Winning Over The Sceptics
Jul 24th, 2008 by 'holic
Anybody logging onto just about any Arsenal site in recent weeks cannot fail to have noticed the dramatic about-turn in most Gooners perception of Emmanuel Adebayor. That bad feeling manifested itself in the singing of the ‘Greedybayor’ song at Barnet last weekend. That was a first in my memory. I cannot remember a current Arsenal player being openly slated in a song. Boos and jeers yes, but not in a song.
I have to hold my hands up here and confess he has really plumbed the depths of my estimation as a result of recent events, but I have to say I could not join in that particular ditty when the serious business kicks off next month. If, as looks likely, he is still with us then he gets my (possibly less than enthusiastic) support.
If Adebayor is concerned with our perception of him then he might do worse than pick up a phone and call Willie Young. Did I hear you youngsters ask ‘Willie who’? A little background is in order.
Willie Young was a typical old-school centre-half who joined our neighbours in N17 from Aberdeen in 1975. He was signed by Terry Neill, a former Arsenal captain who had succeeded Bill Nicholson in the Spurs hot-seat. For a couple of years Young was a spiky opponent in North London derby clashes which were played in highly charged atmospheres.
When Neill departed the Lane to take over at Highbury it wasn’t long before he raided his former employers to snap up the big Scot. I will never forget his debut against Ipswich at Highbury. When Arsenal took to the park there was none of the usual enthusiastic greeting for the new man. By half-time he was being outwardly booed. Ipswich thrashed us 4-1 with Young clearly looking like a fish out of water. For a few weeks a collective groan could be heard when his name was read out.
Slowly but surely though Big Willie knuckled down, battled for the cause, and started to turn things around. It was predominantly his attitude that did it. You could see him straining every sinew for the side. His limitations were covered to a certain extent by the quicksilver O’Leary alongside him, but in an era when most sides still employed a battering-ram at centre-forward, Willie met fire with fire, and more often than not won the physical battles.
It helped that he also galloped upfield for some crucial headed goals from set pieces, and on one memorable occasion chipped in from the edge of the box to win a European tie against Hadjuk Split. By the time he appeared in the first of three consecutive FA Cup Finals in 1978 he had completely won over even the most cynical Gooner, and when he eventually left the club in 1981 he was snapped up by a shrewd judge of talent, one Brian Clough at Nottingham Forest. He had joined a clown and left an idol.
Now is the time for Adebayor to show that he is prepared to show a bit of maturity and knuckle down for the cause. Nobody is saying it will be easy, but if someone as poorly regarded as Willie Young could win us over, then a fella who has discovered the knack of scoring goals must have a fighting chance. It really is up to him.
51 Responses to “Winning Over The Sceptics”
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You would just not believe that I randomly popped in and saw an ‘opportunity for Jackster’ message elsewhere.
So there.
Arsenal have the potential, but can they do it? I wonder. A few patches in, and we have earned our credential. But what’s the motivation this year? Last year, they were hungry to prove something because Henry left, what do they really, really have to go out there and denie this time? Yet again, I wonder.
http://www.arsenalspot.webs.com
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrgggggghhhhhhhhh!
Ah, a good old proper ‘holic post.
Me like.
I’m not sure the comparison with Ade is valid in this case, but it’s a pleasure to read.
Ollie, I said Sceptics, not septics.
🙂
And why would you want to win over the Americans
This place is accursed for me
A big Nelson Muntz “HAHA!” @ Jacks.
Good point ‘holic. It’s definitely looking like Ade is staying. Barca and Milan have gone very quiet now and Ade’s name is starting to be mentioned again on Arsenal.com and ATV – they even showed pictures of him sharing a laugh with Eboue and Nasri at the training camp.
I really hope fans don’t boo him or sing the new version of the song only because this young team could be more affected by that negativity and that would be a real shame when they need all the support they can get.
I agree to a large-ish extent. I have been less than impressed too but that is the way of footballers these days, especially when you come from such an impoverished background as Adebayor does with close ties to family. The significance of money must be potent to someone who knows what it can be like when there is none.
