The Gospel truth about Schwarzer to Arsenal?

Reading all the various versions of the story that Fulham have again rejected another offer from Arsenal for their Aussie goalie Mark Schwarzer, this morning, I came to one simple conclusion.



Wenger doesn’t want Schwarzer hard enough.


Quite unbelievable, isn’t it?


But that I’m sure, is the “gospel truth”.


I mean why would he come back three months after the first offer was turned down, with the same £2million price tag? In view of his penny-pinching reputation, this one just takes the biscuit.






Reading all the reactions and fallouts from this latest rejection by Fulham, you must feel for poor Mark.


He looked like he had burnt his bridges at the Cottage; refusing to lace boots (or gloves in this case) after handing in a transfer request in the belief that his path to Emirates was all but assured.


Now, apparently, it doesn’t look like Wenger wants him so badly. Or else what is a couple more millions to Le Professor, if he really, really wants to get his man?

Stewart Robson: At home both in surroundings and writings

Which all takes my mind back to comments I read a week back by ex-Gunner and ex-captain Stewart Robson about the whole goalkeeping conundrum.


Stewart is a dyed-in-the-wool Gunner having signed on at 16years of age and eventually went on to play between 1981 and 1986.


Last week, he categorically wrote that: "I don't see that Schwarzer, the player that everybody's talking about, is a better goalkeeper than Almunia," he told Sky Sports. "I think Almunia's a better goalkeeper than Schwarzer”.


Also on the Man City wantaway Given, he had this to say:


“Shay Given is a very good shot-stopper, but most of the criticism of Arsenal's goalkeepers is that they don't come for crosses or haven't been dominant in the air. Shay Given's not that goalkeeper. He's a very good goalkeeper, we all know that, but he's more of a shot-stopper than someone who's going to dominate his penalty area."


For someone who played the game long before the Sky transformed it into a glamourous, prima-donna infested Premier League, he ought to know what he’s saying. And I think he does.


More crucial is that I think Wenger is taking such comments seriously.


To get a better sense of what Stewart is saying, it is essential to know who the hell he is.


Stewart joined Arsenal as a 16year-old and debuted as the youngest player in the club’s history two years later. He played in the senior team from 1981 till 1986 when due to injuries, he was sold to London side, West Ham and later Coventry City. At all of these three clubs, he was named player of the year – which isn’t something to sniff at. Mention must be made as well that he captained England U-21s as well as Arsenal, when the likes of Tony Adams, Steve Bould were still in the reserves.


Currently, Stewart is a professional journalist who write football for notable publications such as the Sunday Telegraph and host of blogs. He is a regular face in the crowd at the Emirates and also runs coaching training workshops for various clubsides across England.


To be frank, I didn’t know about Stewart until some ten days ago. But the more I researched about him, his past and career, the more impressed I was. Not many ex-footballers would be able to combine writing and coaching with such effortless ease. Yes, so many take up media work and actually do well on the soap box. But that is the paparazzi part of journalism. The bread and butter bit.


Very few venture into writing, analysis and actually do well at it. Yes, Ian Wright, Alan Hansen have done well. Who else?


Now back to Stewart, Wenger and the goalkeeping merry-go-round.


It just strikes me that Wenger rates Almunia good enough not to think someone like Schwarzer can do any better. Which can only explain why he doesn’t believe the Aussie commands any cent above £2million.


The master of double-speak that he is, Wenger would never come out and condemn any of his players. He prefers to keep his opinions to himself, or behind locked, locker rooms.


Which also makes me want to go along with Stewart and give Almunia some benefit of the doubt. Yes, he has his hairy moments, but which goalkeeper doesn’t? Fans sometimes are a fickle lot. So soon, we all seem to have forgotten how Almunia stood between Manchester Utd and a goalfeast at Old Trafford in the first leg of the Champions League semifinal, April 2009. Even though all the good work eventually came undone in the second leg when Christiano Ronaldo led a 3-1 slaughter, Almunia got loads of deserved praise for the slim1-0 scoreline from the first leg.


Quite recently as well, we all seem to have forgotten how Almunia again stood between Barcelona and a basket of goals at Emirates in yet another Champions League showdown in March this year. That we cane back to tie the game 2-2 was due largely to Almunia’s heroic resistance in the first half.


Rather than keep hammering Manuel, Stewart identifies what he thinks is the real problem.


