa and Everton in the transfer market.
You talk about our proud history. Yes I talk about that every month but we can’t have it both way. Is either you follow our great tradition or cut it out and at the moment Arsenal are not doing that.
1. Under Wenger I’m still waiting to see the first English player to come thou the ranks.
2. I read it here once and also from one of the sunday papers. If Wenger is to leave Arsenal tomorrow and all or part of players leave, Arsenal will be done. Why because we don’t have any home grown coming thou and even not in the reserves. That is not a good sign for any team.
So where is our Tradition on developing and replying on home grown talent. Football slave trade can’t go on forever whereby we get these kids cheap from Africa dump them in our reserve team.
Like you I’m very proud of our history but needs to balance things out. I accept to see more from Arsenal.
Asked team like Spurs, Villa, Everton, Newcastle and the rest why do they sacked their managers? Even they know they are not going to win the title or in Europe. Because with the resources and players they have their fans accept something better. Asked the media why they gave Spurs and Newcastle a hard time last season.
So at the end of the day Arsenal is just like another England club these days.
August 23rd, 2005 at 2:55 pm
I have come across a company which refused to hire employees unless they were top notch proven industry professionals. Their motto was they will not just settle for anyone; they will only get someone who can prove to be a valuable asset to their organization. They didn’t want to train people but hire only people with years of experience in the industry. To this day, they still have not changed their hiring policy and instead of expanding like other companies are still a small company. Mind you they have an excellent reputation in the community for producing quality products.
So that example keeps popping in my mind regarding Wenger’s transfer policy. I don’t think he wants to sign just anyone unless he belives they can improve the team. He does not want to sign anyone for signing’s sake. Even if we are short of bodies, he may not want to get someone he belives is substandard or might not mesh with the team.
For now, I am curious to see how we adjust our game slightly to face off teams like Bolton, Man U, Chelsea, Blackburn and some of those European teams who think they can manage us. Can we make those tweaks with our existing squad? Yes I believe so. Will it happen? I hope so.
August 23rd, 2005 at 3:01 pm
Oh and btw. on Arsenal.com he also confirmed that he dropped Reyes for the Chelsea game, nothing was wrong. A shot across his bow perhaps?
Freddie is out injured, so he may restore him, but I don’t think he should, let him call Quincy.
August 23rd, 2005 at 3:21 pm
Only kid Wenger signed from Africa was Kolo, who went almost straight into the team, so I don’t know who you talking about. Eboue he got from Belgium, was already playing, then you have Armand Traore who is French of African descent (I assume), same as Vieira. Then you have Johan Djorou, Swiss of Ivorian descent. I don’t know of the other black French players, like Clichy or Henry (Martinique?) So maybe I’m missing something, but I can’t recall anybody else. It seems people are so willing these days to take a shot at Wenger that they will write anything, even likening him to a slave trader.
August 23rd, 2005 at 3:39 pm
Ok let me go into the whole football politics with you. This not a shot at Wenger but facts.
The Lord Burn’s repeort is coming out soon. As I always say people should look at the other side of football which the sun and mirror don’t talk about. As much as I hate to read the Express they making this as a big issue.
Even most of the board sheet have report this have to stop not only is wrong but to allow these kids to develop and at the same time help the home grown kids.
For the past 6 yrs or so alot of clubs including Arsenal have being using Belgium clubs to bring kids from Africa because of the laws in Belgium. They are used these clubs as feeder clubs knowing the law in England will not allow them to do so.
And as the BBC investigation into football proved we paid these Belgium clubs to bring these kids over. After a couple of months or yrs only a few join the big clubs in Europe and if they don’t make it some end up on the streets of Belgium knowing there is no point going back home to Africa.
So I’m not having a shot at Wenger but something which have to stop. There is more to football then what you read. Is happening
August 23rd, 2005 at 3:54 pm
LoveG, perhaps AW should keep his mouth shut regarding of the transfer market, on the other hand though, I think what he said were not exactly nonsense.
For instance, say a young playeer Bradley Wright-Phillips suddenly plays out of his skin and become the next hottest golden boy in England, every major clubs show interest, but they know it’s only a waste of time trying to bid him. Say, if both Arsenal and Man Utd bid 10 millions for him, a good money, but Man City would not sell. ‘cos they know there may be even a bigger bidder comes along, and we all known who they are.