I’m sure many fans will struggle to get behind him, and I can absolutely understand why, but I think if he bangs in the goals with anything like the frequency of last season, he’ll shoot right back up in a lot of fans estimations, at least in the short term. If he stays and gives his fullest effort (and if he still wants to leave eventually, he surely will, although I’m not all together convinced at the intensity of his supposed desire to leave) then he will play a pivotal part in our title challenge, and for that reason alone he deserves not to be booed by Arsenal fans. For ourselves more than anyone else. No good for the team can come of our first choice striker being booed.
Jesus, I cannot wait for the new season. Summer makes fans dwell on issues like this and it’s all a bit miserable, and not anywhere near as important as it’s made out to be. The lack of football just intensifies the interest in the issue. The same thing happened with the whole white kit saga last season. If you win in the San Siro with a beautiful performance by two goals to nil, who gives a shit what colour your kit is? Yet it was a massive deal to some blogs last summer and many wouldn’t let the issue drop. If kits were introduced at the turn of the calendar year, despite not making any sense, I doubt there’d be as big a furore about issues like that, and this.
It’s really a miserable time of the year.
There is one little problem with you theory holic. Young played 237 times for Arsenal over several years and only left after he lost his first team place. Adebayor will not be wearing the Arsenal Jersey for that long, nor does he care to. So fuck him.
Good article, personally the grown-up part of me insists that, come the new season, Ade should have our full support as we’ll only be damaging the team further by alienating him…but then we have such a right to be so angry, surely he’ll just kick up another fuss next summer – Young was at least committed to the cause!
To Arsenal fans everywhere:
Do not boo Adebayor, the effect on him AND more importantly the team, will be too detrimental to us. Whether you want to sing FOR him is a different matter. Just sing “One/Two or whatever” to the Arsenal each time he scores!
We have lost Lehamann, Gilberto, Flamini and Hleb; we have gained Nasri, Vela and Ramsey.
I trust Arsene’s judgement.
Great post as always Holic!
A pint of Pedigree? Oh, go on then.
fingers crossed he keeps his head down, grows his hair out, and keeps finding the high ball on corners and long passes from clichy/sanga. If anyone can win us over, I think it is the Togo-nator, although I do hope for a future where I get to see bendtner/rvp (or eduardo)
was willie young really a legend?
is he not best remembered for ‘that foul’ on the youthful Paul Allen in the ’81 cup final?
at least he was committed to the club for more than a season
fuck adi i hope he gets loads of abuse he fucking earned it
I’m just concerned with Ade, we knew he was a bit of a trouble maker when he was at Monaco, and again when playing for Togo he spat his dummy out. Didnt he miss the world cup in 2006 due to a spat?
My point is i hope he’s matured and will hit the grindstone hard a la Mr Young.
Just slightly worried the game has moved on SO much since Mr Young was sporting the beloved shirt, that Ade is (as a lot of the players are these days) driven by financial benifits and not determination and will to succeed.
BIG difference here is that Willie Young never alienated the fans by threatening to leave if he didn’t get more money (not that his performances merited it mind!)
I know it was a different time, money was not awash in the game the way it is today, however the point you are missing is this:
Once you open your mouth and threaten to leave the club if you aren’t paid more, the club we fans love, eat, breathe, live for, we know your heart isn’t init anyomre and no amount of ability will compensate for that.
We love players who ‘die’ for the shirt, give me a player wiht limited ability who will give his all for the team and be grateful he is playing for the mighty Arsenal over a pampered, ignorant, unintelligent and unappreciative twat any day of the week.
Ade has some ability but he has no first touch, just an average football brain (if he had squared the ball to Bentner v B’ham we’d be 3-1 up and may have gone on to win the league) and an inflated opinion of himself.
That’s not to say he couldn’t learn from his behaviour however as far as I’m concerned he has burned his bridges with the supporters. The only reason he will stay is beacuse no other club want him badly enough.
I will boo him if he stays, he is not welcome in ‘my club’, he’s a greedy man with no class.
Great blog today ‘holic.
It’s Friiiiiiiidaaaaaaay!!!
Very nice Blog today ‘holic. I wont boo Adebayor either. I shall just studiously ignore him. He doesnt have the strength of character that Big Willie had, so I have a feeling he will merely sulk for the rest of his time with us.
What the last two said. Excellent stuff ‘holic.
I’ll have a pint please barman.
