Flamini staying

[gus ceasar is a legend]

I firmly believe that Flaminal will go!

I also believe that he is not deserving of £80k a week after one decent season!

How can we tie ourselves into a contract of that weight when we have no evidence that this season was not just a flash in the pan?

[augie]

There is no way flamini is worth more than 50k per week even in an era that players are getting shitloads of money If he digs in his heels over this then he should be released but it again raises question marks over how he has been allowed run his contract down

To answer your question IHH, flamini hasnt got the stick cos (a) he hasnt fucked off and met another rival club behind our back (b) he didnt lie about the said meeting (c) his contract is run down so he knows he can walk away for zero and get a huge signing on fee plus wages wherever he goes so is entitled to seek the same from us and lastly (d) he hasnt talked shite about being a born and bred gooner and then shit on the club from a great height over 5k and written a book about his torment

[Bergkamp95]

Flamini is our player of the season and i hope this true about him staying at Arsenal next season.

[REB]

as augie says,, with cashly it was the behind door meetings and how i love arsenal bullshit
remember flamini wont be the first if he does leave and cant remember wiltord and edu getting any stick either..

[I Hate Hleb]

OF COURSE I KNEW OF THE DIFFERRENT CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING CASHLEY'S DEPARTURE - AND EVEN THEN, HE ONLY GOT STICK AFTER HE LEFT - I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN THE WAGES DIMENSION OF THIS ARGUEMENT.

CASHLEY WAS ACCUSED OF BEING GREEDY FOR DEMANDING £5,000 A WEEK MORE THAN HE WAS BEING OFFERED, YET THE SAME ACCUSATIONS AREN'T BEING LEVELLED AT FLAMINI FOR ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL £30,000.

[Chunky The Gooner]

I dont know the wages of the Arsenal players but Id presume that Gallas must be at the top of the pile. We have never paid top wages since I can remember. But there are a lot of players out there on top money and although its a lot of money to me £25,000 a week for his wages at the moment is a piss take especially when you'd expect a few other players in the team to be on treble that.
In my opinion he definately deserves a pay rise but to whatever extent I dont know. If anybody out there is in the know then Id love to know what kind of estimated wages the team get. If we are paying probably the most expensive prices in the premier league for tickets then Id like to think that it would get spent on players and transfer targets.
I know its only paper talk (the demands ) but If he was on say £60,000 and he asked for £70,000 or £80,000 a week then it dont look so bad but because he is on a low wage (compared to a lot of premiership footballers) its looks very greedy to be asking for treble what he's on now.
We all know footballers talk and Flamini must know he's not on par with a lot of the squad at the moment.

PS If he is on £25,000 a week then what the fuck are Hoyte, Eboue and Senderos on?!

[26may1989]

OF COURSE I KNEW OF THE DIFFERRENT CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING CASHLEY'S DEPARTURE - AND EVEN THEN, HE ONLY GOT STICK AFTER HE LEFT - I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN THE WAGES DIMENSION OF THIS ARGUEMENT.

CASHLEY WAS ACCUSED OF BEING GREEDY FOR DEMANDING £5,000 A WEEK MORE THAN HE WAS BEING OFFERED, YET THE SAME ACCUSATIONS AREN'T BEING LEVELLED AT FLAMINI FOR ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL £30,000.

Flamini is playing contractual hardball with the club but in the context of having been on the verge of being sold last summer, rarely getting a run in centre midfield before this season and having already capitalised on opportunities created by the rules when he left Marseilles (i.e. Wenger and the club should have known that Flamini is a smart cookie when it comes to the rules and contracts). By comparison with the approach of Cole and Barnett, who simply demanded more cash, Flamini is just playing his hand bloody well.

And that hand is only as strong as it is because Flamini's performances have been so good this season: he's hastened the end of Gilberto's Arsenal career (unless Bert wants to assume the utility role Flamini occupied before), he's driven out the very talented but stunningly short-sighted Diarra and he's built a genuine partnership with Cesc.

He might well end up with more than he deserves in terms of salary, but the questions he's now asking the club is "How much will it cost to replace me and wouldn't it be better to give most of that to me?" Quite reasonably, Wenger thought he could gamble on Flamini going into the season without being tied to a new contract, but that gamble hasn't paid off. Wenger's Arsenal have often played the rules very cutely over the years, but in Flamini they've met their match.

In summary, I think it's fundamentally a matter of respect. A lot of Arsenal fans respect what Flamini's done on the pitch and accept that he's forcing the club to treat him as well as possible. The difference with Cole might be subtle, but Flamini is playing it straight, which makes a big difference.

[Wayno]

Good post 26May1989

[Matt_the_gooner]

A bit of a change of heart from all of the serious speculations about the future of the flamster but i was thinking if we do want him to stay. im sure he would be a little less inclined to do a runner if we sang his name. that is assuming he plays for us again.

it goes to the tune of " we love you freddy"

mathieu flamini
he runs all game
mathieu flamini
thats why we sing his name
mathieu flamini
please dont go to juve'.

the rhythm doesnt look like it should fit but it should be

mat - yer - flam - ini
we love you freddie

(this is written how it should be sung not how it should be spelt.)

