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Should Arsenal show more respect to Aaron Ramsey?

Does Aaron Ramsey Deserve More Respect? by Dan Smith

Over the years we have watched Arsenal players force moves through to our rivals. If they base their decision on wanting more money or having more of a chance of winning silverware, we are not understanding. Yet the Aaron Ramsey saga shows clubs can be just as disloyal. Here’s a decade long employee who wants to stay who has seen his employers go back on their word.

Chairmen can’t have it both ways. If it were the player refusing to negotiate he would be reminded how we developed him since a teenager and stuck with him through injuries. If the Welshmen publicly made it clear his desire was to leave as a free agent, he would be criticised for being motivated by money. Yet when it’s Arsenal who don’t want the midfielder, we pat them on the back for not paying over the odds. Instead of sympathy for Rambo, we mock him, say he’s not good enough. Because Uni Emery thinks he doesn’t fit into his system Gooners feel they can’t question it. If it were the other way around, we turn on the player.

This isn’t about if you think Ramsey deserves 200,000 pounds a week. It doesn’t matter if you think he’s overrated or not. The fact is he’s given us 10-year service at which point he’s always been a professional and done his best, so I think he’s entitled to know why his bosses have gone back on their word. In his last year Arsene Wenger spoke about the traditions of the club and how he feared we were at times going against our values. It’s safe to say if the Frenchmen was still at the Emirates, Ramsey’s deal would have been extended by now. Even if there was a reason to end talks, there would have been a relationship where all parties would know where they stood. Some have criticised our ex-boss for being too close to his squad who took advantage. It certainly seems to have improved individuals’ mentality to have someone in charge with zero sentiment. This isn’t Uni Emery’s fault. He’s made it clear he’s sticking strictly to on-field matters and holds no prejudice to Ramsey. Ramsey is experiencing what all fans have been going through since Stan Kroenke brought his first shares, a lack of clarity.
Why did one week they think he was certain value and the next not?
Has there been a change in our budget?
Did our new boss tell the board the player wouldn’t be guaranteed starting every week?
Why not just the withdrawal but refusal to bargain anymore?

We didn’t like how certain names left North London, feeling they could have shown more respect. It works both ways….

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41 Comments

  1. I really like how you put it and how you expose the mentality of certain fans.We always want to have it our way and want to decide for the players as if we are the ones on the pitch.When Fabregas,Van Persie,Nasri and some of the so called snakes left the club they were touted as traitors.Yet the same club sold Gibbs,Wilshere and some other so called average players who were always loyal.
    This is why I always advise that players should think about their future first before deciding to be loyal.This is because the fans want success and will turn their back on you when you need the most.If Ramsey had decided to force a move to Barca after 13/14 we would have heard how much of a snake he was.But even though he didn’t today we are being told he’s average and selfish.That is why I keep saying loyalty in football is way way overrated.Look at someone like Ozil.He signed a contract which in my opinion is £150,000 more than he deserved yet he’s still loved and seen as a loyal and hood player.I for one do not want to insult players when it comes to these loyalty issues because I do not have the right to decide for any player.

    1. You hit the nail on the head

      Most football fans are biased and have favoritisms like most humans

      I think the ex-Gunners do not really care about this, because they are used to the childish attitude of their previous clubs (before Arsenal) and they have got a lot of money from Arsenal anyway

      1. Before you and Kev rip the fans to pieces just remember who it is that pays the wages of these players will you?We are FOOTBALL FANS.We have opinions.I love the comment from Kev “That is why I always advise that players should always think about their future before deciding to be loyal”.Who is this Kev?A Football Agent?He then calls players snakes for doing what he advises.
        Kev my old son -You are a fan who has an opinion like everyone else -no more

        1. we used to pay the wages, but now with the tv rights i don’t think much importance will be placed on fans at least in the UK , we wouldn’t even cover half the wage bill with our season tickets!!

          Fans might be a thing of the past Phil, i blame it on 1) football being just very commercial now 2) the attention spam of kids nowadays: dont need to go to the game they can just stream it on the tube, or watch the highlights which i personally will always do if i’m not able to watch the game….so having those fans that followed every game wherever the team played might actually be a thing of the past whithin a decade or two, sad but that’s what i’m feeling 🙁

          just look at some of the celebrations nowadays you sitting in the stands thinking: like really did you practice that infront of the mirror for like two days, or yay watch me dab..no buddy i didn’t come all this way to watch you dab and would be happier if you replaced celebration training with actual training but hey i’m old school, i know what i require of a player is a thing of the past now it’s all about the selfies and how you look. again football is becoming way too commercial!!

