Adieu Mathieu – A Spurned Admirer Writes
May 5th, 2008 by 'holic
Earlier I had prepared a more reasoned piece, but the server fell over and along with it went my considered appraisal of Matty Flamini.
It covered his arrival from Marseilles in 2004 and the circumstances were not entirely different from his departure. The French club were far from amused.
It covered his early appearances in centre midfield. He was workmanlike but far from the finished article. I described the arguments I had with friends at the time that he should fill the ‘Parlour’ role on the right, or maybe even play at right-back.
It picked up on the contribution he made as a stand-in left-back in the run to the Champions League Final in 2006. Still I wonder, if we hadn’t played the vastly over-rated Cole ahead of him in the Final, would he still be here today?
There followed a season where he allegedly refused to pay at left-back, and rightly found himself behind Gilberto and Fabregas in the pecking order for a regular place. At the seasons end stories emerged of him buying out the final season of his contract and he was linked with a move to Birmingham.
Luck was about to smile on him as Gilberto recovered from skippering Brazil during the summer, Flamini was promoted to partner Cesc in the opening games. He didn’t look back. The ugly duckling quite clearly transformed into a swan during the course of this season.
Part of me is pleased for him, and I was prepared to wish him well on his departure. However, my understanding of the contract situation is that he is our player until the end of May. Seeing his photograph in a Milan shirt on their website along with the details of his signing is both premature and provocative.
If that is all he thinks of us then he can go. Obviously Hleb was not the only player who enjoyed a tasty ice confection while we were humiliating the reigning European Champions in March.
So thanks Matty for a fabulous couple of seasons. We were so close to achieving something special this year, and I had hoped you might stay for the sum of money that caused our second-rate left-back to swerve off the road. Obviously you are driven by something other than any feeling for Arsenal and the supporters who took you to their hearts.
I understand you are a professional, and the money on offer was more than you would have made by repaying the debt you owed Arsene Wenger, Arsenal Football Club, and its supporters.
By the way, if we get the opportunity to give your new employers another bloody good dicking next season, don’t expect to receive a friendly welcome. Take the money and run fella. Thanks, but no thanks.
26 Responses to “Adieu Mathieu – A Spurned Admirer Writes”
players can sign contracts in the last 6 months of a previous contract i think, like beckham did.
Not shocked and not that bothered he has gone. He has been here 6 years now and it is only this season he has established himself. He has worked hard this year and covered every blade of grass. But that does not make him a top player. In my opinion it covered up his lack of quality. 3 goals all season and not strong enough to protect the back 4. I do not blame him for making the move. It would have been nice if he was a bit more honest about it and had shown the club a bit more respect but that is just modern day football I guess. As you point out, look at how he joined the club? If we are honest, if someone had told us back in August that we were starting the season with Flamini as Cesc’s partner then more than a few of us would have raised an eyebrow. I can not see him being anything more than a fringe player at Milan. Their version of a Steve Sidwell. A season or two of playing now and again before heading for pastures new. He has had a great season, but I for one am not convinced that he will repeat it. We have a reputation of getting the best out of players. they move on and it all goes belly up. Diaby, Denilson, Gilberto or a new signing for next year? I think Gareth Barry would fit in perfectly next to Cesc??????? Onwards and upwards.
Flamini you greedy bastard! Wenger and Arsenal made you and this is how you repay us/him…rot in hell you prick! The cheek of him doing a lap of honor at the emirates knowing he was going to be on a flight to Milan a few hours later!! Wanker!
I dont see why we are upset-he has done nothing wrong. He has given 100% everytime he played, and honoured his contract. We cant ask for more than that. We were all laughing when we got Sol Campbell like this, and the likes of Merida, Cesc, Flamini himself and others like Anelka were all signed on the cheap as they were no longer contracted to their clubs.
Let’s face it, we are one of the smaller big boys in Europe and Milan are an institution. A chance to play for them doesnt come around easily and the money he is getting will far exceed what Arsenal offered/could offer. Its not just his weekly wage, its the signing on fee-basically the clubs pay the player a transfer fee that they didnt have to pay the clubs. Thats why Sol was only on 45K a week but due to the signing on fee it worked out to something like 100k, making him at the time one of the highest paid players in the world.
Good luck Matty, you were a great servant for Arsenal Football Club.
We must not forget that the EPL is considered the best in Europe. Maybe FlimFlam just thought he couldn’t hack it here and with Arsene’s youth policy he maybe was frightened that he would always be looking over his shoulder at younger up-and-coming competition for his place.
I reckon he’s taken a step down to an easier life and a bit more dosh.
