Sagna interview with L'Equipe

You're wrong. In 2010, Sagna was considered top 5 RBs in the world (probably still is when healthy). He had offers to leave with wages of over 100k per week. He stayed with Arsenal because of loyalty.

IF Sagna does go next summer we could just buy Debuchy.

If this story were coming out about, say, Walcott, I'd be angier.

Sagna gets a lot of leeway, IMO, because for multiple seasons he has been a leader & a fighter on the pitch, and nobody could doubt his commitment to team performance. (Cesc is, for me, another recent example: these are players I'm willing to forgive a lot, because even when they haven't been 100% Gooners in their hearts - an understandable thing for contemporary footballers - they've always done their best talking on the pitch.) One interview isn't going to change that, especially before we've had a chance to hear Sagna's response or further elaboration on the interview's publication.

I'm not defending his behavior, if this interview and his quotes are properly reported. I'm just saying there are certain crucial players I'm more willing to say "let bygones be bygones" about, let 'em vent their frustrations on occasion if need be, and Sagna is one of them. I hope he gets whatever he wants in his contract and I hope he's helping win a trophy for Arsenal later on this season.

I just think you're asking for a player to get upset when you wait until the summer of his last year to even talk about extending him... especially the good ones. What would you think if you're in their shoes? The club is waiting until the last possible moment to see of the player is worth it. Well, that goes both ways. The player then has every right to explore his options as well.

We did it with Nasri who wanted an extension earlier. We did it with RVP because we waited too long to give him a good wage offer (our early offers were a joke frankly). And now we're doing it with Sagna.

One way loyalty never goes over very well.

sportsczy wrote:I just think you're asking for a player to get upset when you wait until the summer of his last year to even talk about extending him... especially the good ones. What would you think if you're in their shoes? The club is waiting until the last possible moment to see of the player is worth it. Well, that goes both ways. The player then has every right to explore his options as well.

We did it with Nasri who wanted an extension earlier. We did it with RVP because we waited too long to give him a good wage offer (our early offers were a joke frankly). And now we're doing it with Sagna.

One way loyalty never goes over very well.

I agree with you, and the Arsenal board tried their best to make Song look like a bad guy, but they got exposed.

The day we stop being a selling club is the day we get rid of few donkeys on the board. Usmanov has to become a board member, I dont want him to become a full owner just a board member.

You know very well Jay, that I don't fall in that category of fans calling every player who leaves a c*nt. But don't ever expect me to endorse the actions of the likes of Ashley Cole, Samir Nasri, Emmanuel Adebayor or Robin van Persie. Patrick Viera was great when he was with us, but him joining Manchester City and then his comments which followed that has well and truly tarnished his image. These people are c*nts in my book. And I will not feel sorry or apologize about this.

As you can see, this is a small list. And recent departures like Alex Song and Cesc Fabregas are not on it.

I'm not asking anyone to endorse that sort of behaviour, just to understand where it comes from and the impact it's having on the club on and off the field. Whatever our personal feelings are towards these guys; whether you feel betrayed or let down or whatever, there is the fact that our best players are finding legitimate reasons to move clubs and that a trend has been established.

Some players leave in a classier way than others, but the fact remains that the majority of players that have left the club since 2005 have all left for the same reasons.

I think Arsenal is among the biggest clubs in the world. If anyone says it is a small club, intent on selling its stars to a bigger club, then it hurts me and as a fan, I can't stomach such talk. If a player wearing the jersey and kissing the badge says that, I have every reason to hate it. And I don't see how that affects the progress of the club. If anything, it means that there is room for the club to progress more, and learn from past mistakes, to prevent such situations from arising.

The problem, though, is that it hasn't learnt from past mistakes and doesn't look like doing so any time soon. The club let Clichy's and Nasri's contracts run down until their final year and had to sell them both to their rivals. Then they let van Persie's contract run to its final year and was forced to sell him to a rival, too. Now, Walcott's going to see out his contract and probably walk to another rival team.

