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Merci Arsène

Goonerist

Member
Sorry to pull a Makingtrax here on someone's burner account, but since Wenger left the club he's been as vocal as he could be that he never had as much money as the press (with the help of a few board members) would have you believe.


Secondly, Wenger hardly ever had the press at his side. The rivalry with Sir Alex made sure of that.

Maybe if the Athletic existed earlier in the Wenger life cycle he would've gotten a couple of long reads on why Chamakh's hair made him more aerodynamic or something (yes, this is hyperbole before anyone asks).

Plenty to criticize or even blame Wenger for without needing to rewrite history.
In 2005
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has said there is money available for Arsène Wenger to bolster his injury-hit squad if the Frenchman can find the right targets. Rumours had surfaced that the Arsenal board refused three requests from Wenger to strengthen his squad during the transfer window. Hill-Wood told a newspaper: "That's absolute nonsense, Arsène was offered money. "But he said he wasn't going to buy for the sake of it and would only act if he could find someone to add to the team." Hill-Wood was also keen to stress that the financial burden of the £357million new stadium is not hampering the Gunners in the transfer market. "It is important to say that the new stadium finance does not impinge on him at all," he said. "The cash is totally separate and it is not affecting our ability to buy new players at all."

In 2008 Speaking at Friday's Champions League draw
Danny Fiszman, the power broker on the Arsenal board, said: "We've never said no to Arsène so I'm sure that, whoever he wishes to bring in, he will be fully supported.
"There's no set amount. But as I said we've always supported Arsène, we've never said no to him and have no intention of saying no to him.
"I think Arsène said it's not a big name we're after, it's a big talent. I think it's about big talents and committed players.

"You say we don't pay the wages other teams do. If you look at our total wage costs you'll see they're virtually the same as Manchester United and substantially more than Liverpool.
"Of course we're all a little less than Chelsea who are in a world of their own. But compared to Manchester United and Liverpool we're good payers.
"We believe it's a team sport and we do well but we don't want the disparity between the top-earner and the bottom-earner being too big. It takes 11 people on the pitch to deliver."

In 2009 after record profit.
"There is money to spend but at the moment I am very happy with the squad I have," said Wenger. "It's not because I'm against spending money; I have nothing against spending money. It is not a personal thing, it is just that I have a squad that is strong enough to compete."
"I do not spend money because out of tomorrow's squad is [Samir] Nasri, [Theo] Walcott, [Nicklas] Bendtner. And people want me to buy strikers, but where do I put them? I don't know. I have to then lose players who, for me, are world class."
"I am very happy with the squad I have," Wenger concluded. "If in December we need to buy someone to add to the squad, I will do it."

November 2009
You can see in sport that a manager is always under pressure to buy because to buy reassures people," Wenger said.
"I am always insisting that in our job you should live with your resources, because it is always defendable that you make money if it is linked to the income you earn inside the club, it is not anymore if it is not linked to the income made inside the club.

"There is never too much money, what is important about the money is the way you use it. Ideally you want everybody to have a lot of money available but the danger comes with the way you use it.
"It has always been the reality here and that's always why I have always defended so much the way we live, the way we play and the way we manage.
"We have a different view because we try to integrate the players after they have worked hard into the first team. And this job requires special people but it demands as well a special force to give a chance to young players."

In 2011
I’m not against spending money if the players we buy improve our squad.
“We must find them and we’re looking very hard, believe me. We have a very big squad and if some players leave we’ll try to bring others in.
“We request top quality. We’re not scared to spend money, don’t worry, but we want to know what we’re getting for it. If you look at the quality of the players I’ve brought to the club you’ll see I’ve not done too badly.”

In 2012 after £150 million sponsorship deal.
Wenger acknowledged he now has serious cash when he said: “Of course. But football is more than just splashing out. It’s much deeper, much bigger than that. It’s about sweat, thinking, working hard.
“You have a big tradition of that in England. I believe the pride of this country historically is built on that. It’s what makes this football strong and interesting. If you go to Nottingham Forest they have won the league. If you go to Aston Villa they have won the league.”
“That means historically this country has always been about effort and thinking about the game. I am scared these qualities have less importance in the game today. It (our philosophy) won’t change. It doesn’t mean we will not spend money. I am always painted like a guy who refuses to spend money, like a greedy guy, and people who live with me can tell you that.
“But I just think I act like a responsible manager because we went through a period where we had restricted funds and I acted in a responsible way. We want to be the best. But the best is not only about buying players. We need to continue with what has made our strengths until now.”