The fact is, if we do not try to land the promising young players BEFORE they made a name for themselves, we would have no chance getting them in the future. Michael Essien for example, AW has been tracking him for a long time. Lyon wouldn’t sell, and we didn’t have enough money power to pay an inflact price to nick him away anyway. This season, even if we can match Chelsea’s offer for Essien, I doubt we will be able to match their personal terms.
When Mourinho said something, the media have been praising him as a HONEST man. But I don’t think Wenger has only been talking non-sense neither.
As for the English youngsters issue, I grew up watching the English boys, and admired their unique fighting spirit a great deal. Arsenal has plenty of English youngsters in the youth rank, just as much as the foreign boys. As far as I’m concerned, their chances to make it to the first team are equal.
The likes of Kolo, Cesc, Senderos made it was simply because they either tried harder, coping the pressure better, or more talented. The media likes to make a milk out of it whenever an English youngster being released. But what they failed to mention over the years there have been plenty of overseas youngsters couldn’t cut it at Arsenal as well.
I have a feeling AW is more keen on youngsters who show a NO FEAR attitude. That’s something Cole, Kolo, Cesc and Senderos in common. You look at the young boy Hoyte. Highly rated. But when he got the chances to play, he didn’t look like he was too sure of himself. At least, he didn’t make his PRESENCE felt. You look at Kolo Toure, like Hoyte, during his first season, Kolo often came on to the pitch in the last few minutes, when the match was basically set. But Toure played like it was a cup final with him coming on to make an impact trying to grab the winner, rather than a subs coming on to play out the last few minutes. He made his PRESENCE felt. Running all over the pitch. I remember the SKY commentors Martin Tyler and Andy Gray were both impressed by him. Impressed by his energy level, his passion, and his no fear attitude. When Hoyte came on, ppl hardly noticed his exist. That speaks for many youngsters who failed at the past too. Ashley Cole, Senderos and Cesc all got that kind of no fear attitude, that’s why they made it. I guess the nationality didn’t really make such a difference.
August 23rd, 2005 at 4:18 pm
I never take Mr Mourinho serious with most or all his comments but understand where you coming from.
August 23rd, 2005 at 6:36 pm
Looking back at Chelsea’s 3 games this season, I kept thinking they don’t need half the players they have. I understand their tactic is to sit back and hit teams fast on the counter attack. So all they need is:
1) some really fast players who can be critical at those key transition points — meaning the point where the game turns from defense to attack.
2) They need some good tough players who can defend well and win the balls.
So did they really have to shelf out all that money for Essien, SWP? Could they not have found other players who fulfilled that role? I mean they are not going to be playing end to end fast attacking football all the time. They can make do with several other players. But then the question becomes why buy other clones when you can buy the real thing. Or the perceived real thing?
I look at their buys and they look handy. But I still can’t convince myself they need all those players.
I suppose it is the same thing as Madrid collecting fowards, or Milan gathering all the top players back in the early 90’s.
On the other hand, Arsenal seems to be carrying very little body fat in terms of the squad. With the exception of a few players, everyone else seems to belong.
It all goes back to teams need a big squad to compete in Europe and other competitions….
August 23rd, 2005 at 6:42 pm
I think your pathetic babbling about Wenger’s shortcomings are more akin to the gruntings of a F**king baboon. Now you are claiming that Arsene Wenger is not only a football club manager but at night he moonlights as the head of slave trading ring.
Your retarded criticisms and fantastic accusations of our manger could only come from a pathetically deranged mind such as yours.
Your childish and self righteous posts have been a source of great amusement to me over the past couple of months, keep it up.
August 23rd, 2005 at 10:22 pm
When I pay to watch a game, I do not worry about what country they come from..I want to see the best players play…Otherwise I would watch stupid NBDL instead of NBA..So, to put quotas for English players in the league will dilute the league and make it that much painful to watch. I still can’t watch MLS, because the quality of the game sucks..So, I watch Arsenal, Barcelona, Real etc.
August 24th, 2005 at 2:40 am
Again you have mis read what I said. Yes when I turn up at Highbury I don’t look at players and say he is from here and there.
