From Neil Heffernan: Why Wenger must stay
Went about writing an email many times in the last few days, but thankfully Nigel Bidmead put into words what Icouldn’t.
Neil H (Irish guy was in China,now in Albuquerque, New Mexico, but still have my 50% share in a season ticket, and don’t plan on giving it up anytime soon).
From Bill Robertson : Bidmead
Am I going to call for the head of the best manager we have ever had? NEVER
So explain how anything is going to change Mr Bighead, sorry Bigmead.
Is Gazidis suddenly going to grow a pair and tell the Ego he has to amend his approach?
From Jeff Morrison : Nigel
Ah, thanks for that. As an American, a lack of patience and the need for “what I want when I want it” from people despite whatever they’ve done for me in the past is a cultural flaw of ours especially.
I’m frustrated with Wenger for a lack of learning from mistakes and failures, but this article succinctly lists his accomplishments and another way to look at what he’s ‘almost’ achieved recently.
Must admit I also see a lot of good points in the mock article from Alex to Arsene too however. Truth, as always, lies somewhere between.
But calling for Arsene’s head is out of order.
From Paul Hogan: Why Wenger must stay by Nigel Bidmead
I was holding fire until the end of the season but now that Nigel has summed up my own thoughts rather nicely, I may as well break cover.
The squad’s weaknesses have been well documented elsewhere but the anti-Wenger brigade, that you head up, Myles, seems sadly representative of a culture of instant gratification that has overtaken the game, and indeed society at large.
What feeble memories many of your contributors have if they can’t recall what watching Arsenal was like before Wenger arrived.
Stand strong, Arsene, and continue to give the likes of Fabregas and Wilshire a chance at Arsenal, even at the cost of giving Bendtner and Diaby their chance. Well said, Nigel.
From Robert: Excellent article
Hi,
This article was excellent and exactly how I feel about the team and manager.
I think Wenger is brilliant. I live in South Africa and wish I could get a chance, even just once a season, to go to the Emirates and watch a game.
These other so-called Gooners have no clue and I just wish they would be realistic and see what a good position we are in. I agree with everything you said, including being rational about the games we lost and the venues we lost at.
From Mango: Wenger sacked ?
No way do I want Wenger sacked… your points are totally valid.
We have been waiting a long time, yes – but I think we are on the cusp of something special and just need to be a little more patient.
Sacking Wenger would be a mistake because who could we get in that could do a better job?
At the moment we have a healthy balance for a football club, we have a pipeline of talent coming through and if we can keep our best players i have no doubt that we will be challenging for honours for years to come.
From clapo7: Nigel Bidmead, must Wenger stay?
Always a great debate for and against, but overall do we want Arsenal to move on or flatter to deceive? Will that be with Wenger. Looking through our squad, should Diaby and Denilson and Bendtner and Almunia be near a team fighting for 4 trophies a season?
Would they get into Man Utd or Barcelona’s squad? Yet are paid millions by Wenger.
Everyone sees it but nothing’s ever done,
WE NEED QUALITY AND EXPERIENCE or next year’s attendance will be vastly reduced!! People overlook the fact that we played Barcelona due to our inability to finish top of a very average Champions League group!!!
That was down to Wenger!!
If we don’t won the league from the position we are in then surely we have to ask the question…..
From Thad Cox: Nige has a point
As frustrating as it’s been in the last few weeks, I’d have to agree with your mate Nigel.
For Arsene to have kept Arsenal competitive (within top 4), whilst building a new stadium in London and watching other teams spend fortunes on players is an astonishing achievement.
The youth policy is the most financially prudent, but also the most difficult.
It takes years for it to see fruition for all the work, time and money spent on players, coaches facilities and often the best are sold to richer clubs (like with Ajax for example).
Fans grow increasingly frustrated by the slow development and lack of big name signings, but you have to persevere with it and commit to it for at least 7-10 years.
With the financial fair play coming in, it will be a good chance for Arsenal, not that they will spend more, but it will force others to be more careful financially.
We will be in a position where our opponents are weaker and we will have a reputation for producing youth talent, which in turn will attract youth.
