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.
Should add I too felt relief when GG's time was up as I agree he had gone as far as he could and had turned us into little more than a mid table cup team. I suppose what upset me was the nature of his departure. I felt he deserved better. And I know some will say he stole from the club - but it was the culture at the time. Other high profile names that were mentioned (and swept under the FA carpet) were Rednose and Cloughie (allegedly, cough cough).
Another thing that always bugged me and still does to this day is his 91 league winning side never got the credit they were due for playing some of the best, most exhilarating attacking football the league had seen, and only losing one league game all season. That 91 side was up there with the best of them.
TeeCee wrote:Georges early/mid years were fabulous and gave us success I didn't think I would ever see at Arsenal! However, when he was sacked I celebrated BIG time! The guy should have been sacked for performance related issues, it shouldn't have got to the 'bung'. The last year or so under George was dire beyond belief, I hated how we played, 5 centre backs on the field at one time, Selly, Mcgoldrick, Hillier......jesus we were absolute dross in some areas back then. Rumours of no support from the board aside, George lost it completely and could have relegated Arsenal if allowed to continue. He also pretty much destroyed the youth/reserve team setup we had and it was in tatters when he left. Much like Wonga, he was awesome at one time and stayed on way too long past his sell by date. Wonga has gone exactly the same way, which proves one thing.....the board at Arsenal are piss poor and have been for some time, and have no idea about running a successful football club (on the pitch).
Somewhere in Hartford, Connecticut, someone's eyes have lit up.
TeeCee wrote:Georges early/mid years were fabulous and gave us success I didn't think I would ever see at Arsenal! However, when he was sacked I celebrated BIG time! The guy should have been sacked for performance related issues, it shouldn't have got to the 'bung'. The last year or so under George was dire beyond belief, I hated how we played, 5 centre backs on the field at one time, Selly, Mcgoldrick, Hillier......jesus we were absolute dross in some areas back then. Rumours of no support from the board aside, George lost it completely and could have relegated Arsenal if allowed to continue. He also pretty much destroyed the youth/reserve team setup we had and it was in tatters when he left. Much like Wonga, he was awesome at one time and stayed on way too long past his sell by date. Wonga has gone exactly the same way, which proves one thing.....the board at Arsenal are piss poor and have been for some time, and have no idea about running a successful football club (on the pitch).
Somewhere in Hartford, Connecticut, someone's eyes have lit up.
TeeCee wrote:Georges early/mid years were fabulous and gave us success I didn't think I would ever see at Arsenal! However, when he was sacked I celebrated BIG time! The guy should have been sacked for performance related issues, it shouldn't have got to the 'bung'. The last year or so under George was dire beyond belief, I hated how we played, 5 centre backs on the field at one time, Selly, Mcgoldrick, Hillier......jesus we were absolute dross in some areas back then. Rumours of no support from the board aside, George lost it completely and could have relegated Arsenal if allowed to continue. He also pretty much destroyed the youth/reserve team setup we had and it was in tatters when he left. Much like Wonga, he was awesome at one time and stayed on way too long past his sell by date. Wonga has gone exactly the same way, which proves one thing.....the board at Arsenal are piss poor and have been for some time, and have no idea about running a successful football club (on the pitch).
Somewhere in Hartford, Connecticut, someone's eyes have lit up.
ONE USMARTY.......THERE'S ONLY ONE USMARTY
I do think the OnlineGooner banning policy needs some review......surely when a man has served his time he should be allowed a period of rehab and reintegration
TeeCee wrote:Georges early/mid years were fabulous and gave us success I didn't think I would ever see at Arsenal! However, when he was sacked I celebrated BIG time! The guy should have been sacked for performance related issues, it shouldn't have got to the 'bung'. The last year or so under George was dire beyond belief, I hated how we played, 5 centre backs on the field at one time, Selly, Mcgoldrick, Hillier......jesus we were absolute dross in some areas back then. Rumours of no support from the board aside, George lost it completely and could have relegated Arsenal if allowed to continue. He also pretty much destroyed the youth/reserve team setup we had and it was in tatters when he left. Much like Wonga, he was awesome at one time and stayed on way too long past his sell by date. Wonga has gone exactly the same way, which proves one thing.....the board at Arsenal are piss poor and have been for some time, and have no idea about running a successful football club (on the pitch).
