The Arsenal stadium mystery, Part 2
For a Premiership neutral, many of the big questions about the forthcoming season relate to Arsenal. It could be a make or break season for them and Arsene Wenger. I like the kind of football that Wenger provides, but at that level of football, it is also important to win trophies. Should Arsenal fail to qualify for the Champions League next month it will leave a gap of around £25m in their finances.
When Arsenal moved to the Emirates five years ago, part of the rationale was that the extra income generated would allow them to compete in the transfer market with the top clubs in Europe. But now Arsenal fans fear that they have become a selling club. Of course, Manchester City and even Chelsea could eventually get caught out by the financial fair play rules. But it is clear that Uefa is going to be flexible in their interpretation and nothing much may happen for five years, even if spending will have to be reined in to some extent. Manchester City are also taking steps to boost their income.
Arsenal's turnover is second only to that of Manchester United, but their commercial income is about £50m lower. Their deals were negotiated in 2004 when they needed the money for the move from Highbury and they are not due for renewal until 2014. Liverpool's shirt sponsorship and kit deals are now worth £45m a year compared with Arsenal's £14m.
Arsenal's wage bill at £110m is not far short of that at United, but it is more equitable so that star players get relatively less. Wenger thinks that this promotes squad harmony and maybe it does, but it strikes me as a rather French way of looking at things. In that connection I am looking forward to French football writer David Ranc's forthcoming book on Arsenal to be published by Manchester University Press (alongside our own book on the Europeanisation of football: I will see if I can get a discount deal on this for our readers).
Many commentators also think that the dismissal of David Dein as vice-chairman in 2007 left the club without someone who knew how to play the football game and could influence the sometimes stubborn Wenger.
One shouldn't overdo the gloom, of course. Sometime it seems as if it is open season with the media and Arsenal and they are targeting Wenger in the way that they do with some politicians. It would be good for football if a self-sustaining financial model could be seen to work. But there is no escaping that there are real challenges to be faced.
It was all much simpler when the Arsenal stadium mystery was solved!
An Arsenal Fan's Perspective - Letter to Mr Wenger
The season just gone was a 'groundhog day' season when the familiar faults & weaknesses shone out in the business end of the season, when false hope was replaced by pathetic capitulation.
I wrote to you at the end of January simmering with anger at your stubborn crass stupidity of not buying a top class strong centre back when especially Vermaelen was obviously out for virtually the rest of the season despite your repetitive 'Tony Blair ' style spin.
I'm glad I sent that letter BEFORE the debacle at Newcastle & the subsequent complete collapse of the season thereafter & therefore cannot be accused of venting anger after the event at disappointment which sadly was no surprise.
8 weeks have passed since the end of the season & whilst the Champions have concluded 3 major signings & expressed desire to buy one of our star players, we have done nothing bar of course the usual 'kid' signings !
Instead of seeing the signing of the type of players clearly needed, Arsenal fans have had to endure stories of the impending departure of several star names ! ......... DISGRACEFUL !!
Whilst that goes on there is NOT one impending departure from the deadwood. The following players ..... Bendtner / Eboue / Arshavin / Denilson / Almunia / Fabianski & Squillaci should have publicly been told to find new clubs as under performance & lack of guts would no longer be tolerated.
Cesc Fabregas is clearly going to leave & as a passionate fan it's sad for me to say I don't blame him as your actions or in truth LACK of action to significantly strengthen the squad where necessary means you have no positive argument to persuade him to stay.
Barcelona have disrespectfully AGAIN !! publicly courted the player whilst publicly dictating what the transfer fee value is & what has Arsenal done about it ? .......... NOTHING AGAIN !! Another example since the ground move where Mr Wenger & the board have betrayed Arsenal fans.
Cesc's imminent departure is an obvious flaw from a football playing perspective in your obsession with ' Project Foreign Youth '. Foreign kids signed at the ages 15 to 17 are NOT going to play the peak years of their careers at Arsenal. It is fair to deduce that this policy is an ECONOMIC one & NOT a Football one.
Nasri & Denilson stating they wish to leave the club & now Gael Clichy who has left Arsenal today 'in pursuit of silverware ' is a big joke !
Mr Wenger you are to blame for such statements as it's your indulgence, protection of them whilst refusing to ever criticise them that has given those players an arrogant sense of entitlement whilst they fail to see or believe they contributed to the implosion of our season.
Half a good season in 3 years & Nasri believes he deserves better ! He obviously forgets for example Bolton away when his profligacy helped turn victory for the taking into a painful costly defeat.
Denilson is a player who has shown ZERO improvement at Arsenal but in fact deterioration instead. Clichy too often made glaring mistakes due to not being a defender FIRST, which have resulted in crucial conceded goals
Who will Clichy's replacement be ? ........... Gibbs ? .... Well he has the Arsenal disease of struggling to string a run of games together without injury absence. If not him & we bring in a replacement it won't be the most expensive option even if that option is the best immediate one. It will be a cheaper one no doubt who of course will need time to settle in rather than be able to hit the ground running.