He opines: “Arsenal….need to improve a couple of defensive frailties that they've got. One is when balls get played over the top and they play too high an offside line - and the other is when they're defending set plays. That's where they've let goals in over the last three or four years and I see in pre-season that they're still doing those same things”.


Well said Stewart. Just that, where does it all leave poor Schwarzer now?

An alternative to Schwarzer...Wenger-style

On June 12 in Johannesburg during the just-ended World Cup finals, one of Africa's misguided hopefuls, Nigeria played the mighty Argentines led by 'father-and-son' alliance, Diego and Lionel.

I am not too sure if Arsene Wenger was at the Ellis Park stadium, venue of that game but I was dead certain he was in South Africa at the time.

After 90 minutes, the score stood at 1-0 to the Argentines. No surprise there.

The real surprise was that only one goal was recorded at the end of hostilities. Argentine paraded the unstoppable Messi, the hungry Tevez, the sleek Higuan and still had something left in the tank to roll out marauding Aguero as they pummelled the bemused Nigerians. Still for all their human weaponry, they only conjured one goal.

All eyes on you, son

The man responsible for that 'respectable defeat' was the Nigerian goalie, Vincent Enyeama, who faced up to all of the Argentine attackers and repelled them. Wave after wave of Argentine onslaught threatened to bury the Nigerians. Again and again, Vincent denied them.


Ironically, the lone Argentine goal that evaded him and found the net was a diving, kamikaze-type header from defender Gabriel Heinze.


I remember reading it somewhere that if Wenger was watching, Vincent was the answer to his goalkeeping problems at Arsenal. I remember nodding my head in agreement with that suggestion.


Almost two months on, with all the hoo-haa over flapping Almunia and his seriously-undewhelmed understudy, Fabianski; along with the clamour for either Schwarzer and Given, my view has not changed.


Not because Vincent is a Nigerian like me. Far from it.


Anyone who has cared to study Wenger closely in all his 16years at Arsenal, will notice that he hardly, hardly ever goes with popular opinion. With the whole-world-and-its-mother calling for the signing of either Schwarzer, or Given, or both, it won't surprise me one bit if Le Professor doesn't sign any of them.


He enjoys playing the media and ambushing everyone.


27 year-old Vincent, who plays for Hapoel Tel Aviv in Israel is the sort of rabbit that Mr Wenger would enjoy pulling out of the hat. He is brave; relatively unknown; steady; commands his area well; out of the limelight and yes, cheap.

Furthermore, since 2003 when he helped Nigerian side, Enyimba to the African Champions league title and successfully defended it a year later, Vincent has remained consistently in form. It is such ability to maintain his reflexes and agility year-in, year out that may prick the interest of Wenger.
Mr Wenger thrives on such surprise packages. He gets a huge thrill out of them. He delights in them cos they maintain the Wenger-mystique and forever keeps everyone guessing. And more importantly, in most cases, he gets them right.


So, it's a little over a week before the much-trumpeted transfer window slams shut.


Trust Le Professor to be sitting, waiting and rubbing his hands in devious anticipation.


Trust him to be watching the clock and waiting for some last-minute, penny-wise deal that he will be sure to strike.


A deal that brings a very handy, little-known goalie like Vincent to the Emirates won't be out of place at all.


He may or may not go for either Schwarzer of Given. But whatever he does, trust him to yet again catch us all on the backfoot.


Watch this space.

Liverpool v Arsenal ratings

Well what a game of two halves indeed!
The first half was so clearly Arsenal's with their good movements, passing, break-up play and all the nice little things that make them Arsenal.
The second half belonged marginally to the Kop especialy after they set the place alight with that early, early goal. It was just what they needed to retreat and park the bus in front of their goalmouth and see out the rest of the game.
Until Reina intervened and let the Gunners back in.
Talking of which however, despite all the focus on Reina, credit must go to Marouane Chamakh for his persistence and never-say-die-attitude that forced Reina into the mistake that brought the equaliser.

