I'm not debating or knocking his achievements.
I think he's made a mountain out of a molehill and when (if) he goes to another club he'll quickly realise just how good he had it here. When you see someone as calm and restrained as Wenger losing the plot during a press conference, what chance does Paolo have at the top level?
Don't feel particularly bitter, betrayed or annoyed. It's his decision, life goes on, we're top of the league. But I feel let down - he continually goes on about loyalty and respect all the time but has shown fuck all of either to the fans and players this week.
Yep, exactly.
It will take time for everything to settle into whatever form it is going to take, so I may change my views down the line.
I was one of those in the middle ground - fascinated, excited and moved by him on the one hand, frustrated
and somewhat suspicious on the other. So I settled for 'enjoy the ride cos it will all end in tears' approach. And I
enjoyed the ride.
Suspicious inasmuch as I wondered (for example) how much of the scarf-waving stuff we saw was more about ego than about 'love for us' [of course it can be both]. But this business of the poor players being left to train and select their own team [imagine what a headache that will be, given that the captain was fired by someone who had already left !]...welll....
Whats that saying about 'nothing in life reveals a man so much as the manner of his leaving' ?? Something like that.
It's all started to remind me of a certain dynamic that can be found in certain 'gang' types of communities. I use to live in the EastEnd of London [during my pertiod of exile] and you would hear 'It was much better round here when the Krays were around - much safer' etc. A kind of 'follow your leader and he will look after his children' dynamic.
Thats what I'm starting to sense here. We love him partly cos he buys pizzas and clears the snow, and all of that wanting to be the figurehead stuff etc.
So by those standards, right now I have no hesitation in saying 'PDC, you ran away !
You are the chihuahua [sp] !
More than that, you left your players in the lurch as well as the fans. You failed to live up to your own self image. You have failed the test of a leader, and reveal yourself to be a tantrum-throwing wannabe Samurai, more upset by perceived slights to themselves than the community they pledged to protect.'
And so on.
As for Black and the rest - you are beneath my contempt for how you have treated the club.