Arsenal FC now have a ' BIG Club mentality ' when it comes to fleecing fans for more & more money but display a ' Small Club mentality ' when it comes to buying star players ready made.
I crave the buzz & excitement of a superstar & it just NEVER happens.
It's become as boring as our plodding sideways & back slow passing style which contrasts badly against the previously successful & eye catching swift passing & player movement.
The move to the Emirates was supposed to start a new era where Arsenal would compete with the biggest clubs in Europe.
As season number 5 in our new home is soon to begin, fans despairingly await such action.
Why when other clubs can swiftly conclude player purchases, are ALL of Arsenal's signings tortuos sagas ? One can guess it's because we always submit derisory bids for targets
Silence often says more than words ever can & in the week of players returning for pre season training you Mr Wenger have been conspicuos by your silence.
You usually are never short of a word to the media, holding court with them & pontificating on any matters in the game to people who reward you & the club by systematically trying to undermine Arsenal FC & report on the club in any negative way possible.
The fact you do that & the fact that yourself & the club has been silent this week has been a deep betrayal of the club's fanbase. Astonishing that in the light of a torrent of negative stories you have done nothing to allay the fears & serial disappointments the fans are having to endure.
There is no other 'big' club in World football that treats their fanbase with as much contempt & ignorance as Arsenal FC do.
Tonight Friday 8th July, Skysports triumphantly broadcast that Nasri has told the club he wishes to leave & that Sir Bobby Charlton has 'urged' him to join Manchester United. NO HE DIDN'T !! I watched his interview & Sir Bobby said he is a good player & that he leaves transfer dealings to the appropriate people. That's it ! NOT the anti Arsenal biased garbage that typically is broadcast by Skysports who have a permanent agenda against Arsenal FC.
What will Arsenal do in response to yet another example of this behaviour by Skysports ? .... NOTHING as always !!
I have always despised Alex Ferguson but at least he fiercely defends his club against the media even when he is unjustified in his complaint.
Late today Mr Wenger you have feebly & belatedly stated you will fight to keep Fabregas & Nasri.
The 'Spin Doctor' in you is exposed again by your obviously cosmetic nonsense statement designed to con us fans into believing you desperately wish to keep the 2 players.
The truth is you know Fabregas has gone & it's simply a matter of agreeing the sale. Also at this late stage you see £20 million plus for Nasri as a good deal & frankly I do agree with that for a sullen 'one half season ' performer with just a year left on his contract.
What I object to is that you are waiting for these deals to be done so you then have your transfer fund to spend belatedly on signings thus meaning YET AGAIN there will be no capital investment from the club in incoming transfers & you 'proudly' maintain Arsenal FC's transfer dealings in the black.
RIDICULOUS !! for a club of our size & financial resources especially as at this time serious investment in the team is desperately needed to particularly strengthen the Goalkeeper, Defensive & Defensive Midfield positions that have repeatedly been proven to be weak & lack depth of numbers, physical strength & quality.
I see that today you also trotted out a familiar statement about the long term injury player being like a new signing ! ......... ' “I think you can say already we have got Thomas Vermaelen, who did not play last season at all '. If you are going to continue playing the Spin Doctor at least please be ORIGINAL !
Whatever disagreements I have with decisions you have made, I had previously always thought at least you were a decent & honourable man.
The fact though you accepted a 20% pay rise to £6 million a year having failed to win a trophy throughout the duration of your previous contract is disgusting & only goes to prove you are being rewarded FOR financial management & NOT football management.
The disgraceful price rise on ordinary Arsenal fan tickets which already were obscenely priced is shameful at a time of economic recession.
That price rise on that sector of Arsenal Fan tickets cumulatively will cover the cost of the obscene pay rise you will receive over the course of your contract .....
SHAME ON YOU !!!!
The ' AKB ' say 'be careful what you wish for ' , well there are no guarantees in this game but I want a manager who is managing the club aiming to win silverware now & leaves the finances in the hands of the appropriate people. Mr Wenger you are delusional if you think the ' UEFA Fair Play ' rules are suddenly going to thrust Arsenal into an almighty position when they commence. Clubs will find ways of circumnavigating the new rules as Man City already have done with the ' Stadium Naming ' deal . All it takes for a club with a benefactor is for example to agree a sponsorship deal for say £100m & then the benefactor to secretly transfer a similar amount to the sponsor to add to the deal & hey presto ! it's a £200m deal. There will always be ways & means and I'm sure you know this but it's been a convenient ruse for you to hide behind. The likes of Platini have introduced the plan for their own future ambitions when they will require support. Ultimately UEFA don't want equality as if the best playing talent in the game is spread too thinly then mediocrity will follow.