In 2013: Fan Question and answer seasion.
Club Chief excutive Gazidis on the upcoming sponsership deals.

"It is a big summer. We have been working very, very hard to gain the kind of financial capability we need as a football club to be at the very top end of the game," he said. "Those long term commercial deals have come up for renewal. You know about the Emirates (stadium and sponsorship) deal, I can't talk about the (new) kit deal yet, but we're confident of a good result there too.
"It is all about giving us the capability to go to the manager and to say 'here is the money for you to compete'. That is why we are in this stadium and that is what we want to do."

"It is no secret that we think he (Wenger) has done a fantastic job and we think we can give him the tools he needs," said Gazidis.
"When we are thinking about trusting someone with the type of money we will have, we can think of nobody better than Arsène.”

"He is not scared to spend money, but he has to believe he is getting a top-class player.
"The parameters in which he has to operate is to spend what the club can afford and my job is to make that as big as possible and Arsène's job is to think about which talent he wants to spend that on in the best way possible.
"If we only find one player that we like, we won't spend twice as much on him just so we can say we spent all of the money. That doesn't make any sense to me - the key will be to buy the players Arsène Wenger believes in."

In 2014
Wenger said: "I've said that many times, without any doubt: if we find the right player we will do [a deal].
"There's a huge difference between the perception that people have of me: I'm not scared to spend money.
"It was periods where we had not the money. What I don't like is to spend the money I haven't got. What I fought against is to spend money that would put the future of the club in danger. Now I have money. No problem at all.''

March 2016
We He said: “I think if we want to buy at the end of the season, money will be available.
“But the money before the end of the season will not help us.”

August 2016
After Saturday's 0-0 Premier League draw at champions Leicester City, but the visiting supporters made their displeasure plain by chanting: "Spend some money!"
Asked by a reporter after the game why he was reluctant to part with the club’s cash, Wenger replied: “Why do you say I’m reluctant? I don’t understand that.
“If I buy you tomorrow for 45 million, I’ve spent 45 million. Have I done well, yes? If I listen to you, I will have done well, because I have spent the money. But spending the money in itself is not a quality.

“Spending the money and buying a top player, that is different. We are ready to do that. I spend 300 million if I find the player, if I have the 300 million.
“I have not to forget as well that we are a club who has 600 employees who we need to have a responsible attitude as well.
“It’s a bit surprising that you come out of football games, you don’t speak about football. You have to speak about money.
“I believe that you have to respect the players who have played, the performance that has been done today by those teams.
“If we can find players who can strengthen our team, we are not reluctant to spend the money.”

Etc etc…

I can’t be bothered to look for more Wenger and Club quotes throughout the last 15 or so years.

Was the money available to wenger or not? Did he want to spend or not? Were they (Wenger and the board) just acting like seasoned politicians with such contradictory double talk or not?
 

GDeep™

League is very weak
In 2005
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has said there is money available for Arsène Wenger to bolster his injury-hit squad if the Frenchman can find the right targets. Rumours had surfaced that the Arsenal board refused three requests from Wenger to strengthen his squad during the transfer window. Hill-Wood told a newspaper: "That's absolute nonsense, Arsène was offered money. "But he said he wasn't going to buy for the sake of it and would only act if he could find someone to add to the team." Hill-Wood was also keen to stress that the financial burden of the £357million new stadium is not hampering the Gunners in the transfer market. "It is important to say that the new stadium finance does not impinge on him at all," he said. "The cash is totally separate and it is not affecting our ability to buy new players at all."

In 2008 Speaking at Friday's Champions League draw
Danny Fiszman, the power broker on the Arsenal board, said: "We've never said no to Arsène so I'm sure that, whoever he wishes to bring in, he will be fully supported.
"There's no set amount. But as I said we've always supported Arsène, we've never said no to him and have no intention of saying no to him.
"I think Arsène said it's not a big name we're after, it's a big talent. I think it's about big talents and committed players.

"You say we don't pay the wages other teams do. If you look at our total wage costs you'll see they're virtually the same as Manchester United and substantially more than Liverpool.
"Of course we're all a little less than Chelsea who are in a world of their own. But compared to Manchester United and Liverpool we're good payers.
"We believe it's a team sport and we do well but we don't want the disparity between the top-earner and the bottom-earner being too big. It takes 11 people on the pitch to deliver."

