Ozil is made out to be the villain yet again – what about Kroenke?

In Ozil I trust by Dan Smith

Even without a ball being kicked yet again the media picks on Ozil. The majority of the squad are doing a decent thing voluntarily, yet we focus on the German’s decision not to agree to losing 12 percent of his income. Two others agree with him but of course it is the midfielder who makes the headlines

So, for weeks, Premiership club’s players were criticised for not taking a wage cut. Even captains setting up their own initiative to help the NHS was not good enough.

As Wayne Rooney pointed out, that’s why owners and the League itself has been happy to leak this out to the public, essentially backing footballers into a corner. Chairmen cannot legally slash salaries , that needs to be the individual’s choice. They know that the average man and women in the street will find their wages even more crazy when the world’s in lock down, pressuring these men if they dare say no.

It hurts the sports image if someone on 100 grand a week cannot take a pay cut while many of their fans are losing jobs or do not know when or if they return to work, etc. Yet is Ozil wrong in his stance?

Put emotion into it and of course the world is crazy that a man gets 300,000 grand a week for kicking a ball, while ordinary people are starving and/or homeless. Yet that is a different debate, one that is being going on for decades. 2 per cent of the richest individuals in this universe have enough to stop poverty so let us not act like things should change due to the Pandemic.

In other sports, genres, etc, I read ‘how dare there be rich people’, like they have done something evil, likes it is their fault that others are in their individual situations. The sense of entitlement scares me, it is like you are not happy so will not be unless someone else loses everything. The economy takes a hit, so how dare others still be wealthy?

Some, by the way, work very hard for their millions, others have bad luck. That is the way the ball bounces.

But yes, the likes of Ozil earn absurd money …. we know that… but that is not his fault. He gets that because – and this is the key thing – there is a hell of a lot of money in this game. That is what the likes of Stan Kroenke wants you to forget.

That is what Rooney means. They want us to debate what he has doing with his money, meaning we are not talking about what those who own the club are doing.

See, Ozil has not said no. Neither have the other two. They want evidence to see how much revenue is lost and what their employers are equally risking or helping?

That is not just Ozil. Bellerin, on behalf of the Arsenal squad, rejected the initial request from the club to give up a percentage of their money until they saw the shareholders, i.e. the Kroenke family, do the same. It is like those earning thousands are being told to pay the tea ladies wages because billionaires have found an excuse not to.

Peers at other clubs feel the same, hence why they are happy to set up their own initiative for the NHS – so they control where their money goes.

I cannot say Ozil is wrong because it is been my stance from the start. We all have opinions but how many truly know how contracts, insurance, etc, works?

What if the season does finish so there is no TV money to pay back?
What if FIFA turn around and offer compensation?
If that happens then the 12.5 per cent given up is simply going back into the club.
If I were a player my priority would be that all non-playing staff are paid in full and any wage cuts benefit the NHS, not a football club.

Remember Stan Kroenke is a billionaire. FIFA got 6 billion just for the last World Cup and they will get more for the next. So, an Ozil has every right to ask what other stakeholders are doing to help.

It is wrong to target him for not believing or wanting proof of this hit we might take. If it is to fund a new striker then that is not his responsibility.

In 2014 Ozil used all prize money from winning the World Cup to fund 23 surgeries in Brazil for 23 poor children. For wedding gifts, he and his wife raised enough to cover the cost of another 1,000 surgeries for children. He helped fund 100 000 takeaway meals to Turkey and Syria refugee camps through the Red Cross. He is funding a football school in Turkey and is the face of charity Rays of Sunshine.

Lots of that will not get mentioned in the press.

Now, just because we are in an era where we think we can tell someone he has to give 12.5 percent of his wage to Mr Kroenke, I would rather him to continue doing the good work independently, and wait to see the facts.

Do you agree?

