YAMACAST Episode 10: the one that’s longer than usual
A warning to anyone who regulalry listens to this podcast – it’s freaking long. Yes, that’s right it’s close to 90 minutes and for no other reason in that my opening rant went on for 20 minutes. Ugh.
But what can you do there was a lot going on when I put it all together. First you have the reported Puma deal worth £170 million, you HAD the rumour of Fergie’s retirement (no longer a rumour,) you had my rant on twats who are openly hoping for Arsenal to fail and there was also this week’s Throat Punch winner.
Fail. Look I get it, there are issues and we are entitled to be unhappy. I am not questioning that. But again, support the bloody club not the manager, not the players, and not the board. The club is what we the supporteres are inextricably linked to. Dennis Bergkamp said it best:
“When you start supporting a football club, you don’t support because of the trophies, or players or history. You support because you found yourself somewhere there; found a place you belong.”
My own personal story is that way as are countless others. You support the club. End of. If you can’t, I challenge calling yourself a supporter. You’re a fan which to me is casual and has no inextricable link to the club. Don’t cry to me here if you don’t agree. I don’t care anyway.
Conversely, I can’t get how people can’t see that there are indeed issues and most of the deal with the leadership (starting at the top) of this club. But I do at least give them credit for their continued support and positive outlook even in the most trying of times.
But enough of that rant. There’s plenty of it on the podcast. Did I tell you is long? It is. Not me, the podcast you cheeky bastards.
As for Arsenal well it certainly is an interesting week. We’re all on egg shells wondering what our Champion’s League fate is. It certainly rests to some extent ont he outcome of the Chelsea v Spuds match. It may be the only time in my life I will actually root for Chelsea. A Spurs loss has ot be what we’re hoping for. Then even if Arsenal and Spurs win their last two games Arsenal on the superior goal differential will make it into the Champion’s League spot.
And then, prayerfully then – we can get back to turning this ship around. If the financials are as healthy as they are going to be this summer – let’s recap: Last summer’s unspent kitty: £70m. Emirates up-front money: £30m. possible upfront money from Puma deal: £20m. New TV deal: £40m. For a grand total of £140 – £160 million coming into the club ALONE this summer. Sure we know it all won’t be spent but it pretty well insures that regardless of their table standing they could a.) survive without the Champion’s League this year and b.) pretty much sign anyone they wanted to – if they have the cajones.
If you are not familiar with our podcast feature “Throat Punch Winner” let me explain, Throat Punch is something you want to do to anyone who says something so overtly stupid and assinine in the press that you want them to just shut up. How do we do that? We punch them in the throat.
This week’s winner is none other than Spurs amanger and resident weeping willow, Andres Villas Boas. He narrowly beat out Arsenal’s own Woijech Szczesny for the honors. Szczesny was in the lead with his comments regarding Spurs and stating rather openly that Spurs didn’t have the quality of players to be in the Champion’s League. Now whether or not you agree with him, we don’t need to be giving that middlesex lot any more motivation to try and finish ahead of us.
And when you thought that idea might linger a waft in the air for a while Villas Boas (Viash Boash to some) went and called Szczesny a passing fan and not someone who had been at the club for a while. Well, besides a manager lowering himself to get pulled into a war of words, he should know that Szczesny has been at the club for quite some time I believe since 2006 in fact or some odd time like that. Someone will correct me on this I am sure.
So Andre enjoy your award. We’re glad we didn’t have to give it to one of our own.
As for today’s guests we have two great ones for you. First up is none other than Jules Wheeler known on twitter as @theRealGunner. Jules is freelance Tv Presenter and avid Arsenal supporter she isn’t known outside of twitter much for doing podcasts but Jules has been a big supporter of ours so we’re glad to talk to her about Arsenal in the wake of the Wigan match. After Jules we have the AST’s own Tim Payton. He is a man who divides a lot of opinions but to me he has always come across as fair and in the end wants the club to recognize it’s supporters for what they are and wants the club to be what we all want it to be the gold standard for football in every facet.
Today’s Guests
Again thank you all for continued support. Sorry again for the length. I really try. Until our next episode – stay Goonerish!
Music by Will.I.Am and Armin Van Burren feature in this episode of the podcast
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Kiwi, you are right on the money in regard to “support”.
