"Playing for George Graham was like living in Iraq"

[kiwomya]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012 ... raham-iraq

Anders Limpar has said that playing for George Graham at Arsenal was like "living in Iraq under Saddam [Hussein]". The former Gunners player, who won five trophies during four years in north London, including the league title in 1991, added that the Scotsman did not even shake his hand after telling him he would not be offered a new contract.

"George Graham's regime was like living in Iraq under Saddam [Hussein]," Limpar told Aftonbladet TV. "He was disgusting. You would turn up for training one day and he would call [one player] into his "room", although it wasn't a room because everyone could hear what he was saying. Then he [Graham] would say: 'I have sold you to Leeds.' So the player replies: 'I don't want to join Leeds.' Graham then says: 'Well, you just have to pack your bag and leave.'

"What a swine. I have never seen a guy like that [player]. Tears running down his cheeks. Had been at Arsenal since he was 16. I think it was Leeds he was sold to."

Limpar joined the Gunners from Cremonese in 1990 and scored 20 goals in 116 appearances. He became a fans' favourite at Highbury and scored a goal from 40 yards against Liverpool in 1992. However, in 1994, Graham decided to let Limpar go and the Swede is scathing about how the manager handled the situation.

"He sold me in April with my contract running out in May," Limpar said. "No talk of extending the contract, just 'bye bye'. I said: 'I would like to carry on playing for Arsenal and sign a new deal', to which he replied: 'No you are not."

"So I said: 'But I've won so many titles in four years for you, is that not enough?' So we went in to his office and I had my agent with me and Graham is talking and says: 'I have a really good offer from Manchester City so you are going there.'

"So I realised that I was leaving the club, extended my hand to shake his hand and said: 'Well, thanks for four years then.' And then he just swivelled round on his chair and stared into the wall. So after four years he did not even shake my hand. We started driving towards Manchester but then we had a phone call from Everton, spoke to them and joined Everton in the end."

Limpar, who won the FA Cup with Everton in 1995 and played for Birmingham City, Colorado Rapids and several clubs in Sweden before retiring in March 2001, was also asked whether he had met Graham since leaving Arsenal. "Have I met Graham afterwards?" he said. "Several times. He is his usual self, arrogant."

[Top Londoner]

Had Saddam wanted rid of him, he would have just put a bullet in his nut.

Bloody pansy. Get in the real world Anders.

[chyren1]

What a pussy

Football player in irak?!

Saddam son:

As head of the Iraqi Olympic Committee, Uday oversaw the imprisonment and torture of Iraqi athletes who were deemed not to have performed to expectations. According to widespread reports, torturers beat and caned the soles of the football players' feet—inflicting intense pain without leaving visible marks on the rest of their bodies. Uday reportedly kept scorecards with written instructions on how many times each player should be beaten after a poor showing. He would insult athletes who performed below his expectations by calling them dogs and monkeys—considered insults in the Arab world—to their faces.[9] One defector reported that jailed football players were forced to kick a concrete ball after failing to reach the 1994 FIFA World Cup finals.[10] The Iraqi national football team were seen with their heads shaved after failing to achieve a good result in a tournament in the 1980s. It was also mentioned that Uday had former relations with British Premier league players who resided at Everton and Rangers. It was widely circulated that Uday ordered the shaving as part of the punishment. Another defector claimed that athletes were dragged through a gravel pit and subsequently immersed in a sewage tank to induce infection in the victims' wounds.[11] After Iraq lost, 4–1, to Japan in the quarter finals of the 2000 AFC Asian Cup in Lebanon, goalkeeper Hashim Hassan, defender Abdul Jaber and forward Qahtan Chatir were labelled as guilty of loss and eventually flogged for three days by Uday's security.[10]

[Vinny1967]

Can we not get Graham back as defensive coach

[chyren1]

Can we not get Graham back as defensive coach

Or uday Hussein instead of gazidis???

I bet we would have the title wrapped by january

[augie]

I loved limpar as a player and at times he was criminally under used but he can f**k right off with that article If he had ever lived in iraq under saddam then he might be qualified to make the comparison but I am sure that are thousands of people who suffered under the saddam regime who would be disgusted and angry with this bullshit story Limpar played for 4 years with us, won a few pots and never did squat after he left so maybe he missed us more than we missed him ?

As I said already, I did like limpar as a player but am disgusted with that piece

[Vinny1967]

Can we not get Graham back as defensive coach

Or uday Hussein instead of gazidis???

I bet we would have the title wrapped by january

I prefer Graham thanks as we know he has weapons of mass destruction

[Block_5_Gooner]

Assume the player that Limpar was referring to was Rocky.

Wouldn't surprise me if Thomas was treated in the same way which could explain why he doesn't speak of Arsenal from the heart.

[Macca]

He was just tough when he needed to be....I always remember the UTD brawl when he made everyone publicly apologise at the training ground on tv, you could see the boys trying to hold back their laughter and I bet GG had a good laugh too....
A good scrap and show of team solidarity was right up his street I bet...

[QuartzGooner]

The players used to call him Colonel Gaddafi.

Met Graham when he was boss, and thought he was arrogant and unfriendly.

Under him though the players would go out for a drink up.

Under Wenger they are not shouted at so much, but have restrictions on diet, booze and sleep.

[donaldo]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2012 ... raham-iraq

"So I said: 'But I've won so many titles in four years for you, is that not enough?' So we went in to his office and I had my agent with me and Graham is talking and says: 'I have a really good offer from Manchester City so you are going there.'

Oh yes all those titles you won for us You played in the 91 title winning side and that was it

Funny how its taken 18 years to say this.

[supergeorgegraham]

I have to admit I hope he didnt treat Rocky like that. I thought Graham had a good relationship with his players and he did win trophies but treating Rocky like that if true is shocking.

[augie]

It is a well known fact that Rocky cried the day GG told him that he was being sold

[GranadaJoe]

I once got GG's autograph, but I've always thought he was a prize git. He did wonders for the team but is a pretty classless crunt.

[GranadaJoe]

Having said that, could we get him to conduct the contract negotiations with Bender, Denilson, the fat Russian, Squidily Didily, etc.