Well, okay, but do you get the feeling that he agreed to stay after the board promised him he’d only have £13 million to spend on new players, rather than after they warned him? As in:
AW: I have an offer from Real Madrid.
IG: Don’t leave! The transfer budget is huge next year—we can give you £75 million!
AW: I don’t know; the challenge in Madrid feels interesting…
IG: Arsène, let’s be reasonable. We’re prepared to make it £80, £85 million. Whatever it takes to keep you here.
AW: No, I think I’m definitely leaving for Madrid.
IG (thinking): What if we made it, say, £45 million?
AW: I’m listening…
IG: £20 million, and you’re not allowed to buy any English players over the age of 14.
AW: Make it £10 million and 12 and you’ve got me.
IG: £13 million, and we’ll agree in advance to pretend the Africa Cup of Nations doesn’t exist.
AW (eyes glinting): Done.
Read More: Arsenal, Arsène Wenger
by Brian Phillips · May 19, 2009
(I’m saying the following as a Villa fan):
If Wenger/The Board/whoever would have spent a few bucks to keep Flamani and Hleb, this past season would have looked radically different, and probably better.
You should employ a cartoonist.
Funny stuff Brian.
Wenger seems to negotiate like Peter Griffin.
Actually I bet you can draw. I demand to see a new weekly feature on the RoP, thank you very much.
Awesome.
The Mail (amazingly!) I think does a pretty good job today between Martin Samuel & Ash Wednesday (really?).
Amongst Gooners there is a split of those who believe he has, as you suggest, willingly turned down transfer funds on principle. (And loved him for it as least as much as they were frustrated by it).
And others who believe he has willingly participated in a cover-up on part of the board to paint the as wealthier then it is for whatever reason. Presumably to scare off the likes Usmanov, and at least initially Kroenke.
I have to admit, I have at least now placed one foot in the latter camp.
I definitely laughed out loud reading this.
I heard the sticking point was that Wenger was LIVID that the board actually caved in and bought Arshavin. It totally threw a monkey wrench in the perpetual horizon three year plan