As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
Eboue-Why? wrote:There was, and always will be only ONE Dennis Bergkamp.
Bruce Rioch didn't do a huge amount for AFC but bringing this gentleman to Highbury was a masterstroke.
There are a few versions of that story.
One goes that Wenger suggested to david Dein at some Euro footy conference that DB10 was unhappy in Italy and could be had for a reasonable price. Thus Dein went with Wenger's recommendation and asked Rioch would he like DB10 and Rioch said yes please.
Another goes that George tried to get the money from the board to sign DB10 but was told the money wasn't available. When GG got the flick and the chance again arose to sign DB10 the board ok'd it as much as a nice slap in the face to GG as a good signing for the team.
I find the second story a bit hard to believe - could our board be that petty and unprofessional?
But I've heard the first one from a few diferent sources and it's mentioned in an unoficial biography of Wenger too. It's further strengthened I suppose by Rioch's playing "style" not exactly being in the Bergkamp mould...
i heard that first story a couple of times as well. but i guess we'll never know the truth.
anyway, bergkamp's signing was what made me a gooner in the first place, so it indeed has a special meaning for me
Nice pics Baz i was there too got myself one of the orange t-shirts thats spelt DB10 or ICEMAN. Great day for the best player ever to grace our red and white
Eboue-Why? wrote:There was, and always will be only ONE Dennis Bergkamp.
Bruce Rioch didn't do a huge amount for AFC but bringing this gentleman to Highbury was a masterstroke.
There are a few versions of that story.
One goes that Wenger suggested to david Dein at some Euro footy conference that DB10 was unhappy in Italy and could be had for a reasonable price. Thus Dein went with Wenger's recommendation and asked Rioch would he like DB10 and Rioch said yes please.
Another goes that George tried to get the money from the board to sign DB10 but was told the money wasn't available. When GG got the flick and the chance again arose to sign DB10 the board ok'd it as much as a nice slap in the face to GG as a good signing for the team.
I find the second story a bit hard to believe - could our board be that petty and unprofessional?
But I've heard the first one from a few diferent sources and it's mentioned in an unoficial biography of Wenger too. It's further strengthened I suppose by Rioch's playing "style" not exactly being in the Bergkamp mould... :-P
Bergkamp was a huge fan of Hoddle and therefore Spurs in his younger days and it originally came to their attention to sign him. For whatever reason they dithered and, being Jewish himself, Dein got introduced to his agent through Spurs contacts.
Apparently even in the taxi to Highbury to sign the contract DB10 kept asking his agent if he was sure Spurs couldn't come up with a deal.
Now that is brilliant. I was waiting to go into a GCSE examination hall when I found out he'd signed. God only knows how I passed the exam.
Eboue-Why? wrote:There was, and always will be only ONE Dennis Bergkamp.
Bruce Rioch didn't do a huge amount for AFC but bringing this gentleman to Highbury was a masterstroke.
There are a few versions of that story.
One goes that Wenger suggested to david Dein at some Euro footy conference that DB10 was unhappy in Italy and could be had for a reasonable price. Thus Dein went with Wenger's recommendation and asked Rioch would he like DB10 and Rioch said yes please.
Another goes that George tried to get the money from the board to sign DB10 but was told the money wasn't available. When GG got the flick and the chance again arose to sign DB10 the board ok'd it as much as a nice slap in the face to GG as a good signing for the team.
I find the second story a bit hard to believe - could our board be that petty and unprofessional?
But I've heard the first one from a few diferent sources and it's mentioned in an unoficial biography of Wenger too. It's further strengthened I suppose by Rioch's playing "style" not exactly being in the Bergkamp mould...
Don't believe that for one fucking nanosecond, I reckon if we hadn't won the cup, Wenger would have denied Dennis his testimonial.
Eboue-Why? wrote:There was, and always will be only ONE Dennis Bergkamp.
Bruce Rioch didn't do a huge amount for AFC but bringing this gentleman to Highbury was a masterstroke.
There are a few versions of that story.
One goes that Wenger suggested to david Dein at some Euro footy conference that DB10 was unhappy in Italy and could be had for a reasonable price. Thus Dein went with Wenger's recommendation and asked Rioch would he like DB10 and Rioch said yes please.
Another goes that George tried to get the money from the board to sign DB10 but was told the money wasn't available. When GG got the flick and the chance again arose to sign DB10 the board ok'd it as much as a nice slap in the face to GG as a good signing for the team.
I find the second story a bit hard to believe - could our board be that petty and unprofessional?
But I've heard the first one from a few diferent sources and it's mentioned in an unoficial biography of Wenger too. It's further strengthened I suppose by Rioch's playing "style" not exactly being in the Bergkamp mould...
