Adebayor's (Football Focus) Interview

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.
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OneBardGooner
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Adebayor's (Football Focus) Interview

Post by OneBardGooner »

This was on Saturday Football Focus on the beeb:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/footbal ... 053447.stm

Perhaps he has a point - he seems to be on a loser with some fans no matter what he does....

I hope everyone gives him a chance next season - IF he is still with us, it would be brillaint if he recovered his form and goal scoring - and we could (genuinely) sing his song again :oops:

BIG Respect to All the Gooners at OT Today - I so wish I could have been there with you - You totally out sang the mancwancs 8)

:barscarf: :barscarf: :barscarf: :barscarf:

stixx
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Post by stixx »

I hope he goes now! or even sooner! :evil:

Im getting truly pissed off by Arsene and this team of losers blaming everyone but themselves for their crap performances.

But then again taking responsibility would be the sort of thing a real man would do...and if Arsene can't do that that :banghead: don't expect these kids to do otherwise

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proudtosaythatname
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Post by proudtosaythatname »

I think Ade makes some valid points but maybe for £80,000 a week he needs to get his head down and earn that respect. His comments did, however, reinforce the futility of booing any player. Regardless of money the guys are human with feelings and respond to such negativity as maybe you or I would.

Ade's interview did raise also the importance to him of having a song, leading on to the issue that we don't have a song yet for Andrey. We almost do have 'only one song'. After all the quite clever initial Rasputin suggestions one might reasonably ask - why not? We need to do our bit too as '12th man'.

Crowd are notoriously negative these days. There's too much booing all round.

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REB
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Post by REB »

ade is talking out his ass.

if milan etc come in for me then its not my fault :roll: and of course whoring himself around the likes of milan and barca last season was all a misunderstanding was it :?:

i hope he goes in the summer the big lazy mercenary *word censored* and wenger has the balls to spend the money on a striker that wants to play for our club.

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proudtosaythatname
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Post by proudtosaythatname »

I think his Arsenal career is finished anyway

Lanesratoo
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Ad-ebay-oh

Post by Lanesratoo »

Sorry Ade but no one pulls in the fans by slagging us off. I was ashamed of his rant since I am/was an Ade fan. Maybe he's just another attacking midfielder cos that's where he did most damage this season. Too many times he was stranded at the side outside the box with no shotting opportunityu. He seems to play naturally as a provider. :( He's no natural striker but could lay the ball off to Arsharvin? If it's true that The Prof has a mini budget, then sell him and buy a proven striker. As to songs, I truly miss not being able to sing to an individual player - remember the DB song, Freddie song, Vieira song, SuperRob, Keown, Wrighty - all those brilliant songs of yesteryear. We'd have those chants back if only we had a winning and committed side. All of you players, DON'T blame the 12th man!!! Impress us, aknowledge us (not just your family and mates in boxes), make us fall in love with you - we'd shout and sing like our away fans. I've said it before, The Ems won't become a loved fortress until we win something.
:barscarf:

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OneBardGooner
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Post by OneBardGooner »

It may be possible that whatever he did say / or didn't to the press last summer was mis-reported / lies, espoecially as AW said that at no time did Adebayor say to him that he wanted to leave - only that he wanted a wage rise - which of course he got.

Unfortunately some fans had made up their minds about him and what was allegedly said from day one and so the booing - Whether this contributed to him being a mere shadow of the previous season, and him subsequently being further vilified by some fans - I guess is some thing we'll never know - What I DO know is that last season he was chasing everything down - giving his all - which is what he (and any other player) is supposed to do - I know if I wa son £80k a week - I'd be ripping up trees and cahsing Everything....there again the Big Money is nothing special anymore - and so those players getting such awesome financial reward live in another world apart form most of us....Even putting the money aside - I would have thought they'd be up for it every single game - purely for the love of the game...

IF he stays I hope he gets the chance - But IF he does stay and shows the same lack of committment next season - then he deserves everything that comes his way....I always like to give someone (especially Arsenal players) the benefit of the doubt - till they either prove themselves worthy or a waste of space....