In 2009 after record profit.
"There is money to spend but at the moment I am very happy with the squad I have," said Wenger. "It's not because I'm against spending money; I have nothing against spending money. It is not a personal thing, it is just that I have a squad that is strong enough to compete."
"I do not spend money because out of tomorrow's squad is [Samir] Nasri, [Theo] Walcott, [Nicklas] Bendtner. And people want me to buy strikers, but where do I put them? I don't know. I have to then lose players who, for me, are world class."
"I am very happy with the squad I have," Wenger concluded. "If in December we need to buy someone to add to the squad, I will do it."

November 2009
You can see in sport that a manager is always under pressure to buy because to buy reassures people," Wenger said.
"I am always insisting that in our job you should live with your resources, because it is always defendable that you make money if it is linked to the income you earn inside the club, it is not anymore if it is not linked to the income made inside the club.

"There is never too much money, what is important about the money is the way you use it. Ideally you want everybody to have a lot of money available but the danger comes with the way you use it.
"It has always been the reality here and that's always why I have always defended so much the way we live, the way we play and the way we manage.
"We have a different view because we try to integrate the players after they have worked hard into the first team. And this job requires special people but it demands as well a special force to give a chance to young players."

In 2011
I’m not against spending money if the players we buy improve our squad.
“We must find them and we’re looking very hard, believe me. We have a very big squad and if some players leave we’ll try to bring others in.
“We request top quality. We’re not scared to spend money, don’t worry, but we want to know what we’re getting for it. If you look at the quality of the players I’ve brought to the club you’ll see I’ve not done too badly.”

In 2012 after £150 million sponsorship deal.
Wenger acknowledged he now has serious cash when he said: “Of course. But football is more than just splashing out. It’s much deeper, much bigger than that. It’s about sweat, thinking, working hard.
“You have a big tradition of that in England. I believe the pride of this country historically is built on that. It’s what makes this football strong and interesting. If you go to Nottingham Forest they have won the league. If you go to Aston Villa they have won the league.”
“That means historically this country has always been about effort and thinking about the game. I am scared these qualities have less importance in the game today. It (our philosophy) won’t change. It doesn’t mean we will not spend money. I am always painted like a guy who refuses to spend money, like a greedy guy, and people who live with me can tell you that.
“But I just think I act like a responsible manager because we went through a period where we had restricted funds and I acted in a responsible way. We want to be the best. But the best is not only about buying players. We need to continue with what has made our strengths until now.”

In 2013: Fan Question and answer seasion.
Club Chief excutive Gazidis on the upcoming sponsership deals.

"It is a big summer. We have been working very, very hard to gain the kind of financial capability we need as a football club to be at the very top end of the game," he said. "Those long term commercial deals have come up for renewal. You know about the Emirates (stadium and sponsorship) deal, I can't talk about the (new) kit deal yet, but we're confident of a good result there too.
"It is all about giving us the capability to go to the manager and to say 'here is the money for you to compete'. That is why we are in this stadium and that is what we want to do."

"It is no secret that we think he (Wenger) has done a fantastic job and we think we can give him the tools he needs," said Gazidis.
"When we are thinking about trusting someone with the type of money we will have, we can think of nobody better than Arsène.”

"He is not scared to spend money, but he has to believe he is getting a top-class player.
"The parameters in which he has to operate is to spend what the club can afford and my job is to make that as big as possible and Arsène's job is to think about which talent he wants to spend that on in the best way possible.
"If we only find one player that we like, we won't spend twice as much on him just so we can say we spent all of the money. That doesn't make any sense to me - the key will be to buy the players Arsène Wenger believes in."

In 2014
Wenger said: "I've said that many times, without any doubt: if we find the right player we will do [a deal].
"There's a huge difference between the perception that people have of me: I'm not scared to spend money.
"It was periods where we had not the money. What I don't like is to spend the money I haven't got. What I fought against is to spend money that would put the future of the club in danger. Now I have money. No problem at all.''

March 2016
We He said: “I think if we want to buy at the end of the season, money will be available.
“But the money before the end of the season will not help us.”

August 2016
After Saturday's 0-0 Premier League draw at champions Leicester City, but the visiting supporters made their displeasure plain by chanting: "Spend some money!"
Asked by a reporter after the game why he was reluctant to part with the club’s cash, Wenger replied: “Why do you say I’m reluctant? I don’t understand that.
“If I buy you tomorrow for 45 million, I’ve spent 45 million. Have I done well, yes? If I listen to you, I will have done well, because I have spent the money. But spending the money in itself is not a quality.

