Thank you, Arsene
Sep 7th, 2007 by 'holic
My last post ended with the expressed desire that Arsene Wenger would sign a three year extension to his existing deal. Like a few others , it would appear, I had heard the rumours. I have heard such rumours before and this time have waited for the official declaration on .com, or .con, or Pravda, or whatever you would like to call it.
Finally, it is here.
There are those with short memories who try to argue that the last couple of seasons mark a period of decline for Arsenal. No, really! One of them has a drive time radio show with a former Gunner and he needs to attract an audience. More worryingly some are Arsenal supporters, usually of a recent vintage who are not used to seeing us languishing in fourth place, and they mean it!
In my time I have followed the efforts of managers since Billy Wright. I have been amazed at the success enjoyed by Bertie Mee, then astonished when we did not dominate during the reigns of Terry Neill and Don Howe. George Graham has restored my faith, then driven me to distraction. Apparently Bruce Rioch was around for a bit, before he went to be number two to Stewart Houston. Then came ‘Arsene Who?’
Every time I read that phrase, ‘Arsene Who’, I want to make with the invective. I want to use the words that Arseblog uses to brilliant effect. I am old school, however, and have to settle for quiet indignation. Oh, how I would love to call someone a four letter word!
Wait, I can!
Arsene Wenger, I have a four letter word for you. ‘Idol’. In fact I have a five letter word for you, ‘Magic’. Yet the word that best sums you up for me has six letters.
LEGEND.
Thank you from all Gooners for signing on the dotted line once more. Thank you for those three Premier League titles you have already won. Thank you for the four FA Cups you have treated us to. Thank you for the Champions League Final you took us to, and of course the next one that we WILL win. Thank you for giving us the bunch of kids that humiliated almost everybody in the Carling Cup last season. Thank you for Shenley and the Grove.
Most of all though I would like to thank you deeply and most sincerely for producing three different sides who have given me the most enormous pleasure. I would like to pay tribute to you for the standard of football that ‘my team’ has played over the last decade.
In the days of previous managers’ we have been challenged as supporters. Could we follow a team that played great football even if it didn’t necessarily win things every year? For my part we have the answer, and I have to confess I am surprised.
Arsene, you have set standards and expectations at an extremely high level. Thank you for extending your stay, and hopefully in the time that remains you can achieve your ultimate goals. It’s a bloody great day to be a Gooner.
Oops, pardon my language!
13 Responses to “Thank you, Arsene”
I really think you summed up things rather well, i would have used ‘magic’ and ‘legend’ meself to describe the Prof.. A very invigorating read indeed!
Heres to more great years under Arsene!
Come on you gunners!!!
Arsene puts the beautiful in the beautiful game.
Amen brother!
When all is said and done it’s not the silverware (welcome though it is) but the breathtaking football, that sums up Arsene Wenger, the Legend. Much as I admired George in his time, anyone who recalls his type of football will know what I mean.
Well said. Here’s to another ten years.
Couldn’t agree more – brilliant!
Three cheers for Arsene, the gentleman, the scholar, the genius. For me, the most dissapointing thing about losing the CL final was that Arsene deserved Arsenal to win it whilst he was at the club. There’s still hope for that now. So don’t let us down with you prediction ‘holic that we WILL do it!
Pompey last week was so exciting, had Arsenal played so well in the last two seasons? I’m so bloody excited about the season ahead, oh to be a Gooner!!!
Class, dignity, integrity, vision……a few more words you can attribute to Wenger. His interview made such excellent reading, and makes me proud to be a gooner.
Spot on! 15 years into my support I witnessed that night at Anfield, a moment I honestly thought I’d never see. God bless you GG. Nearly twenty years on I find myself bearing witness to the genius of Wenger, a club almost unrecognisable to the one I followed from the mid seventees but still upholding the traditions that I beleive make Arsenal special. To support Arsenal is a privelege and I for one am enormously proud to be a Gooner.
All I can say is Arsenal have made their best signing after the transfer window closed.
Although I have to say that I was holding out for him signing on the pitch at three point lane just before kick off. 😉
I think eventually we need to get Arsene on the Board so that the club can continue to benefit from his genius.
Well said. A true legend, and as has been said already maaaaaaaaany times now, this is the best signing Arsenal could possibly have made this summer. As Arsene has said the club is his life, so is Arsene the club. He has shaped and moulded the club in his image and into his vision, and who are we to argue with that, with the great football and fantatic infrastructure that we now have in place thanks to him.
I put it to you all that instead of Cesc being the talisman of this club, it is Arsene, players would walk over hot coals to play for this man, and to participate in the brand of football he encourages his charges to express…
»»Arsene Knows««
Thank you guys for your comments. I cannot begin to explain how important it is that Le Boss stays around. The man is close to achieving something quite special I think, but even if he doesn’t he has given us all something to remember.
Couldn’t agree more with the post. Would any true Arsenal fan rather have a different manager? It’s eerie how these youngsters are coming up in the way the Double team and the Invincibles did — in retrospect it was genius to shed Pires, Bergkamp, Henry, and Ljungberg, much as I loved them. This is the third wave, and I’d guess three things:
1) It could be the best
2) The trophies could start coming this year.
3) It’ll be Arsene’s last.
Arsene knows.