Somewhere in Hartford, Connecticut, someone's eyes have lit up.
ONE USMARTY.......THERE'S ONLY ONE USMARTY
I do think the OnlineGooner banning policy needs some review......surely when a man has served his time he should be allowed a period of rehab and reintegration
Clash wrote: George Graham is as big a club legend as there is surely?!
yup. he is much more deserving of bust or statue than someone else i could mention - he won the league as a player and manager with the same club, which i think only Dalglish (x2 ) has also done...
for me he did leave at the right time as those said above - though the club could of waited until after the ECWC 95 final to sack him
i'll always love him, he turned a 6th place sided going nowhere into the 1989 Champions and ECWC champions.
Exciting, balanced and dynamic teams up 1986 - 1991, with a truly great night at Anfield.
A fantastic 1990 - 91 title triumph.
A couple of seasons of well organised functional resilience with a lot of emphasis on Wright, and a still overlooked double cup season.
Hard to watch, 1993 - 94, but a valuable Cup Winners Cup.
The last season was overshadowed by off-field events, our midfield like an oil-less car engine.
A shock to me when he was sacked, but the board were genuinely shocked at what happened and felt the club's reputation was jeopardised.
In hindsight I wonder if he feels he should have walked in 1994?
Could have issued a succinct statement saying after seven seasons in the job he had taken the club as far as he could and wanted to bow out after a trophy winning season.
Would have been an almost immortal hero to most fans.
I felt it unnecessary that he went to Spurs, it took a bit of shine off things.
Not logical, but whilst I accept players move around, there was something that felt really wrong about an "Arsenal man" going to Spurs.
His first game back as their boss I did not boo him, but I did not applaud him either.
I'm not sure whether I've mentioned this on here before but I wrote a 'good luck' letter to George Graham when he first got the Arsenal job and also after he got the sack. Both times he responded with quite lengthy hand-written letters thanking me.
Despite the fact that the football wasn't as good at the end as it was when he first took over, he is still my favourite Arsenal manager.
Nos89 wrote:I think people may have forgotten that the 90/91 team only conceded 18 goals all season compared to the 26 conceded by the invincibles and they also scored more goal 74 in 90/91 to the 73 in 03/04. That's why I think they would just edge a game 1-0. Take into account GG would have set out the team to stop the other team whereas , as we all know wenger doesn't do that.
Standard of the league wasn't as high.
That would include us as well then.
Hence why I don't think the 90/91 side could match The Invincibles.
Standard of league was probably tougher in 1991 than in 2004. English clubs were just coming out of the European ban and the league was predominately made up of home grown players. Considering the national team reached the semi-final of the 1990 World cup shows how strong our league was then. Also, it was a tougher game back then. The offside rule was more clear cut, you could still pass back to keeper who could pick it up and waste time, and tackling was actual tackling. But the Arsenal team could not only mix it with the toughest but were also dynamic going forward.
Chippy wrote:One of the few who remember him as a player. Lazy fucker, but could he pass the ball, sublime....
hence the nickname "stroller"....
I used to love seeing GG and the boys getting off the coach with their Arsenal Blazers and ties, it made my cold heart swell with pride. George was responsible for instilling that feeling in the players that we are THE ARSENAL.
not like the wanky tracksuited stupid haircut and headphones stuff we see now.
I thought moving to Spurs was more of a means of getting back to London than any two fingered salute to Arsenal.. Spurs were just he job that became available. maybe that wasn't the reason .
Loved what he did for the club in terms of discipline and pride, as Clockender says..seeing the players and staff in the blazers and ties oozed class.
- he won the league as a player and manager with the same club, which i think only Dalglish (x2 
) has also done...