“Spending the money and buying a top player, that is different. We are ready to do that. I spend 300 million if I find the player, if I have the 300 million.
“I have not to forget as well that we are a club who has 600 employees who we need to have a responsible attitude as well.
“It’s a bit surprising that you come out of football games, you don’t speak about football. You have to speak about money.
“I believe that you have to respect the players who have played, the performance that has been done today by those teams.
“If we can find players who can strengthen our team, we are not reluctant to spend the money.”

Etc etc…

I can’t be bothered to look for more Wenger and Club quotes throughout the last 15 or so years.

Was the money available to wenger or not? Did he want to spend or not? Were they (Wenger and the board) just acting like seasoned politicians with such contradictory double talk or not?
Interesting your quotes started from 2005. He was happily spending pre Emirates wasn’t he?
 

drippin

Obsessed with "Mature Trusted Members"

Country: Finland
In 2005
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has said there is money available for Arsène Wenger to bolster his injury-hit squad if the Frenchman can find the right targets. Rumours had surfaced that the Arsenal board refused three requests from Wenger to strengthen his squad during the transfer window. Hill-Wood told a newspaper: "That's absolute nonsense, Arsène was offered money. "But he said he wasn't going to buy for the sake of it and would only act if he could find someone to add to the team." Hill-Wood was also keen to stress that the financial burden of the £357million new stadium is not hampering the Gunners in the transfer market. "It is important to say that the new stadium finance does not impinge on him at all," he said. "The cash is totally separate and it is not affecting our ability to buy new players at all."

In 2008 Speaking at Friday's Champions League draw
Danny Fiszman, the power broker on the Arsenal board, said: "We've never said no to Arsène so I'm sure that, whoever he wishes to bring in, he will be fully supported.
"There's no set amount. But as I said we've always supported Arsène, we've never said no to him and have no intention of saying no to him.
"I think Arsène said it's not a big name we're after, it's a big talent. I think it's about big talents and committed players.

"You say we don't pay the wages other teams do. If you look at our total wage costs you'll see they're virtually the same as Manchester United and substantially more than Liverpool.
"Of course we're all a little less than Chelsea who are in a world of their own. But compared to Manchester United and Liverpool we're good payers.
"We believe it's a team sport and we do well but we don't want the disparity between the top-earner and the bottom-earner being too big. It takes 11 people on the pitch to deliver."

In 2009 after record profit.
"There is money to spend but at the moment I am very happy with the squad I have," said Wenger. "It's not because I'm against spending money; I have nothing against spending money. It is not a personal thing, it is just that I have a squad that is strong enough to compete."
"I do not spend money because out of tomorrow's squad is [Samir] Nasri, [Theo] Walcott, [Nicklas] Bendtner. And people want me to buy strikers, but where do I put them? I don't know. I have to then lose players who, for me, are world class."
"I am very happy with the squad I have," Wenger concluded. "If in December we need to buy someone to add to the squad, I will do it."

November 2009
You can see in sport that a manager is always under pressure to buy because to buy reassures people," Wenger said.
"I am always insisting that in our job you should live with your resources, because it is always defendable that you make money if it is linked to the income you earn inside the club, it is not anymore if it is not linked to the income made inside the club.

"There is never too much money, what is important about the money is the way you use it. Ideally you want everybody to have a lot of money available but the danger comes with the way you use it.
"It has always been the reality here and that's always why I have always defended so much the way we live, the way we play and the way we manage.
"We have a different view because we try to integrate the players after they have worked hard into the first team. And this job requires special people but it demands as well a special force to give a chance to young players."

In 2011
I’m not against spending money if the players we buy improve our squad.
“We must find them and we’re looking very hard, believe me. We have a very big squad and if some players leave we’ll try to bring others in.
“We request top quality. We’re not scared to spend money, don’t worry, but we want to know what we’re getting for it. If you look at the quality of the players I’ve brought to the club you’ll see I’ve not done too badly.”

In 2012 after £150 million sponsorship deal.
Wenger acknowledged he now has serious cash when he said: “Of course. But football is more than just splashing out. It’s much deeper, much bigger than that. It’s about sweat, thinking, working hard.
“You have a big tradition of that in England. I believe the pride of this country historically is built on that. It’s what makes this football strong and interesting. If you go to Nottingham Forest they have won the league. If you go to Aston Villa they have won the league.”
“That means historically this country has always been about effort and thinking about the game. I am scared these qualities have less importance in the game today. It (our philosophy) won’t change. It doesn’t mean we will not spend money. I am always painted like a guy who refuses to spend money, like a greedy guy, and people who live with me can tell you that.
“But I just think I act like a responsible manager because we went through a period where we had restricted funds and I acted in a responsible way. We want to be the best. But the best is not only about buying players. We need to continue with what has made our strengths until now.”