I just hope we can all give him (and Aw etc) the benefit of the doubt - and see if they can turn it all round. :barscarf:

Jumpers For Goalposts
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Post by Jumpers For Goalposts »

Adebayor has no loyalty to Arsenal - just like Hleb and Flamini he'll move on as soon as it suits him.

I think the story from the weekend (left in London due to "tight hamstring") confirms that he'll be off this summer.

I read a quote from him a while ago "of course I'm flattered that Milan want me, just like any boy would be flattered if Beyonce was interested in him". Why didn't he say "I'm an Arsenal player until Le Boss tells me otherwise?"

Would you or I ever change our allegiance to Milan or anybody else????

Arsenal need to change the culture if we are to narrow the 18 point gap to Man Utd next season and that starts with shipping out any player that isn't 100% commited to the cause.

hatemanu99
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Post by hatemanu99 »

Well the guy has a point - our fans are an utter disgrace at times. We shouldn't ever be booing our own players. Yes we pay a hell of a lot to go to games, which begs the question why anyone would spend all that money to 'support' their team, only to then boo them. The hordes that left so long before the final whistle against United in the semi show just how many real fans there are in the stadium. Presumably the very same people telling Ade to get on his bike. It should be them getting on their bikes. Fcuk off and support Chelski if you want a team you only have to support when they are winning things. We sang the very song at them at Wembley "where were you when you were shit?" - well where are you lot now that Arsenal aren't that good. Fcuking glory hunters. Support the team through thick and thin like us real fans.

MT
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Post by MT »

Hatemanu99, I think the reason for the majority of dissent from the true gooners is the feeling that the players we have do not deserve to wear the shirt and for that matter are not bothered if they do (The last full blooded challenge I remember was when Cesc was injured) added to this the manager has dismantled a team of unbeatables and acquired a team of mercenaries who have saddled the club with its largest wage bill ever. In an age where the average man in the street is continuously taken advantage of I say a little dissent is healthy for the club otherwise we will be impotently dragged down the same road that leads to becoming the Chelski you so obviously despise (by overpaid premaddonas I might add)

hatemanu99
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Post by hatemanu99 »

Why do so many English fans think that running round like a headless chicken counts as "giving your all"? That is such an old school ideology. Yeah why didn't Eduardo carry on against Birmingham when he broke his leg, like Bert Trautmann did in the cup final when he broke his neck?!

The fans that leave so early and cry for the manager to leave don't deserve to wear the colours. Please do correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure Wenger knows more about football than all of us. Dissent is fine but the way some of our fans carry on is a disgrace. Not to mention the shareholders Q&A and I've made it pretty clear how I feel about the early leavers.

Remember United went barren for a few years. Ok so they won the cup but no league for 4 years for a club with at least 50 times more resources than us is scandalous. We are paying the price for moving to an amzing new stadium and moving the club into the 21st century.

If Wenger does go to Madrid he'll take Cesc with him for sure, and no doubt a few others will follow. I'm sure all the dissenters will be renewing their season tickets then won't they...............

MT
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Post by MT »

Hatemanu99, why do you presume I am English?
You seem to feel that this group of players and manager are bigger than the club. Not once did I say the players need to run around like headless chickens either.
I do believe that some fans are a disgrace, those that berate Eboue for trying, the same goes for Bendtner (have a look at the opta index for forwards) Surely it is our duty as fans to be objective and not worship any player or manager blindly, otherwise we will continue to pay increasing ticket, food, beverage and merchandise prices under the ruse that we are loyal, booing a player for lack of effort or because he holds the club to ransom over wages or asking for a managers explanation over questionable desicisions, does not mean you do not love the club, quite the contrary in my opinion

hatemanu99
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Post by hatemanu99 »