I was making a point even people within Arsenal FC knows is a problem. I love the beautiful game and Arsenal and want the best of it not just a quick fix then down the pants afterwards.
August 24th, 2005 at 2:42 am
I was told not to reply to your post by the wise men here. But let me say this I have no time for you childish woo. Can’t stand facts
August 24th, 2005 at 3:16 am
You have said you want more English players coming up through our ranks. its very hard to find good young english players, espeically in London where you have a lot of big clubs. the good ones that are around are far too over priced. If Cesc, Flamini or Senderos were english, how much do you think we would have had to pay for them? Its easy to say ‘we need more quality english players’ but its a lot harder to find them, and at a reasonable price.
August 24th, 2005 at 3:22 am
Why should he not call Reyes? Give the lad a chance, he hasnt even kicked a ball this season and you’re calling for him to be left out. Being an Arsenal ’supporter’ means you have to give the team and the players support. No matter what.
August 24th, 2005 at 8:41 am
Interesting stuff, l_G. Still, as you explore the other side of the coin, why not look at it as opportunity for a young African footballer to make something special of himself? If things don’t work out, and these kids don’t want to return to Africa, why is the “Belgium Connection” to blame? I see what you’re saying, but no one is forcing them to give the life a shot, is there?
What’s worse, telling a Congolese international that you don’t care that they look up to Lauren and want to follow in his footsteps or giving him the chance to choose his own destiny?
I know you know there are two sides to everything, and you obviously do you homework, but the issue doesn’t seem very black and white to me (pardon the unintentional pun). I feel there is a degree of responsibility that Wenger and others who employ these youngsters must adhere to, like “sanctioning” only the cream of the crop that appear capable to handle this type of opportunity. But if an English player feels justified to price himself out of the market because he feels entitled, isn’t he only contributing to the problem.
I admit I don’t know enough about it. But I always find it strange when people who open doors for others are seen as oppressive by those whose doors are already wide open.
August 24th, 2005 at 8:44 am
Very good points, Andez.
August 24th, 2005 at 8:50 am
This isn’t the first time you’ve reduced yourself to vile language and bullying tactics. Usually you do it along side your mate Curtismo, but he seems to have a bit more self control.
Basically, if you can’t handle democratic opinion then perhaps you should shove off and find another stamping ground to throw your toys around - I very much doubt that posts like yours are welcome here by anyone.
August 24th, 2005 at 8:52 am
Like you said, they’re gathering the top to keep them out of the hands of their rivals. One day, this will have to be regulated. Until then, all you can do is work, like the post says, “from the bottom up”. There’s just no other way.
Its why I get crazy when people jump on Wenger for not buying whomever is available, whether he’s right for us or not. Owen apparently will be in barcodes soon. That will make a strong team stronger. I’m sure there are many who think we should have swept him up. Why? So RvP, and Lupoli and others that we have spent time, money and faith on can rot? Some will say, “yes, that’s the game”. I disagree.
Will I eat my hat if Henry refuses to come on next season because he refuses to play in the UEFA Cup if that’s what some suggest we’re in for? No. Let him go. He has a right to direct his career, but every so often Wenger builds them from NOTHING and they leave because the interests of the club have not become the interests of the player. We can’t change our entire policy, not even for the greatest striker on earth. If we do, there will be no more Henry’s coming out of The Arsenal.
This season we will be underdogs, and the Chelsea fans can giggle all the way to the title if they want. But that “*” will always be there next to everything they win.
August 24th, 2005 at 9:55 am
If thats what you were told than that’s what you sjould have done. Why are you replying to me now?. Somehow the false impression has been built up in your mind that you are the only one on this site who is posession of all the FACTS. Believe me that is not the case. In my opinion your worthless musings are a source of constant amusement for me, so as I said before, keep it up.
August 24th, 2005 at 9:59 am
I handle democratic opinion just fine. You are the one who does not seem to realise that democracy is a two way street and opinions do not flow just one way. A comment you make will create another reply and if you cant handle replies that are not in your favor than that is your problem.
August 24th, 2005 at 1:06 pm
Wenger has some 35 - 40 milliion pounds available to him.
No other club has that at the moment.
To find the right targets at the right price (wenger want good value for money and right personallity), is really not easy.
Most importantly, he has the best young players in the world and wont throw their effort out the window.