Below are my Arsenal ratings for the game.
* Almunia (6/10) - Did well to deal with all that came his way. Yes he flapped a couple of balls in the first half, but he redeemed himself with good saves from Glen Johnson and a Steven Gerrard howitzer in the second half.
* Sagna (6/10) - Dealt with all that came his way and linked up quite well with Eboue on the right.Same old tenacious Bacary
* Vermaelen (7/10) - My favourite Arsenal player anyday, anytime. Mr Confident as always. Picked up from he left last season and shackled Gerrard and Ngog (at least until the 46th minute). Fired a fierce freekick in the 3rd minute that Reina did well to push away
* Koscieny (7/10) - Top marks for the Polish-French new boy. Developed a good understanding with TV and dealt with everything that came his way. One particular incident in the 76th minute when he took on the fresh legs of Fernando Torres and still outpaced the Spaniard, stuck out as an epitome of what he is all about. Unlucky to be sent off.
* Clichy (6/10) - New season, same determined Gael. Didnt do much wrong and was his usual overlapping self. Got caught out a couple of times by the marauding Johnson but also saved our blushes in the first half by clearing off the line with Almunia beaten.
*Eboue (6/10) - Did well in the first half as most of our play went via the right flank. Troubled the Kop defence with his trickery, pace, change of direction and positive movement. Will have a big season, hopefully.
* Diaby (6/10) - Surprisingly played the DM role and didn't do badly at all. He used his physical presence alot but couldn't resist the temptation to roma forward which is his natural game.
* Nasri (7/10) - Played the Fabregas role very well. Very crafty and confident on the ball. Starved the Kop of possession in the first half but wilted as the game progressed in the second half. A promising season lies ahead of him as well. Looks much more matured.
* Wilshere (5/10) - A bit harsh on the teenage sensation but he wasn't fazed by the initmdating atmosphere of Anfield. Got into the mix of things and linked very well with Nasri and Diaby. He even showed his tough side by picking up a card in the first half. We'll see more of him surely as the season unfolds.
* Arshavin (5/10) - Mr Anonymous. I think Wenger left him on the pitch for 90 minutes cos of his outstanding record at Anfield. The Kop defence were aware of the record as well and stuck to him like a leech. Failed to impose himself at all.
* Chamkh (7/10) - Grafted very well despite the close attentions of Carrager, and Skrtel. A very good targetman and it is becoming obvious why Wenger waited a whole for him. He was worth the wait. Should be credited for forcing the mistake that led to the equaliser. It is a sign of a good striker that he didn't switch off despite the clock winding down. Good buy indeed.

Subs
* Walcott (7/10) - Did well in the short time he was on the pitch. Hassled the Kop defence with his pace and determination. Looked hungry.
* Rosicky (7/10) - Also did very well soon as he came on. He took over from Nasri soon as he stepped on the pitch and it was his cross that led to the equaliser. No wonder Chamakh smothered him with an almighty hug after the equaliser.
* Van Persie (6/10) - Also threw himself around. Kop's crowded area didn't afford him time and space to weave his magic but surely looked like another hungry one.
 

Seven Ominous Days

A hell of a lot happened in Gunnerworld in the past seven days. A hell of a lot that may have huge, huge impact on the season ahead.


Let’s try to see how.


Firstly, Cesc Fabregas. He appeared before very anxious fans to lead the rest of the players out on Members’ Day at the Emirates. Smiling, relaxed and free as a spirit. Twenty-four hours later, he committed himself to remaining at Arsenal; laying to rest all the season-long rumours, antics, remarks and underhand tactics from Barcelona. Not for him any denial or play on our collective intelligence.


He came out like a man and confessed that going back to Barca was quite tempting and he was tempted; but he is choosing to stay and lead the team with the responsibility entrusted on him by so many. Wise words indeed.


Two days later, Arsenal rounded up their pre-season with a game against Legia in Warsaw. It was supposedly part of the deal that brought Lukasz Fabianski from there. Almost naturally, Lukasz started the game in goal. And almost naturally still, he flapped his way to a disastrous three-goal deficit by half-time. The look on Wenger’s face as the cameras zoomed in while the goals rained in probably said it all – Lukasz won’t make it here. Not now. Not in the future. Probably not ever. Though Arsenal eventually overpowered the Poles 6-5, the No 1 thought on the minds of all Gunners watching was a message to Wenger; Buy a goalie – fast!


Later that evening, Jack and Kieran earned their first call-ups to the England national side. And how they have earned it! Nice one guys. Keep the Arsenal flag flying.


On Tuesday afternoon, August 10, Ulsterman Martin O’Neill threw in the towel and walked out on Aston Villa, just four days to the start of the Premier League. Despite finishing sixth and running both Tottenham and Man City close for the Champions League fourth spot, O’Neill deemed Aston Villa not ambitious enough to match his own lofty heights.