          1. Zero fans = Zero income
            No merchandising
            No drinks and food sales
            The fans will always be the heartbeat of any Club.Its a pity the Clubs don’t remember this at times.
            One fan on here threw away his season ticket as he was outraged that a former Manager was still employed at the Club despite season after season of decline and stagnation.
            Another drives down from SCOTLAND for home matches.
            Another (female) fan on here dreams of having babies with Petit Podolski and Kolasinac.Thats how much she loves the club and its players.
            I simply will not agree the fans are not the reason the Club can survive without them no matter how much revenue is achieved from non ticket sales

            1. we will always have fans but i’m saying regular attendance away and home, our fan base is huge thus the 60,000 will always be filled out, but by whom that’s the question, the person sat next to you this game you might not see him again ever.

              the atmosphere that was created at highbury was because many where regulars, it’s easier to support when the whole stand knows each other due to the fact that you’ve been there together the whole year watching your team win and lose, a feeling of camaraderie being built by the ups and downs of football…. i will research the numbers for how much it represents food, drink, commercials, shirt sales, tickets etc (percentage wise of our income)… but i’m sure that the tv rights and the placement in the league table will be able to cover most the wages and costs, don’t forget our club is run like a business and if kronke can break even or make a profit with those two resources alone than you should be very worried!!

              3. “Premier League: 11 of 20 clubs could have made profits in 2016-17 without fans at games” – BBC

                Enough said.

                1. Imagine watching games on TV with no crowd. Advertising and TV rights are the big money spinners; how long until interest wanes?

          3. A curates egg of a post . Some sound sense; some non sense. The nonsense is when you claim that fans are no longer of much importance. A wiser and more deeply thought through comment would surely acknowledge that without packed grounds in the Prem all the other commercial activities would quickly fall away , as corporates only wish to be associated with successful and vibrant leagues. Which the PREM IS, as long as grounds are packed. Take those fans away and watch commercial activities shrink like flowers in the desert. Did the clubs sacking of WENGER LAST SEASON, BY CORPORATE KROENKE, AFTER REGULAR HUGE FAN ABSENCES TELL YOU NOTHING? THAT DAMNING AND PLAIN WRONG PART ASIDE, I LIKE MOST OF THE REST OF WHAT YOU SAID!

  2. Without knowing the full story it is difficult to understand what actually occurred. To me it looks as if Ramsey and his advisors decided to play hardball over the contract. Once Emery was in place he was able to assess Ramsey’s value to the team. Then, in conjunction with Sven, Raoul and, presumably Josh Kroenke it was felt that it would serve Arsenal better if he was let go or, better still, sold in January. Whether the club has eyes on Rabiot or another free agent who knows. The unsigned contract was taken off the table and Ramsey’s gamble failed. No regrets in the circumstances. He’s been very well paid and has scored some very important goals in return.

    1. Agree

      Just like the relationship between a company and the worker, it’s all business. It’s always ‘take it or leave it’

    2. Agreed. Sometimes these footballers think they are better than what they really are especially English players. Who would think Torreira is better than Wilshere? Yet Jack could have stayed and be a team player. Instead he wants the manger (who carries a lot of pressure, criticism and accolades) to tell him that he is the best player on the planet and that the team will be built around him. We have to be honest and realistic with our selfs. Ramsey is an average player, but I still don’t want him to go.

      1. So you want to keep average players then? To build a title challenging side perhaps? So how does that work , exactly?

    1. Liverpool? Ramsey is significantly better than most of their midfielders.
      They’ve started with Henderson, Wijnaldum & Milner this season as a midfield three – all average. But they work well in their system.
      We’re in this mess contract wise because of Wenger’s lavish contract renewals for his favourites. We pay well over the odds for our players salary wise & the current management team are now having to pick up the pieces.

