The Arsenal Way

Trophies this season?

I believe when a football fan (the non-local fans) chooses which team to support, it reflects on his mentality, his belief, and the value he holds in life to a certain extend.

True, every top club has its share of glory hunters. Yet if you take Arsenal for example, despite our success under Wenger early this decade, we were never as dominating a force as Man Utd in the Premiership. The fans who started supporting Arsenal within the past 10 years could have easily choosen Man Utd or Chelsea to support instead, if all they wanted to see is trophies. So what made them choose Arsenal?

I believe, more or less, it’s because they share the same values as Arsenal. What are those values? They are “Arsenal Way”. Which is; running the club the right way (the board), building the team the right way (the manager), and playing the football the way it should be (the team).

The term the “Arsenal Way” we see it so often these days, both on and off the pitch.  In the past, when a side were playing good, attractive football, we would hear the cliche “just like watching Brazil”. Today, more often than not, we hear, “just like watching Arsenal.”.

Off the pitch, I have read time and time again chairmen from the smaller clubs expressing their desire to run their clubs the “Arsenal Way”. Citing Arsenal as an ideal business model for them to copy.

That, to me, sums up what our club is all about. And I am proud of it. Had I not been an Arsenal fan, I too would want to be associated with a club like Arsenal.

True, to run a club the “Arsenal Way”, life is bound to be more difficult than Man Utd, Chelsea, Man City and the likes, especially in terms of what matters most – f winning trophies. But the “Arsenal Way” makes every achievement truly worthwhile.

Nobody could accuse Arsenal of  BUYING our two doubles under Wenger.  Noone could accuse us of BUYING our unbeaten season. We EARNED them, and 100% DESERVED them.

Despite Chelsea’s two titles under Mourinho, we never saw anyone speak about the desire of running their clubs, or playing their football the “Chelsea Way”. If anything, people often are quick to remind them how the club had  BOUGHT the titles with every chance they got. I bet even the most diehard Chelsea faithfuls would secretly wish that they had won their titles with a team they built rather than Roman’s deep pocket.