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Sunday, June 29, 2008

Is it all Wenger’s fault this transfer activity?


By 1970’s Gooner

Arsene Wenger obviously knew what was coming when right after the last gasps of the League season he warned that his first priority in the transfer market would be to try and keep this team together.

For, when your club’s strategy is to rely mainly on youth and to “make the stars rather than buy them”, it is crucial that time through proper training and on the job experience be allowed to do its work.

And that is to impose the required maturity on all the young and talented players on the club’s books.

It is no surprise therefore that all of Arsene Wenger’s teams have been vulnerable to young and up coming as well as ageing stars been lured by the sirens blown by the bigger clubs, mainly from the continent.

Older players start getting itchy feet if the club doesn’t win anything of note either in the domestic scene or in the Champion’s League.

They realise they do not have far to go before they are put on the scrap heap. Like Hleb is going to do this year…Like Thierry Henry and Patrick Vieira did before him.


Younger players get itchy feet because their talents, given the chance to play and shine in the first team by Wenger, become so apparent in an Arsenal shirt, that they attract the bigger clubs offering them more money, status and the chance to win major trophies.

Trophies they may feel might not be achievable with an emerging team littered with young and exciting talents (like themselves).

Like Flamini did and Adebayor might do for example. As Anelka did years ago (and regretted it) and as Fabregas, Clichy and Van Persie might do if Arsenal remain trophy less for a few more years.

It looks that we the fans might have to endure more frustration since this type of situation is likely to arise with each transfer window for years to come.

This is because the two major factors that are underpinning this strategy and vision will likely be in place in the coming years.

The first one is Arsene Wenger’s own natural tendency to build teams up by relying on what he does best: spotting young and relatively unheard of talent (which might not be so young) and nurturing it to play the beautiful game.

This allows him to mould the players as he likes them to be but also makes a huge profit when he (ideally) disposes them in their latter and therefore not so productive years (see Henry and Vieira).

He also doesn’t have to break the Bank buying them in the first place thus not jeopardizing the financial viability of the club.

The second is the financial impact the new stadium is having on the ability of the club to fund major transfers.


The huge loan burden taken on to fund the stadium will need to be eased off before there are real surplus cash generated.

This is not expected to happen soon as the loan will have to be repaid over a very long term horizon (over 25 years).

It will be eased however in a few years time when the Highbury Stadium’s property development would come into final fruition and bring more cash to the club (which would then go towards alleviating the club’s loan burden).

The funny thing is that, whatever the state of Arsenal’s finances, Wenger will probably still do what he does best: “Make the stars, not buy them”

Which also means that we the fans will have to be ready to put up with more anguish and frustration every time a transfer window creeps near….


Arsene, take the Adebayor money and buy Arshavin

Arsene’s revised transfer plans?


16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Spot on mate. Lets all enjoy the good football while it lasts

Leon said...

I think the football industry is turning into a joke. There are very few players like clichy and fabregas who are loyal and humble. I can't be bothered watching money hungry egos anymore.

As for Adebayor leaving...big deal. Wenger will replace him easily. Hope he does go though.

Anonymous said...

The answer is 'relatively' simple, the team should be a mix of young and experienced. For the last few seasons our priority has been to sign youngsters and let the experienced leave. The team cries out for three quality, experienced players - sign them and we will be right up there with Moan U - but alas, that won't happen. I do seriously think Arsene has pretty much taken Arsenal as far as he can as manager. I would love to see him move upstairs and oversee the youth/scouting at the club as that is his forte. His reluctance to sign top quality players is a weakness and has undoubtedly cost Arsenal over the last few seasons.

Anonymous said...

Hey Fab is already getting what they want thats y he is completely loyal but its paper talk anyway they have no choice only the club

Anonymous said...

Gte real man. Every time similar speculation happens. so called financial experts like yourself analyse the situation to death. F O. You are including the others such an A H. trying to link the stadium with tranfer market. The situation is this. We DO NOT HAVE A SHORT TERM BENEFACTOR. PERIOD. IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE WHO THRIVES ON THIS ON THIS TYPE OF FOOTBALL I SUGGEST THE TOU F O TO ON OF CLUBS THAT OFFER YOU SHORT TERM GRATIFICATION. OTyherwise if you call yourseld a ARSERNAL Supporter than behalf like the other ten thousand clubs in the world and the world revolves roun d them NOT THE STEROID DRIVEN CLUBS. So if people like Ade or his counterpart Ronaldo wan ts to leave I would say get lost. The world would be abetter place without your sort.

leon said...

the problem is in this age players have all the power not the club,if a player wants to go he is,the club just cant leave him on the bench,and players like and hleb wants huge contract based on season and are not very loyal.most of the players at arsenal are happy there and have signed ne contracts.

i keep on hearing that we cant compete with top teams in terms spending but we dont need to. with the vast scouting network that wenger has he can get alot players on the cheap,and theplayers we already have gained a huge amount of experience,people are confusing age with experience,just because you are young does not mean you not experienced,i would like ade to stay but if he asking over 100million a week them i say let him go. if you look at chelsea how many of those players are loyal to the team, it should not be all about money and for most players at arsenal its not.

Anonymous said...

O was pretty devastated last close season when henry left the club. Couldn't believe it.

We were supposed to sink into mid-table-spud-mediocrity. Instead the players flourished.

This close season, even with all the so-called instability, I don't feel any where near as desperate as last year.

Ade has not been around long enough to warrant anything other than a shrug.

Let's get £25mill for him and buy one or 2 with the ill gotten gains!

Wrighty7 said...

Good post 1970's.

I almost dread the summer sometimes. Over the last decade it just feels like who is going to leave not who are we signing.

It's frustrating because we want to compete with the big clubs in Europe not be dictated too by them.

What do you think 1970's?

Do you think we've become a "feeder" club in some repects?

Anonymous said...

A feeder club?

In what respect?

Viira? Nope, went coz Wenger wanted him sold.

henry? Gave us his best EIGHT FUCKING YEARS!

Anelka? Behaved like a dick and has regretted ever since.

Overmars; got his heaf turned by Barca and we made a killing, maybe with that one then.

Flamini; contract ran out, couldve gone anywhere.

Pires; Wenger wouldnt give him the extra year, shouldve done. Went to Villareal.

Sol' Lost the plot. Had his best years too.

Cashley; wanted more money, we got Gallas and money in return.

So, Wrighty7

What exactly fif you mean fella?

IMO, this AFC being a feeder club is bullshit, started somewhere in a tabloid and just as with most crap on the internet has manged to garner some sort of creedence.

Bollocks I say.

Anonymous said...

Calling us a feeder club is a lazy cliche - all clubs sell players. On the whole players leave on our terms and even when they don't we certainly know how to make the maximum money out of them.

Just as the departure of Henry allowed others to flourish, I'm sure the departure of Flamini, Ade or Hleb would do the same.

Anonymous said...

Good points... but all we need is a bit of luck (like keeping away from injuries during peak periods) this team has enough quality, ade is not really needed. Wenger surely will find a worthy replacement apart from him the transfer window situation is ok.

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