The manager, the players, the board… MAKE UP THE CLUB.
If you don’t like the manager… his style, what he does in game, why do I have to “support” his decisions.
I don’t root solely for “laundry”. Sorry.
I have an attachment to the Arsenal… not interested in “supporting” another English club … I have interest in watching other teams play, in the league, and other leagues…
but I have had as much passion about Arsenal, than I have for any sports team I have ever supported.
We love our Boston Red Sox, but the fans turned against the club last year.
We didn’t like the manager, and we HATED certain players who thought they were bigger than the team… The ownership has its pulse on that fan sentiment, and CLEANED HOUSE.
There were fans calling talk radio last season, OPENLY hoping the team LOST. They wanted the manager fired, the team to lose, and the under-performing, overpaid players GONE.
I’d say the Sox fans are amongst the best and most passionate in the world.
If I don’t like some of the Arsenal players… and how they approach the game… the effort, or lack of effort they give at times… if I HATE the way the club is run, the soaking of the fans, the disregard for what fans want/request in terms of seating, tickets, etc…. dislike the disdain the manager has for certain competitions, and dealing with the fans and media… then it becomes difficult to want “this group” to do well.
There is little connection to any of the players in the team… they are sold off regularly, once they get good, so who is the longest running member of the club? Theo? How do you have an attachment to the team and its players, if they SELL the best players every year or two?
You don’t.
You get angry…. you lose interest… and you hope and pray for CHANGE.
If that means finishing outside the Top 4, in order to force that change, so be it.
If they get 4th, I’m fine with that… there’s some good to it, in terms of being able to attract talent… (that I doubt they are interested in spending on, anyway)…
If they don’t end up Top 4, I am equally fine with that as well… because the club is no longer relevant in terms of competing for trophies. They are not trying to win… it is not the most important thing at the club, and that’s why players attitudes SUCK. They reflect it on and off the pitch. LOSING is acceptable.
That’s the difference with the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson.
LOSING is not acceptable at Manchester United.
As long as Arsenal Football Club make lots of money, ANYTHING is acceptable.
How the f*ck can you truly support that?
My advice Mike is to limit the time for a podcast and have key questions to ask and answer this will ensure that over time the quality of the preliminary discussion and interviews will naturally improve. It’s not the time, per se, it’s the tendency for it to become a long ramble – like 2 people on a long bus ride. Interesting for the 2 people but not for publishing. You’re attracting good interviewees, kudos on that, make sure they have time to speak without interruption.
With your attack and name calling on fans who say they’d like Arsenal to miss out on CL qualification I think you need to see past the statement. It’s being said out of utter frustration. Neither you nor I really know if that is heartfelt or just blowing steam. Either way, always remember sport fanship is 100% voluntary and no one (not Wenger or you… or me) have a right to stipulate what people should think and say. No one. You just need to get over yourself on this point. If it irritates you – so what? You just come over as a gnome. If you speak to many fans the blind allegiance Wenger benefits from equally irritates and frustrates them. Yet they have to suffer that. Sport fanship is utterly democratic – you’re free to support whoever and free to articulate your opinion on anything.
Fascinating to see developments over the last 12 hours. Puma sponsorship 30m pounds p.a. – it sounds a good deal on the limited comparatives noted in the paper. But will we spend it?
But the biggie is Fergie retiring. That’s enormous. That’s a generational change. That, more than anything opens up the EPL. It’s huge. Mega. That will enthuse Wenger and every other manager with ambition. The guy has defined the EPL and what it means to be successful. He has done everything possible and with a level of style that will make his successors resent his success for decades… maybe even a century. His success is their undoing. Moyes… I worry he hasn’t won anything, not a cup. He’s like a mini version of Wenger over the last 8 years. Good enough to stay in defendable league position but not good enough to win the things that are achievable. In my view, Manchester United should appoint Mourinho – trying to kid yourself you can recreate a Fergie-like managerial tenure based on success and longevity is not possible. It’s better to take a different route, make the Fergie comparison more difficult. Everyone knows what Mourinho will do, be entertaining as a manager and win. He’ll likely only stay for 3 years. That’s fine. There is the slight possibility the chemistry between him and the club works and it goes longer. No matter.
Great post, Kiwi.