  4. At a time when millions of working men in the UK find it hard to make ends meet,you are suggesting Ramsay has been treated shabbily when he chose not to sign a new contract offer which involved a substantial increase in his already substantial salary?By offering him a massive rise the Board of this club showed him the respect he merited.The fact that he declined to take the offer is entirely his decision and has nothing to do with Club values nor does it imply that Management have “gone back on their word”.

  5. Respect is earnt not given.
    That’s wh, in the beginning I wanted Ramsey to be offered a sensible salary and sign on the dotted line.

    However, in my opinion, his agent decided to play hardball with Gazidis and it looked as if the gamble had paid off.

    But then our new messia decided to put two fingers up to the club and walked away.

    In comes the new regime, looks at the situation and says thanks but no thanks.

    Ramsey is left with egg on his face, but will get the final laugh when he leaves on a free to either Chelsea or Man It’s.
    They will pay him what he wants and those on here who have been castigating him for his PLAYING ABILITIES will have got their wish.

    I would have wanted him to stay, but no player is bigger than the club.
    So, for me??? Sorry but your choice mate, so now get on with it!!!!!!!

    1. exactly…we need tough negotiators like dein in the past…

      cashley cole almost flipped when he got offered a contract by Dein thats way below his demands more than a decade ago..

    2. Ah , but WILL HE get the final laugh even if he goes to Chelsea or United? I think not Ken, because he would be no more than a makeweight squad player who will hardly play, in my opinion. If he values hard cash , more than his playing career , as it strongly appears , that is not getting the last laugh. Not in my book anyway. Though we would lose a middling player on a free, better to cut ties with a player who is not committed body and soul to the new regime and club, despite all the huge wages he has earned over the last decade, esp when so often injured and could not play. Yes, he scored a couple of Cup Final goals but over a decade that is not overmuch for a so so only player. WE WERE LEVEL IN BOTH FINALS WHEN HE SCORED AND WOULD PROBABLY HAVE WON BOTH ANYWAY THE WAY BOTH GAMES WERE GOING AT THE TIME. I ESP AGREE WITH YOUR LAST LINE BUT NOT THE FIRST PART OF THE PENULTIMATE ONE.

  6. I know we don’t know what kind of money he was after or what the club offered (read a report it was top end of our wage list )but for me he’s a good squad player at best to maybe come off the bench with 20 mins left when we are not chasing the game ,but obviously that’s not good enough for him so he should be sold or at the end of the season let him go do what he wants to do.
    He’s never been or ever will be the type of player to get you out of your seat and say wow so for me he dosent deserve top end wages .
    I’m not sure why you are asking if we should show him more respect ,he’s a footballer who’s payed a lot of money to do what he does and he’s ran his contract down to the last year to get this big pay day so respect runs both ways and he’s shown little of that in the way him and his agent of gone about this whole saga .
    Good luck to him but I would prefer he was playing for some else ,let’s all move on now with this new chapter ,we have plenty of players who can and have been doing Ramsey’s job just fine

  7. I don’t understand what the Admin means by saying Ramsey deserves more respect from the club. Firstly, he was offered a good deal with substantial pay rise several months ago. The young man refused to sign the dotted lines. Right to the end of the season and even all through the transfer window, he didn’t sign the contract. He left the fans, his colleagues and the board unsure of his long term commitment. Now that is disrespect. He was greedy, he wanted a bumper pay he didn’t deserve, he wanted to do an Ozil. He probably overrated his worth plus everyone knew what a bad negotiator Gazidis was, so him and his agent wanted to force arsenal’s hands by delaying contract extension. Well unlike Ozil’s case, his gamble failed because a new and more practical regime came in. If Ramsey were loyal, he shouldl have signed long ago just as other players (xhaka, iwobi, nelson, chambers, holding) did. They didn’t hold the club at ransom. He deserves the treatment he’s getting. I see him doing a Max Mayer. He will probably end up in a smaller club, or may get a big club that will not pay him what he is demanding from Arsenal. An African proverb has it that when a lizard and a rat go swimming, the lizard will definitely get dry quickly, but the rat may not. Ozil’s gamble paid off, Ramsey’s didn’t. Let him move on.

  8. I respect Ramsey. I don’t think he should get a new contract. I think the manager had time to see Ramsey in action and told the club he is not up to his standard. How do I show my respect?

    Football is business, you can not simply give a player a contract because he has been loyal. There has to be a rationale that is linked to on-field performance.

