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Flamini: A Second Rate Player?
Only three years ago, as Arsenal prepared to move to The Emirates the following summer, the headlines were dominated by the fact that Thierry Henry was moving into the final 24 months of his contract.
Attempts to get him to sign on sold newspapers throughout the season, and it was public knowledge that he would be on his way to Barcelona if he did not.
He did eventually commit in an emotional moment after the Champions League final – a decision he was to reverse the following summer – but the astute Wenger had taken no chances as far as the club's future was concerned.
The key point is that he understood the importance of the moment – they needed their skipper and star player as they moved to a big stadium and into a new era. He broke the trend, and Arsenal's wage policy, to hand the Frenchman a mammoth five year deal, one which put him at par with Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack as far as the rich list went. Smart move.
As Henry was signing, a certain Mathieu Flamini was moving into his final 24 months. Did anyone even care?
What You Did Last Summer
Fast forward to last summer, when Flamini was moving into the final 12 months of his contract. He was, once again, conveniently ignored. What was 'the professor' doing? He was getting Cesc Fabregas – who had light years to run on his deal – to sign a massive extension through to 2014.
So, before one demands loyalty from Flamini, one has to ask whether Arsenal were loyal to him. If that was business, so is this. The only reason he was not offered a new deal was because Wenger thought he was expendable at that point. He might as well have been shown the proverbial finger.
Put yourself in Flamini's shoes for a moment. Would you grudge him for feeling treated like a second rate player? You move into the final year of your contract and watch as a teammate signs on for seven seasons. The person who has to answer for this is Wenger. The Arsenal manager knew full well what he was doing, and it is he who must carry the can, not Flamini.
Personally, I strongly believe that the hugely improved midfielder should still have stayed at the club. He will never mean to Milan what he could have to Arsenal, just like Henry will never mean to Barcelona what he could have had he retired at the Emirates. But that is a moot point.
What About Last Month?
Let us move on, assuming Wenger took a calculated business decision, and assuming he thought he could get Flamini to sign on. Let us now look dispassionately at what has happened over the last month. Let's talk business.
Within six months, the midfielder's stock had risen, and with that the interest of other clubs – particularly as he was available on a free. That was the risk Wenger had taken.
Flamini's agents advised him to hold out for a meaty offer. Wenger was to refuse, and made it very public that he would not be blackmailed into breaking his wage policy – the very policy he had broken to keep Thierry Henry at the club.
Another finger, only this time, the player decided to respond in kind. Within six hours of Arsenal's final game, he was in Milan, and another 18 hours later, he had completed a medical and signed on for four seasons at around 4 million euros per year (equivalent to around ₤60K per week). Supposedly, Arsenal would not go beyond ₤50K.
I would rate Flamini at around ₤10-12 million today, even if I was to be conservative. Now, Wenger will go into the market, and probably spend at least ₤8 million as he looks to shore up his midfield again. Flamini, in that sense, would have been a free-transfer, so that eight million could easily be amortised into an extra two million over four seasons.
Even from a purely business perspective, it makes no sense to let him go and then spend more money on a replacement. If Henry earned in excess of ₤100K, surely Flamini could have been offered more than ₤50K as a player effectively signed for free. There have been some great French mathematicians in the past. Arsene clearly doesn't tow that line.
What Message Does This Send?
And the most concerning bit is yet to come. In doing all this, Arsene has broken up a midfield partnership that was perfect for the way he likes to play his football. We have seen some absolutely amazing stuff from Arsenal this season, and a lot has to do with how Flamini has combined with Fabregas. Arsene must now strive to recreate that from scratch, with a player who may or may not suit Cesc's style.
What is more, by losing a key player, he has sent a very dangerous message to the rest of his team. With a new deal for Flamini wrapped up, today, he would have been thinking of consolidating for an even stronger assault on Manchester United. Every Arsenal fan would have been thumping his chest proudly.
Instead, he has told Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor and Alexander Hleb that he is unwilling or unable to do what it takes to keep this team together. Nice way that to demand trust.
The likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter and Milan interested in one or more of those players, who will surely have been disillusioned somewhat by the developments. Reports this morning already claim that Fabregas is unsettled after Flamini's departure. Real Madrid circle over him, while Inter refuse to give up on Hleb. The chest thumping fan has been replaced by a worried one!
'Hey gaffer, if you care so much about building a team, why did you not keep Flamini?' That could so easily be the refrain, one that Wenger might struggle to respond to as mega offers start coming in. There will be teams willing to offer Adebayor and Hleb ₤80K per week, and Madrid and Barcelona would probably hand Fabregas a bumper ₤120K. Worrying times at The Emirates, and of their own doing.
Be it lopsided priorities last summer, poor mathematics last month, or simply a sloppy estimation of the damage this exit could cost, there is only one person who must answer for this. So, before Arsenal fans abuse Flamini, they must ask their professor how he managed to land the club just where they were two years ago.
To conclude, what would have been a summer of strengthening for Wenger now threatens to turn into three months spent desperately trying to hold on to his key players. This desperation was already evident in some of his comments about Adebayor on Monday, as well as his anger towards Ramon Calderon.
Talk about swinging the axe onto your own foot! Sorry Arsene, but you have got this one completely wrong.