In 2013: Fan Question and answer seasion.
Club Chief excutive Gazidis on the upcoming sponsership deals.

"It is a big summer. We have been working very, very hard to gain the kind of financial capability we need as a football club to be at the very top end of the game," he said. "Those long term commercial deals have come up for renewal. You know about the Emirates (stadium and sponsorship) deal, I can't talk about the (new) kit deal yet, but we're confident of a good result there too.
"It is all about giving us the capability to go to the manager and to say 'here is the money for you to compete'. That is why we are in this stadium and that is what we want to do."

"It is no secret that we think he (Wenger) has done a fantastic job and we think we can give him the tools he needs," said Gazidis.
"When we are thinking about trusting someone with the type of money we will have, we can think of nobody better than Arsène.”

"He is not scared to spend money, but he has to believe he is getting a top-class player.
"The parameters in which he has to operate is to spend what the club can afford and my job is to make that as big as possible and Arsène's job is to think about which talent he wants to spend that on in the best way possible.
"If we only find one player that we like, we won't spend twice as much on him just so we can say we spent all of the money. That doesn't make any sense to me - the key will be to buy the players Arsène Wenger believes in."

In 2014
Wenger said: "I've said that many times, without any doubt: if we find the right player we will do [a deal].
"There's a huge difference between the perception that people have of me: I'm not scared to spend money.
"It was periods where we had not the money. What I don't like is to spend the money I haven't got. What I fought against is to spend money that would put the future of the club in danger. Now I have money. No problem at all.''

March 2016
We He said: “I think if we want to buy at the end of the season, money will be available.
“But the money before the end of the season will not help us.”

August 2016
After Saturday's 0-0 Premier League draw at champions Leicester City, but the visiting supporters made their displeasure plain by chanting: "Spend some money!"
Asked by a reporter after the game why he was reluctant to part with the club’s cash, Wenger replied: “Why do you say I’m reluctant? I don’t understand that.
“If I buy you tomorrow for 45 million, I’ve spent 45 million. Have I done well, yes? If I listen to you, I will have done well, because I have spent the money. But spending the money in itself is not a quality.

“Spending the money and buying a top player, that is different. We are ready to do that. I spend 300 million if I find the player, if I have the 300 million.
“I have not to forget as well that we are a club who has 600 employees who we need to have a responsible attitude as well.
“It’s a bit surprising that you come out of football games, you don’t speak about football. You have to speak about money.
“I believe that you have to respect the players who have played, the performance that has been done today by those teams.
“If we can find players who can strengthen our team, we are not reluctant to spend the money.”

Etc etc…

I can’t be bothered to look for more Wenger and Club quotes throughout the last 15 or so years.

Was the money available to wenger or not? Did he want to spend or not? Were they (Wenger and the board) just acting like seasoned politicians with such contradictory double talk or not?
@Makingtrax :popcorn:

Bugs Bunny Wtf GIF by Looney Tunes
 

El Duderino

That's, like, your opinion, man.
Moderator
In 2005
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has said there is money available for Arsène Wenger to bolster his injury-hit squad if the Frenchman can find the right targets. Rumours had surfaced that the Arsenal board refused three requests from Wenger to strengthen his squad during the transfer window. Hill-Wood told a newspaper: "That's absolute nonsense, Arsène was offered money. "But he said he wasn't going to buy for the sake of it and would only act if he could find someone to add to the team." Hill-Wood was also keen to stress that the financial burden of the £357million new stadium is not hampering the Gunners in the transfer market. "It is important to say that the new stadium finance does not impinge on him at all," he said. "The cash is totally separate and it is not affecting our ability to buy new players at all."

In 2008 Speaking at Friday's Champions League draw
Danny Fiszman, the power broker on the Arsenal board, said: "We've never said no to Arsène so I'm sure that, whoever he wishes to bring in, he will be fully supported.
"There's no set amount. But as I said we've always supported Arsène, we've never said no to him and have no intention of saying no to him.
"I think Arsène said it's not a big name we're after, it's a big talent. I think it's about big talents and committed players.

"You say we don't pay the wages other teams do. If you look at our total wage costs you'll see they're virtually the same as Manchester United and substantially more than Liverpool.
"Of course we're all a little less than Chelsea who are in a world of their own. But compared to Manchester United and Liverpool we're good payers.
"We believe it's a team sport and we do well but we don't want the disparity between the top-earner and the bottom-earner being too big. It takes 11 people on the pitch to deliver."