A player clearly not trying is the only time that I could condone an Arsenal player being booed. Even then I don’t think that I could join in. I hope that Adebayor leaves but, if he stays, it would be detrimental to our prospects to boo our own players even though I share the distaste for Adebayor. I would find it difficult to stifle a groan if he is caught offside as much as last season though!
Great post `holic.
On the 27th of December 1976 Arsenal played Spurs at White Hart Lane.The result was a 2-2 draw.Willie Young was the Spurs centre-half.After spending most of the game kicking Malcolm Macdonald he was eventually sent off.Arsenal fans tried to attack him as he walked off.
Eighteen months later he was playing for us.Within months he was a hero.
Why?One word commitment.
Fans will stand most things from ther players.What we wont stand is lack of commitment.
When Willie Young played for us he gave his all.
Just ask Paul Allen.
Quick word about the pre-season games.
Wilshere we knew about.Very impressed with Coquelin.
Legend might be over egging the pudding slightly but he was definitely a favourite on the north bank. I remember this little ditty well.
Six foot two, eyes of blue,
Willy Young is after you.
I downloaded new AWAY KIT Screen Saver from arsenal website. And this screan saver is the same picture shown on the-cannon.com. Now the interesting part is tht there is no GREEDYBAYOR in there. there a ball in air but no one opposite to it!!!!!!!! I dont know whether it is a SIGNAL for his departure………………………
Excellent article ‘holic
Nice post! But if Ade had half the sense/commitment required to perform a ‘Willie Young’ he wouldn’t have public with his wage demands & retirement plans!
Willie Young. One of the most underated players of his era.
He had the brain of Keown, the nastiness of Keown but unfortunatley not the pace of Keown.
Where as O’leary could use his skill and pace to get himself out of the shit. Young would just take the man out.
Youngs motm perfromance against Spurs (where he played the whole of the second half with blood pouring from his forehead) was the game that finally won the respect of the fans.
I’m so sick and tired of hearing this garbage! Screw Adebaywhore, if he wants more loot than let him pack his bags and play for freakin’ Bayern Muncheads for all I care! I do not like his greed, I do not like his first touch, and I do not like his cruddy hair style! This is a young side, it needs steel and sorry y’all I don’t see this side getting anything this season; maybe if RVP can actually play 4 matches in a row before he breaks, & Rosey the Rivit’er too! Thats all folks!
I read that people were singing
Don’t blame it on the Henry
Don’t blame it on the referee
Don’t blame it on the injuries
Blame it on Eboue
near the end of the season. It’s a bit harsh, but it’s pretty much openly slating a current player in a song, so if that’s true then it does happen – it’s a catchy song, too…
Recently watching the 1979 FA Cup Final and I think the standout performance was big Willie Young. Everyone remembers Brady’s performance and the amazing finish but Willies battle with Joe Jordan was epic.Two hard men going at it the whole game.Jordan won an occasional battle but was mostly ineffective.
And who can ever forget the “pro foul ” on Paul Allen in the 80 Final. Kept us in the game at least.
Arsenal are screwed this year. I’m leaving the country and I don’t care about losing the season ticket I waited for for over a decade. Why? Arsene has lost it. The last great team he has, has faded, and he’s become infatuated with his own little goals over the team, i.e. devloping youngsters. His signings have been off. NONE as good as his first team. He says he will make two signings maximum – this is where I know he has failed. Our defense is ATROCIOUS and has NO HEIGHT in the MIDDLE yet even if he buys ONE defender it WON’T be enough. Our goalkeeper is lame. And he isn’t going to buy another goalkeeper. And, he’s building a team of midgets. Nasri and Vela – more midgets. We need height and strength in the premiership. Seriously, Wenger has no idea how to teach his team to defend. And here I rest my case, Arsene’s last chance to impress. I hope I’m wrong, but I strongly believe in what I’ve said.
I absolutely INSIST that Adebayor is booed and jeered at every opportunity (hopefully there wont be one).
This man is filth and should never have the honour of playing for us ever again.
About time Arsenal fans started standing up for OURSELVES. The club dont treat us with any respect so we have to respect ourselves and let the likes of Adebayor KNOW that he is not welcome.
As for the effect it will have on the team, well hopefully Wenger will get the message early on and not play Ade. I seriously dont believe he is the difference between us being successful and not sucessful so let’s take the chance to make a stand. And make other players know we wont tolerate this type of behaviour.
