Stick to What You Believe in

I first watched top-level English football league games courtesy of our good old UTV (now UBC) in the mid 1980s.   Brought to us by M/s Olympic Motor Spares, I always looked to forward to these recorded games, which most cases had been played two weeks before, with glee and excitement. This was more than three decades ago when a few of us on these dusty streets knew a thing or two about European football.  After watching my first FIFA World Cup in 1982, I had started following international football news.   Either as a result of their heroics on the pitch or simply because the news was full of Liverpool, the great club ended up closer to my heart.  I especially remember the result of the 1984 final against Roma, which Liverpool won on penalties.  The 1985 Heysel disaster meant that there were no more European games for Liverpool and I did not read a lot about my team until 1986 when I started following them again on UTV.  I remember so many games in the period between 1986 and 1990 but for some reason, I especially remember the title decider in 1989 against Arsenal at Anfield.  These were the years, when I ate, slept and dreamt football. Arsenal came to Anfield requiring a 2-0 to win to become champions.  Like many fans I thought this can never be possible and then we lost by 2-0.  I was gutted but I suppose that is when my respect for Arsenal started.  Between 1991 and 1995, I didn’t watch any English football games although I still followed their league. In 1996, I resumed watching the English football league games (this time live courtesy of DSTV) and my love for Liverpool was as big as ever!  The only team that tested my unshakable love for the greatest team on earth was Arsenal.  Perhaps the ghosts of 1989 were still lingering on in my mind, but I also remember that I loved the way they played.  I especially loved it whenever they turned on the style and beat Manchester United.  It is a pity that their success was on a few occasions at the expense of my beloved Liverpool. There is no denying that Arsene has been one of the greatest managers of the modern game in the last two decades.  His team played the sleek passing game long before other teams in the Premier League thought about.  “Football is an art” Wenger is quoted as saying and indeed he made every effort to ensure that his teams played it that way.  True, they at times lost games that perhaps they should not have lost if they were playing ‘route one football’ but Wenger stuck to his way of playing football.  He believed in the style and stuck to it.  It did not matter whether they faced a side that was stronger than them, Wenger’s side would always attack.  He always insisted that he would be betraying the spirit if the game if he were to ask his side to adopt a more defensive outlook and I agree with him. His departure is akin to that of a daughter getting married. You are so sad that she is leaving but at the same time happy that she is going away in decent style.  I believe that’s how many Arsenal fans feel on hearing the news that the man who has been at the helm for close to 22 years is finally saying adieu. The truth is that in the last five years he looked a bit lost and clueless when the gunners were losing. At one time it looked like more talented players did not feel inspired playing for him.  For the most part of the last decade a growing army of fans have called for his departure but many still believed in him. When those who chorused ‘Wenger Out’ felt that they were not being listened to, they chose to speak a language that Arsene and the Directors would understand.  Despite being sold out (it is reported), Arsenal fans started deserting the Emirates terraces.  In the end there was only one more option left for Arsene if he truly loved Arsenal - to call it quits.  All the best Arsene.  Thank you for the memories and for the big lesson – to stick to what you believe in.