Friday 12 September 2008

Right Wenger, Nutty Beane

I admit, I am slightly in love with Arsène Wenger, so everything I say about him on this blog will no doubt be dripping with stomach-churning amour. My apologies in advance for many future indiscretions.

Arsene's latest remarks on the state of English football are worth logging for future reference. He says,

"What is worrying for me is that a player signs somewhere and then the next day he does not even know where he has signed. You cannot say that is a good trend.

"Football is not a supermarket, we have to all understand that.

"You cannot come out and say 'we pay £250,000-a-week to Ronaldo and £135million', when the player has a six-year contract with Manchester United.

"It is not possible or acceptable.

"There is money in the game, and I take it in a positive way - but the football bodies have to make sure that money is ruled properly and used well for the ethics of the game.

"I always did fight for my whole life for the players to make as much money as possible, but you also have to respect what football is.

"It came out from the roots of the country through local communities who identified themselves with their team, and we have to be careful not to destroy that."
So much to say about this, none of which I plan to say now. But rest assured, I will bore your pants off on this topic in due time.

Meantime, I discovered last night that Billy Beane, the brilliant General Manager of the Oakland A's, is an avid supporter of Tottenham Hotspur. This is a bit like discovering that Osama bin Laden wants to live in Disneyland. I cannot think of anything more unlikely.

I am a fan of Billy Beane and his 'Moneyball' ways. Indeed, it's that kind of thinking I want to bore you with as regards English football. For my money, Tottenham Hotspur represents the polar opposite of intelligent thinking about sport. With all due respect, Spurs is one of the stupidest clubs on the planet.

I can justify those comments, honest, but I've really got to dash right now. All in good time, my lovelies. All in good time.

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