In 2009 after record profit.
"There is money to spend but at the moment I am very happy with the squad I have," said Wenger. "It's not because I'm against spending money; I have nothing against spending money. It is not a personal thing, it is just that I have a squad that is strong enough to compete."
"I do not spend money because out of tomorrow's squad is [Samir] Nasri, [Theo] Walcott, [Nicklas] Bendtner. And people want me to buy strikers, but where do I put them? I don't know. I have to then lose players who, for me, are world class."
"I am very happy with the squad I have," Wenger concluded. "If in December we need to buy someone to add to the squad, I will do it."

November 2009
You can see in sport that a manager is always under pressure to buy because to buy reassures people," Wenger said.
"I am always insisting that in our job you should live with your resources, because it is always defendable that you make money if it is linked to the income you earn inside the club, it is not anymore if it is not linked to the income made inside the club.

"There is never too much money, what is important about the money is the way you use it. Ideally you want everybody to have a lot of money available but the danger comes with the way you use it.
"It has always been the reality here and that's always why I have always defended so much the way we live, the way we play and the way we manage.
"We have a different view because we try to integrate the players after they have worked hard into the first team. And this job requires special people but it demands as well a special force to give a chance to young players."

In 2011
I’m not against spending money if the players we buy improve our squad.
“We must find them and we’re looking very hard, believe me. We have a very big squad and if some players leave we’ll try to bring others in.
“We request top quality. We’re not scared to spend money, don’t worry, but we want to know what we’re getting for it. If you look at the quality of the players I’ve brought to the club you’ll see I’ve not done too badly.”

In 2012 after £150 million sponsorship deal.
Wenger acknowledged he now has serious cash when he said: “Of course. But football is more than just splashing out. It’s much deeper, much bigger than that. It’s about sweat, thinking, working hard.
“You have a big tradition of that in England. I believe the pride of this country historically is built on that. It’s what makes this football strong and interesting. If you go to Nottingham Forest they have won the league. If you go to Aston Villa they have won the league.”
“That means historically this country has always been about effort and thinking about the game. I am scared these qualities have less importance in the game today. It (our philosophy) won’t change. It doesn’t mean we will not spend money. I am always painted like a guy who refuses to spend money, like a greedy guy, and people who live with me can tell you that.
“But I just think I act like a responsible manager because we went through a period where we had restricted funds and I acted in a responsible way. We want to be the best. But the best is not only about buying players. We need to continue with what has made our strengths until now.”

In 2013: Fan Question and answer seasion.
Club Chief excutive Gazidis on the upcoming sponsership deals.

"It is a big summer. We have been working very, very hard to gain the kind of financial capability we need as a football club to be at the very top end of the game," he said. "Those long term commercial deals have come up for renewal. You know about the Emirates (stadium and sponsorship) deal, I can't talk about the (new) kit deal yet, but we're confident of a good result there too.
"It is all about giving us the capability to go to the manager and to say 'here is the money for you to compete'. That is why we are in this stadium and that is what we want to do."

"It is no secret that we think he (Wenger) has done a fantastic job and we think we can give him the tools he needs," said Gazidis.
"When we are thinking about trusting someone with the type of money we will have, we can think of nobody better than Arsène.”

"He is not scared to spend money, but he has to believe he is getting a top-class player.
"The parameters in which he has to operate is to spend what the club can afford and my job is to make that as big as possible and Arsène's job is to think about which talent he wants to spend that on in the best way possible.
"If we only find one player that we like, we won't spend twice as much on him just so we can say we spent all of the money. That doesn't make any sense to me - the key will be to buy the players Arsène Wenger believes in."

In 2014
Wenger said: "I've said that many times, without any doubt: if we find the right player we will do [a deal].
"There's a huge difference between the perception that people have of me: I'm not scared to spend money.
"It was periods where we had not the money. What I don't like is to spend the money I haven't got. What I fought against is to spend money that would put the future of the club in danger. Now I have money. No problem at all.''

March 2016
We He said: “I think if we want to buy at the end of the season, money will be available.
“But the money before the end of the season will not help us.”

August 2016
After Saturday's 0-0 Premier League draw at champions Leicester City, but the visiting supporters made their displeasure plain by chanting: "Spend some money!"
Asked by a reporter after the game why he was reluctant to part with the club’s cash, Wenger replied: “Why do you say I’m reluctant? I don’t understand that.
“If I buy you tomorrow for 45 million, I’ve spent 45 million. Have I done well, yes? If I listen to you, I will have done well, because I have spent the money. But spending the money in itself is not a quality.

