Eurosport - Tue, 19 May 15:45:00 2009
Shareholders who criticised Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and his players at a meeting were "out of order", according to Gunners chairman Peter Hill-Wood.
In the wake of a Champions League semi-final mauling by Manchester United which confirmed a fourth trophy-less season for the north Londoners, the French boss suffered the wrath of some fans during the forum at the Emirates Stadium on May 14.
"Frankly, some of the questions were quite disgraceful," he said.
"There you have the most successful manager in our history and two or three of the shareholders made the most negative and somewhat hostile and sarcastic comments, which I think were completely out of order."
Wenger's youngsters were accused of lacking backbone, defender Mikael Silvestre was branded "geriatric" and striker Emmanuel Adebayor also came in for fierce personal criticism over his performances this term.
Reports this week have suggested Wenger could be tempted by a move to Real Madrid after he refused to rule out the possibility when quizzed on French television this week.
Hill-Wood added: "I was very upset by the questions, I have to say. We, and he, kindly agreed to have this meeting and whether we have another one is a moot point.
"Arsene was very diplomatic and honest in his answers and deserves great credit for that. But I wouldn't have been anything like as polite if they had asked me."
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Comment 206 - 225 of 225
I'm not suprised that players like Adebayor want to leave Arsenal after all what true fan boo's thier own players. It's happened with Eboue, Bendntner and Adebayor this season and of course a player is going to suffer with a loss of form or lack confidence if everytime they touch the ball they are getting abuse. I think there will be a few players leaving Arsenal during the summer and considering they don't have the funds to replace them it looks like the fans will be booing djorou, Song and Diaby next season !!!!
Although I'm a MU fan, I have the utmost respect for Mr. Wenger. He is very good manager. If some of the fan and management don't want him, well I guess he should look into his future. A job is a job man.
I solute wenger for his daring move to played his young promising and skill gunners in his campaign in EPL. i believe that next season this young guns willl bash all the others team. yeah....But come to think of this Arsenal is not a training club,we need to get more matured player plssssss and plsssssss.Me as a arsenal fan not too happy 4 season without nothing.PLEASE MAKE US SMILE....I remain Arsenal till eternity...Ola Atanda
look at leeds, newcastle, spurs.... and then look at man u... see any differences???
Frank Rijkaard arsenal next manager for 4 years , we will will the prem and CL in 2 years with him incharge..then we bring in Dennis "the god" Bergkamp to manage for life after..look what Rijkaard did with Barca winning la liga and the CL in his short time there. we would still play attacting football under him..
rubbish! he has more, dont listen to the rumours they are all biased! fact!
The Gunners boss has been told that he will have just £13million to spend unless he sells another one of his stars. FACTS
Lies, arsene had 30 milion to spend in the transfer market last year and this year they managed to raise another 29. that is 59 milion not 13! hill the wally is trying to cover up for wengers stingyness. i dont care for this unfactual rumour. Arsene was not diplomatic and respectful in the shareholders meeting, he was cheeky and disrespectful. Hill wood your an idiot a total idiot and your finished at Arsenal you idiot.
Wenger is wenger and he will never ever spend unless he is forced too! he has distanced himself from the fans because he believes he is on the board of directors....not!!!!!
I am a gunners fun £13 million is just for one player, arsenal need 3 good defence, 2 good midfield, 3 strike to do the proper job next season
£13 million is nothing for the transfer, wenger need £35 million to buy the player don't keep the money just for yourself if you are fun of gunners not only criticise WENGER, arsenal need more defence, attack , other get injury another good come again ,look man utd all team the good every player seat in beanch is good, when 2 players get injury disaster come for arsenal, sale other player and get another good
I am an Arsenal fan man and boy and have been going to the Arsenal since 1974 and the type of football we have played in the last 5/6 seasons is exceptional and every pundit would agree, but, the only thing we miss is the steel we use to have when we were known as boring Arsenal because no bugger could score against us.
Although we have bought players we have never spent in the same way as Utd, Liverpool or Chelski as we have never had the money they have, nor would Arsen jeoperdise the clubs future by putting it into so much debt, just look at what happenede to Leeds.
The money Liverpool and Chelski have spent still hasn't won them anything this year so spending big doesn't guarantee success just debts.
Arsen is without doubt one of the best coaches in the world and thats coming from the professionals not just a fan of Arsenal so if he was to leave who could replace him, the short list is very short and none of them speak a word of English.
As fans we want immediate success but I believe we have to have faith in our manager and what ever decisions he makes I truly believe he has the clubs interest at heart and he wont cripple a club to win silverware.
