Arsenal: Gunners do everything the right way
It's Saturday and that means that the Arsenal are back in action. And talking of the Gunners - as if there's anything else to talk about - the latest recognition
of the club came by it being hailed by the fans for its excellent customer
service and hospitality.
Before the
cynics say, they have to seeing as they have the highest ticket
prices in the country, my point is simple: We think of everything and
everyone.
Yes every club wants to keep their fans happy but it's those
simple things that make the visit memorable and Arsenal as ever have
always done that. The move to the new stadium was met with discord and
discontent, but when you see the Emirates you realise the club was right to leave Highbury.
Still have
doubts? Check out how many teams want to move to a new stadium or
redo their existing ones. There's your answer.
Critics may
say it is for the commercial benefits, but ask a fan who is paying for
the ticket and he will say it was worth it.
In terms of thinking ahead, Arsenal have been excellent.
A certain Arsene Wenger was ridiculed for selling his top stars and
investing in youngsters and unheralded players. We were labelled as
being kids. Now when you see teams across the
world, you will realise that what Wenger foresaw was the right approach.
He knew that the only way forward was to invest in youth.
If
Southampton, Crystal Palace or even Watford is said to have a great
youth academy and most of the top teams scouts come their to watch their
players, the credit goes to those clubs who know that in order to
compete in the modern day football, you either must have a sugar daddy
who has bucket loads of money or have a cream of youngsters who have the
needed talent but need proper guidance.
It gives great joy to all Arsenal fans when they see other teams trying to do what we already are
doing. Want to see the best young team in the world, go watch Borrusia
Dortmund. They made the Sheikhs of Etihad shudder. It was clean
unadulterated football played by young men who just wanted to express
themselves. It was football at its best.
It is the same on the international
scene. Spain are the champions of Europe and the world, but who plays the best
football? No, not Brazil, nor Argentina, it is Germany. It's
unanimously agreed that if there is a team that can beat Spain, it
is Germany, and Loew invested heavily in his youth players. This was the
same guy who said no to Ballack and yes to Ozil. The rest as they say is
history.
I agree every concept has a flaw and indeed the
youth system does have its own as well. But the direction is the right
one and I am sure everyone agrees to it. Brendan Rodgers, Roy Hodgson,
Joachim Loew and even AVB will certainly vouch for it. Am I saying only
Arsenal should get the credit for it? Of course not, but the fact remains it
was Arsenal who were at the forefront of it.
It's the same when you think about the financial fair play. The world of
football is at crossroads because of the exorbitant money spent and
apart from a few who can afford through various sources, some with a Sheikh who has thrown money at a club, some who are ok to go into heavy debts
just to be there and there abouts or even some who suddenly find money
hidden in the attic, the rest of the clubs realise that there needs to be
a limit.
When you hear that Manchester United officials are going to
complain about City's spending, you must laugh. It's the pot calling the kettle black.
Arsenal stuck by their financial prudence and insisted that they
will spend money from their earnings and profits. Now FIFA and UEFA are
trying to install a cap on the madness too. Now can we say we told
you so?
I am not just trying to justify that everything Arsenal does is
right. Like all things in this world there are certain things which can
always be improved and so it is for Arsenal. The thing is though, we have
been trendsetters in achieving a balance of running a football club and
doing it in the right way.
At the end of the day, a fan or even a critic may still say all this is
all well and good but what have you got to show for it? My answer is simple, we may
not have trophies that fill the cabinets, but we have been the role model
for others to follow. Indeed even I want to see my dear club win trophies, but in case we don't, at least I can
proudly say we tried to do so in the right manner.
Arsenal Football Club is right in its way and I am proud to say I
support this club.
Finally, on a separate note. He is back. Yes he is back. The body
shudders in hearing it and seeing it may make me swoon, but yes Jack
Wilshere is back and before anyone says its been 15 months, the comeback after a injury is the toughest etc, for one moment let's forget all
that and wish him well, for he is that eternal hope and pride of Arsenal. Welcome back Jack! Go and play as if nothing has
happened. You are a fighter and you will always be one.