“Spending the money and buying a top player, that is different. We are ready to do that. I spend 300 million if I find the player, if I have the 300 million.
“I have not to forget as well that we are a club who has 600 employees who we need to have a responsible attitude as well.
“It’s a bit surprising that you come out of football games, you don’t speak about football. You have to speak about money.
“I believe that you have to respect the players who have played, the performance that has been done today by those teams.
“If we can find players who can strengthen our team, we are not reluctant to spend the money.”

Etc etc…

I can’t be bothered to look for more Wenger and Club quotes throughout the last 15 or so years.

Was the money available to wenger or not? Did he want to spend or not? Were they (Wenger and the board) just acting like seasoned politicians with such contradictory double talk or not?

If there was a constant with Wenger, is that he never once said anything bad about the club while he was the face of it, even though he had the right to a few times.

He stone cold said we couldn't be a big club if we sold Narsi and Fabregas, guess what happened less than a week after the remarks? Yup. Both sold.

That's why you have to take his comments after leaving with a lot more weight.

Again, he is not blameless. He made a lot of mistakes.

There's plenty to be critical about him (trusting/persisting with players and coaching staff for far too long, to name one of my biggest pet peeves) without the need to be revisionist on something we all lived through.

During a LONG time he just couldn't spend, something that began changing towards the last two or three years of his reign as manager.
 

Blood on the Tracks

AG's best friend, role model and mentor.
Trusted ⭐

Country: England

Player:Rice
Address my contentions and worry about if this is a spoof account or not later..

Wenger was not fully a victim. He was part of the PR and propaganda until he got sacked in 2018. I adore wenger but on this “Wenger was the ultimate victim” talk, I don’t fully buy it anymore. I revised my opinion on it since he left. I used to believe it whole heartedly until 2015 when he only signed Petr Cech. I realised that the club and Wenger were playing “Good Cop / Bad Cop” on us.

And I do believe that our fans continually encouraged the likes of Özil and Auba to misbehave by fanboying around them like groupies.. Always blaming the managers and the unfashionable players likes of Giroud, Xhaka, Mustafi, Elneny etc for their underperformances.. Our fans always going onto these players social media platforms and absolutely kissing the ring / worshipping. No wonder these players bought into their own hype with the over the top fanboying they recieved on a consistent basis... 🤦

Am I wrong or right?


I think at absolute worst you could say Wenger was complicit in our issues to the extent that he was willing to toe the Kroenke / Gazidis line about money and ambitions to the fans.

He was still much more victim than villain overall though.
 

DJ_Markstar

Based and Artetapilled

Player:Martinelli
I mean... this is pretty much what we're all saying so I have no idea why you're opposed to it? None of us (I think) are of the opinion that they are doing a bad job now. We're just pushing back against the narrative that they're angels because of whats happening now and don't want the past brushed under the carpet.

They've been good owners for the last couple of years. They were horrible for the 10 years before that. So by my math, they owe us at least another 7 good years before I'm ready to forgive them :)

Looking at this current team and its average age will only be around 31 by that time, I think its safe to say we're going to see it as long as this group stays together and motivated
 

DJ_Markstar

Based and Artetapilled

Player:Martinelli
I think at absolute worst you could say Wenger was complicit in our issues to the extent that he was willing to toe the Kroenke / Gazidis line about money and ambitions to the fans.

He was still much more victim than villain overall though.

Think he had to, no player wants to join a sinking ship and they'd have seen it like that especially once we started dropping out of the title race and then CL places if Wenger was constantly saying "we've got no money".
 

db10_therza

🎵 Edu getting rickrolled 🎵
Trusted ⭐

Country: Bangladesh

Player:Martinelli
If there was a constant with Wenger, is that he never once said anything bad about the club while he was the face of it, even though he had the right to a few times.

He stone cold said we couldn't be a big club if we sold Narsi and Fabregas, guess what happened less than a week after the remarks? Yup. Both sold.

That's why you have to take his comments after leaving with a lot more weight.

Again, he is not blameless. He made a lot of mistakes.

There's plenty to be critical about him (trusting/persisting with players and coaching staff for far too long, to name one of my biggest pet peeves) without the need to be revisionist on something we all lived through.

During a LONG time he just couldn't spend, something that began changing towards the last two or three years of his reign as manager.