[Lethal]

quite good although he might have played his last game for us

i hope not

[26may1989]

A bit of a change of heart from all of the serious speculations about the future of the flamster but i was thinking if we do want him to stay. im sure he would be a little less inclined to do a runner if we sang his name. that is assuming he plays for us again.

it goes to the tune of " we love you freddy"

mathieu flamini
he runs all game
mathieu flamini
thats why we sing his name
mathieu flamini
please dont go to juve'.

the rhythm doesnt look like it should fit but it should be

mat - yer - flam - ini
we love you freddie

(this is written how it should be sung not how it should be spelt.)

No, just stick to "Flamini/The Sweeney" - simple but great.

[Fabby is a Foot (Leg-end)]

Flamini wouldn't even get into my top 5, let alone 3...Fabregas, Van Persie (when fully fit), Clichy and Sagna are all more competent players than Flamster, I agree he's had a great season but I'm not convinced long term, although I'm happy to be proved wrong!

I'm agreeing with you..well, kind of.
- top 3..no, but maybe top 5..he has been impressive!

Fabregas, RvP and Ade, in my eyes, are our top 3 players...not Flamini.

Adebayor - ok, not everyones favourite player, but bare in mind that he's scored 21 league goals so far this season - and most of the season he's been the lone striker!
- credit where its due, the guy has been great for us this season. If he left, we'd be in the shit wouldn't we? how much would we have to spend to find a striker who would settle in straight away, and lead the line for us...and score 20+gls a season? bloody expensive i'd guess!

Van Persie - top, top quality player. Again, a player capable of scoring plenty of goals and is a dead ball specialist as yesterday's game proved. Replacing him would be difficult in my opinion!

Fabregas - well, we're all in agreement with Cesc, so no agrument needed. Genius!

After those 3, i'd say we have a group of important (but replacable) players, such as Flamini, Hleb, Sagna, Gallas, Clichy and Rosicky.

Flamini has been great, and I'm really hoping he stays...but if not, then i'm confident Wenger will find a replacement for under £10m.

Problem is...that's funds that could, and should, be spent elsewhere on the team!

Ade - I agree scores the goals but not sure my top 3, def top 5.

RVP - great player but somenoe who has not played a full season for three years higher than Flamini who has played twice as many games this season than RVP I would question that.

Fabregas - def in the top 3 [/b]BUT would fabreags be as effective with out Flamini providing back up? For me that would put Flamini up there. Plus look at his leadership...he is the true captain out there whatever anyone says!

[Wayno]

Cesc, Clichy & Flamini would be my top three for this season. Adebarndoor misses too many chances imo & RVP & Rosicky are both competing for the Darren Anderton award

[mrgnu1958]

SECONDED! oh great one

[augie]

OF COURSE I KNEW OF THE DIFFERRENT CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING CASHLEY'S DEPARTURE - AND EVEN THEN, HE ONLY GOT STICK AFTER HE LEFT - I WAS MORE INTERESTED IN THE WAGES DIMENSION OF THIS ARGUEMENT.

CASHLEY WAS ACCUSED OF BEING GREEDY FOR DEMANDING £5,000 A WEEK MORE THAN HE WAS BEING OFFERED, YET THE SAME ACCUSATIONS AREN'T BEING LEVELLED AT FLAMINI FOR ASKING FOR AN ADDITIONAL £30,000.

Flamini is playing contractual hardball with the club but in the context of having been on the verge of being sold last summer, rarely getting a run in centre midfield before this season and having already capitalised on opportunities created by the rules when he left Marseilles (i.e. Wenger and the club should have known that Flamini is a smart cookie when it comes to the rules and contracts). By comparison with the approach of Cole and Barnett, who simply demanded more cash, Flamini is just playing his hand bloody well.

And that hand is only as strong as it is because Flamini's performances have been so good this season: he's hastened the end of Gilberto's Arsenal career (unless Bert wants to assume the utility role Flamini occupied before), he's driven out the very talented but stunningly short-sighted Diarra and he's built a genuine partnership with Cesc.

He might well end up with more than he deserves in terms of salary, but the questions he's now asking the club is "How much will it cost to replace me and wouldn't it be better to give most of that to me?" Quite reasonably, Wenger thought he could gamble on Flamini going into the season without being tied to a new contract, but that gamble hasn't paid off. Wenger's Arsenal have often played the rules very cutely over the years, but in Flamini they've met their match.

In summary, I think it's fundamentally a matter of respect. A lot of Arsenal fans respect what Flamini's done on the pitch and accept that he's forcing the club to treat him as well as possible. The difference with Cole might be subtle, but Flamini is playing it straight, which makes a big difference.

We had a ready made replacement in the form of diarra who cost us a mere £2m. People are being very blinkered if they think it would cost mega money to replace flamini - until this season flamini was at best a utility squad player and if we are being honest he had never done enough in midfield prior to this season to earn a starting spot. His main asset is his 100% energy and commitment which is very commendable but hardly irreplaceable is it ? I like flamini and would like him to say but it appears to me that some people, flamini himself included, seem to have overvalued him in importance