Don't believe that for one fucking nanosecond, I reckon if we hadn't won the cup, Wenger would have denied Dennis his testimonial.
Eboue-Why? wrote:There was, and always will be only ONE Dennis Bergkamp.
Bruce Rioch didn't do a huge amount for AFC but bringing this gentleman to Highbury was a masterstroke.
There are a few versions of that story.
One goes that Wenger suggested to david Dein at some Euro footy conference that DB10 was unhappy in Italy and could be had for a reasonable price. Thus Dein went with Wenger's recommendation and asked Rioch would he like DB10 and Rioch said yes please.
Another goes that George tried to get the money from the board to sign DB10 but was told the money wasn't available. When GG got the flick and the chance again arose to sign DB10 the board ok'd it as much as a nice slap in the face to GG as a good signing for the team.
I find the second story a bit hard to believe - could our board be that petty and unprofessional?
But I've heard the first one from a few diferent sources and it's mentioned in an unoficial biography of Wenger too. It's further strengthened I suppose by Rioch's playing "style" not exactly being in the Bergkamp mould...
Don't believe that for one fucking nanosecond, I reckon if we hadn't won the cup, Wenger would have denied Dennis his testimonial.
What makes you think that?
It was only the chants of the crowd after the game "one more year" and Wenger being pressed on the subject immediately after the game that led to Dennis getting a 1 year extension, it had all been a bit up in the air and shrouded in doubt prior to that.
I listened to the interview on 5 live on way back from Cardiff, and it virtually had to be dragged out of Wenger, to confirm that DB would get another year.
Eboue-Why? wrote:There was, and always will be only ONE Dennis Bergkamp.
Bruce Rioch didn't do a huge amount for AFC but bringing this gentleman to Highbury was a masterstroke.
There are a few versions of that story.
One goes that Wenger suggested to david Dein at some Euro footy conference that DB10 was unhappy in Italy and could be had for a reasonable price. Thus Dein went with Wenger's recommendation and asked Rioch would he like DB10 and Rioch said yes please.
Another goes that George tried to get the money from the board to sign DB10 but was told the money wasn't available. When GG got the flick and the chance again arose to sign DB10 the board ok'd it as much as a nice slap in the face to GG as a good signing for the team.
I find the second story a bit hard to believe - could our board be that petty and unprofessional?
But I've heard the first one from a few diferent sources and it's mentioned in an unoficial biography of Wenger too. It's further strengthened I suppose by Rioch's playing "style" not exactly being in the Bergkamp mould...
Bergkamp was a huge fan of Hoddle and therefore Spurs in his younger days and it originally came to their attention to sign him. For whatever reason they dithered and, being Jewish himself, Dein got introduced to his agent through Spurs contacts.
Apparently even in the taxi to Highbury to sign the contract DB10 kept asking his agent if he was sure Spurs couldn't come up with a deal.
Now that is brilliant. I was waiting to go into a GCSE examination hall when I found out he'd signed. God only knows how I passed the exam.
Bergkamp himself has nailed that rumour as totally untrue. He said he was a fan of Hoddle (amongst many other flair players) but he was NEVER a scum fan.
Eboue-Why? wrote:There was, and always will be only ONE Dennis Bergkamp.
Bruce Rioch didn't do a huge amount for AFC but bringing this gentleman to Highbury was a masterstroke.
There are a few versions of that story.
One goes that Wenger suggested to david Dein at some Euro footy conference that DB10 was unhappy in Italy and could be had for a reasonable price. Thus Dein went with Wenger's recommendation and asked Rioch would he like DB10 and Rioch said yes please.
Another goes that George tried to get the money from the board to sign DB10 but was told the money wasn't available. When GG got the flick and the chance again arose to sign DB10 the board ok'd it as much as a nice slap in the face to GG as a good signing for the team.
I find the second story a bit hard to believe - could our board be that petty and unprofessional?
But I've heard the first one from a few diferent sources and it's mentioned in an unoficial biography of Wenger too. It's further strengthened I suppose by Rioch's playing "style" not exactly being in the Bergkamp mould...
Bergkamp was a huge fan of Hoddle and therefore Spurs in his younger days and it originally came to their attention to sign him. For whatever reason they dithered and, being Jewish himself, Dein got introduced to his agent through Spurs contacts.
Apparently even in the taxi to Highbury to sign the contract DB10 kept asking his agent if he was sure Spurs couldn't come up with a deal.
Now that is brilliant. I was waiting to go into a GCSE examination hall when I found out he'd signed. God only knows how I passed the exam.
Bergkamp himself has nailed that rumour as totally untrue. He said he was a fan of Hoddle (amongst many other flair players) but he was NEVER a scum fan.