This is what I mean about our progress being stalled by this vicious cycle. We let contracts run down and we're forced to sell to our rivals. Rinse and repeat. It makes the club look like a selling club incapable of holding onto its best players; a club who, through a mixture of its own incompetence and player power, can't live up to its potential as one of the biggest clubs in the world.

If this keeps happening, we can't progress. Teams that win trophies are built over a period of a time, based around a solid core of players who are integrated into the league and club. The team that won the title in 2004 was an improved version of the team that won the title in 2002. The team that should have won the title in 2008 was an improved version of the team in 2007.

Compare that to now: the team now is very different to the team of last year, and that team is very different to the team before that. How close have we come to winning anything? No where near since that Carling Cup final.

So some players might say some bad things, or might act in a way that makes you dislike them, but sometimes you just have to hold on to these guys, just to give you something to build upon.

30 is 50. Its not like players are dead once they hit that age. Arteta is 31 and look what he does for us.

Hes an amazing RB. Just give him an extension for ****s sake.

There is no reason to think that a certain player is going to decline once they hit a certain age until they start to show signs of it. if he comes back and plays really well there is zero reason for us to sell him.

VendettaRed07 wrote:30 is 50. Its not like players are dead once they hit that age. Arteta is 31 and look what he does for us.

Hes an amazing RB. Just give him an extension for ****s sake.

If we sign him than how else we going to balance the books and develop new talent and sell them crazy amount to our rivals?

Sagna can give us another few years and be a role model for the young guys.

The Arsenal board not only cares about Arsenal but other teams also, the big teams need WC players and Arsenal can make them.

sportsczy wrote:You're wrong. In 2010, Sagna was considered top 5 RBs in the world (probably still is when healthy). He had offers to leave with wages of over 100k per week. He stayed with Arsenal because of loyalty.

Regardless, I don't agree with his public approach to getting a new deal. Does he not see the logic in letting him play before we re-sign him?

MJGunner wrote:

sportsczy wrote:You're wrong. In 2010, Sagna was considered top 5 RBs in the world (probably still is when healthy). He had offers to leave with wages of over 100k per week. He stayed with Arsenal because of loyalty.

Regardless, I don't agree with his public approach to getting a new deal. Does he not see the logic in letting him play before we re-sign him?

Sure. But i he plays well and gets a bigger offer somewhere else, we can't cry "disloyalty" if he bolts.

MJGunner wrote:

sportsczy wrote:You're wrong. In 2010, Sagna was considered top 5 RBs in the world (probably still is when healthy). He had offers to leave with wages of over 100k per week. He stayed with Arsenal because of loyalty.

Regardless, I don't agree with his public approach to getting a new deal. Does he not see the logic in letting him play before we re-sign him?

He wants a new contract buddy - his last big contract in his career, Arsenal didn't contact him to renew his contract according to him - he goes public so everyone can know what our policy is.

Players do this all the time and get their new contract, the problem is that at Arsenal players are getting contracts elsewhere

Sri is correct but I agree with Jay too.. but not sure how can it happen... lol..
disappointed that another senior player is taking the ugly route which can never be acceptable.. but if what is said is true, then there is something wrong with the management of our club...

With the FFP coming into play I think that Arsenal will keep more and more of their players. I have been following your youth system for a while, if Arsene can manage to keep a hold of your players, I thinkyou will have a very good team in a few years.

Most of the club policy's at this moment in time are based off what FFP could potentially do make things a more even playing ground. I'm not putting too much faith in it, though. Clubs will find loopholes and UEFA won't go through with their promise to ban offending clubs from European competition.

sportsczy wrote:You're wrong. In 2010, Sagna was considered top 5 RBs in the world (probably still is when healthy). He had offers to leave with wages of over 100k per week. He stayed with Arsenal because of loyalty.

Not interested in one show of loyalty. Him saying Clichy and Nasri were right to leave is disgraceful. You can dance around everything else he says but that's blatant disrespect.