Dan Smith

33 Comments

  1. Ozil could take a 300k p/w cut but wont. He is building a huge business empire and can’t “afford” to take a cut.

    1. ‘Ozil made a villain once again’, what a statement for for a highest paid player who scores 12 goals in 60 games. Ozil has got no drive, determination. and willingness to help Arsenal. Its all about him

  2. You see that clown up there who was licking Emery’s balls months ago? Him alongside a few others on here, would as usual blame Ozil for anything going wrong with the club.
    Let’s ignore the fact that the club came out yesterday announced they’ve reached an agreement with the players to take a cut.
    Let’s ignore it and go with the crap these shameless blogs put up.
    Watch a few other self entitled fans come on here come pick on Ozil for something nobody can say is true.
    Bunch of jokers

    1. True. They are all jokers. No one talks of the good works he has been doing and is still doing as pointed out by the author. This herd mentality is killing the world big time. No one wants to take the time to reason and figure out truths any more. Just jump on the bandwagon and kill the witch! Bunch of losers all. If you all have the talent go play football or other sports. They pay the highest tax and still you all want to judge them guilty?!

  3. The reason Ozil gets the most air time, is because of two reasons: He’s a big name, and he is most undeserving of their salary than any other Arsenal player, or any player in the whole of England, bar Alexis.

    As I have said previously, this story needs to substantiated before we all lose our heads, but I really want to know who the other two are if this is true.

  4. Not even going to attempt to justify what Mesut reputably earns.

    Supply and Demand.

    He demanded ………we supplied !!

    More fool us !

    One can only hope he puts at least a portion of his earnings to good use – and I mean GOOD use.

    1. No,he didn’t demand – the club offered the salary to keep him at the club – he accepted.

      If you want to blame anyone, then blame our stupid club (in this instance) for offering such a ludicrous and obscene salary – would you have turned it down?

      1. Come on Ken.

        “No, he didn’t demand” ?

        So we dreamt up 350K a week !? (if true).

        A “grand gesture” which has proved to be a millstone ’round our necks ever since.

        Where are the tangible rewards for such a “gamble”.

        Ozil and his people were coming from a position of strength, on the back of the Sanchez departure and “dipped their bread”.

        They knew exactly what they were doing , and went in for “max out”.

        To quote my post ;

        “He demanded ………we supplied !!

        More fool us !” *

        We agree * – I did blame our “stupid” club !

        Would I have turned it down – no.

        Would I have bust a gut to deliver value for money, and delivered on my “superstar” reputation.
        Would I have made bloody sure I COULD be selected for certain games, when the view was I was a “risk” the manager couldn’t take,
        Would I have strolled through half the matches played waving my arms around at the failings of others around me .

        In short – no.

        Not demanded……..come on Ken, we may be *rap negotiators – but we’re not a registered charity !

        Of course his demands were on the table – and we bottled it.

        1. So AJ, when one wants to employ or re – employ someone, they put forward a package to entice that person to stay – at least that is what I’ve always done in a situation that you describe.

          If said person asks for more, as the employer, I had a decision to make – stick to my original offer, improve it or thank him/her for their contribution and withdraw the original offer… as it seems the club did with Ramsey.

          So, why do you think that the club and player didn’t have the first example in place, based on your Sanchez departure?

          As for his play, once again it seems the fact that he has started every single Premier league game under Mikel Arteta, shows he has confidence in the player, even if some of the fans don’t.

          1. So let’s cut to the chase Ken.

            This is a FOOTBALL opinion site.

            A straightforward question for you.

            Do you think Mesut Ozil has been value for money (again, in footballing terms) since 2013 ?

            As simple as that.

            Cutting through all the fog, I’m quite clear – a resounding NO !

      2. Jon, thanks for a full and interesting reply.

        First of all Jon, I always judge a person on their personal views and actions in life.
        As I have said many times before, one can be a leader without shouting to the world what he does.
        Ozil has been contributing to worthy causes for years, without trumpeting his actions to the world and I also give you Bob Wilson and his amazing charity – people follow those who are dignified and resppectful way, at least I do.

