Arsenal fans have got rather a hate on for Arsene Wenger.
Sure, they’ve been annoyed before, but it would appear that they were just warming up, this time they’re really pissed.
Their beef, unless I have horribly misjudged the situation, is that they haven’t won the Premier League in 12 years and it has been 10 years since they made it to a Champions League final.
Even at face value, that beef seems ambitious.
Firstly, Arsenal have hardly spent the last decade or so bumbling about in the Premier League to no good purpose.
Like Aston Villa did, for example.
Secondly, no side has a divine right to win any of the various posts and paid that are up for grabs, domestically or abroad.
For further information have a cosy chat with any Manchester United fan.
Speaking of which…
When asked by the press this week, Poch said he wants to build a Slur Alex style dynasty of achievement at White Hart Lane.
“Why not? Sir Alex Ferguson is a very special person,” Pochettino said.
“He was given the security to build his legacy at Manchester United. I believe we are special too and we can build it here together. This club is special. I feel the love from the beginning, from the very first day. I am very happy to be here to hopefully achieve big things.
“I think the potential is fantastic, with the new stadium. I think the club is coming to a very tough period because we are building a new stadium and we may focus sometimes on that, but at the same time it is very exciting.”
In the time it has taken Daniel Levy to accidentally finally hire someone he doesn’t appear to want sack, Arsene Wenger has delivered a tidy haul to the Woolwich Wanders.
2 Premier League titles (2001/02, 2003/04), 5 FA Cups (2001/02, 2002/03, 2004/05, 2013/14, 2014/15) 3 Community Shields: (2002, 2004, 2014).
Oh, and Arsene was nothing less than pivotal in delivering a swanky new stadium.
Opposed to taking about it for 8 years, and then eventually blaming the lack of progress on a bloke who made kebab grills in an old cow shed in the next street.
The 66 year old told the press this week:
“When we built the stadium the banks demanded that I signed for five years.”
Which is a snappy retort to the Woolwich faithful who despise the manager having his claws sunk so deep into the club he may as well be called the CEO.
Whilst snide commentators seek to demean endlessly finishing in the top four as somehow a ‘poor man’s trophy, it is worth remembering all the Champions League football Arsenal fans have been treated to, the prestige that completion brings with its, not to mention its rather mesmerising revenue stream.
By grim contrast, Spurs won the Carling Cup once when the ball accidentally bounced off Jonathan Woodgate’s face.
The Spurs team that won that trophy was immediately disbanded, rumour has it some had bailed whilst the coach was still stuck in the Wembley traffic.
Arsene also commented on the nature of the grief he’s receiving.
“Some groups of people try to manipulate our fans, and I believe apart from an agenda, a personal agenda, a big ego, there’s not a lot behind it. I can understand the frustration of our fans.”
As an outsider looking in, I make Arsene Wenger right.
Any body of fans with Piers Morgan at the vanguard isn’t worth indulging.
Indeed, it was Morgan who was singled out for heavy criticism by the judge in charge of the Leveson Inquiry, Lord Justice Brian Leveson.
Commenting on his evidence, Leveson concluded that “Mr. Morgan chose his words very carefully when asked to speak about the Daily Mirror.”
Of one of Morgan’s replies to a question on hacking, Leveson warned, “This was not, in any sense at all, a convincing answer,” and summing up his testimony overall, described it as “utterly unpersuasive.”
Arsenal fans may wish to ask themselves this.
If you could rewrite history, would you have rather have had Daniel Levy running your club, or Arsene Wenger?
And if you say Wenger, then what logic is there in binning him now?
Make no mistake, I sincerely hope you do.
Because it’ll have been the most stupid thing football has witnessed for some considerable time.