MJGunner wrote:

sportsczy wrote:You're wrong. In 2010, Sagna was considered top 5 RBs in the world (probably still is when healthy). He had offers to leave with wages of over 100k per week. He stayed with Arsenal because of loyalty.

Not interested in one show of loyalty. Him saying Clichy and Nasri were right to leave is disgraceful. You can dance around everything else he says but that's blatant disrespect.

Finally someone gets what I have been huffing and puffing about. Thank you.

GoonerJay29 wrote:Most of the club policy's at this moment in time are based off what FFP could potentially do make things a more even playing ground. I'm not putting too much faith in it, though. Clubs will find loopholes and UEFA won't go through with their promise to ban offending clubs from European competition.

Well we all were exposed to the frailities of FFP when Citeh got the moolah for 'Etihad Stadium'. And it will not stop there either.

Working around FFP is simple really. If you are a big club, boost your commercial streams. The jazz about UEFA scrutinizing the 'fair value' of deals is a load of tosh.

But thats off topic for me. I maintain my stance on what the player has done being wrong and not entirely professional.

srigooner wrote:

MJGunner wrote:

sportsczy wrote:You're wrong. In 2010, Sagna was considered top 5 RBs in the world (probably still is when healthy). He had offers to leave with wages of over 100k per week. He stayed with Arsenal because of loyalty.

Not interested in one show of loyalty. Him saying Clichy and Nasri were right to leave is disgraceful. You can dance around everything else he says but that's blatant disrespect.

Finally someone gets what I have been huffing and puffing about. Thank you.

Yeah, I think it's an exaggeration to say we're calling all those who leave c-nts when in fact plenty have walked out the door with their heads held high as you said. It's just when players say things like this, there's no cover up or excuse. How can you justify saying a player who left for more money was right while you're still in the Arsenal red and white? Even if he won a trophy. You're supposed to advocate that your team is the best one out there or at least that you're fighting to make it so. Not that there are greener pastures and you hope that you as a player, play well the next season. It's a team game ffs. Act like you're part of yours.

The grass is greener where you water it.

MJGunner wrote:Yeah, I think it's an exaggeration to say we're calling all those who leave c-nts when in fact plenty have walked out the door with their heads held high as you said. It's just when players say things like this, there's no cover up or excuse. How can you justify saying a player who left for more money was right while you're still in the Arsenal red and white? Even if he won a trophy. You're supposed to advocate that your team is the best one out there or at least that you're fighting to make it so. Not that there are greener pastures and you hope that you as a player, play well the next season. It's a team game ffs. Act like you're part of yours.

The grass is greener where you water it.

See I can understand that he has his opinion. And when he plays, I support him totally to put in a massive shift. Who can forget his goal which changed our fate last season?

My only problem is throwing in the 'you guys' kind of crap. When he says 'Like the fans, I don't understand....' crap, he wants to be seen in that friendly light. But the rest of the comments have a tinge of strongarming the club hierarchy. And that makes it look like a refined version of the summer story involving Kees Voss and his client.

I don't think this is professional behaviour at all.

Oh btw, Rosicky, Arshavin, Arteta - players around the 30 mark still on our books with deals longer than one year. We have already discussed the shift in club policy towards retaining experienced players. We offered Judas 4 years as well, despite his age.

It's also demonstrates a lack of discipline. Im unsure as to what he hopes to achieve through these comments beyond that of telling other clubs + tabloids "watch this space".

Bit dissapointed by yet more bad PR for Arsenal coming from one of our own.

Ok. Well the gunner colored blinders are on and in full effect lol. Players who are going into the last 2 years of their contract without and offer of extension will always talk about it in the presss because a) it's the right business move and b) the press asks them about it all the time. Blind loyalty is a concept of pre-1990s corporate japanese workers lol.

Players getting close or in their 30s will always try to max out everything: wages, length of contract, opportunity to win trophies. They will go to any club that gives them the best package.