Arsenal haven’t beaten Villa at Villa Park since 2007 when a Flamini scorcher helped us to a 2-1 win. Since then, O’Neill has splurged his American benefactor’s cash to break into the top four and earn himself some much-needed respect. He even hung onto Arsenal’s coattails for so long in season 2008-2009 before we finally shook them off and nicked fourth place.

Oh no, not another horror show!!

Now the Americans are tightening the purse strings and O’Neill can’t handle it. From all indications, Villa’s season is imploding before the first ball has been kicked. One less thing for Wenger to worry about, it seems.

Wednesday night, England beat Hungary 2-1 in their first game since the World Cup debacle. All the Arsenal lads did well and acquitted themselves respectably. All the Arsenal lads, including consistently-inconsistent Theo Walcott. When was the last time Arsenal had three players on the pitch in an England game? You’ll have to go back more than ten years when late Bobby Robson was manager of England.

So, what a week it has been! A mixed bag surely, but there seemed to have been more cause for cheers than fears innit for all Gunners.

Hope springs ahead of the new season. Just as long as Wenger learnt the lessons of Warsaw and ships Lukasz out on loan somewhere. In a week where 18year-olds Kieran and Jack announced their arrivals on the international scene with relish, 22 year-old Lukasz rubber-stamped his mediocrity.

It’s a new season please Mr Wenger. Surely we can’t start with our hearts in our mouths yet again. We can’t afford the calamity that Lukasz has become, this season.

Emmanuel IV

I watched last Saturday’s Emirates Cup game against AC Milan in the smoky, noisy confines of a pub in Yeoville - a predominantly- migrant suburb in the heart of Johannesburg.



A teetotaler and a nonsmoker that I am, it must be very odd the sort of company I keep. Truth be told however, I wasn’t meeting anyone there. The demands of my multiple commitments which involve driving around the city on weekends forced me to dive into the nearest place that offered cable tv in order to catch a glimpse of the latest version of the Gunners - class of 2010.


Repeatedly, as the game progressed, many of my co-onlookers kept on referring to a Gunner player donning the No 35 shirt as Eboue. Of course, they were all wrong. Mercifully however, their misjudgement wasn’t a case of befuddled eyesight on account of one too many bottles. Their mistake was in the confusion caused by the similarity in size, style and skill levels of the player in No 35.


The game had long stretched in to the second half before someone in the audience pointed out that Eboue himself was actually on the pitch donning his usual No 27 shirt. So who was this person in No 35?




 The game was almost over before the smarter ones amongst them managed to decipher the name, Frimpong, at the back of the No 35 shirt.


A mystery he may have been to bewildered Gunner faithful in faraway South Africa, but to better-informed, or better-opportuned Gunner faithfuls elsewhere, he is the latest revelation from Arsene Wenger’s production line of rough diamonds.


Emmanuel Frimpong has barged his way into our consciousness. And very impresssively too. Just 18, the Ghanaianborn British boy is finally the answer to all those calls for an understudy to Alexander Song. Just as Alex himself defied everyone to cement his place at the heart of the Arsenal midfield two seasons ago, Frimpong is treading the same path to glory.


At the conclusion of the Emirates Cup, Wenger made a rather surprising declaration that Frimpong along with his midfield co conductor, the inimitable Jack Wilshire had both changed his transfer plans. That could only mean one thing if you are familiar with Wengerspeak. No new players were being considered by the manager for the midfield. Not after what he had seen all through the pre season of Wilshire and Frimpong.


Wilshire we all knew all along as a prodigy. A gifted ball player who with time might even supplant the highly regarded Cesc Fabregas. He was always destined for great things. A modern day Michel Platini, Liam Brady, Jean Tigana all rolled into one.


But Emmanuel Frimpong? Where on earth did he spring from? Oh what a player? What a bundle of energy? What a walking six pack of muscle and tenacity?


Quite easily, he could have been cut from the same cloth as Chelsea’s midfield enforcer and fellow countryman, Michael Essien. In appearance, discipline, style of play, composure you couldn’t tell them apart. Except of course, Essien wasn’t this good at 18. 18 for Christ’s sake!


As the game progressed last Saturday against AC Milan and Frimpong kept breaking up play and winning individual battles against the venerated, three-time Champions League winner Clarence Seedorf and ex-Gunner Mathieu Flamini, the cameras also kept zooming in on the face of Alex Song, sidelined by injury and sitting up in the stands.


