The Premiership is truly an international product.
Just been in the south of France for a week – and although the bars were televising a French league game – the vast majority had sets switched to the Live Premiership game.
Took a stand at an international property show, and nearby the city of Liverpool were showing off the European Cup. [Last year HOK Architects were showing off a large model of Ashburton Grove].
Talked to a member of the Liverpool FC staff, who said a couple of interesting things.
The Liverpool directors look forward to coming down to Arsenal “because Arsenal is a real football club.”
Among directors – Arsenal and Liverpool – Thierry Henry is regarded old school – a real gentleman sportsman. He said when Henry scored the first goal against Liverpool – ‘we were pleased because it was great football from a great footballer’. [So Thierry is an ideal person to span the old and the new and the transition from Highbury to Ashburton Grove.]
He felt sorry for Chelsea. He said before the current regime they were an OK English club – but he said the current image will stay with them years after the current set up has departed.
The Sunday Telegraph confirms the Premiership’s international trend. Karatina Sangok is forming a Masai Arsenal fan club.
“We set up this supporters’ club to make sure everyone knew about Arsenal, especially the children – you know they always go for United,” said Mr Sangok. “We were sick of Manchester United fans dominating the village,” he said.
The ST says: “Ever since a satellite dish went up in a ramshackle local bar, Premier League fever has swept Kedong in the same way as it has across much of the rest of Africa. The young men of Kedong (population 80), walk a mile through the bush to watch games at a local bar, where an entrance fee of a few pence earns them a place on a patch of baked earth in front of a dusty television set. Arsenal’s Kedong branch has now written a letter requesting official recognition from the club. It has also tried to improve the team’s recent mixed form with a Masai tribal magic ritual.”
Blimey away a week – and Arsenal are going to buy Barton, Torres, Zigic the tallest player in world football, Shaun Wright Phillips [no divers here please] the smallest player in the Premiership, and are being raided by the British Navy.
But first for our many American readers, Gol TV is doing a weekly show on Arsenal.
The press release says: “This will be the only means for fans in the US to chart Arsenal’s campaign in the FAPL, UEFA Champions League and Carling Cup. Each week the program will feature full match coverage of the weekend FAPL match with extended highlights from the most recent UEFA Champion League games, midweek FAPL matches or Classic Matches from Arsenal FC’s celebrated FAPL history. In addition, there will be extensive and EXCLUSIVE behind the scenes access and interviews with Arsene Wegner and his players.
The coverage is Mondays 4:00pm ET.
http://www.goltv.tv/
Also for the Amercian readers Arsenal fan and writer Nick Hornby is doing an American tour – and is on today and tomorrow. He says sports connects people the same way literature and music do.The News & Observer reports him: “I think it’s a very healthy thing, to be obsessed with the vagaries of a sport team,” says Hornby, on the horn from Indianapolis. “I think it does you a lot of good. It’s a really good way to keep connected to what’s going on in the culture.”
Those wanting to see him, he’s on at 7 p.m. Thursday, Page Auditorium, Duke University, Durham; 7 p.m. Friday, Great Hall, UNC-Chapel Hill. www.unc.edu/cuab
The Times reports the British Navy are looking for recruits among failed footballers: “If they don’t make it as an Arsenal player,” Admiral Sir Jonathon Band very boldly asserts, “they could still be ideal for the Navy.”
The Guardian says in Tangled Web, Patrick Vieira is on his way back to north London (“His heart is with Arsenal”) where he will be joined by Yaya Toure and Shaun Wright-Phillips [no divers here mate thanks], with Ashley Cole heading to Chelsea for pounds £36m.
The NoW says Arsenal have made contact with goalkeeper Mickael Landreau of Nantes. The Express reckons Arsenal have tied up a deal with 6ft 10ins Serbian Nikola Zigic, who is with Red Star Belgrade, as a result of trying to get him in the window (he was just too dam big).
Wenger knows RSB president Dragan Stojkovic, from his Japan days.[Where does this leaves Adebayor, if true?]
The Mail reckons Arsenal will go for Joey Barton and Fernando Torres in a £28m deal to placate fans if Henry goes.
Meanwhile the Kyodo News reports that Arsene Wenger is out of their reach as Japan national boss as they won’t be able to pay him nearly enough.
Meanwhile the latest odds: David Beckham is 3-1 to join Arsenal in the summer with bet365. Thierry Henry is 15-8 to still be at Arsenal next season.