By dixon9
March 5 2007

I’m sure that most had read the reports on Wenger´s unprovoked attack (yet again!) on Chelsea with regard to finance and our link with PSV? The total hypocrisy and ignorance of a manager who I greatly respect is disappointing to say the least.

What was also surprising was that the Arsenal manager decided to unleash his rant on the eve of a champions league match – and there he was denying that he was “Chelsea voyeur” before!  What’s he doing talking about us on the eve of a Champions league match?!!!

 

The first attack was with regard to the recent losses of 80M posted by Chelsea and his view that clubs should operate within their own “natural resources”:

"I have said many times that all the clubs should be balanced with their natural resources. That means they can only spend what they earn. The rules allow them to do it. I have my own opinion about that, I know how I feel.”

"It is viable because they do it and they have a super-sponsor. But with normal mathematics, minus 80 is minus 80. It’s not on the surface it is 80 miles below water, and to survive so deep is normally very difficult. But if you have a support, that allows them to do it.”

Firstly, I wonder where Wenger has been recently – presumably living in some kind of bubble.  Endleman of Arsenal has already posted losses of some 260M and stated that next year these will rise to 385M!!!  Makes our 80M look like chicken feed.  Of course, IF Arsenal are at least reasonably successful over the forthcoming seasons, they should have no problem in making the repayments – their debt is structured over 25 years I believe.  Our spending or debt also has a structured 10 year program to make Chelsea a viable business.  Does anyone honestly believe that we are less able to be successful and therefore achieve a zero balance on finance?  Come on!

The fact is Arsenal have spent more money over recent years than we have – FACT.  They have invested in a stadium – we have invested in players and an academy. 

“Ah yes! But Roman Abramovich isn’t a natural resource as Wenger points out!” I hear you say.  Hmmm….so is a 330M euro bond and a massive loan from a group of banks headed by the Royal Bank of Scotland a “natural resource”?   Banks are not the little old lady who stamps your savings book at the post office!  Banks are companies owned by groups of people, rich people (in some cases just like Abramovich) or even governments.  Banks express concern is to make money out of you.  Banks will gleefully snatch your assets away if they think they can make a quick killing if you fail to make repayments.  Banks are ruthless – they will ruin your life if they think they can make money legally without a second glance.  Now excuse me, but I never realised that these banks were part of Arsenal football club (if they were, I can imagine all those Spurs fans with accounts with the Royal Bank of Scotland scurrying down to their branches to close their accounts!).  “Natural Resource”!  Do me a favour!

Even if my argument still doesn’t convince anyone, Wenger then proceeds to put his foot in his mouth in spectacular fashion:

"If we had had such an offer from someone we would not have turned it down. Chelsea are in a situation where they are lucky to have that kind of sponsorship. I can understand completely that they take advantage of it.”

So, what have we here?  Let me see.  Something like “It isn’t fair but if Roman would have come along to us then that would have been alright!”  That quote alone DESTROYS any credibility that Wenger may have had on the matter of Chelsea’s finances.

The next attack on Chelsea came with the subject of the Chelsea – PSV connection.  Apparently (and I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s true) Chelsea already “own” two of PSV´s outstanding players; Alex and Alcides. 

“The Chelsea connection is a concern but no one really knows what is at the bottom of things.  There seems to be an arrangement but I don’t know what legal relationship exists”. 

“It’s very difficult to control and that is why the ownership of players has to be made clear.  Chelsea and PSV are playing in the same competition.”

“We have an agreement with the Belgian club Beveren but the big difference is they don’t play in the Champions League.”

So fair enough, as I said earlier, we may well own these players and we do indeed have great relations with PSV.  “So, if true, then Wenger´s right then isn’t he?”  Well no..he damn well isn’t – in fact, his justification is that it breaks UEFA regulations.  Since when has getting around the rules been a moral problem for Arsenal?!!!  Apart from the fact that their own history is rife with corruption let’s look at recent events and how they relate to UEFA regulations:

 

Beveren don’t play in the CL true (well, at least not at the moment!) but isn’t it against UEFA rules to own or part own another football club?  Let us remind ourselves of what happened at Beveren:  Arsne Wenger has shares in a football academy in the Ivory Coast.  Beveren can’t afford many players and are in fact, a very modest, lower division club in Belgium.  Nonetheless, promising players from Arsne´s academy are sold to Beveren and those that come through are shipped off to Arsenal.  It turns out that Arsenal made an “interest free loan” (because they are such a caring club) of some 1.5M to a newly created company called Goal.  Goal own Beveren!  Ok, so they got round the rules – hey presto, Arsenal are not breaking UEFA rules.  Now Arsne, I ask you…Do you not think that it’s highly likely that Chelsea have got round the UEFA rules with Alex and Alcides as your club has done with Beveren?  Therefore, what’s good for the goose is sauce for the gander surely?!!! 

 

Shall we enter into the signing of Gilberto with that trip to with David Dein to Belo Horizonte?  Or how about how Wenger tried to sign Baptista the first time around?

 

Arsne Wenger is a great manager but this recent tirade smacks of hypocrisy and envy.  Do us all a favour, put your toys back in your pram and concentrate on Arsenal – Leave Chelsea to Chelsea please.