Onwards

By @buxtongooner

I’m on the brink. I admit it.

I’m an Arsene Wenger fan. A massive one.

I’m beginning to teeter ever so slightly these days when it comes to faith in those that run my club, and this summer has so far been testing to say the least. With five days left until the transfer window slams closed, I’m holding my breath.

We all know what this great manager has achieved. The trophies, the great players, the finals, a new stadium, and yet despite all of this I’m beginning to question him. Only very slightly, but it’s there. Or is it? Really?

So there he is, Arsene, the voice of the club. We have a majority shareholder who never speaks, a chief executive that spins the Arsenal line, and a Chairman that is second only to Prince Philip when it comes to putting his foot in his mouth. Wenger faces the media, toys with them, jokes with them, amuses them, but has to answer all the questions. Just him.

The man’s getting abuse on forums, on social media sites, on blogs. Everyone knows better, and everyone knows what should be done and how to do it. This is what is causing my uncertainty about the man. It’s you lot. You know who you are. The fires of negativity are constantly being fuelled, and it’s unhealthy at a time when more than anything, our club, our young team and our manager need our support.

A club in crisis! Scream the press. We’re not the only ones, yet you’d think we were. We’re trying to compete with teams that, frankly, are spending money that a) they haven’t got or b) that’s being freely handed to them, and to stay up there with them is a testament to the man – his intelligence, his shrewdness and his beliefs.

Yes, it’s heart breaking seeing players we loved leave, frustrating watching players we were close to signing head off to one of our rivals, it’s maddening leaving transfers until this late in the window, but just don’t shoot the messenger, take an aim at the board. If there are problems with the way we are doing business, and it would seem there is, I suspect the blame lies with them – the quiet ones.

Sometimes I think we’ve been spoilt with success, and that he’s made a rod for his own back. For all that we’ve won as a team, the pinnacle being a season as astonishingly near perfect as 2003-2004, these things should be applauded, remembered and cherished, not used as stick to beat him with. Don’t let’s constantly remind ourselves of what we had. Let’s look at what we’ve got, who we might add, and move forwards.

Five days left in the transfer window. Any judging that one feels has to be done should be done at midnight next Wednesday and not before. We have no idea what’s going on and let’s not pretend we do. We’re all in the same boat, here, folks, in the dark, adrift in a sea of bullshit.

If he was to go who would replace him? Who could replace him? I can’t honestly think of anyone who could work within the confines of the financial constraints we assume he is under, that could do a better job. You?

My fear is that the negativity surrounding the club and the attitude of the board and the supporters will not see him relieved of his position, but that he will simply walk away, into the welcoming arms of a club that can see how great he is and will truly appreciate him.

And he will be missed.