By Kenneth Widmerpool, with additional material from Tony Attwood
I’ve just been having a look at an uncut version of the “notorious” Wenger press conference prior to the Bayern game.
As the sensational/hyperbolic news broke about this, I had a look over the various sites and also thought that Arsene was uncharacteristically agitated, although (as I said on Untold) it made me laugh when he got a bit sarcastic to the daft questions revolving around commitment etc.
Tonight I’ve just had a look at the conference uncut from You tube
It’s worth watching if you haven’t seen it already, as he doesn’t seem angry at all. A bit sarcastic, and bit sharp, at his worst, nothing more.
Even more interesting is just to listen and not look at it. If you do that and remember what turned up in the media on the issue, then the key point is no longer Mr Wenger, but it is the journalists and the editors of the news media.
In fact the piece was brilliantly cut to make it look much worse just to grab attention, and it did.
The more I look the more I’m shocked by the attitude from the media. Living outside the UK, I trawl through all the papers online, and its easy to see how many fans are agitated by false headlines and unnecessary speculation and stating the obvious (Alan Hansen in the Telegraph this week).
Personally I’m quite shocked in hindsight at the way in which a press conference was reported that in the end put extra negative pressure on a team and manager that didn’t need it. Its even more baffling that the media doesn’t support Arsenal in Europe, while it tends to do this for all other teams.
To me many fans are being led astray by the media, in that every article runs something like this-
“Arsenal, who haven’t won a trophy for eight years, who got dumped out of the C1 cup by lowly Bradford and were kick out of the FAC by championship Blackburn…etc etc etc”
Surely even the folks in outer Mongolia who haven’t seen anyone of the for five years, now know that “Arsenal, who haven’t won a trophy for eight years, who got dumped out of the C1 cup by lowly Bradford and were kick out of the FAC by championship Blackburn.” What is the point of saying it over and over and over again.
I think that Man U haven’t won the FAC for nine years, yet that doesn’t get mentioned though.
I wish that more fans would step back and see that they’re being wound up, every time they read something.
Anyway we lost to Anderlecht 3-1 in 1970, and came home to win it 3-0 so perhaps the ghost of Paul Vassen might come and help us in the second leg!
I’ve seen Bayern/ Germany play often as I live in Germany and they can be easily rattled and fall apart, especially Neuer. There is a possibility.
But let’s go a little further and ask one other question: “why?” Why does the media continue to present this approach over and over again, re-stating what they have said before, unifying their perception, and ignoring the whole in order to make a point of the individual?
The first reason must be laziness. It is much easier to re-run an existing story, rather than change it. You may recall the “That’s the 50th red card under Wenger” story that dogged the opening years of the current reign. The implication was that this was a shocking statistic, although it turned out that in fact Arsenal had by no means the worst record during that period. Carefully the media repeated and repeated Arsenal’s figure, and said it was shocking, while ignoring all other club records during the same era. The media never said, “this is worst than any other club” but made it sound like that by the way they quoted the Arsenal figure. Every media outlet joined in, so everyone took the implication.
In fact for any such story to run and run, it needs most of the media to join in. If, for example, the Telegraph in the UK had run it, but all the others had ignored it, then the story would have faded away. No media outlet wants to be on its own.
But the others did not ignore the story – they picked it up and ran with it (laziness again) and so by dint of repetition it became true.
Now the same thing is happening. There is no comparison with Arsenal’s record in other eras (this is far from the longest run without a trophy for the club), nor with other clubs (where were the celebrations in the media of Tottenham’s 50 year anniversary since they last won the league?)
That comparison however is seen to be unfair, because we are now looking at all trophies, not just the league….
So it continues – constant manipulation of evidence until a story is reached – a story which fits into the agreed agenda. No one wants to break ranks, because the agenda is, well, agreed. Just as it is agreed that no one should ask, “what does ‘We want our Arsenal back’ actually mean? The Arsenal of the early years of Wenger? Highbury Stadium? The Terry Neil years?
Likewise it is agreed that the level of booing and the number of empty seats should be greatly exaggerated. Everyone agrees, everyone runs the story.
