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The One-Man Crusade Against Arsenal

By on November 3, 2009

Yup, you guessed it… Michel Platini, better known as the Antichrist, is once again in the media criticizing Arsenal and Arsene Wenger. It is truly amazing how Platini has turned into a one-man crusade against Arsenal and his fellow countryman. We here at Arsenal Station have not long forgotten his psychologically-disturbed rant last season during which he exhibited the full extent of his obsession and disgust with Arsene Wenger. We hope you have not forgot as well.

Frustrated that UEFA’s new rules regarding club solvency won’t adversely affect Arsenal, but, quite the opposite, will actually help the club, Platini has taken advantage of last month’s furor over “child trafficking” in football by now seeking to keep Arsenal, and other clubs, from buying youth players from outside their own country.

You have talent in England – it’s up to you not to buy always the best 13-14 young players in Europe. I am not in favour of the Arsenal system. The more English youth players you have in your team, the better it is for your football and popularity of your game.

Perhaps, in the future with Fifa rules on the transfer of minors, you have to work with English youth. Why can’t the English play for Arsenal? They have to come to France to play. It’s about identity.

Arsene WengerMake no mistake about it. With Platini, it is about his personal vendetta against Arsenal and Arsene, not identity. And it is certainly not about his so-called “passion for English clubs.” So much so, that he has the urge to redirect any conversation into a criticism of Arsenal.

The above interview with the Telegraph had to do with the new financial rules, but once Platini realized that his criticisms did not apply to Arsenal, he then turned the subject to youth player recruitment so as to be able to “indict” Arsenal for something.

The most disturbing part of this whole farcical situation is Platini’s almost laughable ignorance of almost everything he talks about. This is a man who, when asked whether or not he should talk to Richard Scudamore, said, “No. Why should I?” Hello? Perhaps because he’s the chairman of the Premier League. He believes the entire game depends on his “better philosophy,” but I have news for Mr. Platini… You are no philosopher, sir.

Behold the ignorance of the man:

The more English youth players you have in your team, the better it is for your football and popularity of your game.

That statement is ass-backwards. The Premier League’s quality and popularity has increased astronomically since increasing the number of foreigners in the last 10 years. It may have gone too far but the English players, and their agents, are responsible for pricing themselves out of the reach of most clubs. Platini wants English clubs to sign overpriced English players and also wants them to stay out of debt, but, with the ridiculously inflated valuations of mediocre average players (yes, you, Joleon), you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

More ignorance:

Perhaps, in the future with Fifa rules on the transfer of minors, you have to work with English youth. Why can’t the English play for Arsenal? They have to come to France to play. It’s about identity. Manchester United have to develop players of that region.

Platini obviously has no idea what is going on at Arsenal otherwise he’d know that Arsenal are producing the best crop of English youth players in the country. His ignorance is staggering considering the position he holds in European football.

Even more ignorance:

It’s getting worse for England. We have to protect national teams so that at least England play with 11 English players because there could soon be places for those with residential qualifications.

Apparently, he has no problem with Brazilians playing for half of the world’s national teams. Even more hypocritical, he has not problem with Barcelona raiding South American clubs for players even younger than any Arsenal have ever signed from abroad. Lionel Messi was plucked from Newell’s Old Boys and transplanted halfway across the world when he was 13, for fuck’s sake!

In relation to the Spanish clubs, whom Platini is REALLY trying to protect, Arsenal are already at a disadvantage because of domestic rules. The club is not allowed to sign youth players that live more than 90 minutes from the club. We are also not allowed to sign youth players directly from South America or non-EU European countries.

Both of these domestic rules are crippling and will prove even more so should Platini have his way. He is so quick to criticize Arsenal for having bought Fabregas from Barcelona, yet he has nothing to say about Barcelona hovering like wolves over Benik Afobe and Chukwuemeka Aneke.

The small area from which Arsenal are allowed to sign youth players around London is ridiculously small. How many possible world-class players are living within 50 miles of north London? Yet, Platini is determined to have Arsenal, and other English clubs’, recruiting possibilities hemmed in, while Barcelona and the rest of the Spanish and Italian clubs have the rule of the roost from South America, Africa, and Europe.

That is patently unfair… just the way Platini likes it.

10 Comments

  1. Arsenal Faithful

    November 3, 2009 at 7:55 am

    liked ur post! Just the perfect amount of sarcasm 🙂

    • ArsenalStation

      November 3, 2009 at 8:06 am

      Thanks AF. It’s hard to strike a balance, especially when talking about Platini and his increasingly ridiculous utterances. Thanks for reading!

  2. DaStuDawg

    November 3, 2009 at 8:15 am

    Excellent article (Y)

    I’m not 100% sure why Platini has such qualms with Wenger – his father is on great terms with ‘Le Prof’.

    Maybe that’s the problem; Arsene was like ‘The son [Aldo] never had…’

    • DaStuDawg

      November 3, 2009 at 8:16 am

      Sorry, ‘Aldo’ as in Aldo Platini, as in the abovementioned w*****’s father.

  3. Frichie

    November 3, 2009 at 8:41 am

    How can anyone take that face seriously!!! He reminds me of Quasimodo!

    Great article!!!

  4. Chiedu

    November 3, 2009 at 9:41 am

    And they blame Arsenal for England not having good players.

    But Arsenal is only one team there 19 other premiership teams to recruit from.

    If you look the national Coach isnt english that should explain something or is it Arsenals fault?

    None of the top 3 team is run by an english man, well 4 if u include Liverpool.

    Is that Arsenals fault?

    The problem is that English boys just arent good enough.

    PERIOD

  5. TonyM

    November 3, 2009 at 9:43 am

    Very good piece and i think they are fair points. Arsenal are one of the few clubs living within their means and doing things right.
    I grew up in the south of Ireland. My dream was for arsenal to bring me to London age 14. Would Platini have considered that child trafficking. What difference does it make how far away the player comes from if that is what he and his family want.
    Does Platini not hear Cesc say how it was the best thing for him, gave him a chance he might not have got at Barca and how grateful he is to Arsene. And how about the numerous players arsenal have given a football education to and a chance to make it as a professional, regardless of their nationality, skin colour or religion.
    The club should be appreciated more by fifa.
    Arsenal sets an example for other clubs with their actions and efforts in the community and numerous charitys.

  6. Andy P

    November 3, 2009 at 9:50 am

    He is an ignorant dinosaur who should be extinct by now in the world of football. That senile old git has bumped his head one too many times. He has no intelligence, no class, and is quite stupid really. Still, he must have sucked his way to the top, which means he is one hell of a sucker.
    Wenger probably turned down the france job and platini now has some sort of vendetta against him.
    Platini’s comments are very immature, he keeps throwing his toys out of the pram…grow up Mr Platini

  7. goddy ochei-uzo

    November 3, 2009 at 10:39 am

    It is obvious that this man named Platini has an inferiority complex and not qualified to hold the position he has now. Blame the power brokers in English game who continued to tolerate him.
    Arsene, God knows will continue to be his superior untill probably Platini decides to go and improve himself educationally.
    This is what happens when you give a child crown instead of toys. Wenger please remain the calm Professor you are until luck catches up with him.

  8. goddy ochei-uzo

    November 3, 2009 at 11:01 am

    I commend this writer and suggest that Arsenal fans set up a petition forum against Mafia Platini. This is because he is gone a bit too far. I regard this an abuse of office and somehow must be taken up unless there are no checks and balances in that democratic organization (UEFA). I actually attribute Eduardo’s diving inidence to Platini’s hand work. He has to be checked orderwise Arsenal will never get a fare treatment in our Europe outings.

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