Sad that he’s going b/c I liked his effort and style of play, but he is replaceable. Our defensive record wasn’t that great anyway on Flamini’s watch, and the next player who gets the job has a big opportunity to improve. Someone more physically intimidating would be good to put some fear into our opponents. Same goes for Hleb – he has some skill but no end product, and thus is replaceable. Can’t someone take Rosicky off our hands while we’re at it? Let’s get more results-orientated players.
Fact is you lot were trying to off load him last year, you boss had no concern that he palyed excellently at left back.
He repaid you in kind.
Dont get sentimental Reg got it wrong
Arsene F(feeder)C(lub); perennial cheapskate underachievers. Goodbye Hleb, Fabregas and Van Persie in advance; who can blame you when you rightly want to win trophies? Thanks for letting us enjoy your skills at least for a couple of seasons before we groom you for the really big clubs instead of the pretenders like we are.
Well said mate.
No-one is bigger than the club we love. Not even Arsene who we all love (and if any of the newbie “emirates” twats are starting to question our manager could you please not renew ur season ticket / club level seats next year you embarrassing muppets).
Bye bye Matty. Enjoy the dosh. Hope we get you next year in the CL and spank you. But hey, you may not even start but who cares, ur still getting paid more.
Thanks for a great season and your tireless committment. You were great but you are replaceable.
Only wish you were a bit more respectful, nay honest, to the fans on the lap of honour after the Everton game.
Running into the corner of gooners at white hart lane and giving it large was great, but ultimately bullshit right?
Cheers mate.
Won’t boo you but certainly won’t clap you.
We’ll see how it pans out a la your career.
Seriously now, 60,000 extra for EVERY week? considering he might not really have to talent to be a world-beater, it’d be foolish for him not to take the offer. But the way he held himself out waiting for a higher offer (which he finally got) was very disrespectful indeed.
This, and the situations with Hleb, Cole and Henry are the reasons I’m seriously turning off football at such a high level, give me my local league over these primadona’s anyday. Loyalty is not a word in the vocobulary of any professional players these days, with the notable exceptions of Maldini and Totti. With Flamini gone, and Hleb likely going, I put money that Cesc will be gone soon with both his buddies jumping ship. Scum, the lot of them. Let Arsenal and Wenger make them who they are and then never repay his confidence and effort.
WELL SAID MR BLOG WRITER… VERY WELL SAID !
This is probably the only artice that you’ve written with some sense !
Fantastic article , holic!!
Though it makes sense why he left , it hurts that he made some shit statements like he wants to stay earlier this season. And that final lap around the stadium – what was that for c*nt?
You played your heart out every time you wore an Arsenal shirt and thats nothing great because that is what you are paid for.
As a supporter who adore you unconditionally can’t I expect a little more ? Can’t I expect a bit more for all the nights we were disappointed , down and defeated but still continued to sing your name?
Good stuff, ‘holic. As usual.
I noticed this though : ‘duing the summer’. 😉 ‘r’ you missing a letter there?
Right, off to the airport, cheers, see you next season.
I will have a word with my spellchecker Ollie, thanks. 😉
Alex, During the last six months of a contract a player may sign a pre-contract agreement to join another club. That is what Flamini should have signed yesterday if my understanding of the rules is correct.
Splitting hairs I know. It won’t affect the outcome but to have him unveiled on the Milan website in that shirt while he is still our player is disrespectful at best.
Yes, I’m being irrational. That’s because, unlike Flamini, I still feel deeply for this club and it hurts to see someone act in the way he has.
Great points by Steve T and Greg about our defensive record with him in the side. Thanks all.
Agree ‘holic. I can’t fault his effort while he played for us, but he is not irreplaceable because he was more about hard work than skill.
I am not happy though about the way he strung the club and fans along all season saying he wanted to stay when he clearly had no intention of staying. He knows his limitations so he has decided to cash in, I can’t blame him for that, but I do feel aggrieved about how he went about it. He has lost a lot of respect as a result and I just can’t wish him well in the circumstances.
Ollie the jetsetting subeditor to Arsenal blogs worldwide.
Pretty much summed up my feelings there ‘holic.
As a lifelong Arsenal fan with an Italian background, allow me to clear a few things up. I hear that Flamini was offered this contract by Milan around six weeks ago, very shortly after the game at the San Siro. In any case, Flamini was ready to sign some time ago and only delayed it so that he did not disrupt our season while we were still challenging. There may have been a doubt or two, maybe had we won something it may have have been different, but the truth is that Flamini would have left for AC regardless of the money.
