By Bulldog Drummond
As we approach the Norwich game, let us consider just a moment, how Mr Emery left Arsenal. He was sacked, but he left with a most gracious and dignified letter which has been published on Arsenal.com. I think it is worth republishing in full – just to show certain media folk what the word “dignity” means (cos I’m bloody sure they don’t know).
“It has been an honour to be the Arsenal head coach.
“To all the fans, I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for helping me to understand and feel the greatness of Arsenal. To all of you who have supported us from every corner of the globe, all of you who have come to the Emirates, all of you who have waited in the rain and cold just to greet me after a game. I want to tell all of you that I have worked with passion, with commitment and with effort.
“I would have liked nothing more than to have achieved better results for you.
“I also want to send a message of gratitude to all Arsenal employees for the way they have treated me. The greatness of Arsenal is in every director, executive, employee, assistant and volunteer.
“In particular, I want to highlight Ivan Gazidis, who welcomed me to the club, and Raul Sanllehi, Edu and Vinai Venkatesham for their respect, companionship and help. Until the very last minute I have been treated with honour and honesty. And of course, I send my sincere gratitude to the Kroenke family, for their trust.
“It has been a year and a half full of emotions, of great moments and some other more bitter ones, but not a single day has gone by without me stopping to think about how lucky I have been to work for this club with these players and their professional and personal qualities.
“They have always honoured the shirt they wear. They deserve your support.
“I had already experienced a lot in football, but I have enjoyed and learned a lot in England, in the Premier League, about respect for professionals and about the purity of football.
“My best wishes always.
“COYG”
Not many publications of any flavour have quoted it, although to be fair, despite the Gooner’s support of the notorious AST and their last open letter which stated that the trouble with the atmosphere at the Arsenal Stadium was all down to Arsenal, rather than the fans, there is an interesting piece in the Online Gooner which gives fulsome credit to Unai Emery noting (as very few others have done) that “he departed the club with dignity and warm words.”
Now it is Freddie’s turn. How long he has before the journalists, the bloggers and the “Wenger out” mob turn on him we shall see, but he will at least be under no illusion. The toughness of the task is not primarily in winning games, it is in doing so with the media and the fans on your back. All the time, day and night.
Next up, the teams.
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Is the tougher part really coping with the fans and the media? Maybe your narrative is getting the better of your common sense. Surely the tougher part is winning games. Which if you do it, the fans and media are easy to cope with.
With due respect that letter has been given good publicity as it should. And arsenal fans have generally received it graciously. I believe I speak for a good number of fans when I say indeed it was sad to see Emery let go, but I and even Emery himself understood that ultimately it’s the results that count. He replaissue. rsene Wenger following unsatisfactory results, so it was only expected that the same would happen to him if results didn’t improve. I and many fans actually expected a struggle for the new man in the first few years, but we also expected progressive improvement, however Emery seemed like he was sinking and taking the club with him, something had to give eventually.
I was not in support of his appointment initially as I felt he didn’t do well enough in PSG, but I must say he won me over with his enthusiasm and willingness to take responsibility. He never attributed failure to the media or referees or opposition style etc, he took responsibility to the very end, he showed character in the face of dwindling results. However I believe he would have learned a few lessons some of which I feel should be
1. Be decisive as a coach. I take the captaincy issue as an example. Weeks into the season we didn’t have the captaincy sorted out, only for him to after all that time ask the players to vote. For a matter that he should have singularly have decided long ago. That was the height of indecisiveness, and I believe that erodes confidence in his ability. Also, Xhaka should never have been in contention for the captaincy. This is someone who had been booed by the fans severally as recently as in preseason, it was always going to be a time bomb waiting to go off. Indecisive. This strategy of 5 captains, indecisive.
2. Tactics. Coming in, the press said he was strong on tactics. But I never saw that. Even when we went 22 matches unbeaten, I ofen wondered after watching some matches how we had managed to come away with the result after been outplayed, out shot by the opposition. Eg against Everton and wolves at home last season. It felt like luck was just on our side.
3. communication obviously was an issue
4. Finally, he failed to impact a style on our game.
I wish him well, I think he’ll be better for this experience
“How long he has before the … “Wenger out” mob turn on him we shall see”
Not so much. I just saw a comment on a so called “Arsenal french forum” from a so called “Arsenal fan”. Probably the kind of fan that can only support “his” team when it wins.
It said :”Wenger = Emery = Freddie”
Stupidy has no borders