Those of us who cupped an ear to hear Rioch accusing Wright of not pulling his weight
Those of us who cupped an ear to hear Rioch accusing Wright of not pulling his weight in a pre-season friendly at St Albans last year knew the relationship was off on the wrong foot. The Liberian was brought to Monaco by Wenger who, communicating in English, developed him into the exciting striker and well-adjusted person he has become, as Weah acknowledged in dedicating his World Footballer of the Year award to Wenger. Perhaps it has something to do with the car crash in which he and Weah were involved, only air bags saving them from serious injury, after the pair had taken off without permission to watch a match in Nice. If someone who is 6ft 3in can be described as a sprat, then perhaps Vieira is the bait to catch the mackerel Weah.
Arsenal through and through.Not all have been enamoured of his methods and Jurgen Klinsmann criticised him for a lack of adventure in a Champions’ League match against Barcelona when the pair were in harness for Monaco. But Wenger’s knowledge of, and ability to recruit from, overseas was crucial.Garde, a libero cum midfield player, is now 30 and with injuries having beset him in recent years, may not be the most thrilling of signings. That of the 20-year-old Vieira promises much, though he too has suffered recent injury.A leggy midfield player, Vieira was a wonderkid with Cannes before Milan snapped him up Indeed, it was a surprise that they released him. A 47-year-old single man who says he has always been wedded to football, he has a style based on defensive organisation first, inspiration next. At Monaco, where he became the instigator of Glenn Hoddle’s coaching career, he turned a highly paid but dispirited bunch – where have we heard that before? – into league and cup winners.
Witness Newcastle and Kevin Keegan, Middlesbrough and Bryan Robson, Chelsea and Glenn Hoddle then Ruud Gullit. Ah for Kenny Dalglish again, Blackburn’s board may muse.Enter Wenger. Some may have asked Arsene Who? – an insult to many Arsenal supporters – but this sophisticated figure is a widely respected coach in the world game, as evidenced by Franz Beckenbauer’s failed attempt on behalf of Bayern Munich to recruit him from Japan a couple of years ago. An emerging trend in the English game in the Bosman era has become the profile of the manager abroad when it comes to negotiations.
If only they were all like Dennis Bergkamp, he might conclude.Another of Rioch’s problems was that while Arsenal and London may be seductive to top overseas players, his name was not. The reported compensation of pounds 500,000 would do as a sizeable sop for most of us but his professional pride will be damaged. Following his second ill-fated stay with a London club, after Millwall, Rioch may reflect on the difficulties of dealing with the capital breed who can be arrogant and easily diverted from the demands of professionalism, one factor in its comparative lack of sustained success beyond cup competitions. Now he is unfulfilled.Not soft as Marje, he sought to bring dignity again to a club he was brought up to call The Arsenal, but his regime’s strictness, tempered with attempted understanding, has not worked with players set in their ways and previously used to stick more than carrot. With a limited team, he has taken the club back into the Uefa Cup and they had begun to play more attractively. Don’t worry, Wright was apparently told following another contretemps with Rioch after a cup-tie at Sheffield United, you’ll be here longer than the manager. For all that, and his resented references to how his old Bolton charges used to do things, Rioch has been harshly treated.
Category: Travel
