The News of the World’s interpretation of Arsene Wenger’s latest comments will doubtless be dissected on most Arsenal blogs later this morning. Don’t let the nonsense about us being a selling club for two decades deflect from the very clear message he is relaying to Emmanuel Adebayor.
“If I had the power to change anything basic in football, it would be the transfer system which makes mercenaries of players. If they are bad ones, they stay and, if they are good, they think only of leaving. I have fought for them to earn a very good living, but I impose respect for their contract upon them.”
Adebayor is about to learn, as Flamini did in 2006/7, that a good previous season does not entitle you to start dictating to the club in public. I have absolutely no problem with him or his agent talking to the club in the light of his thirty goal haul and asking for an improved contract. I do have a problem with that being placed in the public domain by one or other of them.
He must understand, however, that the club are within their rights to say, ‘Listen pal, two years ago you could not hit a cow up the arse with a shovel, but last summer we gave you a contract extension and a pay rise. Give us another big season to prove you are not another one season wonder and we will give you a deal that reflects your new status’.
Methinks Nicklas Bendtner is grinning the grin of a confident young man as he prepares to report back for training this week. He may just have moved up the pecking order at the Grove regardless of whether Adebayor stays or goes.
20 Responses to “Translation "Give Us Silly Money, Barca, And The Ungrateful Git Is Yours"”
Holic doesn’t this whole rant seem very un-wenger like. This would be suicide to mention this in public?
In all honesty stonroy I do not believe for one moment the first sentence of the quotes attributed to Wenger in that piece. “The strategy of the club is to sell every year and to buy less expensive players.â€
It looks like a slanted summary of what follows created in the mind of someone who is being mischievous, for whatever reason. Actually the rest of it makes a degree of sense if you put it into perspective.
I think he is saying if players continue to rock the boat then we will have no hesitation in selling them and replacing them. Sound business sense it makes too.
Everybody knows we have the refinancing of the £260million debt on the Cameldome to cover. That is not news to anyone, surely?
Yeah, very un-Wenger. If the money Barca are supposedly going to offer is correct we have to take it. Really don’t want to see Adebeyor wearing the shirt again. As far as a replacement goes I’d certainly give Bendtner a go. Yes he hasn’t the pace of Adebeyor but has the football intelegence Wenger likes. From the little I saw last year I’m sure he’d hit 20+ next season. Add that to a more mature Walcott, Vela (who knows?), Eduardo (later obviously), Nasri (presumably), a few goals our goal shy midfield and whatever additional gems Wenger promotes or brings in and I’d strongly fancy our chances for the EPL.
Regardless, I think Adebeyor has burnt is bridges. I also think he will be in for a big surprise at Barca who will not be as forgiving of his poor first touch. 30 goals I think surprised us all but as has been mentioned before, 6 came against Derby and there were two spells during the season where his contribution was negligable.
This is not to say I don’t rate the guy, he would improve under Wenger and has the capacity to be unplayable. Maybe a look over to the West at Anelka would have been advisable before he started shooting the shit.
Arsenal have to come out and say something on this one. A clubs image is way too important in attracting the quality players to let this one go off quietly.
the financing of the debt comes out of the increased revenue generated from the additional seating at the emirates. The first line has the stench of Deinery all over it. To be more pre\cise, I can smell a particularly unattractive new scent called “Eau de Uzbek Gangster”…..
Totally agree ‘Holic. Absolutely no way that is a direct quote.
Ade – you unfaithful b***ard. What happened to the ” I will play for Arsenal for free” . Makes you look stupid now, doesn’t it?
We supported you through the days you were shite and now you’ve grown too big for your boots. Get ready for the boos at Nou Camp – they are hardly as forgiving as the Emirates faithful.
C*nt.
Won’t Arsenal’s debt problem be substantially be reduced when the money for Highbury flats start to come through?
I know Wenger didn’t say any of this but what is this about “the next 17 years” ? 🙁
If we were now officially a ‘selling’ club AW would not anounce it to the world via NotW. It is clearly a submissive stance toward the vultures circling Adeego and Pleb, he wants them out, if he wanted them he would have offered them new contracts like he did for Clichy and Sagna, simple. Neither of these mercenaries are Wenger type players, Arsene looks for humility and team ethic, and both these two have spent the summer talking through their agents while publicly ‘kissing the badge’
I can’t imagine in a million years Wenger would want to work with Jabba and whatever statemnts he makes are purely to enact a result to a plan he has cooked up.
