Another North London Derby {NLD} tomorrow, feel this time around it ain't important for the fans or the club. The outcome of this match could be the key for Arsene Wenger extending his tenure with Arsenal FC. There might have been managers at ArsenalFC who have won silverware & brought laurels for the club. But none come close to the calibre of 'The Professor', who has brought discipline, style & art for the kind of game we play today.
I have followed Arsenal from 1999, kind of Wenger era. During those days, in India, football was being watched or relayed ONLY during World Cups. Star Sports began showing EPL feed & not many people used to watch football in a Cricket Crazy Nation. Add to it, most of the people who did watch club football supported Manchester United or Liverpool or Juventus or AC Milan or Real Madrid. I could hardly find any Gooners in Bangalore. At times, when they did showed football at a local pub and if Arsenal were playing, often ended being a minority supporter. Occasionally would find a couple of Gooners amongst a group of 20 MUFC fans. 2 or 3 of us would enjoy taking on those MUFC fans.
Over the last 14 years, Arsenal have had a fantastic run till 2007; despite having no silverware. Post 2008, the Invincibles departed and AFC were left with young team to manage & groom.
There are many fans who are disappointed with Arsene Wenger {AW} for the last couple of seasons for varying factors - letting players go, selling our key striker to arch rival, not bringing reinforcements to those who have been sold, running the club for profits vs silverware, et al. To a certain extent even I have gone through the same emotion & thought process. Our performances have been dismal; Being beaten by non-league clubs, is more miserable.
As fans, each of us feel we have moral right to critique the way AW has been running the club or the board or Arsenal FC in general. We might even be entitled to do so, to an extent. Agreed, our frustrations are at an all time high. I feel it during these tough times, that Mr Wenger needs our support. He is not the only one to be blamed. Our PLAYERS on the field are more responsible to show the hunger & spirit of winning than the MANAGER.
In the current era, were we have seen Oligarchs from Russia or Middle East, who are buying clubs and running them at their whims. We need to recognize the fact that Arsenal wouldn't be the same anymore without Arsene Wenger. I don't want the culture of what AW has established at Arsenal to be lost.
I wish Gunners who are playing the Derby tomorrow win the game for AW than anyone else to a new direction of AW next season.
Also read - Tottenham v Arsenal: Arsene Wenger is a wounded warrior determined to come out fighting for the team
Image courtesy - Don'tgiveupworld
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