BOULDY THE NEW PAT RICE??

[northbank123]

Agreed, I don't see what Bould offers at all. He was never a major part of our famous back 4/5. He only played when someone was sick.

He sits there, opens and shuts his mouth and generally acts in whatever way Wenger wants him to in return for a healthy paycheque. Footballing version of a prostitute basically.

To be honest it doesn't matter what he did as a player. Doesn't go to his ability as a coach/assistant manager and for me his previous credit has long since eroded now he's in his 3rd season of sitting next to Wenger like an absolute mug.

I don't doubt that there are strict controls over the influence he could conceivably have over training, culture etc but either he walks away or he gets tarred with this brush.

[Midz]

He's probably on a wage that would make walking away out of the question to him.

[northbank123]

He's probably on a wage that would make walking away out of the question to him.

And tbh it's easy to sit here and say I'd do this or that but Wenger has given him his breaks in coaching/management and he would be walking away from about a million a year into footballing obscurity.

But that doesn't mean he should be exempt from criticism for doing that. I wonder if he sleeps well or if he just keeps his mouth shut for his career and bank account.

[VAVAVOOM 14]

Apparently during Wenger and Mourinho's skirmish yesterday, Mourinho's assistant chimed in and Bould yelled "shut your fu*king gob!"... That must count for something.

[Herd]

I don't blame Bould , I'd keep my mouth shut for a million squid a year as any of us would .

Most of us whores,we get paid for a job we don't really like,those lucky few that get paid for doing a job they do like
are in a very small minority !

[Midz]

Apparently during Wenger and Mourinho's skirmish yesterday, Mourinho's assistant chimed in and Bould yelled "shut your fu*king gob!"... That must count for something.

Yeah, he knows how to cuss.

[Ed Hunter The Gooner]

I don't blame Bould , I'd keep my mouth shut for a million squid a year as any of us would .

Most of us whores,we get paid for a job we don't really like,those lucky few that get paid for doing a job they do like
are in a very small minority !

Agree. He knows exactly that wenker is untouchable in the club and opening his mouth would mean end of his career in Arsenal.

[nut flush gooner]

Agreed, I don't see what Bould offers at all. He was never a major part of our famous back 4/5. He only played when someone was sick.

LOL wtf, its amazing how much bollocks some fans some out with when the reality is that they where probably in nappies when Bouldy was playing for Arsenal.

For the record Bouldy was ever present in our title winning sides of 89 and 91 when apart from forming a formidable partnership with TA at the back, his near post flick ons from corners made tons of goals for team mates. Even in 1998 he made over 20 appearances and supplied that pass for TA's legendary goal vs Everton to seal the title. Bouldy made over 280 appearances for Arsenal, hardly a bit part player imo.

[QuartzGooner]

Does Bould get the proper opportunity to make a positive contribution?

Does he get much time to work with defenders?

I doubt it.

Training sessions short but intense.
Disrupted by mid-week games and intra-European travel, illness and injury.

[VAVAVOOM 14]

Was Bould better than Keown?

[Midz]

Was Bould better than Keown?

Bould was never first choice as a defender. He did however develop a good technique at corners in the opposition's half of flicking the ball on for one of our lads to shoot (sometimes we scored, sometimes we didn't). This is probably what Bould is best known for.
He wasn't a bad player by any means and a loyal servant to the club.

[Chippy]

Was Bould better than Keown?

Bould was never first choice as a defender. He did however develop a good technique at corners in the opposition's half of flicking the ball on for one of our lads to shoot (sometimes we scored, sometimes we didn't). This is probably what Bould is best known for.
He wasn't a bad player by any means and a loyal servant to the club.

What? He was first choice for years. You know Keown only came back in 93 don't you?

[VAVAVOOM 14]

Great documentary on Keown BTW if anyone is interested; it's very revealing and he is remarkably intelligent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Exg-EmJHTmk

[augie]

Was Bould better than Keown?

Bould was never first choice as a defender. He did however develop a good technique at corners in the opposition's half of flicking the ball on for one of our lads to shoot (sometimes we scored, sometimes we didn't). This is probably what Bould is best known for.
He wasn't a bad player by any means and a loyal servant to the club.

Seriously, I know that you are resentful towards bouldie for the current situation, but you are way wrong there - bould was a regular starter and was your traditional centre back in that era. He wasn't a sprinter by any means but he was fast enough and he was the defender that opposition strikers feared the most (just ask hurst from Sheffield Wednesday). I know marwood wasn't a long term Gooner but his pinpoint corners for bould to flick on, were virtually indefensible and were worth many points to us in those title winning seasons

That being said, I do wonder in bould is the coaching equivalent of Winston bogarde......someone who is happy to collect his pay cheque despite contributing fcuk all to the situation. I get pissed off when I hear some Gooners defend him on the basis that he is not allowed any say in the training/organising of the team......why does he stay then ? Bould is a respected guy and would walk into another coaching job in the morning (in all probability he would have got the stoke managerial job ahead of hughes if he wanted it) so he isn't going to be exiled from the game if he walked away from his current job. To me, people who get involved in coaching or management do so because they believe that they can make a positive contribution and improve the team and that applies to your local sunday league club as much as it applies to pro football, so how can any self respecting person stay in a situation where he is treated no better than the tea lady ? You compare the interaction between other club managers and their assistants during games, with the lack of communication between ours (sitting there chewing gum and nodding your head every so often does not equate to communication or making a contribution imo) and there is a vast difference

Maybe bould is allowed more say than most of us think he is, but if that is the case then he too is culpable for the tactical and defensive shambles, but if he is allowed no input then he has to walk away (to another club or back to reserve manager) because the respect and goodwill he had built up with fans is slowing eradicating and it wont be long before he starts to lose his self respect too

[Theoperator]

Does Bould get the proper opportunity to make a positive contribution?

Does he get much time to work with defenders?

I doubt it.

Training sessions short but intense.
Disrupted by mid-week games and intra-European travel, illness and injury.

Quartz- he must have hours and hours of time to get things sorted, but for reasons that are unclear they dont.

Brings back the point what is his function.

Would the defence of the 70s 80s or 90s or early 00s have drempt of The Arsenal conceding so many sloppy vital goals and so poorly set up for corners and set pieces of their own. Imagine the 8 6 and 5 goal losses for them and the reply

Many of the top defenders of our former years are freely ( OK readily ) available for advise, from line up/ tactics to future defenders to sign/ build from scratch, yet seemingly its not being tapped into. That being said I think so far that Callum looks to be a star in the making as does Gibbs if he ever replaces his desperately poor injury record. Was a bit surprised that he is now 25, though (Given the times he has played) I thought him the same age as Jack W.

Very poor indeed.

Whatever Bould was like as a player (Not the best but very good was my recollection) it doesnt make him a good coach/ leader. Weve seen that over many decades, many of the best managers have hardly set the world alight in their playing careers