In a revealing interview with Swiss newspaper Blick, Granit Xhaka has slammed some Arsenal fans for creating a “bad atmosphere” for players with their recent criticism.
The midfielder has also claimed that some supporters’ actions “weaken the team’s spirit.” The 27-year-old’s latest comments are sure to upset some fans.
Given the attention around Xhaka’s situation at the Emirates, you’d think that the Swiss international would be trying to keep a low profile.
Mirror Football report that the disgraced Arsenal captain told supporters to “f*** off” as he was walking off the pitch in our recent draw with Crystal Palace.
Here’s what the Swiss international had to say on some fans that ‘attack’ certain players:
“But at a time you are already experiencing a lot of hostility and your own football family insults you, it hurts a lot.”
“I don’t mean to say that I can’t take criticism. If the team and I don’t play well, we have to listen and work on it.”
“But insulting and swearing at your own captain will cause upset and a bad atmosphere for the team you are actually supposed to be supporting. That makes no sense to me and weakens the team’s spirit.”
Read More: Opinion – The Arsenal board are making a mistake in keeping Emery.
Xhaka is yet to return to action for Unai Emery’s side since his outburst towards fans.
The potential silver lining of the whole saga is that Lucas Torreira is back in the starting lineup, the tireless midfielder was arguably our best player last season.
Do you think it was wise for Xhaka to make these comments about some supporters?
I think it would have been better if players booed Emery instead of Xhaka, as players don’t pick themselves to be in the team, Coach does. And despite bad performances, Emery’s insistence on playing Xhaka regularly, it was bound to happen. Emery is the real cause of this whole issue, not Xhaka. I feel sorry for Xhaka really, he needed time off and it was there for everyone to see but Emery kept playing him. Fans should boo the coach, but shouldn’t throw dissents on players like that, it’s never their choice to start a game. But Emery left no other choice really, so he’s the main culprit.
He will find those kind of supporters at other big European football clubs
The pressure, standard and expectation are different at Arsenal, as compared to the smaller and poorer clubs such as Monchengladbach
If he is not ready to step up, might as well step down to a smaller team in Bundesliga
Perhaps Xhaka unaware that saying players were “scared” of opposition weakens morale too.
Did he ever wonder why fans booed him? Perhaps 3 years of bad performances was the cause? Or does he think his performances were quality?
No one deserves the abuse on social media, regardless of how poor they play. Their wives and kids don’t play for Arsenal, so they SHOULD be completely off limits.
Xhaka’s thin skin is unsuitable for a big club. He should play for smaller clubs with lower expectations, then everyone’s happy.
Wouldn’t we all love to be immune from criticism? Ask the board and Emery.
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Criticism goes with the territory and fans have the right, as do all in a free society to freely express their opinion We live in a free society and thank Gocd for that. Yes, sometimes our feelings are hurt but that is just how life is. We all need to toughen up for the sake of living in a liberal democracy where WE ALL have a voice. And quite right too!
All true!
I think Xhaka is right.no Captain would like his team to loose.a lot priority has been give to the fans more than the players.playing under pressures and the home fans criticism out of place.English fans to be called to order.
Im not saying xhaka is wrong but what xhaka is, is weak. Do you think Roy Keane, Patrick Vieira, Tony Adams, Bryan Robson or Paul Ince would blame the fans for their poor performance. Im afraid it is the dregs of the previous regime, the sort or type of player we brought in, the wrong sort under Wenger that still has influence in this weak mentality that is in our club. Xhaka obviously has a strong influence in the group, that is obvious by the vote for captain. That influence needs outing from our squad and a few more players with balls and mental strength installed.
He’s a weakling for that statement.
Is he going to deny fans weren’t excited about the new season and what’s in store?
Is he going to deny he wasn’t receiving critism for the past 3 years?
He was supposed to get better and improve but he didn’t!
They played and lost and he came outside to say we were scared.
Was he expecting to get on the good side of fans with such statement?
He says,
“But insulting and swearing at your own captain will cause upset and a bad atmosphere for the team you are actually supposed to be supporting. That makes no sense to me and weakens the team’s spirit.”
