Must read: Usmanov letter - full text.

[ALTBOULI]

Has anyone seen the rumor going around about Vermaelen and Barca

 

[Jamrag]

Now, the players may be happy to play for Arsenal but why do they continue to leave? There is obviously a problem when a big club repeatedly loses it's best players. What if Walcott leaves this season? I know that Walcott has fans that either like him or not, but he played his part in rescuing us from a disasterous season. What does that say about us as a big club?

We don't pay high enough wages to compete with the Man Citys of the world. You know, those clubs that throw unlimited amounts of money at players and get slagged off by the rest of us for ruining the game.

Now the time comes for our top player/s to want more wages and leave because we won't give them £200k pw, our board are in the wrong?

Too much hypocrisy among our fan base for my liking.

 

[Jamrag]

Yes and who could blame him if he went?

If he is choosing to leave because he can earn silly wages, I can fully understand and would not begrudge him a penny. However, if he is leaving for those reasons and citing lack of ambition instead, as I suspect, then that is unforgivable.

He needs to grow some balls and fess up as all he is doing is fuelling some fan's pathetic hatred of our manager and board. In my opinion.

 

[Jamrag]

We might have the money to pay our best players more if we didn't overpay dross of the likes of Djourou, Squillaci, Diaby et al, not rocket science really.

I agree with you, but how much more do you want us to pay. The same as Man City do? Do we become what most sensible fans hate about certain clubs willingness to buy trophies? I am not quite that desperate just yet.

 

[lazarus20000]

We don't pay high enough wages to compete with the Man Citys of the world. You know, those clubs that throw unlimited amounts of money at players and get slagged off by the rest of us for ruining the game.

Now the time comes for our top player/s to want more wages and leave because we won't give them £200k pw, our board are in the wrong?

Too much hypocrisy among our fan base for my liking.

Last time i checked, neither RVP, Walcott, Nasri, Fabregas, Hleb, Henry, Viera, Diarra....asked to be paid that much. We have a VERY successful business model that generates a lot of revenue. All i know is the last world class player has one foot out the door. If we can't hold onto our best players anymore, then we must not be a big club anymore. The next couple of years, we'll be hearing Wilshere, Chesney and any Arsenal player that is close to top class wants to leave.

This is not doom and gloom my friend, this is happening now and has been happening for the past few years.

 

[ALTBOULI]

We don't pay high enough wages to compete with the Man Citys of the world. You know, those clubs that throw unlimited amounts of money at players and get slagged off by the rest of us for ruining the game.

Now the time comes for our top player/s to want more wages and leave because we won't give them £200k pw, our board are in the wrong?

Too much hypocrisy among our fan base for my liking.

RVP's statement made no mention of money and he has been quick to stress that it has nothing to do with money but to do with the clubs goals and ambition. I personally believe him, just look at how many of players have left because of a lack of ambition Nasri wanted to win things and he has done so, if he gets offered a large sum of money then that's just a bonus. RVP is not young anymore so he realistically only has a few seasons left to win something and by the sounds of it Gazidis used the usual spin of developing youth. Firstly how can RVP wait that long for the potential youth to develop and secondly we cant even guarantee that we can keep these players once they develop. He has every right to question our ambition under these circumstances.

 

[Jamrag]

Last time i checked, neither RVP, Walcott, Nasri, Fabregas, Hleb, Henry, Viera, Diarra....asked to be paid that much. We have a VERY successful business model that generates a lot of revenue. All i know is the last world class player has one foot out the door. If we can't hold onto our best players anymore, then we must not be a big club anymore. The next couple of years, we'll be hearing Wilshere, Chesney and any Arsenal player that is close to top class wants to leave.

This is not doom and gloom my friend, this is happening now and has been happening for the past few years.

Got a link to their wage demands? Anyone with an ounce of intellect can see that players joinn City for the money. Just as they do the latest Chinese & Russian clubs offering stupid wages.

We simply cannot compete, so either accept that or become a city-like football whore and push for a new owner that is willing to spend like an oil baron.

 

[Not PC enough]

This " lack of ambition " is a crock of crap.

Which shows more ambition ?

1 Moving to a club that has thrown half a billion quid at a team and is now guaranteed to win things......or

2 As captain of the team you are with , MOTIVATING that team to play their sock off every week UNTIL they win things too.

which one of these options is TRULY ambitious.?

I think " lack of ambition " is a bit of a kick in the teeth for his team mates.

You are the captain m8 , lead by example and MAKE them ambitious.

Lets face it.

Its about the folding green stuff and nothing else.

Not that thats wrong , but just be honest enough to admit it without the smokescreens.