Journalists tend to know journalists and so exchange stories, and their editors endlessly check the other media. Go to any newsroom and you will find that there is as much interest on what other media outlets are saying as there is on getting their own story right.
There is sadly, little we can do about this, except expose it. But at least with Untold we can do that, and know that the exposure will reach a large number of people. That is far from a perfect answer, but at least it is a start.
Other recent posts…
- Arsenal – Aston Villa: the ref preview, and the strange goings on in the PGMOL!
- Young supporter charged at Bradford game. Witnesses needed
- 22 February 2013: one of the most important anniversaries of Arsenal FC
The books…
- Woolwich Arsenal: The club that changed football – Arsenal’s early years
- Making the Arsenal – how the modern Arsenal was born in 1910
- The Crowd at Woolwich Arsenal FC: crowd behaviour at the early matches
The sites from the same team…
- Referee Decisions – just what are the refs up to this season?
- Parent News – what is going on in schools these days?
- The weight loss programme: The only guaranteed way to stay fit
- The Arsenal History Blog from the AISA Arsenal History Society
- The Bob Dylan Reviews – the music, the lyrics, the meaning
One of the things that rile by the press is the arsen says he is going to buy falcao raising hopes of fans when what he actually said was arsenal can afford a player like falcao leaving him open to a tirade of abuse by the AAA when he signs for Barcelona
i totally agree to what is said in this post. Media’s are the hypocrites who should be banned first for not doing the job the way they actually should.
Another good article, I have given up reading sports sections of newspapers, watching SSN and only listen to radio 5 and talksport when I am at work in the evenings. I am I think old enough and have watched enough football in the 33 years of going to watch The Arsenal to formulate my own opinions, I can see problems on the pitch, I think I can tell a good player from a bad one. I do not need Alan Hansen telling me what out defensive problems may or may not be. The criticism of Arsenals zonal marking is often pointed out when Arsenal concede a goal but why not the same in depth look when man marking does not work for other teams.
Arsenal are and always have been an easy target for the English media, Bob Wilson once told me on a tour of the old Arsenal stadium that most of the media were jealous of Arsenal and the way Arsenal conducted themselves within the footballing world. Having an open manager like Mr Wenger in charge gives the media a unusually open agenda during press conferences. Mr Wenger will give his opinion on anything asked about the footballing world. He is very rarely rude or short with the hacks. I think the media give Mr Wenger very little respect for what he has achived they tend to give with one hand but take more with the other.
Its kinda paranoid to keep chasing the press. They write what they think is sensational at the moment. Honestly i dont understand all this press bashing. So they say you havent won in 8years, so hav you? If you win after the 10th year, they’l also spread the cheer in a sensational way. Wen cazorla dived, it was the biggest news, rightly so, that was probably the biggest dive in a longtime. Paranoid gooners jumped on their back saying things like bale dives all the time yet he’s the press’ darling. Well, he may be the press darling, but make no mistake, its the press that spread his reputation as a diver. They are the ones that repeatedly use that adjective wen talking about him, doesnt mean they shouldnt recognize he’s one of the best in the EPL, while on the other hand, cazorla’s dive is all but forgotten. Arsenal may be favorite in press bashing now, is that the press’ fault? Definitely not 100% so. It takes 2 to tango. So when next u wanna go press bashing, remember to bash your paranoia alongside
Most Arsenal fans are aware of the hate by the media for AW and AFC, problem is no one understands why.
I myself have been trying to understand why.
First i thought it was because of not having enough english players, and AW comments that they are overpriced.
But this does not pan out. I have been through many scenarios in my mind and finaly realise that it is because AW is a nice person. They can do this and get away with it. He is not like Fergie who has power(Sir, accepted into the elite fold) and who will make things bad for them.
They like to pick on “apparently” weak(too nice) people, but over all, they are sad that it was AFC and not the nation’s love child manu who can claim the “invincible” tag, and i am so going to be happy to see their faces when we do it again soon.