Now we have the emirates and we as a club are making money perhaps he might start to look at higher end established players that demand big salaries and signing fees.
If your a fan you need to get behind the club and Wenger and give the support they need then perhaps things might change, you never know.
Gooner4ever.
AW ought to be allowed to stay and for the sake of AFC i hope he does stay, as a coach he is there at the top of his profession and knows his "onions". watch out for the young gunners next season by which time the rookies would ve gained enof valuable experience on d pitch.
and wow, when you analysed the way Arsenal played the game its as if you knew a better way to manage a team. I'm sure this summer you will be getting loads of offer from Premier Clubs outside the top four and who knows you could even replace Wenger when he leaves......Arsenal4
From a_hisham76, on Tue 19 May 3:13PM
You are joke, you have clearly displayed how little knowledge of football you have. Go back to the armchair, put you Arse slippers on, drink from your arse mug, and rest easy knowing you truly are a committed fan or the team you love......?? If you cant see that truth in what i say, i am not gonna waste breath explaining it. You keep following Wenger, you see how many trophies you pick up over the next season, you are a sell out, a faker, you dont even care if the team play with passion, just as long as the twats on SKY keep telling you the football is "sexy" you will kepp lapping it up. Go and find another artistic sport, where your fancy dan attitutde matters, like gymanastics or diving, they give points for what the moves look like, you would enjoy it, leave the football to people who really support their club.....Wannabee football fan
Enjoy your "entertainment" because it sure aint "Sport"
A. Wenger is a nice coach please let him stay but should get English players as well.
190.To all the Arsene Wenger critics who call themsleves Arsenal fans, all of whom have short memories and even shorter foresight. Please go and support Chelski; they are used to having fair-weather fans. You'll all be crying if he leaves, and in a couple of seasons at most you'll be whingeing about whoever replaces him. If you are blind to the good that he has done and will do for Arsenal then you'd better start wearing blue.
From colourblindfan, on Tue 19 May 4:45PM
WTF - you are blind, as your name suggests. Blind faith in Wenger will lead you nowhere - he is accountable for the players bought, and they are not good enough to win anything. No doubt you never actually go to the games, because if you were paying to see some of the weak performances at home this season, you would be worried too. Stick to watching the game on MOTD, and leave the comments to people who bother turning up..
195.kagaba71, so you fire the best manager you could possibly have because some manic depressive takes a football team too seriously? yeah that makes sense. why are we all so results driven? I tune in to every Arsenal match because they play the most entertaining style of any team. we are paying to be entertained after all. Tell me what's better: watching a team win a treble and being bored out of your skull during very match, or no trophies after being completely entertained every second of the way? I'll take the latter any day.
From shoo, on Tue 19 May 5:30PM
Thank god not all "fans" are like you shoo, a new school wannabee football fan, who doesn't even mind if his team win or lose. I notice you say you "tune in", well thats the problem mate, you dont pay 60 notes to go and watch a game of maybe 2/3 clear cut chances, you sit at home in your armchair pretending to be a football fan, probably support Arse because they have been succesfull at the time you got "interested" in football... As you said yourself, you just want to be entertained, well can i suggest you go to the movies, you are a "plastic fan". bugger off and leave the game to people who care about it.
Lots said but its still Arsenal for life!!! Viva Arsenal
Lee Dixon, arsenal fans pay good money to watch good football and win trophies. we play one style only and it has been counter attacked so that dont work. secondly, the fans demand success and why shouldnt they?
we are not supporters of shares or wenger fanatics, we want to have more than just pass and pass and pass with no end product. this is what don howe was renowned for. Arsenal fans have been taking bets as to whether the team will shoot or not? that is why we are not happy, and the lies, nobody tells us anything!
ha..what a nightmare. now, all real madrid fans really think chances of they getting AW as their new manager is big.. thanks to those share holders and those fans
Arsene Wenger is, in my opinion, the second best manager in the EPL, behind Fergie ( obviously I'm a little biased ). I think his loyalty to the club, his brand of football, his excellent mind games with our gaffer( which seem to have mellowed with age). When you think that only a few seasons ago, Arsenal went the whole season undefeated. Yes, Arsenal are going through a barren spell, and yes, it's lasted 4 seasons...but they've never been involved in a relegation struggle, they've always qualified for, and done well in, Europe. They've done well in domestic tournaments....the list goes on. There are some hugely talented players at Arsenal, but also some players whose ego exceeds their ability. If Arsenal board members can back Wenger with some decent transfer funds, they'll be serious rivals next season. One thing United have proven beyond doubt is that stability with the manager will reap its reward....and who out there would you replace Wenger with?
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