How you engaging him? And I have the kumbaya rep around here? Anyone who can’t draw a distinction between political theatre and actual policy does not deserve your wisdom.
 

El Duderino

That's, like, your opinion, man.
Moderator
How you engaging him? And I have the kumbaya rep around here? Anyone who can’t draw a distinction between political theatre and actual policy does not deserve your wisdom.

I woke up feeling a little bit Makingtraxy today.

Last post on this, as I don't want to derail the thread further.
 

Goonerist

Member
If there was a constant with Wenger, is that he never once said anything bad about the club while he was the face of it, even though he had the right to a few times.

He stone cold said we couldn't be a big club if we sold Narsi and Fabregas, guess what happened less than a week after the remarks? Yup. Both sold.

That's why you have to take his comments after leaving with a lot more weight.

Again, he is not blameless. He made a lot of mistakes.

There's plenty to be critical about him (trusting/persisting with players and coaching staff for far too long, to name one of my biggest pet peeves) without the need to be revisionist on something we all lived through.

During a LONG time he just couldn't spend, something that began changing towards the last two or three years of his reign as manager.
It looks like in all that time Peter Hillwood, Danny Fizmann, Gazidis, Wenger etc were all signing from the same hymn song, feeding us lies, dishonest PR / Propaganda then. Right?

They kept contradicting themselves each season and took us for idiots. Isn’t?
They all were saying the money was there to spend and will only sign Top top quality players. Wenger never once came out to debunk the boards talking points but instead became the No1 Spinner. Always ready to renew and extend his contract.

That’s why I jumped off the “Wenger the victim. Wenger was not supported. Wenger had his hands tied behind his back but still got us Top 4” propaganda talk.

If it was so bad for him at Arsenal then why did he not come out and be honest with us. We would have understood. But he kept spinning.

And that’s why I said that if we are to compare the supposed Arteta PR Propaganda vs Wenger PR propaganda then Arteta’s is child’s play.. Wenger’s one ran from 2005 to 2018, while Arteta’s ran from between 2020 to 2022. isn’t it? 😊

And even in his last 3 seasons where you say he started to get backed financially. He was still very cautious with spending. Wasn’t it being reported in the papers that Wenger was dragging his feet with the Aubameyang transfer? That it was Gazidis that had to step in and forced the move through?

Just getting myself out of all that brainwashing bubble and looking back with a critical / objective mind changed my opinion on the whole “Wenger had his hands tied behind his back, he worked miracles.
They always got us excited about competing and money being available when they knew it was all a game of hide the ball?..
Good Cop / Bad Cop movie..
😇
 

Paperino

It’s Timo Time

Country: Sweden
Address my contentions and worry about if this is a spoof account or not later..

Wenger was not fully a victim. He was part of the PR and propaganda until he got sacked in 2018. I adore wenger but on this “Wenger was the ultimate victim” talk, I don’t fully buy it anymore. I revised my opinion on it since he left. I used to believe it whole heartedly until 2015 when he only signed Petr Cech. I realised that the club and Wenger were playing “Good Cop / Bad Cop” on us.

And I do believe that our fans continually encouraged the likes of Özil and Auba to misbehave by fanboying around them like groupies.. Always blaming the managers and the unfashionable players likes of Giroud, Xhaka, Mustafi, Elneny etc for their underperformances.. Our fans always going onto these players social media platforms and absolutely kissing the ring / worshipping. No wonder these players bought into their own hype with the over the top fanboying they recieved on a consistent basis... 🤦

Am I wrong or right?

Get bent.
 

EmeryCouldnt

Established Member
Aubameyang 56m
Lacazette 47m
Özil 42m
Mustafi 35m
Xhaka 34m
Alexis 32m
Chambers 18m
Reyes 17.5m
Perez 17m
Welbeck 16m


Wenger was given enough money, when he wanted it. He just often refused to spend it, especially when it came to defenders/DMs. And one of the reasons was to protect his job. The lesser the expectation, the lesser the pressure to deliver. But let’s not go over this again.

It’s so annoying to argue this. We know overall spending was higher by Manchester city, Manchester United, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern, etc

Yes Wenger was able to spend some money. But it completely pales in comparison to his rivals (pep, mourinho, Ferguson, etc).

I was going to write players bought by rivals in the same time period but it just isn’t worth the research now if you still aren’t getting it 5 years later. I’m sure we’ve covered this ad nauseam. Need I remind you that there was one summer that our only transfer was Peter Cech?

Your statement that we had the money but Wenger didn’t spend it…. Do you have evidence?
 

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