Watch next season for how AFC changes(at least if AW gets the players he wants in summer) and the hate tirade will get even stronger.
http://www.aclfarsenal.co.uk/
On the subject of the press, enjoyed this article. Two main points . Firstly, this, and other sources I have read indicate we have banned The Sun from our press conferences. Brilliant and not before time. Secondly, our critic in chief, the journalist kastrinakis, according to this is a feckin spud!
Now, we know not to believe a word from the sun…..if only the aaa knew as well
Thanks for the article,excellent. Just as in politics, the media distort for two reasons, 1st to gain power 2nd for money, i.e increased sales (or being paid to distort)
Bad news sells, and the less intelligent in our society lap-up this distortion of the truth,
This isn`t new though, but has been going on throughout the history of the media.Remember Orson Welles and Citizen Kane
the real life person the newspaper owner in question
actually started a war in Mexico, so he could be first to report it.
Money and power, trace it back
We can only speculate who is behind this distortion,
Well, I believe the issue is something else. ARSENAL, the way we operate is a great threat to all the leaches who are feeding of Man City/Chelsea/Man Utd/PSG/Barca…..and the likes. Agents/Agencies, Administrators, Betting Industry…… are all at a disadvantage if ARSENAL model works and does so consistently. Media is being fed (sponsored) by this group to make ARSENAL look bad and particularly Mr Wenger is made to look like a man who has lost his self control. They believe Mr Wengers departure will open up ARSENALs purse strings.
I dont have evidence to support my claim, BUT I think TONY could help.
who is the Ghost of Paul Vassen mention in the 1970`s ? you lost me there
The Sun reporters it seems will make up a story because they think it sells papers .The little boy that cried wolf is a tale that comes to mind. If The Sun said Arsenal play in red and white do question it
It is some of the little, almost subconscious things that anger me the most.
As an example: last week at the end of the Bayern game, when I saw news reports/highlights, they showed the end of the game and the swelling of boos, then cut to studio. It leaves you with the feeling of crisis, the fans turning against the club. Anyone who was at/saw the whole game would know that seconds later the boos were drowned out by supportive chants from the bulk of the fans. Now to me thats a better story, but obviously not fitting the mood they want to set.
Equally (as I just remembered as I was writing), we had MOTD playing games on Saturday. Put Arsenal on first (surprise in itself), decent enough highlights, but how often do you see the analysis (Hansen of course) devoted to just how bad the winning side were?
The press is the press. They have their job to do and they do it. They are there to sell papers or get click throughs to their web-sites.
Even if Arsene Wenger had lost it in that press conference, so what? How many times has Fergie done that? Good for Wenger. Many of us wouldn’t put up with the rubbish he has to take.
The point with this post is that Arsenal fans should just take a step backwards and try to look at the full picture. There are some, that no matter what he says now, will respond with “he is wrong”, “he doesn’t care”, “he’s lost it”, “he doesn’t know what he’s doing” and “Wenger out”. I don’t mind any Arsenal fan disagreeing with Wenger; I don’t agree with him on some things but I do take exception to the lack of respect and at times the insults that are flying around about our own manager by our own fans! To me it doesn’t achieve anything and it certainly isn’t going to change the view of the club when opinions are put in that way.
There was great play again, on the TV and in the papers, at the weekend about how poor our defence was, you would think that we must have conceded far more goals than our competitors to have that level of vitriol. Yet what of the facts. We have let in 30 goals this season – 19 at home and 11 away. United (12 points clear at the top of the table remember) have let in 31 goals – 15 home, 16 away. City 24 goals (11 home and 13 away; Chelsea 30 goals – 12 home and 18 away; and Spurs 30 goals – 13 home and 17 away. Are our defence that much worse overall?
No, not according to the facts, only City has a better defence in terms of stopping the ball ending up in the net and there is no difference between us, United, Chelsea and Spurs.
Can our defence be better – yes of course it can and should and particularly at the Emirates but do we need to beat them up every game – no I don’t think we do, and I certainly don’t think that we need to change them all at the end of the season.