If Arsenal wanted it to be such taboo to go to a rival, then they should have never sold directly to those clubs. But Arsenal takes the highest bid regardless of who it is... And i can respect that too in a business sense. So there's no barrier out there and, frankly, it's the club's doing. It's not like RVP, Nasri, Clichy, etc went to those clibs as free agents. Arsenal sold them to those clubs.

When one side treats things as pure business, expect the other to do the same.

I actually thought Sagna was brutally honest here. He echoed most fans' sentiments tbh.

The difference between Gooners like me and and Sri and Gooners like you (just talking sides atm in this Sagna interview) we're dissecting his words more than you. You're looking at the business motive which, fair doos to him, he's getting his paper, even if it's through kinda ugly methods, he's letting the club know he wants to talk business.

But where we, or at least I, take most offense is defense of Clichy and Nasri. You just don't put yourself in the fans midst by claiming to sympathize with them and then alienate them with comments so violently contrasting. Again, inexcusable.

sportsczy wrote:Ok. Well the gunner colored blinders are on and in full effect lol. Players who are going into the last 2 years of their contract without and offer of extension will always talk about it in the presss because a) it's the right business move and b) the press asks them about it all the time. Blind loyalty is a concept of pre-1990s corporate japanese workers lol.

Players getting close or in their 30s will always try to max out everything: wages, length of contract, opportunity to win trophies. They will go to any club that gives them the best package.

If Arsenal wanted it to be such taboo to go to a rival, then they should have never sold directly to those clubs. But Arsenal takes the highest bid regardless of who it is... And i can respect that too in a business sense. So there's no barrier out there and, frankly, it's the club's doing. It's not like RVP, Nasri, Clichy, etc went to those clibs as free agents. Arsenal sold them to those clubs.

When one side treats things as pure business, expect the other to do the same.

I actually thought Sagna was brutally honest here. He echoed most fans' sentiments tbh.

Im not going to lie - this partially kills me just because some of what he is saying IS true.. that doesn't change my feeling that there must be a better way to go about it than moaning to the press - it really doesnt do the club any favours especially considering the summer we've had. Maybe the players that have done this have been cornered into it - none of us truly know what goes on behind the scenes though so I can only take it on face value and speculate.

If I believed he was releasing this statement in the interest of sparking a change in club policy or to assist driving pressure on the board to show more "ambition" I'd say fair enough. His empathetic and understanding comments to me are just sugarcoating the intent of the statement as far as I'm concerned...

It could well be he is just trying to negotiate the best deal possible. The timing is just a bit shit tbh. If he really cared about the fan's he would know gooners are getting pretty sick of reading this shit from our star players.

Don't get me wrong I like him as a player and I think he has a good attitude - thats what makes this interview all the more dissapointing to me.

Geez...

Just when I thought OK, OUR BOARD MADE SOME MONEY SELLING OUR BEST PLAYERS AND NOW WILL FOCUS ON BUILDING OUR SQUAD....

I really dont know whats going on with our club.

I can understand the animosity towards Nasri, but I don't get why people lump Clichy in with him as well. I thought Clichy left on relatively good terms.

In any case, I don't believe Sagna is defending the way in which they left Arsenal, but rather the fact that, from a pure trophy winning point of view, Clichy and Nasri were right to leave. That's the harsh truth not many of us want to admit.

Let me say this one more time, for sake of emphasis.

1. Talking about contracts to the media is not professional. It should be between the club and player (and those mongrel agents).

2. Nothing can justify defending disloyal players.

@sports - You know I respect you as a poster, but I can't agree completely with your post. It is business, indeed. And both sides should treat it that way - yes. But there is something called 'professional ethics'. You don't see the club taking to the media, or using any other 'under the belt' means to strong arm players into signing new contracts. That is the class you expect from Arsenal. We don't hold players against their will (Cesc vs Modric - do the comparison). The club upholds its values and ETHICS. The player who can't do that, is doing dirty business. Simple as that, and I don't respect that.

A player being prolific on the pitch means nothing if his personality and character off the pitch are not echoing the same virtuosity. Its branded 'attitude problem' for a reason.

@Mick - agree with you entirely.