As unappealing as it is to boo one of your own players, who stilll considers Adebayor an Arsenal player in spirit? Hs conduct this summer has been a disgrace!
Has everyone forgotten he headbutted Bendtner and alledegly told him ”Im only on ‘cos you’re shit” ? He is trouble, always has been, always will be.
Do not let him find a way back! And lets only have players in our team who WANT to be there and respect what it means to be there.
(no comparison to Willie Young Im afraid, although I appreciate the sentiment of the article).
An outstanding history lesson “holic.
I must start visiting here more often.
I, along w/ 99% of all Gooners, am disgusted by Ade’s recent bullshit. However, at this point the BEST CASE SCENARIO is:
(1) he stays,
(2) he gives 100% effort, and
(3) he performs at a level similar to last year.
#1 seems likely. I think #2 is likely. I don’t know about #3.
In Wenger I (still) trust…
To Arsenal fans everywhere:
Do not boo Adebayor, the effect on him AND more importantly the team, will be too detrimental to us. Whether you want to sing FOR him is a different matter. Just sing “One/Two or whatever†to the Arsenal each time he scores!
I agree.
Nice site, ‘holic.
I’m afraid that I can’t see Adebayor having the right reaction in all of this. With the money now present in the game and the distance that players have from reality and the fans, I think Manu is perhaps not one of those players that will react in the right way. He has a history of what he is doing now:
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11816_2343389,00.html
We need him to turn this into a positive in the same way that Ronaldo did when he was ready to leave following the 2006 world cup incident with Rooney. However, Ronaldo’s quarrel had nothing to do with money and Adebayor will be staying with considerably less money than he was demanding. This feeling that he has failed to get what he wants may not be enough to spur him on to better things for Arsenal.
Nice post ‘Holic. I have to say that when Adebayor has played for us, he has given us 100% effort and I think he will do that still. I’m not happy about the way he has acted this summer but if he works hard and still gives his all for in matches, I think I can forgive him. He is still a young man who’s mind can be influenced by the greed of agents and others around him. Maybe Adebayor can continue being the player we saw last year. Maybe he will work to earn back the fans’ respect. I think for now I am prepared to give him that chance. He’s going to have to stay, so he might as well put his head down and get to it. Cheers.
Good Article, although I don’t see the comparison of Young With Ade. Young was disliked at first because of his scum conections and inability to perform. Ade is now disliked because of his mercenary attitude not lack of ability. I think a situation like Young is better compared to Giles Grimaldi, who when he first joined didn’t seem cut out for Premiership style football but by the time he left (and I dare say still today) he was a bit of a fan favorite. The reason being like Young he learned to get stuck in and play like a trooper. As for Ade the fans feel hurt…Money more important than wearing the red and white shirt?…Ludicrous…it just doesn’t make sense to us! Especially when you are already eanring 30k a week for that privilage.
Interesting article Holic. Though Willie was at Arsenal when I was not a supporter, I understand your attempt to make some kind of sense out of all this behaviour from Ade. However, the point made by Aus Gunner about Ade’s poverty ridden origins, also rings a strong bell.
There is a professional athlete who played with the NFL team, the New York Giants. His last name is Shockey. He not only wanted more money but acted out if the ball was not thrown to him. A genuine pain in the arse but a good football player. He was traded last week to another team.
I have strong reservations about Ade’s influence in the change room. I would like to see a deal done – perhaps to the Siberian Lap Dog League.
fuck off donjohnni you yid cunt leaving the the country see you in n17 when the time comes
donjohnni see you outside the twelve pins august 16 im the gooner
What I wouldn’t gladly PAY to play for Arsenal – to put on that beautiful kit and run on the pitch at the Emirates. Ade’s blood doesn’t run red, it runs green. So fuck him for a few quid.
Willie was a real warrior forthe cause! He actually wasnt that slow for his time but his running motion was so much like an accident waiting to happen he just looked out of place and down right uncomfortable at all times.
2 fucking assists. greedy in more ways than one!
Is there any wine left?
Not much, I’m afraid KTb,
I will head to the vintner tomorrow to stock up, I promise 😉
That said, I’ll never like Silvestre. Even if he scores a hatrick each and every game. It’s just not in me to hate someone so much and change my opinions