As supporters we need to support the team and that means realising that a backwards pass isn’t necessarily a bad thing, neither is a hoof into the stands or the opposition half. All these are necessary if there isn’t a more positive option available
Very good article, and some equally brilliant responses here too. At least we understand, or at least can make sense of the media’s agenda & where they’re coming from. What I have been trying to make sense of(& I must admit I’m failing) is posts from people who call themselves fans but seem to bash our club more than these clowns in the media, whats their agenda? I could draw a list of names who never have anything positive to say, regardless what the subject of discussion is about, and i’m sure if their posts were to be pulled from the archives i’d proven right. Now thats really sad.
Al,
We can try to rationalise it in many ways, they maybe aren’t who they seem to be, are angry that their favourite player, left, wasn’t picked or a myriad of other reasons. At the end of the day I guess that they simply haven’t anything better to do.
Just because I couldn’t resist, the BBC (of all people) are at it again this morning:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21572865 —their version
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-get-ready-for-a-tight-fight- — The whole comments.
Not unsurprisingly, the BBC article has no name on it; funny that.
“which fits into the agreed agenda.”
Kenneth,
With due respect, I find that you’ve well described what happens in achieving consensus, but you don’t get down to why the content is what it is. What happens that makes Arsenal the pinata at the party? So the real question is why that agenda? why that anti-Arsenal pattern? why this pattern for that long? dating back til when? etc. etc.
If it’s chalked up to “first it’s laziness”, that is a superficial answer to the question why Arsenal is the designated target.
Yes, in a time of limited resources and budget cutting, laziness is a part of (even increasing part of) the mix. But there are certain players in the consensus-formation process (which draw on and continue to spawn the collective laziness/failure of courage/lack of resources syndrome. But, in the end, its the weight of the interests and point of view of some opinion leaders (in league with certain big advertising client interests) that do most shape the final consensus. The idea that Sky and Sun and Islington News and Metro all have equal weight in the messy consensus-formation process is bollocks. There are opinion leaders and they have their agendas, over time, long or short, tend to shape the content of the consensus on how to frame the news and what is newsworthy or not to begin with.
Rufusstan,
and on the Arsenal.com version it is clear to see that the words were said BEFORE the ManC-Chelsea game and on the BBC they try to paint it as if Wenger knows M$ are 9 points in front…
I’ll never understand why people continue to buy newspapers and click on sports pages on the web. 99% of the time it’s either speculation or outright bullshit designed to wind you up and it works. I stopped buying & reading this toilet years ago and feel much happier for it.
Kenneth, all,
To continue with specifics…
The question is, beyond laziness, what not-lazy alliance of powerful interests (yes, not readers of this or that blog) have been seeking Arsene’s ouster for a long time. I think, for some reason, a sharp warning/message was delivered to him/AFC at Old Trafford, when our undefeated streak was ended through the instrumentation of Micky R’s baised refereeing. Not having “received” that message, I think that Arsene delivered another major challenge to the football establishment in 2009 with this interview, given jointly to the Daily Mail (Martin Samuel) and the London Times (need to research that reporter). It openly and boldly challenged where the league was heading and posed an alternative view of the future that (if read carefully) called out and stepped on some big toes. It’s worth another look, for sure. He takes this brazen walk into the lion’s den and tells them they’re being hyenas; and there’s a better, more equitable and sustainable way forward for the league and football as a whole. Have another look and see what you think:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1206377/ARSENE-WENGER-INTERVIEW-The-transcript-Martin-Samuels-fascinating-meeting-Arsenal-manager–I.html
p.s. it’s a two-part interview, for anyone interested in a whole interview, as Kenneth proves we must be.
@Rufusstan ah yes the old miss quoting of Wenger again.
QPR are 8 points away from safety in 20th place Harry came out after the loss against Man U at the weekend saying he can see QPR staying in the PL for next season. Before the City game Arsenal were 6 points behind City and now 9 points behind so if Harry thinks QPR can catch up why not Wenger?
An interesting interview one I will have to digest properly just wondering though does anybody else read Wenger interviews in a strange French accent trying to imagine Wenger talking?
bob,
It might interest you to know (I’m not sure about this but i’m sure someone can verify it) that Amy Lawrence and Patrick Barclay, two journalists who you couldn’t really describe as anti-Arsenal, are no longer employed by any newspaper. Instead, they work freelance.