I, like most fans would happily sacrifice all cup competitions for the League. This has now happened.
Man U are the only other team in the title race, they have a poor squad that will struggle to compete in 3 competitions. We now only have 1 to focus on.
There is always a silver lining. I was happy that England didn’t qualify for the Euro’s because it meant that Steve McClaren would lose his job.
It was a painful sacrifice that was worth making.
The pain of the Carling Cup, Champions League and FA Cup will be instantly forgotten if we win the league.
From George: Talking sense
Finally someone talking sense, I think you hit the nail on the head when you said new supporters.
These new supporters I think you will find are the ones talking bollocks along with undercover Spurs fans trying to get rid of the best Arsenal Manager ever.
Yes he has made mistakes, and yes his tactics are sometimes wrong, but I know who I want as Arsenal Manager and that’s Arsene Wenger.
Thank you Mr Wenger, and I apologise for all the idiots who want you out.
From Jason Howard : Nigel Bidmead article
From Antoine: Yes
Amen, brother!!
From Simon : Why Wenger must stay
Loved Nigel Bidmead’s piece, finally someone talking sense.
Wenger has changed how football is played in this country. He has got clubs to focus on diet, training and playing.
Arsenal is in a very healthy state financially and although we haven’t won any silverware recently, we’ve been getting ever closer. I agree that our squad should be bigger and we need to sign at least one Roy Keane type CM.
But would a change of manger make us a better club?
Of course it wouldn’t. I’m appalled by the so-called fans calling for Wenger’s head. Who’d they like to replace him? Sam Allardyce or Steve McClaren are available…
From Carlos :Who has the clout to call time on our manager?
Message: More of the same for a good while yet. It is one thing for fans to call for the manager to be replaced, but who really thinks it will happen.
Who was the last Arsenal manager to be sacked because of the performances of the first team? Terry Neill, I think in 1983.
The question that needs answering is who could sack the manger if they felt it was necessary? In the meantime fans are being asked to cough up ludicrous sums to see a team without any spine, fight and now even confidence – arrogance yes, confidence no.
So, who is there in the Arsenal conclave who can call time on the manager?
Who can return a club with the 5th biggest turnover in world football to a position where it is capable of delivering trophies on a consistent basis?
Who can bring the manager to task over his scattergun investment in “Promise” which sees 19 players out on loan, but which now sees the fist team with only 2 centre halves, both of whom are in their first season in English football playing in front of a goalkeeper who would have been replaced by Australia’s 37 year old first choice if we had stumped up an extra few hundred thousand pounds last August?
The answer is : no one.
We will see this complete and utter misuse of resources and total absence of squad and team management play for a few more years yet I fear – so we had better get used to it.
Wenger’s job is very safe, no one can remove him, the unsackable manager under no pressure to win anything other than to secure 4th place operating on a footballing budget in excess of £120million per year, which mostly pays the wages of some of the most abject characters ever to pull on an Arsenal shirt.
The only event which may wake the club from its cosy complacency is if Tottenham were to win the Champions’ League. Who would take it? –
From Willaim Beresford : Bidmead speaks sense
Nigel Bidmead – THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
Sad to say, but he is a rarity, a rational thinking gooner.
One of the most admirable attributes a human can have in these dark situations is vision.
To be able to think with the head and leave emotions at the door.
Of course we all have them, but it is critical to leave them out of the thought process.
Just how Alex Tenenbaum wrote after Barca. Just how Nigel sees it!
We are “this” close!
I know at this stage of the season, like recent ones, when we experience disapointment at this stage it is inevitable that there are going to be 2 separate camps.
I would just love to know who the “Wenger out” group see as a realistic, suitable replacement? because I can’t help but believe that they lack vision.
They are all about the now, not the next 1, 3 and 7 years.
What does this brigade want, MP? Who do YOU want?
For the record, Arsenal is not Monaco 2 – how could you write that??
From Baz: I know just how you feel.
You were screaming with frustration.
And yet you constantly tell us that you no longer care!
From Mick Haley : Mr Bidmead
A return to sense not seen for three years on this site.
Please talk to Mr Bidmead more often.