 

[Jamrag]

RVP's statement made no mention of money and he has been quick to stress that it has nothing to do with money but to do with the clubs goals and ambition. I personally believe him, just look at how many of players have left because of a lack of ambition Nasri wanted to win things and he has done so, if he gets offered a large sum of money then that's just a bonus. RVP is not young anymore so he realistically only has a few seasons left to win something and by the sounds of it Gazidis used the usual spin of developing youth. Firstly how can RVP wait that long for the potential youth to develop and secondly we cant even guarantee that we can keep these players once they develop. He has every right to question our ambition under these circumstances.

Was RVP going to issue a statement to the effect of "I know you stuck by me when any other club would have thrown me out as a useless cripple years ago, but I can't resist the chance to earn double your top salary as I am getting near to the end of my career"?

I know none of us know anything and can only make educated guesses, but I do not believe RVP for a second. However, if he came out and said the club are not willing to pay me £200k pw and City are, then I would say thanks Robin & good luck.

We have bought top players and are still looking to make more signings. This BS about youth policies is a bit hard to substantiate anymore . At least until after this transfer window.

 

[lazarus20000]

Got a link to their wage demands? Anyone with an ounce of intellect can see that players joinn City for the money. Just as they do the latest Chinese & Russian clubs offering stupid wages.

We simply cannot compete, so either accept that or become a city-like football whore and push for a new owner that is willing to spend like an oil baron.

And neither do you know. You can't just say anyone who leaves Arsenal is a greedy money grabbing whore, that is just tarring everyone with the same brush. It's like saying RVP has the same mindset as Adebayor. No way can you say that RVP is the same type of person as that guy. Ade was in for the money plain and simple, RVP not so. Also, some people are just not like that. RVP comes across a cultured person who is a family man.

Sometimes, enough money is enough money for some people.

 

[Jamrag]

And neither do you know. You can't just say anyone who leaves Arsenal is a greedy money grabbing whore, that is just tarring everyone with the same brush. It's like saying RVP has the same mindset as Adebayor. No way can you say that RVP is the same type of person as that guy. Ade was in for the money plain and simple, RVP not so. Also, some people are just not like that. RVP comes across a cultured person who is a family man.

Sometimes, enough money is enough money for some people.

I would like to think so too, but that is all I could do - think it, as I have no proof. Just as those willing to 'think' he isn't playing for money choose to 'believe' what they will. The big difference is that I do not 'choose' to use my 'guesses' as ammunition to attack our manager and board.

 

[Not PC enough]

what i find amusing about , not RVPs transfer negotiations breakdown but footballers in general , is the way they say " i love the club but ......."

Then you dont LOVE the club the do you you kant. !

If you "loved " the club you wouldnt run off for a bigger payday than your already massive one.

I wonder if Gerrard would run off to city if the offered to double his wages.

Thats someone who " loves " his club Robin.

Get your terminology right lad.

 

[ALTBOULI]

I would like to think so too, but that is all I could do - think it, as I have no proof. Just as those willing to 'think' he isn't playing for money choose to 'believe' what they will. The big difference is that I do not 'choose' to use my 'guesses' as ammunition to attack our manager and board.

COYG, there is a clear issue with our current board surely you can see this? The only thing I blame Wenger for is him not being firm enough with Gazidis and the board who are clearly bullying him. The fact that he came out with a comment saying he very much believes that RVP will stay and the next day RVP requests shows that he is not in full control of the situation. I firmly believe that Wenger is the right man for us and is a world class manager, what I dont believe however is that this board has Arsenal's best intentions, they are only focusing on making money for themselves what does Gazidis know about football? he is treating the club like any other business which is to make more money. This ideology will not work in football and it will eventually backfire when we can no longer stay in the top four and find it difficult to attract potential players.

 

[Jamrag]

COYG, there is a clear issue with our current board surely you can see this? The only thing I blame Wenger for is him not being firm enough with Gazidis and the board who are clearly bullying him. The fact that he came out with a comment saying he very much believes that RVP will stay and the next day RVP requests shows that he is not in full control of the situation. I firmly believe that Wenger is the right man for us and is a world class manager, what I dont believe however is that this board has Arsenal's best intentions, they are only focusing on making money for themselves what does Gazidis know about football? he is treating the club like any other business which is to make more money. This ideology will not work in football and it will eventually backfire when we can no longer stay in the top four and find it difficult to attract potential players.

How would you stop a player or agent lying to you if you were his manager? A manager can NEVER be in full control.