@ Arsenal 13
You and other ‘theorists’ have actually to explain the strange treatment of Arsenal from every which way- press, loads of TV companies, radio and refs.
I agree with you that the ‘anything to sell more newspapers idea’ is far too simplistic. Over the years there have been countless oportunities to attack the other major Prem teams in the same way as Arsenal is now vilified. They haven’t. And far, far more than the press are involved anyway.
I believe the reason for the current prolonged attack on Arsenal is complicated to understand in detail but very simple in principle. The banking elite control the press and the media and could easily have some sway in the way our beautiful game is run. This may extend to the way fixtures and reffing are conducted for example. Most chillingly though, through debt, they control most of the great clubs of Europe and, perhaps this is the best way of saying it, want their teams to do well! Arsenal is one great club out of their control. And only by creating a club in crisis- by all means possible- can the club be brought to heel. We have seen those means over and over again and I am sure you can find plenty of potential bizzarre supporting evidence (RVP being sent off anyone?).
Before you throw Man City and Chelsea at me as being autonomous clubs out of Banking Elite control, let me ask you a question. How rich do you suppose those owners would be without the support and best wishes of the Banking Elite? Another question could be- ‘whose monies are they actually throwing about’ or even ‘seeing as it wouldn’t look good for big banks to own clubs directly- who could they pay to do it’?
I wonder to what extent all this is to keep Arsenal down in the hope that the pressure will tell and the real control can finally pass into those big grabbing hands.
The last time I put this explanation forward there were some repercussions and it was interesting to realise that they also have gofers trawling football websites. So what I say must have some truth to it and some desperation attached.
I remember watching Sven Eriksson’s interview with Gabby Logan after leaving the England job; she asked him what he’d learned in his time as England manager, to which he replied he’d learned that for one to sleep well in England one should not read the papers. It loooked funny then but how right he was.
Andrew
Yeah, you maybe right there, they must have nothing to do. Just that it doesn’t make sense to see a fan agitating for the sacking of a manager who has been openly courted by several top top clubs in Europe, Madrid being top of that list, over the years. Even certain managers know that their claims to be the most successful in the league will always be under threat as long as Wenger is in England.
Hi all,
Great article again, but somehow I feel like we (real AFC fans) are fighting an uphill battle here. All the major papers and tv groups are Anti Arsenal. Why? (the big one)
Who? How?
Lotta unanswered questions is all I have.
Gooner4life
Ps : where do you guys go for EPL news – tables, fixtures, results, etc. I hate visiting bbc, ESPN or Telegraph.
Its a nothing for me. I have been saying this for years that all the Man Utd supporting editors/journalists always conjure up things/reasons to make another manager look bad. Its not that Wenger could ban them from attending interview at Emirates can he? Ferguson go even further and directly threaten them and get on with it without uttering a single wiord. So now they executed Wenger the foreigner. Fed up with biases.
My feeling is that there might be someone, a major force, pushing these stories. How about a certain shareholder who’s not represented on the board? ( just thinking). Because however much you call it laziness, no media house can afford to antagonize so many people. If it’s not this, then may be there’s an agenda out against Arsene!
@Doanythingformoney
Sadly, I seem to agree with you on this. Just look at the number of comments that BBC article has or Durham gets on his articles in mail and people wonder why they publish it.
nihirealist,
That is really interesting info.
Does Amy Lawrence as a freelancer have pieces that are accepted at the Guardian Football Department?
She is known to have been an Arsenal fan, though her pieces were often very balanced; though, at times, cleaving more toward the general anti-Arsenal lines of Guardian Football Department. I would think that working there would have presented any fair-minded (real) jorno with a lot of ethical challenges, and presented a high-wire tightrope act in their coverage of AFC/AW. Are you hinting that Amy has been given the elbow there?
(I haven’t followed Patrick enough to have an informed guesstimate of what’s on.)
