Of Football Players, Men, and the World Media, here is an Insight into why Arsene Wenger is so important to world football and more importantly, his players.
Every year, on the 1st of July, several million football fans google ‘Arsenal Transfer News’ or ‘Chelsea News’ Or ‘Madrid’ to keep up with what’s happening on the transfer market in world football. I do this myself, almost every morning during the transfer window.
For Arsenal fans in particular, several such windows have been frustrating. While fans have, in previous seasons, pulled up their newspapers, trying to trace some glimmer of hope; a signing or a ‘done deal’ or an ‘Arsenal Sign’ on arsenal.com, only for their hopes to be shattered by one of Wenger’s regular announcements at a press conference; ‘We’re not close to signing anybody’. (You hear me, don’t you fans?) Remember January last season, when we all did all of this, only to see a semi- injured mostly unused Kim Kallstrom walk into the Emirates? It isn’t easy, for fans around the world, who spend their money, year after year, to watch their team grow, win and most importantly and play good football.
Watching and reading the news make one thing clear for sure; not winning does not go down easy for anyone, ever. How easy must it be for Arsenal FC, Really?
In the summer transfer window of 2013, Wenger , a few days till the window slammed shut, told journalists at a press conference at the Emirates that it is indeed amazing and baffling that the media should presume it knows what goes inside the club. It is indeed, baffling now to me, as well.
It is amazing how our grip on all news regarding Arsenal football club, namely transfers, is hijacked completely, by rumours regarding players, their contracts, many a times about agents having met the club, or reputed journalists and/or newspapers claiming that a certain deal is ‘done’ without ever having to confirm with the clubs involved . This is not an attempt at trivializing the efforts put in by journalists and fans alike and trying to feel ‘good’ about what goes on inside a club.
However, in the midst of this tussle between what happens to global superstars and the never ending influx of information, there is something very fundamental to the game and to being a fan of the game, which is completely lost in the process. We forget that we are usually speaking about a world of men, of human beings, just like the rest of us, working professionals, capable of imperfection. Let’s take Arsenal for example.
Arsenal Football Club is in many ways no exception to this universally impeding force; transfer gossip. There is a larger narrative and a factual one, on the club’s debt towards the stadium and Wenger’s participation in a larger consorted effort towards ensuring the long term financial stability of the club. Many a times, the debate that evolves on the web about the club’s ‘lack of spending’ versus ‘stability’ is manifested by the regular ‘Wenger’ and ‘Non- commentaries on web posts and articles.
Will be Continued with a follow up post tomorrow..
