STATEMENT:
Black Scarf Movement says no new contract for Arsene Wenger
22 March 2017
For some time, we have been deeply concerned with the direction of Arsenal Football Club.
Since Arsene Wenger's last contract extension (one which many fans objected to), the club's board has had three years to plan for the future. Instead, a new deal and a reported £2m per year pay rise is on the table for the manager to sign, despite his team consistently failing to challenge for major honours. There appears to be no management of the manager from the board, and they are more than happy for him to sign up once again.
It is our opinion that this is lazy, and shows a clear lack of football knowledge / ambition from the Arsenal board.
The atmosphere among our matchgoing support is on the floor. Protests against the manager's contract extension continue to increase. Added to this, physical violence among fans is taking place.
Back in 2011, Ivan Gazidis had this to say when questioned about Wenger's future:
"Arsene is accountable to the fans - they ultimately make judgement. If you are seeing the relationship between the fans and the manager break down over time, that is unsustainable"
In the six years since that statement we are no closer to challenging for the Premier League or Champions League, and the relationship between the fans and the manager is at an all time low. Fighting among fans (over the manager) is by far the biggest indication that the relationship is broken, and the trouble will only increase the longer Arsene Wenger remains at the club.
We feel it's irresponsible of the board to ignore these issues, and blatantly ignore the statement previously made by the club's Chief Executive.
As for Arsene Wenger, there appears to be an ongoing reluctance from him to adapt to the modern game. In fact, despite sizeable investment in transfers over the past few years we are now in a worse position than we've been for over 20 years, and repeated humiliations at the hands of our so-called rivals continue to take place. No other big club in football would tolerate the stream of embarrassing results we've had to endure. While the players have to take some responsibility, it is one man who has bought these players, who trains them, whose job is to motivate them and get the best out of them. He is continually failing to do this.
It is our view that there should have been no contract extension on offer to Arsene Wenger, unless he managed to deliver either of the two biggest trophies available this season. Instead, we are clearly in decline on the pitch and there is no sign of improvement or willingness from the manager to change his ways.
Some comments have been circulated that the manager deserves a 'final swan song'. This should have been the cup final in 2014, and there should have been no three year extension. We have gone backwards since then, so why continue on the same track? Because the manager was a success more than ten years ago? After another two years of failure, what's to say the board won't offer him another two years? It's seemingly a never-ending cycle where the board continually shirks responsibility, the manager just keeps going, keeps picking up a mammoth salary, top players become disillusioned and leave, and the club continues to drift.
Arsenal fans are constantly told that Arsene Wenger loves Arsenal. If this is the case, we hope that he realises that he has taken the club as far as he can, and steps down at the end of this season.
Should the manager remain, his legacy will continue to be tarnished. We are informed the protests against him will continue, and will become increasingly vociferous. Until a change takes place, the atmosphere in our support will become more toxic. Something needs to be done.
It really is time for change. Time for a fresh approach, and time for fans to unite under a new manager.
For some time, we have been deeply concerned with the direction of Arsenal Football Club.
Since Arsene Wenger's last contract extension (one which many fans objected to), the club's board has had three years to plan for the future. Instead, a new deal and a reported £2m per year pay rise is on the table for the manager to sign, despite his team consistently failing to challenge for major honours. There appears to be no management of the manager from the board, and they are more than happy for him to sign up once again.
It is our opinion that this is lazy, and shows a clear lack of football knowledge / ambition from the Arsenal board.
The atmosphere among our matchgoing support is on the floor. Protests against the manager's contract extension continue to increase. Added to this, physical violence among fans is taking place.
Back in 2011, Ivan Gazidis had this to say when questioned about Wenger's future:
"Arsene is accountable to the fans - they ultimately make judgement. If you are seeing the relationship between the fans and the manager break down over time, that is unsustainable"
In the six years since that statement we are no closer to challenging for the Premier League or Champions League, and the relationship between the fans and the manager is at an all time low. Fighting among fans (over the manager) is by far the biggest indication that the relationship is broken, and the trouble will only increase the longer Arsene Wenger remains at the club.
We feel it's irresponsible of the board to ignore these issues, and blatantly ignore the statement previously made by the club's Chief Executive.
As for Arsene Wenger, there appears to be an ongoing reluctance from him to adapt to the modern game. In fact, despite sizeable investment in transfers over the past few years we are now in a worse position than we've been for over 20 years, and repeated humiliations at the hands of our so-called rivals continue to take place. No other big club in football would tolerate the stream of embarrassing results we've had to endure. While the players have to take some responsibility, it is one man who has bought these players, who trains them, whose job is to motivate them and get the best out of them. He is continually failing to do this.
It is our view that there should have been no contract extension on offer to Arsene Wenger, unless he managed to deliver either of the two biggest trophies available this season. Instead, we are clearly in decline on the pitch and there is no sign of improvement or willingness from the manager to change his ways.
Some comments have been circulated that the manager deserves a 'final swan song'. This should have been the cup final in 2014, and there should have been no three year extension. We have gone backwards since then, so why continue on the same track? Because the manager was a success more than ten years ago? After another two years of failure, what's to say the board won't offer him another two years? It's seemingly a never-ending cycle where the board continually shirks responsibility, the manager just keeps going, keeps picking up a mammoth salary, top players become disillusioned and leave, and the club continues to drift.
Arsenal fans are constantly told that Arsene Wenger loves Arsenal. If this is the case, we hope that he realises that he has taken the club as far as he can, and steps down at the end of this season.
Should the manager remain, his legacy will continue to be tarnished. We are informed the protests against him will continue, and will become increasingly vociferous. Until a change takes place, the atmosphere in our support will become more toxic. Something needs to be done.
It really is time for change. Time for a fresh approach, and time for fans to unite under a new manager.