I agree that the board are more intent on making money than winning trophies as that is what a good business does. They will continue to milk us for as long as we let ourselves be milked. Once they think they have pushed matters to the brink, like they did last season, they will spend and try harder to win something. Then the cycle will start all over again.

 

[ALTBOULI]

How would you stop a player or agent lying to you if you were his manager? A manager can NEVER be in full control.

I agree that the board are more intent on making money than winning trophies as that is what a good business does. They will continue to milk us for as long as we let ourselves be milked. Once they think they have pushed matters to the brink, like they did last season, they will spend and try harder to win something. Then the cycle will start all over again.

I don't believe it was the player or his agent, I personally believe that Wenger was assured that they would be able to keep RVP by Gazidis and Stan but they lied and were not committed in keeping him. The part of your quote that I highlighted is a very important point in my opinion, because we as fans are letting them do this to us and are not putting enough of a struggle. You have complained about too much doom and gloom by fans, I would argue that too many of our fans are too naive and are quick to take the boards side and blame the players. If it was just about money then the club could issue a statement saying that RVP doesn't want to stay because of a disagreement about his salary but they have not done this.

 

[Jamrag]

I was thinking about the misconception of ''loyalty''. Technically, there is never really loyalty to any club. Judging by that logic, Henry should have stayed Monaco who actually helped him turn into a professional footballer. Or Bergkamp should have stayed at Ajax who played a fundamental part into making him the player he was. You get the drift. Who would sign anyone if there was this supposed ''loyalty'' in football? Should the fans of those players respective clubs begrudge their moves because they didn't stick with the original club?

The reality is, most players want to try new challenges and have different motives for leaving their clubs.

Players come, players go. That is the cycle of football.

Lambasting van Persie for leaving is stupid. He probably wants a new challenge where he can earn more money. Isn't that why the likes of Podolski and Giroud joined us?

I don't think RVP should be lambasted for wanting to leave.

I think he should be lambasted for the way he or his agent have maneuvered matters.

I think people who use his leaving as an excuse to vilify our manager should be lambasted.

 

[Bergkamp a Dutch master]

This is the nub of the problem I have with a few who post on here. You are just a bit too happy to imagine that we have a team of disaffected players, **** manager & **** board. A case can be made for two sides of the argument, but you and the other few prefer to take the ultra negative view.

It simply brings us back to the old, but very apt 'doom & gloom' name tag.

What on earth lead you to accuse me saying a we have a team of disaffected players? - I am commenting on those who HAVE LEFT - not who might.

 

[Jamrag]

I don't believe it was the player or his agent, I personally believe that Wenger was assured that they would be able to keep RVP by Gazidis and Stan but they lied and were not committed in keeping him. The part of your quote that I highlighted is a very important point in my opinion, because we as fans are letting them do this to us and are not putting enough of a struggle. You have complained about too much doom and gloom by fans, I would argue that too many of our fans are too naive and are quick to take the boards side and blame the players. If it was just about money then the club could issue a statement saying that RVP doesn't want to stay because of a disagreement about his salary but they have not done this.

Only by some posters who I think of as wums, not fans.

Our board is far from perfect. Our manager has many flaws. Our players are, in some quarters, over paid and overly fragile. The whole club is made up of people, with the usual mix of human weaknesses & frailties.

As for the statement, maybe the club has more class than RVP and choose not to sink to his level? Who knows?

 

[Jamrag]

What on earth lead you to accuse me saying a we have a team of disaffected players? - I am commenting on those who HAVE LEFT - not who might.

Semantics. The fact is that you are happy that RVP joins the rank of disaffected players just so you can spread more hatred about the club's manager. Says it all really.

Who said you could get off the step?

 

[ALTBOULI]

Only by some posters who I think of as wums, not fans.

Our board is far from perfect. Our manager has many flaws. Our players are, in some quarters, over paid and overly fragile. The whole club is made up of people, with the usual mix of human weaknesses & frailties.

As for the statement, maybe the club has more class than RVP and choose not to sink to his level? Who knows?

This is the point, you are disagreeing with certain fans (some might be wums) for defending RVP and attacking the board and manager but how do we know that RVP isnt in the right? as you said who Knows, the list of players leaving for the same reasons point to the board being at fault. As I said the only thing I blame Wenger for is being too naive and not being firm enough with the board, other than that he has been fantastic for us. I am angry that RVP is leaving but I can see his point of view of a lack of ambition perfectly. You will probably mention our two new signings but I argue that we spend around that much every season and Wenger has said that we would be quite in the transfer window again so who's to say that we will buy anyone else. This shows a lack of ambition to me especially when the clubs around us are strengthening every year while we seem to get weaker.