It could only mean one thing. That the lad down on pitch had emerged to challenge the supremo in the stands.


Yet again, another star is born. Yet again, another Emmanuel, the fourth player to answer to that most-popular-of-Arsenal-player-names, will be delighting all Gunner hearts this season.


Long live Emmanuel IV.

Who art thou, No 35?

The Mind of a Mastermind

It is not often that we on the outside get to have a closer look at the inner workings of Arsenal FC.



It is not often also that a mystery man like Arsene Wenger - whom Myles Palmer rightly labelled the Titanium Man – comes into contact with football. Not just football at any level rudimentary level, but football at the stratospheric sphere in which Arsenal FC operates.


That Wenger has completely created a club after his own image is not in doubt. That the man will probably still be there at the helm tweeking and fiddling away behind the iron curtains of Ashburton Grove for the rest our lives, is almost a real possibility.


Jose Mourinho was the one who once described him as unsackable, if there is such a word.


Wenger has proved time and time again how very different he is from your average manager. Avuncular, aloof, sophisticated and stylish. he has moved mountains to stamp his unique authority on a club once regarded as “boring, boring Arsenal”.

The Master and his pupil

Looking at the ongoing Cesc Fabregas-Barcelona saga helps to understand the character of the man Wenger a bit more. Just a bit.

Long, long before now he saw what most people could not in the prodigy that Fabregas was to become. Interestingly, master and pupil share a lot - too much - in common. Both were dedicated, single-minded people. Both are men of few words. Both are deep thinkers. Both are perfectionists. Both were midfielders. Both believe in the same blend of football. Both men are hungry, passionate people whose outward expressions belie the fierce fire burning within.


On a cold winter evening in 2005 in Sheffield, Arsenal were involved in a do-or-die FA Cup replay against Sheffield United. It was an away game against a typical, battling British side managed by the bullish Neil Warnock. The scores stood at 1-1 deep into the game when Wenger signaled for 17year-old Fabregas to come off the pitch.


Even at so tender an age, you could se the disappointment and quiet fury on his baby-face as the pupil made his way, sullenly to the bench in near-protest at his master’s decision. Though Arsenal went on win the game in a penalty shootout after Almunia emerged hero with two saves, the image of a frustrated Fabregas remained my abiding memory of that game.


Wenger must have seen it too certainly.


When three years later William Gallas imploded and ripped his teammates apart in full view of the world, Wenger had little hesitation in taking the captaincy from him and coronating his protégé. For him, Fabregas’ time had come to assume his long-anointed position as a leader of men. Wenger’s men.


Before then, the master had secured the services of his servant with an almost-unheard-of eight year contract. For someone so young then (aged 20), it was unimaginable to be tied down to such an everlasting contract in this day and age. Raul, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Tony Adams, Paolo Maldini and Franco Baresi apart, hardly any other players in Europe have been known to commit themselves to being a one-club player. All the aforementioned nonetheless, are either retired or on the last legs of their careers.


Could the young Fabregas be toeing such a line with so much promise and potential ahead of him?


Long before Barcelona began their present provocative ‘bring Cesc back home’ campaign, Wenger knew that the day would come when the desire to go back to his Catalan roots would stir up in Fabregas. Nothing wrong with that. Except that between master and pupil, there still remained some unfinished business.


When Cesc arrived unheralded at Arsenal in 2003, he came bearing the scars of a fresh divorce between his parents, Francesc Fabregas Snr and Nuna Soler. Young, impressionable and vulnerable, Wenger took him under his wing as a father would a son; offering protection, a semblance of stability and bonding that the young man had been denied from a broken home.

Cesc chilling out with Fabregas Snr

He was put in a house, which he shared with Spanish-speaking, Swiss-born Phillipe Senderos and the club got them a cleaning lady who came round to attend to their domestic needs. Alone in a strange country, the club provided Cesc with the support base that enabled him to concentrate and hone the skills that have now made him one of the most sought-after midfielders in the whole world.


Unlike most of his peers back then, Wenger never sent him away on loan. He needed to be close to him. He needed to mould him into the exact shape he wanted.


Many years and lots of hardwork later, the fruits of all those hard labour is what we are all now witnesses to. At 22, Fabregas is already both a European and World Cup winner. For a lad whom Wenger paid the ultimate compliment as having the vision of Platini, success has come quite early in his career.


