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The Greed of The Game… Money Talks… Flamini Goes…

Posted by :devday On : April 23, 2008
8

Category: Arsenal

history of betrayal is something that should have given us the hint.

His move to Arsenal from Marseille wasn’t without controversy and even though he’d verbally agreed, he renegaded on that agreement to sign for us. A famous quote soon followed by then manager Jose Anigo…

“This is a beautiful treason. He used me.”

For Flamini, this is a case of deja-vu, but this time Arsene and Arsenal are the used and abused. But can we complain? Are we, were we just as quilty as Flamini considering our previous exploits… or should we have seen this coming? Are we naive to let a player run to the end of his contract who is renowned for his disloyalty?

In a piece I did a couple of months ago, I highlighted the fact that Matty wanted £80,000 per week. Our offer from last year was £40k, double what he is earning now and a year retrospective payment. This payment would be a lump sum £1m figure. Matty wanted £80k, and his insistance eventually saw us increase our offer to £50k per week and £1.5m sign on fee. For a player that has only emerged this season, that’s a good offer. Some of us won’t even earn that in a year.

But Flamini won’t even review anything less than £60k and we won’t go above £50k. It’s a sorry state of affairs that it all comes down to money. Cashley Cole departed on similar terms.

Peter Hill wood has been vocal on this matter:

“We have made what we think is a pretty generous offer and we are waiting to hear whether he will accept or not. You just don’t know nowadays. You think players have a pretty good life, but, somehow, someone persuades them the grass might be greener somewhere else.

“So I don’t know the answer, all I know is we think we have pushed the boat out.”

As recently discussed, Juventus have offered Matty Flamini a contract believed to be in the region of £60k a week in addition to a £3.5m sign on fee. We won’t match this and it looks like Matty will be off. We have a wage stucture to adhere to and we can’t be held by ransom.

Yesterday Juventus confirmed that the deal was almost complete after his agent agreed terms “in principle”.

“We have the advantage (over Milan). As a child Flamini was a supporter of Juve.

“We also have a sporting project in place and we will be in the Champions League. Milan will not.”

A real shame considering what we have done as an Arsenal family this season, a real shame.

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devday

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  • Fo

    I always thought he wouldn’t sign. Looks like we shouldn’t have sold Diarra… that could have been the worst decision ever, he would have really helped us this season and next…!!!!

  • devday

    Good point re Diarra. He was a quality player. I think Arsene won’t let Gilberto leave now, maybe he’ll get back into the first team. We have a youth player called Jay Emmanuel Thomas who looks every bit the DM. In addition, Diaby was brought in to play there, the only trouble is him keeping fit!

  • John Abbot

    < ![CDATA[Flamini isn't as great as everyone thinks. He's lack of heading ability has been an issue. He is better in some games than Gilberto as his pace & workrate & passing accuracy are better, but a player like Hargreaves has both the positional, heading and passing.

    Who will replace Flamini? I don't think Diarra was good enough. Diaby is really the player who has it all, but lacks consistency.]]>

  • Georgie Samaras

    < ![CDATA[Flamini has definitely been a plus point this season, but you're right to question his influence. We have lacked defensively this season, where Gilberto is more prone. We have done well offensively where Flamini is more prone.

    Let's see what Wenger has in store!!!]]>

  • devday

    < ![CDATA[It's going to be an interesting summer, I actually think Denilson is being primed for this role long term. Again, a more attacking player, but his work rate is up there with the Flamster. His passing & shooting are also highly regarded and he does have a defensive head on him too.

    Like Diaby, his / our main problem would be his fitness...]]>

  • david

    It still begs for answer why a club like arsenal would not rearrange a better pay structure for a guy of flamini’s stature. Just 60k a week, when someone like rio ferdinand is getting double of that and oba of newcastle is trying to pen down 90k a week. This club is completely sick. Its unbelievable.

  • devday

    David, it’s simple to why the wage structure is as it is. Rio Ferdinand is funded by a club where the responsibiity of debt is not shouldered by the club. As we are burdened with the debt of the new stadium, we have to be more proactive with our funds. Flamini was signed as a young player for £20k a week. It’s silly to give a 23 year old a £100k pay rise. Additionally, I don’t think we can compare Newcastle’s silly pay structure with us, they’re crazy with money!

  • http://none kelvin

    Money talks..Club as big as arsenal should have made a better offer. They are a massive club and paid a shit load of money to have henry stay for just 1 season b4 his departure to barcelona. Arsenal is just a stingy. Good business would have been to give him what he wants and then sell him two seasons from now instead of letting him go on a free transfer.