Two press conferences ago (and possibly this one being analyzed), Arsene used the word “destabilized” several times in reference to how he and the team were being hit on by the media. He’s done so on rare occasion before, so I think his use of the word is meant with precision. I agree that has been the case, and surely two summers ago with the non-stop “lost the plot” headlines, head in hand photo(shopped?) images, and further character assassinations topped by a savage characterization of him smiling a “rictus grin” (a death mask/rigormortis look, as in dead man walking). This press corpse (headline writers, editors, many jornos) and their string-pullers make hyenas look ethical. There’s no point in calling them shameless; that’s the job requirement, and they’re keen to pay the piper to pay the bills.
p.s. sorry, meant to write “they’re keen to play the piper to pay the bills” (think I’ve got it right now)
So much collective insight into the anti-AFC/Arsene media campaigns was achieved by UA writers and commenters two summers ago. It seems like a new round of mega-rounding is at hand. It would be a shame, in the current moment, to have to re-hash all that was analyzed and had generally had a lot of traction amongs readers here then. This media swill and lens crafting is their stock in trade, yes; but there are string pullers, and it takes both will and tough-mindedness to shed light on them, as was done that summer by analyzing connections amongst various entities. Someone’s blog entries or published book or dissertation should be accumulated put on the marquees in fair-minded blogs so that readers with the gumption for truly understanding the string-pulling can educate themselves and one another. Otherwise its click, react, click, react as if it’s all new and for the very first time and tsk tsk, and gnashing teeth; when it’s another round of a relentless machinery that cranks up, issues marching orders, pushes reliable buttons, and out spouts the slanders and false attributions and out of context wrenchings that Arsene has aptly summarized with the word “destabilize.” Do you think a man this experienced and cagey would use that word with no grain of truth? It’s there for any who will hear it.
Stuart. I completely agree. I stopped reading the traditional media a few years back for all kinds of reasons, but I’d come back from games and read reviews and analysis and could not recognise the match I had seen. That is without going into the kind of hack jobs illustrated above.
I did stick with the BBC, because, well they are the BBC. Now they seem just as bad.
Elvis. All I can suggest is what I do. The Arsenal blogs are my jumping off point now. From their articles, and more often things suggested in the comments, I tend to find other stuff, or even dip into the traditional media if they actually publish something worth reading.
I wont say read this or that as its a bit like the old print media, you need to try things and see what you are comfortable with. For me its her, Arseblog (and their news site), 7AM kickoff, and other specialist places like the Swiss ramble. For the basic numerical stuff; the BBC still cannot get that wrong.
Bob. Tend to agree with a lot of that. 2 points that come to mind: firstly that someone like Amy Lawrence is stuck in the position that whatever copy she submits still ends up in the editorial grinder so a neutral/ pro Arsenal article can end up, well, not.
Secondly, everything you’ve described smells of the media’s unpleasant desire to make the news rather than report the news. The Sun’s ‘2 year deal’ story was likely planted for just that reason. It appears on the day of a press conference (surprise, surprise), and Arsene’s reaction gives them a chance to blow up a bigger story.
bob
Patrick Barclay, even when he’s critical of Arsenal or Arsene is very balanced, and in my experience, has never resorted to abuse. When Ramsey’s leg was broken (not when he broke his leg), Barclay was one of the very few who called it like it was. ‘A scythe’ he termed it. He also said that he believes Arsenal show more mental strength than any team in the league. He used to write for the Times (another Murdoch co) which some time ago went behind a paywall. But, last year, when I was in the UK, I read some Barclay articles in the London Evening Standard. He was also one of the few criticising Redknapp and the media for making it out as if the England job was his.
I agree with your assessment of Lawrence. But on the whole, she is not someone I would call anti-Arsenal. (not that you say she is)
I don’t know if these two were ‘elbowed’ out, or they left of their own volition, (or any combination of the two), but I found it interesting nonetheless.
Still, I’m not 100% sure about this information being true. Needs more of a look-see.
It appears as if there are many different ‘stakeholders’ driving this campaign brought together by a common agenda, to drive AW out.
The PGMOL and certain managers want Wenger out, certainly not for his managerial prowess as it is public knowledge he’s ‘rubbish’. How many times have we heard he’s a sore loser, despite that there are certain managers who are famous for laying into the match officials each time their team doesn’t win. I have never heard them labelled anything other than genius.