        Most else of what you write I can agree with, bar your blaming of the fans.

        As you often say, we are the club and we support the club, wanting them to be winners.
        Our club has never been, in our lifetime anyway, a club that has tried to buy success…it often seemed the opposite, buying players in order that w edidn’t succeed!!!

        I have never been jealous of manure, chelsea or city with their individual buying powers, to me their successes ring hollow when they have steam rolled over the transfer market.

        But what did you expect their fans to do? Like us, they want and crave success, that’s what competition is all about.

        I view Ozil as a convenient scapegoat, with his salary being the main way to attack him.
        I don’t just blame the club BUT I react when he is held solely responsible for the contract offered him – for goodness sake, the club were not having a shotgun held to their heads when they offered it were they? That is why I defen him when he is blamed for all the ills our club have.

        I have never said he is worth a reported £350,000 a week, or that he is still world class, or that he is the answer to our attacking midfield BUT he is the best we have by far and MA has improved him so much, I believe he can bring even more out of him.

        Finally Jon, you say that you act from a morale and humane view and I’m sure you do…so do I and one of the things I detest more than anything is an individual being picked on as an excuse when things go wrong.
        Name calling, singling out and persecuting another individual is, to me, the lowest thing one can do to another and I defend that individual with all my worth – hope this is not too profound either and as I have said dozens of times on here, IF Ozil was to leave tomorrow, I would still be in my seat at the next home game, cheering my club on…and wishing Ozil well, as I put him and Bob Wilson in the same catagory – wonderful human beings that I look up to.

  5. Using Ozil’s generosity to support him in this article isn’t really the point. I am sure that other players do likewise.

    There is a lot of money in football in the good times, but at the moment clubs must be haemorhagging money due to loss of match day revenue. I am sure that the club and players taking this cut must be really important to the future way forward for the club, otherwise how can it be justified?

    With regard to Kroenke I am not a fan at all and you rightly point out that he and his family should be doing something to help although I don’t know if they are. Expecting any of the players to take a cut to fund a new player would of course be wrong too.

    Because Ozil is so high profile for the reasons mentioned soooo many times before, it should not be used as a stick to beat him with here. His agent and the club negotiated the deal and as for Ozil, he must have known that to earn that much money brings pitfalls if the fan base become disillusioned in any way.

    I agree with others before me, that this was mucky tabloid journalism and the club statement should be taken at face value

  6. I think with Ozil, it’s a case of ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’… he can’t win no matter what he does!
    Yes his wages are obscene, but so are plenty of others!! I don’t agree with how much they’re paid.. but c’est la vie 🤷‍♀️
    If he was on 150-180k a week, nobody would bat an eyelid!

    1. Hope you’re keeping O.K.

      I think I would “bat an eyelid”.

      Purely talking football here.

      Overall, in my opinion, Mesut has been a massive disappointment whether earning 20K, 50k, 100k or indeed 350k per week.

      My view is not based on his earnings, but his input since 2013.

      Undoubtedly a good guy (benefit of the doubt there), but forget the money and let’s talk football.

      Simple statement , simply put, but just my view.

      What do you and others reckon on his FOOTBALLING input since joining ?

      This should draw the “Cult of Ozil” out !

      1. A J… I’m a fan, so you’re asking the wrong person 😂
        In all seriousness, I’m not going to lie, I’d have loved to see him score and assist a few more this season! But overall, I don’t see his Arsenal career as a ‘disappointment’…. but hey that’s just my opinion, and yes I’m braced for the onslaught 🙈🙉 hahaha!!
        It’s just the money that has and always will be an issue….

      2. AJ’ if you’re just talking football then why not pick on Luis, Xhaka, Mkhy, Mustafi, Bellerin. There’s five players that contributed less for our club than Ozil. Played in the right position, with the right players around him, Ozil could still be useful addition unlike the five I previously mentioned.

