So it appears as though we have Edu who might be joining us in the much publicised Technical Director role at Arsenal. Perhaps I’m a bit naive here but I thought he didn’t want the job because he’d be too far from his family? If that’s the case then heading over to Europe is hardly a step back in to his families back yard, is it?
If it’s true – and given what a few people are saying now it seems the case – it looks on face value as a decent appointment. Edu has history at the club, he was well liked, so will automatically come with a bit of goodwill tucked in his pocket from most corners of the club. He’s managed back room operations for the Brazilian national team and at younger levels overseeing stuff, so it looks like a decent appointment. I suspect Arsenal have had to cough up some top dollar to get him interested though. And the fact that he’s probably not going to start until after the Copa America isn’t ideal as that is most of the summer done with in terms of planning and preparation.
But if it happens at least it gives us a little more direction. Whether or not the dynamic works with Emery and Raul also remains to be seen. Personally I think that unless the club are dipping deeper in to the resources than we originally thought we’re probably in for a bit of a rough season next year too, but perhaps we just need to accept that it is where we are at right now. Ivan, Arsène and Stan together formed the power at the club and the former two left us in a bit of a state in terms of those contracts negotiated and the transfer business done. So perhaps it’s a two year job before we even look like we’re going in the right direction and as long as Edu can come in and establish a good bond with the current hierarchy then overall I suspect we should be pleased.
What that means for this summer is a little worrying though. We made a mess of January but this summer is pivotal. Some dodgy Suarezesque signings in the summer and we’ll be staring down the barrel of another pretty shocking season and possible decline and whilst I’m trying not to sound too melodramatic it’s hard not to view this summer with as much trepidation as excitement.
Some rabbits are going to need to be pulled out of the hat, let’s be honest, and does Edu have that particular type of magic up his sleeve? We new Sven did and the benefit that Mislintat has is that he wasn’t around at the club long enough for everyone to see whether he would be a success or not. Which means that his status will be elevated even higher than it is and the fact that everyone seems overwhelmingly happy with the work he did do, that will only make it a little more of a challenge for Edu, should he come in.
I’ve read a few things about his links of the super agent Kia Joorabchian, which suggests that Arsenal have finally decided that “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” with regards to dealing with the big players of the agent world. It always leaves an unsavoury taste in my mouth talking about this large agents but I guess there’s little the club can do if they’re not willing to go down the data analysis route of trying to find young players before they make it big. Maybe I’m wrong but if we’re getting in a Technical Director with links to a super agent, then hearing that our head football guy prefers the ‘contacts’ route of transfers rather than Mislintat’s data approach, it strikes me that the summer might be a long one. Especially if we have £40million to spend. Do the super agents even get out of bed for that kind of money any more???
Still, until it happens there ain’t a lot of point worrying about it, so I guess I’ll just try to stick to the mantra that ignorance is bliss!!
Anyway, that’s enough talk about a back room appointment and probably enough talk of me waffling on for another 750 words. We’ve got the small matter of a Europa League semi final to get up for, so hopefully we’ll get some good team news by tomorrow and we’ll start to hear of some positivity in the camp.
Up the Arsenal.
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