Arsene Wenger has stated in a news conference today in Malaysia that he expects Nasri and Fabregas will be staying at the club, which of course is excellent news. Or is it? On Wednesday, Arsenal will take to the field around lunchtime and all this speculation will continue until Samir Nasri finally puts pen to paper. If this is not done by the end of the transfer window, then Arsene will have been given false assurances by the player, very much in the same way that Flamini was alleged to have done. Arsene expresses hope and reminds us that it is not just up to him anyway. So read into this statement that things could change.
But if Nasri and or Fabregas eventually leave the club by the end of the transfer window. Does it means that Arsene Wenger has lied to us or that he had overly optimistic expectations. No one expects Fabregas to be an Arsenal player come the start of September, so why say? Arsene Wenger has admitted in the past that in order to protect players and the club, he has had to be less than candid. Lies? I believe that he has actually used the “L” word himself
Arsene Wenger is on record as saying in that when he lies, that his conscience is clear, and he justifies lying to the media in order to protect players. When is it acceptable to lie to the press when they make up a lot of content anyway? The problem is that Arsenal fans only find out news from sources other than the Club in most cases, so if they are given assurances at an official Club press conference which turn out ot be false, should they have grounds to complain? I do not expect Fabregas to be at the club in September, so in that case the use of the word “expect” is like a politician not having “plans currently” to do something, which then can be changed for the opposite stance due to future circumstances.
There are too many individuals and competing interests. Managers want to fool players and their agents and the buying club, Agents want to fool everyone and we the fans are left to argue over the remains. It is simply not acceptable to expect fans to follow standards of behaviour of honesty and decency if the leading figures cannot set an example. What is wrong with stating No Comment? Or even saying discussions are ongoing and when there is news we shall let you know? This is surely better than giving fans false hopes. Imagine all those new anniversary shirts that will have the names of departed players printed upon them at some considerable cost to the fan concerned. Will the club reimburse the cost of the shirt and the printing?
My advice, is to take all utterances with a pinch of salt. Even more damning, ignore I suggest that we doubt all utterances from the club during the transfer window, until the deals are done and confirmed on Arsenal’s official website. Which then leads to the inevitable question how accurate are press reports of Arsenal’s interest in this player or that? You have been warned. Don’t be fooled, don’t indulge in the transfer story feeding frenzy on the social networks. Just breathe, sit calmly on both hands and stare aimlessly into space as if in a deep trance of Zen mediation. You won’t gain any ethereal insight into Arsenal’s transfer dealings, neither will you receive telepathic broadcasts from the great tabloid god in the cosmos. You won’t even live longer through suffering less stress, but one thing which can be assured, at least you will not have been fooled…
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