Abhishek Thakur
Flamini: A Second Rate Player?
Only three years ago, as Arsenal prepared to move to The Emirates the following summer, the headlines were dominated by the fact that Thierry Henry was moving into the final 24 months of his contract.
Attempts to get him to sign on sold newspapers throughout the season, and it was public knowledge that he would be on his way to Barcelona if he did not.
He did eventually commit in an emotional moment after the Champions League final – a decision he was to reverse the following summer – but the astute Wenger had taken no chances as far as the club's future was concerned.
The key point is that he understood the importance of the moment – they needed their skipper and star player as they moved to a big stadium and into a new era. He broke the trend, and Arsenal's wage policy, to hand the Frenchman a mammoth five year deal, one which put him at par with Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack as far as the rich list went. Smart move.
As Henry was signing, a certain Mathieu Flamini was moving into his final 24 months. Did anyone even care?
What You Did Last Summer
Fast forward to last summer, when Flamini was moving into the final 12 months of his contract. He was, once again, conveniently ignored. What was 'the professor' doing? He was getting Cesc Fabregas – who had light years to run on his deal – to sign a massive extension through to 2014.
So, before one demands loyalty from Flamini, one has to ask whether Arsenal were loyal to him. If that was business, so is this. The only reason he was not offered a new deal was because Wenger thought he was expendable at that point. He might as well have been shown the proverbial finger.
Put yourself in Flamini's shoes for a moment. Would you grudge him for feeling treated like a second rate player? You move into the final year of your contract and watch as a teammate signs on for seven seasons. The person who has to answer for this is Wenger. The Arsenal manager knew full well what he was doing, and it is he who must carry the can, not Flamini.
Personally, I strongly believe that the hugely improved midfielder should still have stayed at the club. He will never mean to Milan what he could have to Arsenal, just like Henry will never mean to Barcelona what he could have had he retired at the Emirates. But that is a moot point.
What About Last Month?
Let us move on, assuming Wenger took a calculated business decision, and assuming he thought he could get Flamini to sign on. Let us now look dispassionately at what has happened over the last month. Let's talk business.
Within six months, the midfielder's stock had risen, and with that the interest of other clubs – particularly as he was available on a free. That was the risk Wenger had taken.
Flamini's agents advised him to hold out for a meaty offer. Wenger was to refuse, and made it very public that he would not be blackmailed into breaking his wage policy – the very policy he had broken to keep Thierry Henry at the club.
Another finger, only this time, the player decided to respond in kind. Within six hours of Arsenal's final game, he was in Milan, and another 18 hours later, he had completed a medical and signed on for four seasons at around 4 million euros per year (equivalent to around ₤60K per week). Supposedly, Arsenal would not go beyond ₤50K.
I would rate Flamini at around ₤10-12 million today, even if I was to be conservative. Now, Wenger will go into the market, and probably spend at least ₤8 million as he looks to shore up his midfield again. Flamini, in that sense, would have been a free-transfer, so that eight million could easily be amortised into an extra two million over four seasons.
Even from a purely business perspective, it makes no sense to let him go and then spend more money on a replacement. If Henry earned in excess of ₤100K, surely Flamini could have been offered more than ₤50K as a player effectively signed for free. There have been some great French mathematicians in the past. Arsene clearly doesn't tow that line.
What Message Does This Send?
And the most concerning bit is yet to come. In doing all this, Arsene has broken up a midfield partnership that was perfect for the way he likes to play his football. We have seen some absolutely amazing stuff from Arsenal this season, and a lot has to do with how Flamini has combined with Fabregas. Arsene must now strive to recreate that from scratch, with a player who may or may not suit Cesc's style.
What is more, by losing a key player, he has sent a very dangerous message to the rest of his team. With a new deal for Flamini wrapped up, today, he would have been thinking of consolidating for an even stronger assault on Manchester United. Every Arsenal fan would have been thumping his chest proudly.
Instead, he has told Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor and Alexander Hleb that he is unwilling or unable to do what it takes to keep this team together. Nice way that to demand trust.
The likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid, Inter and Milan interested in one or more of those players, who will surely have been disillusioned somewhat by the developments. Reports this morning already claim that Fabregas is unsettled after Flamini's departure. Real Madrid circle over him, while Inter refuse to give up on Hleb. The chest thumping fan has been replaced by a worried one!
'Hey gaffer, if you care so much about building a team, why did you not keep Flamini?' That could so easily be the refrain, one that Wenger might struggle to respond to as mega offers start coming in. There will be teams willing to offer Adebayor and Hleb ₤80K per week, and Madrid and Barcelona would probably hand Fabregas a bumper ₤120K. Worrying times at The Emirates, and of their own doing.
Be it lopsided priorities last summer, poor mathematics last month, or simply a sloppy estimation of the damage this exit could cost, there is only one person who must answer for this. So, before Arsenal fans abuse Flamini, they must ask their professor how he managed to land the club just where they were two years ago.
To conclude, what would have been a summer of strengthening for Wenger now threatens to turn into three months spent desperately trying to hold on to his key players. This desperation was already evident in some of his comments about Adebayor on Monday, as well as his anger towards Ramon Calderon.
Talk about swinging the axe onto your own foot! Sorry Arsene, but you have got this one completely wrong.
Abhishek Thakur
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