I haven't presumed you are English, just an English football fan. "The last full blooded challenge I remember was when Cesc was injured" - implies that what you want are old school hard-men who run about and try to injure people.
I agree Ade has looked disinterested, and of course it doesn't help when he was courting Milan and other suitors so closely last summer. However there are certain players who don't need to have the energy of Eboue or Tevez to make an impact. Did Bergkamp cover loads of ground? Cantona? Ade proved last year he has what it takes. Let's help and encourage him to get back to that level. Maybe he's realised now you can have bad seasons too and I don't think clubs will be offering him the wages they were last summer.
All I'm saying is it can't inspire players when the fans are booing and going home early. How can we berate players for not giving their all when we can't even stay for the duration of a game? Is it acceptable for a player to walk off for an early shower if he disapproves of the support?
The best way to express your discontent is by not buying a ticket and/or not renewing your season ticket. That's what pays these guys their ludicrous wages. But my guess is that people don't want to risk missing out on the good times. Which brings me back to my original point. Glory hunters.......

MT
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Post by MT »

Hatemanu99, nearly a very good counter but...I have never asked an Arsenal player to intentionally hurt another professional, my observation did not imply this either. Adebayor was revered because of his work rate; the fact that you mention Bergkamp and Cantona in this argument is absurd where they overpaid? Or did they both (nearly) single handily pull there clubs into the upper echelons of their era (I always wonder whether Wenger would have signed with the absence off Bergkamp?)
I quite like the point about walking off the pitch with the absence of adequate support but you seem to forget that the players do not pay the fans to turn up.
Also you fail to miss my point that the booing of players is the result of their on/off field actions not because of it.
Also the ludicrous prices are subsidised by Sky TV who, one would imagine is watched more by armchair fans than rather than diehards.
Do not take this personally but your argument is very weak.

hatemanu99
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Post by hatemanu99 »

MT: This is all excellent stuff.
I'm sure you would never want an Arsenal player or any other other player to hurt anyone but the point about Cesc indicated that perhaps a player who tackled hard and therefore by implication 'worked' harder was more worthy of our support.
Bergkamp and Cantona probably were overpaid, in terms of what ordinary people like you and I deem normal. But the market dictates the wages. It's unfair to say players should act like robots just because the market pays them the going rate, which happens to be beyond the realms of reality for us mere mortals.
It looks like I haven't checked the Opta stats as closely as you (and in case of doubt I do actually rate these stats as an accurate indicator of many aspects of the game) but I'm not sure Ade was revered because of his workrate. We loved him because he scored a shed load of goals last year. Simple as that. He's reviled now because of his summer flirtings, but his goals:games ratio isn't all that bad this year considering his injuries is it? He's shown he's still capable of scoring great goals like at Vilareal. We should get behind him I say.
Obviously the players don't pay us to turn up. But they want us to turn up. All players want to play in front of massive crowds and show off their skills. It just can't be very inspiring to see their supposed fans booing and leaving early. By doing this we are shooting ourselves in the foot. If we want the team to do well we should be more positive in our vocal support (what little vocal support there is from our home fans).
Fair enough the bulk of the club's money comes from TV deals but the fact is the stadium debt is securitised against the income generated from putting bums on seats at the stadium (financial modelling for football deals account for variables such as TV money and sponsorship, however the core of a club is really its fan base and how the club retains this). Hence Wenger placing maximum importance on getting 4th spot in the league. If we don't play in the Champions League then not only do we lose TV money but the knock-on ramifications are huge. Even the club aren't arrogant enough to think that if we aren't playing at the top level people will still turn up to games.
Wenger has had to work within huge constraints and I think we really do need to be patient. We simply can't afford to pay huge sums at the moment. In a few years Liverpool and United could be close to going bust if they aren't careful. Their business models are quite patently not sustainable in the long term. Abramovich will eventually get bored and leave. We on the other hand have a genuine team for the future with considerably less debt.
I just think Wenger has thought about this a lot more carefully than anyone has been prepared to admit or is even aware of. If we lose him because he feels us fans aren't with him it will be the biggest tragedy in the history of the club. To have achieved what we have with the budget we've had is nothing short of extraordinary.
I don't think your argument is weak, I just think you've missed my point. We need to get behind this team and the manager, and it will all be worth it at the end. Wenger will win the Champions League at Arsenal with our support.
Thanks for stimulating this healthy debate on a mundane day!

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