The media’s reasons have to do with AW being French, that his early player recruitment policy appeared to be based on ‘overlooking’ expensive English talent at the expense of cheap foreigners, that he just came from nowhere to challenge the establishment, & that by ridiculing him at every turn they might just get noticed by certain rival managers & get a front row at their press conferences where they’ll be addressed by their first name.
Other clubs are generally unhappy with Arsenal refusing to tow the line by not paying exorbitant fees for average players, choosing to buy youth and nurture them where these other clubs spend millions for ‘proven’ mecernaries, and Arsenal choosing to be different by playing a game that is so foreign to the English game. They also dont like that Arsenal are the only team not owned outright by a foreign billionaire in the traditional top 4, and seems to be the only club making profit year after year. That Arsenal built a state of the art stadium that rivals wembley without a cash injection from a suagr daddy. This group and the other two mentioned above(PGMOL & the media) just seem to hate the fact Arsenal went a whole season unbeaten, and will do anything to ensure that it never happens again, even if it means breaking every Arsenal player’s legs, or destabilize the whole project one way or another.
Throw into the mix the fans who lap up all the negative stories being churned daily about Arsenal, together with some major shareholders who aren’t happy not to be represented on the board.
It seems these are all kinds of individuals from different sections, some even being rivals between themselves, but brought together by one thing this time, their burning desire to see Arsenal fail.
” of the media’s unpleasant desire to make the news rather than report the news. The Sun’s ’2 year deal’ story was likely planted for just that reason. It appears on the day of a press conference (surprise, surprise), and Arsene’s reaction gives them a chance to blow up a bigger story.”
Rufusstan,
Imo, this baiting of traps is the stock in trade of Der Sun and bears the Murdochian signature. The story also gave Arsene the chance to denounce it (not by name in the foreshortened press conference that I first watched) as “destabilizing”; but, this in turn, allows the chorus of stenographers to denounce Arsene’s (reactive, but not identified as such) behaviour as “bizarre” and “losing the plot” and so forth. When he calls for respect after doing what he’s been doing for 30 years, the mendacious lynch mob turns that into the snivelings of a man going senile. This is what destabilization and character assassination are about; plus multiply by the echo chamber of lazy rent-paying mendicant-scribes that feed from the Murdoch trough (as the opinion-setter) and you get the “massive crisis” that fans (gooners and anti-gunners) are fed and feed from.
Agree with all you,say al, I will add the fact that we are soon to become the proof that even in this financially skewed league, you can compete within ffp terms. There are many who will not like that, many powerful people.
Hopefully the sun and arsenal are history Bob. That paper should not even be in existence for so many reasons, not least of which what they did to the innocent bereaved of Liverpool. That publication personifies journalistic filth, if the aaa chose to believe their words, it says more about them than I ever can.
The Suns article was done for one reason.Came out on the Monday after a poor result on the Saturday, giving some Arsenal fans more to moan at AW.The idea he has been given more years would have made things very difficult for him.Then the Sun would have cranked up even MORE pressure on AW after the Munich match.All i assure you clearly planned.
I see the half year profits just announced.Without player sales and property development it would have been 24million loss.Having said that a fiancial expert said that Arsenal are in a very good position with new sponsorship deals.
“not least of which what they did to the innocent bereaved of Liverpool”.
So right, Mandy.
Like the not-lamented NOTD, Der Sun literally profits off human misery (Liverpool’s bereaved), and they produce it in order to cover it. The worst of human angels are their stock in trade and it is a true shame and scandal that those who buy and ingest it have their lowest expectations, resentments and bile regularly confirmed. That is its true social function – to sedate millions of readers by giving them false targets – like AW, etc. etc. – to both hate and feel superior to. And it’s all sound and fury signifying nothing but their being taken out of an authentic life, and far more…
I’ve come up with a very simple answer, anything that is different and threatens the old order of things is always looked at with disdain until it proves itself, the simple fear that people might be proved wrong threatens them.
The way clubs have grown in the past and in recent times is by massive injection of money by benefactors, Arsenal chose a different path which a lot of these media noise makers still can’t get their head round.