Well he was never my captain, never saw him as that not even once.
Maybe he should phuck off to Newcastle or some lower club alongside Emery then they can have fans who support mediocrity and piss poor performance.
He’s the perfect player Emery likes for average teams.
They should both phuck off because no matter how they try to make the fans look. The fans always, and will always be the most passionate section of the football club, so when the fans hurt this much and vent, they should know they’re doing things wrong and they deserve it.
I don’t support personal abuse either, his wife, or kids should be no part of this.
But someone should tell him he’s in a age whefey people express themselves anyhow and even say stuffs against even presidents n more.
I can’t tell you the number of personal abuse Trump has gotten and the vileful things I’ve read online about him.
Why? Cause he’s in the spotlight, his career puts him thefey.
Now if Trump reacts go what people say the way this average player reacted to the way fans booed him, Trump wouldve nuked a few states in the US, so Xhaka can phuck off with his excuses
There’s nothing wrong with what he said, why are you/they trying to put words in his mouth. Why try and stir it up for him when he’s already had an ugly spat with the fans. He said it hurts when your own football family insult you, seriously, the guy hasn’t played for 2 and a half league games now, you’re still trying to dig him in. I was going to say, so you believe some Swiss tabloid that no-one’s ever heard of, is the tabloid even quoted. All of those players will have spoken about the fans, that’s why I said ..I’d love to be a fly on the wall when they all knocked round to X’s place.
Torriera has played lately, he wasn’t the best player last season – that is a fanboy quote if ever I heard one. Himself and Xhaka were the best pair in midfield last season. Xhaka had a better season than Torreira, but it’s not a popular opinion for some fans to say.
Mistakes, I hope every fan realizes that the worst mistake to make as a defender, is not being there to challenge, not picking up the first or second man, some players get relieved of blame because they weren’t seen in the area that danger came about in, that is one of the worst mistakes you can make. Torriera and Xhaka play a pivot. Leicester’s first goal, how many men were back guarding areas and looking at the guy with the ball, how many of them could have chose to pick up the danger instead, I’d say at-least two of them could drop what they were doing and grab a hold of Vardy – not only Lei main goal-scoring threat but he’s in the form of his life too. These mistakes are every bit as costly, but they don’t sit on the brain like a clear cut Xhaka attempting to stop someone but failing.
Xhaka refuse to lift is game, don’t know why he is complaining, he is really poor. Take a look at Liverpool Henderson their game at first is similar and I rated xhaka above him two years ago but now he as really improve is game in all aspect and earn the respect of his players, coach and above all fans.
Do you your job Xhaka and only worry about what your employer (Arsenal team management) says. Fans are only consumers of the show, they can get emotional and toxic when the team is losing. Turn off the social media if you can’t take it.
It hurts when fans are insulting or abusing the captain of the club they are supporting but you don’t know how much it hurts those supporters who are not making any dime from the club rather spend their money supporting you and the club that pays you in millions to hear you boldly declare when you faced a bottom of the table team that the club you captained became afraid when your colleague puts you two goals up in first half. That’s why instead of wrapping up the game in the second half you surrendered and almost lost the match it goes to show that your mind set was not to win, what of the match against Brighton he gifted them the equalizer etc. Xhaka doesn’t know how the fans are hurt watching the midfielders and defenders mess up our chances of winning matches after scoring and it has become a recurring decimal, they do this nonchalantly, callously with no sense of remorse. Arsenal have fans all over the world,
because this rubbish performances many times we avoid meeting our friends who are fans of other clubs, some goes to the length of calling you, many have been involved in fights for a club that they are not earning any money from. I don’t support those that are abusing his family but Xhaka should get set to exit Arsenal because he isn’t the quality and he doesn’t care to improve period.
Must admit I had Xhaka in my Subbuteo team and he was almost mannequin like with his pace, his misplaced passes were amaturish and I started to boo him to such an extent that I considered self harming my fingers !
should Xhaka not be barred from granting interviews??? why the hell is Emery or even the team letting him continue to spew rubbish?