So rather than twisting, Arsenal have decided to stick with Wenger, the board, the coaches and the staff.
Apparently they’re planning on recycling the used tea-bags from last year as well.
Following Mr Gazidis’ comments on last season being a catalyst for change…
Where exactly can Arsenal fans expect it?
There is little in life that isn’t effected by change.
We ourselves weren’t always these fine specimens we are today (he says as he looks despondently in the mirror after showering every morning). We were once ape-shaped with little to no interest in the inner workings of Arsenal Football Club. Long gone are the days when we would attend a football match with our packed lunch of bananas and nuts and just enjoy the spectacle of the game with our simian mates. Despite fans’ disapproval of the club’s current setup, the board seemingly don’t give a monkeys.
Arsenal, whilst dearly held in my heart, are not immune to the evolving nature of football. In fact, Arsenal are one of the clubs most beholden to the 21st century expectations of its fans. Fans, if they can be deemed as such, take to YouTube and Twitter to vent their irritation and resentment towards the club in less than 140 characters. Long gone are the handwritten letters of mild disapproval or the homing pigeons used to chastise managers personally.
Football as a business has developed. Arsenal have performed admirably well in this regard. However, there is room for improvement. In 2012, Arsenal agreed a £150million deal with Emirates. Two seasons later and that looks to have been dwarfed by Manchester United, who have earned approximately double that sum (although over a slightly longer agreement). Could Arsenal look to replicate Manchester United’s business model?
Money in football is fluid and the club will obviously hold their next sponsor to higher expectations in this regard. However, will a company be willing to pay more money in sponsorship if it is not embodied or represented by the calibre of player at Arsenal? Will a major airline or car dealer be prepared to spend millions of pounds if the company’s logo lands on the chest of Alex Iwobi as opposed to Alexis Sanchez?
Like results on the field, the club’s commercial success is linked to the pedigree of player Arsene can call upon. Perhaps this is where Ivan Gazidis foresees change – perhaps Arsenal will be the first elite club to field a team of entirely non-elite players.
Where else could change arise?
It seems the board are happy to allow Wenger’s backroom team to continue unopposed. Of course, if Gazidis is happy for Wenger to continue in his current capacity then why shouldn’t his backroom staff be granted the same courtesy?
The tolerance of the board over Wenger choosing to keep on his backroom staff should come as no revelation. Wenger is loyal to a fault. If a new manager came in, he would be permitted to choose his own staff, so it shouldn’t shock anyone that the board have granted Wenger the same consideration.
Yet this was a chance to shake things up.
A chance the club has spurned.
There is a suspicion that Wenger’s backroom staff is in dire need of a reshuffle.
Despite the players singing their praises after the club’s FA Cup triumph, it should not go unnoticed these were the same individuals charged with readying the team for fixtures against: West Brom, Crystal Palace, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, Tottenham, Watford, Everton and Southampton.
These were the individuals who sat silently shifting in their seats as Wenger described Granit Xhaka as an attacking-midfielder.
These are the individuals who will bite their lip when Wenger describes Wilshere as a new signing in a month’s time and hail the signing of 15-year-old Bosnian youth Slaviska Slowinka as a shrewd piece of business.
Of course, there are a few individuals who deserve to keep their position with the club.
Gerry Peyton is a seasoned veteran. He has played over 600 competitive matches for clubs such as: Bolton, Southend United and Brentford, he was capped 33 times by footballing powerhouse Ireland and he has coached around the world – most notably in the Japanese and Swedish first division. He even gives Petr Cech and Emi Martinez a handful of Werthers Originals if they fetch his slippers for him.
Outrage aside, the board have only a number of alternative routes to demonstrate that this season will be different. The first and most significant could be the introduction of a Director of Football, who will be given the title of Director of Operations. Wait, that might still upset Wenger. Director of Non-Footballing Operations. No, still has the word football in it. Director of Things Wenger Doesn’t Care About? Hmmm, still too close for comfort. Assistant of Tea and Biscuit Operations? Yep, that’s the one!
The Director of Tea and Biscuit Operations, when not picking up the Tetley and custard creams, will hopefully be tasked with renewing contracts, identifying playing targets and coordinating with Wenger on a possible succession plan in 2043.
It seems absurd that, until this point, Wenger has been entrenched in negotiations with players. The result of a manager trying to hardball a player into signing a contract must be counterproductive to motivating them to play.
By offering them less than they feel they deserve, the player must naturally feel undervalued. Perhaps Gazidis’ plan for change is to have some Deal or No Deal styled contract negotiations with Arsene Wenger positioned as banker in a remote room with a direct telephone line.
At least, it would make a welcome change from the club begrudgingly selling to a close rival.
Gazidis has promised change.
I would greatly love to believe this to be true – but this is the man who once claimed that Arsenal would soon be competing with clubs like Bayern Munich before later reneging on such assertions.
Change is not forthcoming.
No amount of booing, protests, hired airplanes or YouTube videos is going to alter that.