The underlying issue is that we, as a club, are not quite in the same bracket as AC Milan in terms of prestige. As much as it is painful to admit this, we need only look at the great players past and present at our football club, and the clubs they aspire to be at. Luckily Wenger has often let players leave when the time is right for us, but Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry, Marco Overmars, Emmanuel Petit…these guys all wanted to leave Arsenal for bigger clubs. English players generally aspire to join a top four premiership club. Once at Manchester United (with the notable exception of David Beckham) they will only drop down a level. Foreigners aspire to play for the Real Madrids and AC Milans of this world, hence why we are greeted with summer after summer of transfer speculation in relation to our best players. Players don’t aspire to play for Arsenal. A European cup and consistency in the league may change this, but until we are in that very top elite in terms of prestige, these transfers will continue to happen.
And by the way, regarding his opportunities at Milan, I’d just like to put paid to the suggestions of some Arsenal fans that Flamini will not be playing – he will be starting games for Milan. Gattuso will be used sparingly in more of a Makelele type schedule next season (if he is still there) but Flamini is likely to be the first choice ahead of Ambrosini. Milan are likley to play Pirlo, Gattuso and Flamini in the centre, with one more midfielder further wide and Kaka just behind Pato. He will not be a fringe player.
As an Arsenal fan it is hugely disappointing to see him leave as with this year of experience, next season he has every chance of being the best in the world at his position. He would have been absolutely perfect for Arsenal and Arsene blooded him this season, dropping a world cup winner beyond repair and selling a potentially massive talent in order to accomodate him. Wenger must feel his trust has been misplaced, but AC Milan was just too big for Flamini to turn down. It is a shame to lose one of the shining lights of this season, and I can’t help but think that we will take a step backwards unless we have a proven premiership replacement in mind. Settling in periods will cost us, Wenger needs to get this one right…Although I have a suspicion that he is planning to use Song in central midfield next season.
If any of you were offered close to double your salary to do the job you do now at a huge rival company would you turn it down? As supporters, we have to get over this sanctimoniius idea that the players are too, they’re not. Flamini does not support Arsenal and has had a huge offer to play for a huge club having served his contract in its entirety. I agree with Holic, having his picture taken in the Milan shirt was disrespectful with him still on Arsenal’s payroll and with a game still to play. Flamini has only exercised his rights, hasn’t been discourteous to the club and given his all in every game. Also, the boy isn’t daft, he’s got a law degree and I would wager he’s a savvy negotiator. If any of you can honestly tell me you wouldn’t do that in your own current jobs, I’d be suspicious.
Good article `holic.
Its always a shame when a favourite player leaves.Flamini always gave us one hundred percent in games and in the modern game thats about all you can ask.
The days of one club players at the top level have become a rarity.
Long term loyalty to clubs is now solely the province of the fans.
Personality wise I shall miss the Mad German a lot more.
Can I just say something to all those gunners saying that they would move for money also… Can we all stop equating a footballer’s job with any other job? I really don’t buy all this ‘footballers have to retire early’ garbage. When the offer on the table is in excess of £50,000 a week, comparisons to everyday blue collar jobs cease to exist. In one year footballers on this sort of wage earn more than the average person does in a lifetime. So can we stop being so understanding for the poor footballers who have to retire at age 35 while everyone else works until they are 65.
Money is difficult to turn down, I understand that, and there is no reason for us to expect loyalty from Flamini in the same way that we expected more respect from Ashley Cole (who only left for money). It is just a real shame that footballers are on this sort of wage to begin with. A huge financial package coupled with the prestige of playing for AC Milan is hard to turn down no matter who you are, and I think we are just all a little upset that he was allowed to walk away for absolutely nothing.
why do some blame him? why did not Arsenal renew his contract last year? is that because Wenger thought he was not good enough otherwise his contract would have been renewed, isn’t it? i guess if he was not good enough this year, Arsenal wouldn’t try to sing another contract with him and then he would become a free agent and had to find a pasture new himself. but now because he has been good for all season so Wenger wants to keep him at Arsenal but somehow still don’t want to give him what he deserves that he chooses to go to the club which seems to appreciate his services more and is willing to match his need. and you blame him? ridiculous!
TDP, to us turning down £50k a week to play for £70k a week seems trivial. How do you think it looks to starving children in war torn countries when a middle class British worker leaves a £25k job for a £32k job? It’s all about perspective. We look at footballers and are enraged at the sums they earn, we find it hard to imagine that people probably look at us in the same way, it’s easy to lose touch with that.
F ecking
L ittle
A rse
M oney
I s
N ever
I ncentive enough to leave the club that made you a star. Sorry you won’t be in the CL final next season.
Nicely written ‘holic, couldn’t agree with you more.
@Little Dutch: Flamini has a law degree?? You sure about that? Did he leave school and go to university when he was 15?