In an era when money rules, wealthy Arabs are turning up at football clubs on a more regular basis than the weekly delivery of cornish pasties and Russian oil barons are spending their pocket money on football trophies, it is a breath of fresh air that one Premiership club has maintained some tradition and kept the club in British hands. Arsenal Football club has fought off takeover attempts from Russian billionaires and American business tycoons in the last few months as it attempts to maintain some sanity, when all around everyone seems to be going potty. Last week Manchester City was snapped up by a Middle East company with a combined wealth that outweighs even that of Roman Abramovich. Although Manchester City fans are happy, with the promise of extra transfer funds, is this takeover good for football? And is it really good for Manchester City? These are the same fans who rejoiced at the start of last season when a former Prime Minister from Thaliand bought the club and made promises he couldn't keep.
Yes, they have signed Robinho. But, did he really see himself playing for Manchester City, even an hour before he signed for the Eastands club? No. He didn't. He wanted to play for Chelsea. But then Dr Sulaiman of Abu-Dhabi United group gave him lots and lots, and a bit more money and passed him a contract and a gold pen and told him there would be more if he signed. Remember this is the player who went on strike at Santos until he forced a move to Real Madrid. Then whilst playing fot the Spanish Champions told his employers that he didn't want to play anymore, and that he was off to Chelsea. He didn't even have time to remove his dummy from his mouth before his agent told him Manchester City would pay him more than the Blues, and that is where he was going.
On the same day Manchester United spent over thirty million pounds on Dimitar Berbatov. A great footballer, but another spoilt player who decided to refuse requests from his manager to play for Tottenham and instead moaned and groaned his way out of White Hart Lane to Old Trafford.
These are sad times for English football. Money rules. Every club has adopted a 'keep up with the Jones' attitude. Even Sunderland have spent over 30 million pounds on football players in the last eight months. That is just plain ridiculous. If they are relegated, the club is effectively ruined.
Where my admiration for Arsenal grows is that its manager, Arsene Wenger refuses to be pulled in by the madness occuring around him, especially down the road at Tottenham Hotspur, a club that has spent more than treble on transfers than their nearest rivals Arsenal, but haven't come close to matching their success. Wenger has said repeatedly that he is not impressed by big names. Instead he looks for players who can adapt to the Arsenal style of play. And if they have a high price tag, they probably won't be able to. Players at the club are brought in at a young age, without egos, and are determined to learn to play with the quick deciveness and techinical ability that all Arsenal players possess. Arsenal made a profit during the transfer window last season of almost £18 million. This summer they spent what they recouped on player sales. Not bad when you consider that every other club in the premiership spent more than they recouped.
If the performance against Newcastle last weekend is replicated on a regular basis over the course of the season Arsenal will be successful despite not adding to their squad on transfer deadline day. They may not win the league, but they will certainly win over more fans playing the beautiful game the way it deserves to be played. Wenger will live or die by playing the beautiful game. But he won't spend what the club can' afford. He won't kill the club.
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