But to complete his transformation, Wenger needs some payback for all the investment poured into his protégé. He needs Fabregas to lead his team to glory and trophies. His response to Barcelona sums it all up: “He (Fabregas) is our captain and we have worked very hard for him to be the future of our team and that’s why we are always adamant about not letting him go”


Which is why he keeps dismissing Barcelona’s efforts as “noise”. Which is why he remains supremely confident that Fabregas is going nowhere. Which is why he is breaking part of his golden rule and signing the players that will provide the platform for Fabregas to excel this season. Which is why at least four new signings will have joined Arsenal by close of the transfer window.


Which is why we are all getting a glimpse into the way the mind of this mastermind works.

The Curious case of Mr William

Whoever it was that coined the phrase, 'silly season' surely does deserve a warm pat on the back.
It must have come to the attention of Gooners everywhere that Mr Wenger was in South Africa all through the period of the 2010 World Cup finals. Officially, his presence was explained as doing some commentary work for Canal France. Nothing new about that.

But unknown to most Gooners, Mr Wenger was also invloved in some promotional work for Nike, who were opening a state-of-the-art soccer facility in the South West Township of Johannesburg - better known worldwide as Soweto. The facility lies across the road from the Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital which is reputed to be the largest medical complex in all of Africa.
Mr Wenger was very well-received at the Nike complex and the glee on the faces of many youngsters was quite obvious seeing this very-famous man within arms' length.
One other thing you wouldn't have read on any websites, anywhere, was that Mr Wenger was very much in touch with Arsenal players involved in the World Cup. Altogether, there were 11 of them in South Africa with their various countries - not including Phillipe Senderos who had since upped tent and signed for Fulham after an uninspiring spell at Everton.
One of the things you definitely wouldn't have read anywhere was that Mr Wenger spoke at length with Thierry Henry in the French camp, as well as with William Gallas on the days leading up to the kick-off. Details of their conversation would forever remain a secret, but as it affects Arsenal FC, Mr Wenger tried to talk Gallas around to re-consider the club's offer of a contract extension.
Gallas, in deference to the man who has been his manager these past four years, promised to speak with his agents again and see if something could be done. Yeah right!
Unknown to him however, Raymond Domenech, the under-pressure French coach had decided against giving Gallas the captain's band for the World Cup finals.
Unknown to Wenger, Domenech was merely taking a leaf out of Wenger's own action of stripping the Arsenal captaincy from Gallas in December 2008 after his open verbal attacks on teammates that compromised the team's solidarity - something that is simply anathema to Wenger.
Bitter, disappointed, letdown and seething, Gallas played with the handbrakes on throughout France's three soulless games at the finals - his actions igniting all manner of revolts, infighting and uprisings in the Les Bleus as they bombed out of the World Cup.
Clearly, something Gallas never told Wenger in all their conversations, was how much he calculated on being the captain at the World Cup finals. How much it meant to him and his twilighting career. How much it would enhance his profile and give him a good bargaining hand as a free agent to negotiate with whatever clubside wanted his services after the World Cup. Which was why he never took a second look at Arsenal's offer of a one year extension - the norm for Wenger with all players over 30.
Unfortunately for Mr William, man is not a master of his fate.
The events surrounding France's tragic World Cup 2010 story blighted his reputaion and put paid to any plans of a glorious ride into the sunshine of his career.
Now, from pocketting GBP90,000 weekly at Arsenal, which would naturally not have been reduced significantly despite the offer of a one-year extension by the club, he finds himself haggling with Greek side Panathinaikos for GBP35,000. The Greeks of course cannot afford the bumper paypackets English clubs splash out every week, so for them it is take-it-or-leave-it.
For Mr William, there have been no stampede of offers from the Real Madrids, Barcelonas, AC Milans, etc. Instead, it has been only the Greeks so far who have put their money where their mouths are.
Frustrated for the second time in one summer, he is reportedly casting anxious eyes at any English clubs who may be interested. This time however, Arsenal and Chelsea cannot be expected to show any interest after the way they were both treated in the past four years by Mr William. Cashkings Manchester City wouldnt want him either considering it is now the home of his arch-enemy Kolo Toure, whom Mr William forced out of Arsenal just 12 months ago.   
Don't be surprised therefore to eventually find Mr William plying his trade in some struggling side fighting for its life somewhere in mid-table, anywhere on the continent.
For someone with the ego the size of Mr William's, it sure must be a season of supreme silliness indeed.