Are the Gunners failing to offer their former players positions in the club, or is it impossible to please everyone?
Petit and Vieira at the 2000 UEFA CUP FINAL
Arsenal legend Emmanuel Petit has been discussing the club’s failure to offer former players coaching positions in the club, according to comments appearing on ESPN recently, via SFR Sport.
But taking a look at recent staff at the club, and reports of offers made to former players, just how true is that criticism?
Petit seemed to be firmly in the corner of fellow midfield partner Patrick Vieira, who has also taken issue with what he sees as a problem Wenger and the club have.
“Why didn’t Arsene open his door to Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira or Tony Adams?” Petit said on SFR Sport. “Arsene couldn’t understand that anyone might criticise him openly on television, especially a former Arsenal player.
Picture Supplied by Action Images
“It’s all very well to build statues to commemorate former players who made the club shine but at some point you also have to know how to open doors to give them a start.
“When I see Dennis Bergkamp on the Ajax bench, it doesn’t bother me, but I say to myself that Dennis had his son at Arsenal’s academy.
“I spoke for two hours with Patrick that evening and I can tell you — and maybe he will not be happy that I am saying this in public but it’s all the same to me — he is really disgusted by Arsenal and Arsene’s attitude. I’m sorry but that’s the truth.”
It will disappoint some fans that two of Arsenal’s best midfielders of the last thirty years have a bitter taste regarding their last contact in the club.
Manchester City U21 manager Patrick Vieira
Vieira and Petit were arguably the foundation of the new style of football Wenger brought to the Gunners, placed on top of the resolute defence of the George Graham era.
But one only has to look at the coaching staff Wenger has put together to see that it’s not as simple as bringing any player of note back into the club when they see fit, and at the position they want. Ex defender Steve Bould is currently his assistant at the Emirates, the highest ranking job available, and it may be that the likes of Bergkamp and Vieira wanted a similar role.
Freddie Ljungberg is currently coaching with Arsenal youngsters, while Tony Adams also returned to the club this summer. Mikel Arteta was reportedly offered a role, while Thierry Henry had been coaching too, but unless the former striker had taken Bould’s job, he would not have gotten a more high-profile position that he has acquired as Belgium assistant.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger
The Gunners boss would surely want as many talented football brains within the club as possible, but he has to make a decision as to which individual fills a particular role. If everyone wants to be in charge of the academy, or assist Wenger with the first team, there are inevitably going to be disappointed former players.
The two World Cup winners have proved themselves particularly outspoken in the past, with Vieira very much critical of his former manager at times.
Just this summer, Vieira touched on the topic, as quoted by the Mail.
“It is good for the young players who could see a Thierry Henry, a Ljungberg, a Sol Campbell or a Martin Keown who have been at the club a good few years working in the academy, or working somewhere,” Vieira is reported as saying by the Mail. “I think they can do it a bit more.
Manchester City U21’s manager Patrick Vieira
“Players want to do it but do not have the opportunity. Arsenal don’t do it and I don’t know why.”
What do you think Arsenal fans, should Wenger have ensured Vieira remains at the club, or is the former French international overcritical and
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