Is Wenger actually talking sense?

http://www.metro.co.uk/sport/footba...and-barcelona-of-killing-europe#ixzz1Xqc6qOCf


The Gunners boss claims the mega-rich clubs have the power to poach whatever players they want, and as a result are playing a significant role in the downfall of Europe.


Speaking ahead of Arsenal’s tricky group opener in Borussia Dortmund tonight, Wenger said: ‘I believe that this season, I see two teams that are above the rest – Real Madrid and Barcelona – and the rest have to catch up during the season.


‘Barca and Madrid have much more financial power than they had 14 years ago because they have individualised their TV rights in Spain.


‘So they, at the moment, with teams like Man City and Chelsea can take who they want.’


Wenger has gone as far as to predict an imminent economic meltdown across Europe – possibly within the next month – and believes only then will the Gunners true strength be realised.


‘I believe that Europe overall, as a unit, is going towards a massive crisis, which nobody really expects now,’ he added.


‘I am convinced that Europe will go into a huge financial crisis within the next three weeks or three months and maybe that will put everything into perspective again.’

Think he has a point?

 

I assume he is talking about football going into a crisis? Can't see how Chelsea/City can get into problems when they have the backing that they now have, Don't really know the ownership of Spanish teams - aren't they owned by the supporters, although God knows how they pay the fees/wages that they do? Not sure what is going to trigger the meltdown?

 

There was an article in the last issue of WSC that takes it a stage further - rather than teams being rendered impotent by poaching, whole leagues are falling victim to their best players, and their most promising prospects, being poached by the top teams of England and Spain.

In particular, the article notes how Ajax have gone from a team that produced great players before they moved on to a team that have their best prospects snaffled almost as soon as they leave the academy, as well as the dismantling of the Porto side that won the Europa League, how it was depressingly expected that Alexis Sanchez would leave Udinese or Nuri Sahin leaving Dortmund, as well as a prediction the next league to suffer would be Serie A.

Of course, if we want to talk about teams habitually raiding other teams' youth academies, then we have to point a finger at Mssr. Arsene Wenger as one of the main perpetrators of this practice.

 

Is he talking about Europe itself or European football?

 

I know that R.Marid besides the huge revenues from TV also get income from the taxes paid by citizens of Madrid.

 

There is more in the article but only about last nights game,so i think he is talking about European Football.

 

Yeah, why not? The guy has an economics degree and has spoken with sense about these things before. Failed football manager? Anything but.

 

What have you won recently?

 

I don't think that you can call Wenger a failure, Ensil.
He may be perceived to be underperforming at the moment, but he's transformed Arsenal.

They used to win things, for a start!

 

And that now makes him a 'failed' football manager?

 

Wenger is one of the most intelligent football managers the top flight English game has ever known, and he has been massively successful over the years not just with Arsenal but Monaco too. Hoddle couldn't praise him high enough when he played for Wenger there.

Like most/all of us Wenger talks a lot of sense and also a lot of nonsense too.

If he's saYing that there will be a financial meltdown in Europe over the next month and this will disproportionately hit City Chelsea Barca and Real, then I think he is talking nonsense, but we'll see how it goes

 

I sense a bit of jealousy from ensil

 

Yes i do. If he won the CC and came 5th last season then that to me is a failure.

 

Not really, Ensil.
If someone takes over at a struggling League 2 side, then success would probably be keeping them up and then improving their position in the following season.

Admittedly, Arsenal aren't in that position, but I think it's a little harsh to call Wenger a failure.
He's basically paid for the new stadium while keeping them in the Champions League places.
That's probably more impressive to the board members that have raked in the profits of his relative success, but he's still done pretty well.

Describing him as a failure is a little harsh.

 

I don't know how many major trophies Wenger has won at Arsenal, but he certainly won more lge titles than any Spurs manager, and I suspect only Billy Nick can match him in terms of overall number of trophies. I also suspect he has won more major trophies than any other Arsenal manager.

Furthermore, while I don't accept the premise that CL qualification is a 'trophy' in its own right, a lot of Spurs fans seem to rate getting CL qualification over winning tournaments like the CC and EL. Well, Wenger has got Arsenal into the CL, what, about 15 times?

 

Wenger has won 3 PL titles and 4 FA Cups, GH10.
Nicholson won 1 title, 3 FA Cups, 2 League Cups, a Cup Winners Cup and a UEFA Cup as our manager.
One more trophy than Wenger, but two less titles.

 

I certainly agree with him that the richest clubs can more or less pick and choose the players they want and 99% of the time they will get the player when they want them.

Levy has done well keeping Modric (although I would have taken £40m) and sent a message that he is no longer prepared sell spurs' best players.

Arsenal also did well keeping Fabregas for as long as they did when he clearly wanted to go home.

These examples are very few and far between though, most times the player will see the lure of the playing for a more prestigious side and the massive wages on offer (that other clubs just cannot afford) and will insist on the move happening.

A sorry state of affairs but will it really change in the future?

As for Wenger being a failure, even as a staunch Spurs fan I cannot agree with that, certainly Arsenal have been through lean times recently in terms of trophies but their consistent league positions despite their failure to win trophies represents good management especially considering the outlay he has made on players during the 5-6 years. I don't think the current squad is the one to break the curse and win silverware but who knows? Wenger certainly knows more than any of us lot posting on here so let's see......

 

I feel sick. Not only am i in agreement with what Wenger has said but i also have to say that he is not a failure or a failed manager.

 

Quite true, Ensil.
Whether Wenger is a failure or not isn't really relevant to what he's said.

 

I'm not sure they have much money, I think Wenger has pretended he has money and decided not to spend it and become the scapegoat for it all.