Good evening everyone.
The last couple of days have been rather quiet. The only thing going on right now seems our visit to the USA, so I decided it's time to talk about it. It'll be easier if I break down Wenger's interview on the official site:
Well, this World Cup definitely seems to have sparked interest in football in a big way. Even the World Cup in the USA in 1994 wasn't able to accomplish that. Much of this interest is down to how far the national team went, but I also think we should take our hats off for Jurgen Klinsmann. The man is doing a wonderful job not only in training the side, but also by informing and involving a wide number of people, promoting football as sport, in other words. I'm sure you've heard of his open letter to all American companies, in which he asked (twice: before the game against Germany, then before the game against Belgium) to let the employees leave early to be in time for the match. I even think I saw pictures of Barack Obama watching both encounters, together with half his Executive Office.
I think it's the first time Arsenal goes to the US and this is a bit surprising. We have a majority shareholder who's an American, at least Gatorade as one of our American partners, but still haven't been to the USA. At least, the time is definitely right now, as football is on the upturn after the World Cup.
In other news, I've stumbled on a brilliant interview from Arsene Wenger, which he's given to ITV's reporter Gabriel Clarke before the FA Cup final. I don't know, whether I've missed it, or haven't paid due attention to it, but now the interview has resurfaced and I'm going all-out to comment on it. I also highly recommend watching it, it's plainly fascinating. There's some insight from Gabriel Clark, some quotes from Ian Wright and David Dein stuff in there. Here are the most interesting tidbits:
I do not remember, whether I gave you this piece from Amy Lawrence, but here you go anyway. It wasn't written after a defeat, oh no, rather, it was written after a winning penalty shoot-out against Wigan that took us to the final. You could nonetheless sense how Wenger suffered during the game and understand how much he suffers after games that didn't go as well.
It's a remarkable achievement, given our manager is not 20 like the lads he's training. I have always understood Wenger is in great physical shape, but until I saw this, I had no proof. Remarkable, really.
Words cannot express the state of awe I'm in right now. Of course, a lot of people talk of leading by example, but not many people are ready to practise what they preach. Arsene is one of these few.
I'll leave the point about power for another day. For now I'm only going to say that a weak board and a powerful manager seem closely connected things to me. Someone has to step up and make the decisions, if the board won't do it, then the manager has to do it. In that case I'm happy we have such a capable person for a manager.
Which brings us to the second point: Arsene's love for the Club. I've always maintained Arsene gives the Club 100%. I've said here and here about how I'll never fault Arsene's effort and desire. He may have shortcomings, no one's perfect after all, but he well and truly compensates for these by his burning desire to make the Club successful. And Arsene will rightfully go down as the one, who has revolutionised the Club in more ways than one.
Ian Wright:
Just to confirm my previous point. Also, I strongly advise you to watch the interview in full, cause there are parts I've omitted, which are not very interesting from a practical point of view, but they still give you insight, an opportunity to understand our manager better.
Finally for today, I'm still tampering with the design of the site and I'll try to figure out how to add RSS subscription, but until then you can subscribe via email. Go ahead and do it.
I'll end it with Arsene's quote:
Until later
The last couple of days have been rather quiet. The only thing going on right now seems our visit to the USA, so I decided it's time to talk about it. It'll be easier if I break down Wenger's interview on the official site:
"It is the first time since I [started to] go to World Cups that I've been stopped by so many American people,"
"I can tell you something I'm completely convinced of - before people didn't know who you were, but now every American guy I met knows Arsenal, knows England and knows the Premier League".
Well, this World Cup definitely seems to have sparked interest in football in a big way. Even the World Cup in the USA in 1994 wasn't able to accomplish that. Much of this interest is down to how far the national team went, but I also think we should take our hats off for Jurgen Klinsmann. The man is doing a wonderful job not only in training the side, but also by informing and involving a wide number of people, promoting football as sport, in other words. I'm sure you've heard of his open letter to all American companies, in which he asked (twice: before the game against Germany, then before the game against Belgium) to let the employees leave early to be in time for the match. I even think I saw pictures of Barack Obama watching both encounters, together with half his Executive Office.
“The enthusiasm about soccer in the States is new but big. I expect us to have a good crowd there.
“I hope that we can help to develop the interest in the game and that we can play a good match there to make people enjoy it.
“It is the perfect time to go. I always wanted to go with Arsenal to the United States, so I'm personally very happy to do it.”
I think it's the first time Arsenal goes to the US and this is a bit surprising. We have a majority shareholder who's an American, at least Gatorade as one of our American partners, but still haven't been to the USA. At least, the time is definitely right now, as football is on the upturn after the World Cup.
In other news, I've stumbled on a brilliant interview from Arsene Wenger, which he's given to ITV's reporter Gabriel Clarke before the FA Cup final. I don't know, whether I've missed it, or haven't paid due attention to it, but now the interview has resurfaced and I'm going all-out to comment on it. I also highly recommend watching it, it's plainly fascinating. There's some insight from Gabriel Clark, some quotes from Ian Wright and David Dein stuff in there. Here are the most interesting tidbits:
"Every defeat is a scar that remains for life and it's the moment where you suffer. Really."
I do not remember, whether I gave you this piece from Amy Lawrence, but here you go anyway. It wasn't written after a defeat, oh no, rather, it was written after a winning penalty shoot-out against Wigan that took us to the final. You could nonetheless sense how Wenger suffered during the game and understand how much he suffers after games that didn't go as well.
"I still take every training session. Every day"
It's a remarkable achievement, given our manager is not 20 like the lads he's training. I have always understood Wenger is in great physical shape, but until I saw this, I had no proof. Remarkable, really.
"I still eat the diet of a player. I prepare myself as well as I can and sometimes better than many players. I never go out 48 hours before the game, for dinner or anything, just prepare for the game".
Words cannot express the state of awe I'm in right now. Of course, a lot of people talk of leading by example, but not many people are ready to practise what they preach. Arsene is one of these few.
"Look, I don't know what people mean when they say I'm too powerful. I work with one goal: to do as well as I can for my club in a loyal way and in a very dedicated and committed way. This club has values and I believe in these values and I want to pay back the trust this club has given to me for years".
I'll leave the point about power for another day. For now I'm only going to say that a weak board and a powerful manager seem closely connected things to me. Someone has to step up and make the decisions, if the board won't do it, then the manager has to do it. In that case I'm happy we have such a capable person for a manager.
Which brings us to the second point: Arsene's love for the Club. I've always maintained Arsene gives the Club 100%. I've said here and here about how I'll never fault Arsene's effort and desire. He may have shortcomings, no one's perfect after all, but he well and truly compensates for these by his burning desire to make the Club successful. And Arsene will rightfully go down as the one, who has revolutionised the Club in more ways than one.
Ian Wright:
"He (Arsene) loves this Club. It might have been his project before, when he started it, the way he wanted to change it and he has changed it, but now it's like a child, it's part of him now. His love for Arsenal is deep, he loves it now".
Just to confirm my previous point. Also, I strongly advise you to watch the interview in full, cause there are parts I've omitted, which are not very interesting from a practical point of view, but they still give you insight, an opportunity to understand our manager better.
Finally for today, I'm still tampering with the design of the site and I'll try to figure out how to add RSS subscription, but until then you can subscribe via email. Go ahead and do it.
I'll end it with Arsene's quote:
"I grew up with the game and I think I will die like that".
Until later