The Sky Era: The turning point of football, at which people regularly look back on at where the game went wrong. The influx of money that arrived with the commercialisation of the game has led many to become disillusioned with the entire sport, and never has it seemed worse than in recent years. As money from faraway lands poured relentlessly into the coffers of selected clubs, there was a noticeable shift at the pinnacle of the Premier League. As a Liverpool fan, I know all too well just how bad a fall from grace can be. From the Champions League final to Paul Koncheskey; believe me, it was bad. But just how could we have coped better with the newly-found financial threat of Manchester City and Chelsea, as well as the traditional top-table rivals? The answer lies in a mysterious, potentially meaningless phrase. A Project. Teams like us, needed a project. Not a QPR style 5 year plan project, but a realistic project, the outcomes of which are seen only by few until they have already happened. Like an Arsenal Project.
This summer Arsenal made their second major, message-sending signing within as many years. Alexis Sanchez’s move from Barcelona can be played down by many, he was surplus to requirements there and what-not, but the truth of the matter is that he is could well become the signing of the summer, and the price paid seems small when considering Sanchez’s explosive World Cup, and we all know how a good tournament can inflate a player’s price (see James Rodriguez). But just how did it come to pass for these types of signings to be made, by a club who has repeatedly seen their star players move on whilst still in their prime? The likes of Samir Nasri couldn’t have been wrong, surely?
The answer is that they weren’t wrong. They were not wrong to move because the players that left Arsenal for the likes of Manchester City and Barcelona won trophies, which is the total aim of any player. A player’s career is short, whereas a manager’s is not. This is where the problem lies for Arsenal’s rivals, not just now but for the future. Arsene Wenger knew the risks of sacrificing short-term success, and chose to do so because he KNEW that in future years, his strategy could see Arsenal compete with the teams that previously were poaching their players, but on a regular basis. Season after season after season. This is also why the FA Cup trophy win last year was so important for the club. Not only did Mesut Ozil’s signing mean that the dark transfer days were over, but Arsene Wenger finally delivered a trophy that the mob were baying for. Both of these point to the same conclusion.
The Sky Era may have changed football for the chosen clubs with money, but Arsenal changed the opposition. Teams could learn a thing or two from them, as painful as it is for rivals to say.