They simple can’t understand why Arsene, a man known for winning with Arsenal in his early years can tie his future to the club and drag his reputation in the mud to see through a project that despite all their negativity is clearly working.
Its amazing that these hyenas of the press never questioned themselves or actually accurately figure out where trouble is next to emerge? they’ve been shouting about an impending calamity at Arsenal for ages but ignorantly missed the demise of both Portsmouth and Liverpool, infact it was only a few weeks to Rangers ceasing to exist that any one of these media outlets got to know that there was anything brewing there.
I don’t understand how people let themselves get wound up over nothing. There is something brewing up at the next club about to run into problems even as we speak but these muppets would have simple minded folk gnashing their teeth about a club that has not slipped out of the top 4 in 16 years and has grown its revenues and its global profile with its unique mode of operation which they clearly can’t get their head around?
Shame on the press.
Some of our former heroes who should be advancing the cause of the club are however not helping matters, I find it appalling that Gary Neville (as much as I disliked him) is the only one of all these so called former players who seems to have a smidgen of intelligence. His articles about the situation of the club and Arsene are a breath of fresh air in a pervasive atmosphere of outright stupidity ably exemplified by Stewart Robson (who if wikipedia is to be believed actually won nothing for Arsenal as a player but now believes he is the best person to tell the best manager in the club’s history when to call it a day).
Its amazing that an ‘enemy’ atimes has better perception than some ‘friends’as these articles show.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2248779/Arsene-Wenger-stay-Arsenal-Gary-Neville.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2025700/Gary-Neville-Arsenal-fans-shouldnt-criticise-Arsene-Wenger.html
Yaaaaawwwwwnnnnnn!!!
DOANYTHINGFORTHEMONEY AND ALL. reasons why many want to own football clubs. This is just notts county. What would the prestige of the big clubs get you. The billion dollar conman http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAbJGgDnk7U.
uk,
you prove my point exactly: yawning before the chasm. you really do equate ignorance with bliss. such an arrogant sot, and can’t even spell yawn right. how about (in the interests of full disclosure) you change your name from uk to septic aisle? jeez. what a waste of tax money you are. and to take an entire country as your alias. are you uk and Arsene is johnny foreigner? is that it? what a cretin you are (and that’s not from crete).
nah, some just like to be depressed all the time. And feel it their job to make everybody depressed.
Nice article , Kenneth – a big LIKE from me .You must have stepped on someone’s toe as that you tube link is not available ,instead the following ‘apology ‘appears –
“*FULL UNCUT* Arsene Wenger …” The YouTube account associated with this video has been terminated due to multiple third-party notifications of copyright infringement.
Sorry about that.
But I do love it when the Arsenal pisses off others ,as it seems to me that we must be doing something right !
I would feel really creepy if some of these clowns would want to be cosy and touchy – feely with us !Talk about strange bedfellows!
bob,
In Dutch the word “uk” has a meaning by the way.
It is the same as a “small child”…maybe a little spoilt child.
Quotes from Voltaire –
1) Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.
2 )Prejudice is opinion without judgement.
3) Love truth, and pardon error.
In my response yesterday, I said “follow the money”, hoping more of you would pick it up, you have, great.
Perhaps it`s not Wenger who is the target , but the board
We are starting to get the Wallies saying the board must go, Ooooh, now I wonder who would benefit from that ?
Walter,
“uk” in Dutch for spoilt child is like “brat” (a nasty and annoying child). and this-close to “oik” (aggro thug). and close to “ork” (one of the hordes of mud-creatures that fight for the evil lord, Sauron, in lord of the rings, like the nevilles at old toilet in ‘that game’ doing lord fergie’s bidding). and there’s that ever-useful sound of revulsion, “yuk” (or, “why uk”? which only uk and its therapist can fathom)….
I’ve been thinking this through and I think a lot of this has to do with Arsene Wenger’s personality. He is earnest and wants to explain things fully. He answers the questions he gets asked no matter how banal. In short, he is a bit of a nerd and the loud mouths and bully boys (read popular media and AAA) love to pick on nerds.