The quote does not sound like a Wenger at all. Especially not with the Adebayor saga hanging around like a pair of wet socks on a radiator. But having read the piece, it appears that he did say that, but i think that your headline seems to be the real sentiment.
Adebayor, in truth, could and should have got at least 50 goals last season especially with Cesc laying the ball on a plate for him time and again. He did end up with 30 and that is a good return, especially when you think that RVP and Eduardo were out for huge chunks of the season. Yet some things he does on the pitch do not seem right. He thinks he is Henry, yet the only real comparison is that he can sulk like the great man. A guy that could not hit water from a boat a year ago does not become a world class plaer in a season. It certainly took Henry 3 seasons to get there.
Bottom line is that i do not think Adebayor is anywhere near world class, nor do I think he ever will be, but if Barcelona want to offer £30M for him I will be dancing through the streets with joy, firstly at the money received and secondly because we got rid of a guy who doesn’t have a clue how good he has it.
I’m not sure I believe this. I wonder if various quotes have been taken out of context and constructed to provide a PR piece for Red & White holdings?
By admitting you are a selling club, you just invite more unscrupulous operators to target your best assets. How could he possibly hope to hang on to the likes of Cesc and RVP with that kind of defeatist mentality?
Unless he has been told to sell a certain someone by the board, which I cannot believe, it just does not gel with all his comments about keeping the team together and making the improvements, which will lead to domination. You cannot talk about domination if your strategy is to sell players as soon as their value rises.
I agree with a lot of the posters. I think that his quotes were taken well out of context. Now I am not an expert in bank loans, but can you imagine having to pay back that amount that is quoted (24 mil per annum) for 17 years???!
Ok – Adebayor – He isn’t Henry, but give the man a new contract already. If 30 Mil is on offer, it’d be hard to turn down.
Bendtner isn’t ready for a full season. I still like Falcao from River as a replacement, but I really doubt that that will happen. Two footed, shoots outside of the area, links up play, great touch, good in the air, overall, I think that he is better than Ade (or will be)…Please Wenger – He would be the man to replace Ade if he goes!
Our operating profit is up £40m, so the stadium is paying for itself. We always sell high with a player on the wane and buy low with a player on the up. How is this news? The invincibles squad was built on the back of huge windfalls for Overmars, Petit and Anelka.
Wenger saying this things!!!! will never happen and for that lazy guy Ade, leave we will never forgive you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Paper talk, abebayor should now leave, he has burned all his bridges with us supporters that put their money where thier mouth is. I watched him 27 times last season up and down the country as did many others and this is how the greedy so and so repays us after spending our hard earned. I for one am starting to get sick off the rubbish written about Arsenal. As if wenger said that for godsake. We have 80 million cash flow for new players and wages. Hardly a selling club, if Barca wanna waste more money on Arsenal players let them. Ade will be replaced by a 20 year old international, who is a much better footballer and I am starting to think that the Adebayor who nutted Bendnter is the real Adebayor.
*gapes open mouthed*
Totally agree with gunnerb. Ade has a history of causing trouble from his time playing with togo to nutting bendtner.
Get the 30mill for him and laugh our arse off when he struggles for barca!
Also with bendtner, RVP, Walcott, vela, nasri and later eddie we will do fine! Maybe snatch Huntelaar from the Manc scum like we did with Ramsey.
Where is Jackster?
Like most on here, I dont believe these quotes. Goes against everything Wenger has been building so far. As for Ade, I wouldnt be very unhappy to see him play for Arsenal next season. It will take time to forgive him for his words over the summer. I think the strategy was to place the selling price so high that it would dissuade other clubs from buying him, which shows that Wenger & the Board have every intention of holding on to him. Despite which, if Ade still wants to leave, Arsenal will still make good money on the deal. A win-win situation.
Bendtner vs Ade…… every time someone has been linked with Big Nic, he has told them straight, that he is AN ARSENAL player. Where as Ade just flashs his vagina at anyone willing to insert money into it