    2. Sue, I don’t think your last statement is right about if he’s on 180k nobody will talk about him, most of Barcelona players are on less than 180k and they have all agreed that they will take a 70% wage cut. But the truth is on this particular issue I will not blame ozil even if he decides not to take a pay cut, the club gave him that amount and its his decision baby, it’s been reported on goal that his agent has refused to pick call when been contacted by some journalist, so nobody should blame him, it’s his decision.

      1. His agent had come out before now to advice players not tootle any pay cut, hence the reason he is not picking his calls(@Lenohappy).

      2. It has been mentioned that Ozil is willing to accept a deferral worth more than the 12.5% that has been agreed by others…
        Well, he wouldn’t be the scapegoat, Lenohappy!!
        Good on the Barca players… as well as Roma’s…

  7. Eddie my brother, we are in a world where anyone can make his or her opinions known without the fear of being arrested or intimated, I was also an emery supporter even till the beginning of this season, and am not ozil biggest fan but have decided to stay away from this very topic because I know whatever I say will be seen as me not liking ozil, so please stop calling anyone a clown and an emery ass licker simply because he supported our coach, its his choice to support anyone he choose to, you are way more nature than calling people names just because they don’t agree with you.

  8. We want to clarify that our desire has always been for a reduction to be applied to our salaries because we understand that this is an exceptional situation and we are the first that have ALWAYS helped the club with what they have asked of us,” the statement first published by Messi read.

    “Many times we have even done things on our own accord, at moments when we felt it necessary or important to do so.

    “For that reason, it doesn’t cease to surprise us that from inside the club there would be people that want to put us under a magnifying glass or try to pressure us into something that we were always clear we wanted to do. In fact, if the agreement has dragged on, it’s because we were looking for a formula to help the club and its workers in these difficult times.

    “For our part, the moment has arrived to announce that, aside from the 70% wage cut during the State of Emergency, we are going to also make contributions so that all the club’s employees can earn 100% of their salaries for as long as this situation lasts.” Lionel Messi.

  9. If any good comes from this Pandemic,it will be the realization of the unjustifiable gap between rich and poor not only in this Country but throughout the World.Hopefully those in authority will recognise the efforts of our “front line troops” and appreciate the fact that they are indispensable in our time of need unlike actors, rock stars,professional sportsman, TV pundits, etc who are all grossly overpaid and who at our time of need pale into insignificance.Those who run our Premier League Clubs have enjoyed a period of sustained wealth due to the stupidity of the likes of TV Companies and the undying support of fans.Those same fans will after Coronavirus resist any attempts to raise prices at the gate or for their TV sport and as a consequence, the owners of Clubs and their overpaid Management and players will be obliged to operate within the wage guidelines imposed on public servants including our wonderful people in the NHS. Ozil has always polarised opinion with our fans,yet he just happens to be the classic example of the incompetence displayed by our Management at Arsenal for the past decade.

  10. The drama never ends with Ozil even when there is no football. One more season, one more season is what I keep telling myself…

  11. So again mass hysteria for the purpose of clicks. Ozil was happy to defer his salary ……think about the amount of money which would be available immediately for the needs of non playing staff and the club’s needs. This is not a self centred young man. Look at his funding of the needy the poor and those with health challenges. People are ready to jump on a wagon as long as it faces their intended direction. One last thing Club’s today pay for a player s commercial appeal in greater measure than playing capability. If someone is gonna make you money …you pay them .

  12. How can you critisze Kronke for paying 87.5% and support someone who refuses to take a pay cut of 12.5% for staying home. These bunch of mediocre players who are struggling to qualify for Europa league should be paid 50%. They are a disgrace to Arsenal brand.

    1. None of them are worth defending or truly earn their wages besides Auba & some of the kids. I guess I’m not surprised they latch onto their wages, because only at Arsenal will they ever get paid this much. All their next offers will be lower than what they earn now.

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