From Melvyn : AKB v AOB
Hi Myles,
I haven’t corresponded for ages as I have been sitting on the sidelines watching the sad demise of a once very good manager, who has managed to redefine success, and whose only ambition appears to me to be getting a bigger bonus each year and feeding a very profit-hungry (but certainly not success- hungry) owner.
I have, however, still been avidly reading your articles and going to most games.
One of the most fascinating things about football is the divergence of views of the supporters.
Giroud being a perfect example, as some supporters love him and others (like me) think he is mediocre at best and is not really suited to Arsenal’s style of play.
I have also been musing a lot recently as to what defines an AKB or an AOB, as it seems AW has split the Arsenal supporters right down the middle.
So is an AKB someone who has a steady job on the shop floor or a managerial role with a desire to do his or her job well but no ambition to do any better and is very grateful for any bonuses he or she may receive. This person would look at AW and think this guy is doing his best for Arsenal and any silverware he brings to us is a massive bonus, as we have no God given right to win things.
Are the AOB people who own businesses very driven towards success and believe that Arsenal Football Club as one of the biggest clubs on the planet and certainly one of, if not the, most expensive clubs to watch football should have as its target regular Premiership titles and Champions League winners.
This is obviously far too simplistic, as I know of many people that don’t fit the profile above .
It does however constantly do my head in hearing the AKB’s say we should be grateful for whatever AW serves us up as he has a limited budget (which is a flagrant lie) and he did bring us success 15 years ago!
As much as Arsenal supporters hate Ferguson and Mourinho, I am certain both those guys would have won back-to-back Premiership titles and Champions League had they have managed the “Invincibles” side.
I would be fascinated to hear your view.
Finally, as an aside, I was at Twickenham on Saturday supporting England (which I believe is the Rugby equivalent of the football team known as Engerland) and during the Australian National Anthem an English fan, who had clearly drunk a lot of beer, turned around to give some lip to the Australians sitting nearby, and was immediately given a clip round the ear but a late 60’s year old lady sitting next to me.
He immediately turned around to her and the Australians and apologized – how refreshing was that, it would never happen at a football match!!
Best wishes.
Myles says:
Great to hear from you again after so long, Melvyn.
Mourinho and Ferguson were not afraid to shout at lazy footballers who were not concentrating and not doing what they were told to do.
It’s a man’s game with a lot of shouting but the Professor created the Colney Crèche where only one voice was heard and where, while many footballers improved hugely, stability too often melted into complacency.
The gap between a good Arsenal performance and a bad performance is too big too often.
Would Chelsea or Man United ever lose a game against a rival by 8-2?
Mourinho and Ferguson managing The Invincibles?
I never think about things like that because they’re too hypothetical.
So I would only say this: both would have loved Bergkamp but neither would have built a team round an athletic artist like Thierry Henry, who never went for a 50-50 ball.
I know a helluva lot of Arsenal supporters and they’re right up there among the most decent and reasonable people in this United Kingdom. These fans deserve more than they will ever get from Silent Stan.
At Twickenham, I always thought Wales and Australia would have more flair than England.
Even when England were holding a narrow lead over Wales up to the last few minutes.