    I agree though that you can not fault players for wanting to go to another club and I have never blamed the likes of Cesc, RVP or Sanchez.

    Loyalty in sports only goes so far. It’s a business for both players and club.

  9. Ramsey is an average player, tries hard and so is out of position many times, but considering this being his last major contract he is asking for the same money as Mihki and far less than Ozil.
    Nothing special about him, but like the dignity he has maintained on/off the pitch unlike cranky guys like RVP, Nasri, Sanchez, Adebayor,etc. He will be similar to Clichy, Toure, Carzola, Coqelan, Walcot, Wilshire who have left and not spoken ill of the club, hence still appreciate them as professional sportsmen.Heard we are linked with Juan Mata in the summer, thats a huge upgrade over Ramsey even if he is 30 years old.Also we have a hot of youngsters as a backup to complement Mata in cup games. Hence a good valuation by the club to withdraw the offer and will serve as a deterrent to others in future.For once I respect Emery.

  10. Ramsey is not good enough to play for the Arsenal first team. I don’t even know how and why some people rate this guy. Just look at how Lucas Torreira (a new signing) has transformed that midfield. Ramsey will never get better. He should go. I would prefer to have Niles or even Smith-Rowe (who’s not yet proven) in that midfield. Ramsey is only good enough to play for relegation battling team.

  11. I’ve wanted Aaron Ramsey out of our club for at least the five years, I think we’ve shown him enough respect when we’ve looked after him when he’s been injured ‘ paid him good money for average performances and what do we get in return? A demand for at least £200k a week and holding us to ransom. Well I’m sorry Dan, but Arsenal called his bluff. All along I said, he put in an extortionate demand knowing that it will be refused so he can leave on a free. I think this has been his plan for the last 18 months. Swap him for Fabregas, who’s also on a free, at least that way we’d get something for Ramsey and in my opinion, a better player Contrary to some people on these pages think, Cesc still loves this club and always wanted to return after he left Barcelona. It wasn’t his fault that Wenger was to stubborn to bring him back. He never wanted to sign for Chelsea, he’d would have walked back from Barcelona to resign for our club however he did wan’t to return and live in London and Chelsea was his only option.

    1. Kenny-an aging Cesc is far better than Ramsey ever was and ever will be.I will never understand why our former Manager(I won’t mention his name so I can’t be accused of dragging up the past) failed to re-sign Fabregas when everyone knew he would love to have come back to Arsenal.
      Xhaka was bought to give us a midfield pivot.Is anyone seriously believing Cesc could not have done this job better?
      A monumental mistake from our former Manager

  12. i will cheer for ramsey untill his contract runs out, thank you for your time at the club and good luck in the future, no hard feelings here!!

  13. Dan , I often like your articles and find them well thought through. But not this time. I totally differ with your whole premise on how the club ought to treat and has treated Ramsey. It seems to me to be very one sided in his favour. He has been here a decade, and missed a huge amount of games because of injury. He has often played selfishly., looking for personal scoring glory ahead of the teams real needs. He was offered a huge increase and declined to sign it when offered . It was left on the table while he or his agent tried to get still more money from a now, at long last, more realistic club regime that does not waste money on long term proven middlers(in effectiveness). I do not say he is hopeless. But I DO say he is nothing special and certainly no superstar or remotely deserving of superstar wages. Most on here, judging by myriad comments, think as I do. MOREOVER, THOUGH I AM PERHAPS POINTING OUT THE OBVIOUS, because it seems you need it pointing out, we are all fans of Arsenal football Club, not Aaron Ramsey and his family. The club , in Wenger’s era , was guily of treating Ramsey far TOO well, not too badly. Under the new and realistic regime things have changed for more sense and the club is NOW being put before any individual. I call that wonderful news and totally disagree with your stance.

    1. Club offered to almost DOUBLE salary of average player. He holds out for over 6 months, and Dan thinks Arsenal are being disrespectful? Seriously?

      Ramsey took a massive gamble and it blew up in his face, period. Funny how he complained about club ending negotiations, then acts like his exorbitant wage demands had no influence.

      Club makes offer, tells Ramsey they won’t pay wages Ramsey’s agent wants, and Ramsey saying club hasn’t explained anything to him?

      I’m not buying his story, sorry. Raul wouldn’t have lasted at Barca running club like that.

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