Abou Diaby has returned to full training and has been playing for the Arsenal reserves recently, much to the joy of not only he and his team mates, but many supporters around the world. The man has had career shattering injuries from a young age and it’s been very unfortunate for both him and the club, who have stuck by Diaby through the years.
The calls from some for Diaby to sign a new contract however are ridiculous. The Frenchman might have been a very decent player for Arsenal had he stayed fit (and not left like many others once he realised Arsenal don’t win any trophies…), but the truth of the matter is that Diaby has not and cannot stay fit, so he does not deserve a new contract. With the way the situation stands, he should leave the club at the end of the season when his current contract ends.
Diaby’s injuries have included groin strains, a strained abdominal muscle, calf problems, malleolar injuries, thigh muscle strains and the biggest and most impactful injury that saw him sit out of action for over 388 days; a rupture of his cruciate ligaments. This list is only naming a few; the Frenchman has had many other injuries too.
Arsenal Manager Arsene Wenger has hinted that Diaby could be set for a new contract:
“Yes [a decision has been taken]. I had a chat with him and told him how I can envisage the future. He has to make a decision. Of course he understands completely that he has to perform and to show that he can be present on a consistent way. I will see where we go from there. I wouldn’t like to go into details; we have to meet again to see where we go from what I told him. It has to be linked a little bit with his presence.”
It is in no way the fault of the player, nor is it because of the standard of Arsenal’s physio team, his body is just not made for the Premier League and it’s tough manner.
News had been circulating that Diaby’s days at the North London side were numbered and it was decided he would leave at the end of the season. There are a number of opinions on the matter, should he be given a new contract or not? Many have opinions and now that he has played a few times for the reserves, the contract story has re-surfaced and people have had their opinions. Personally, I feel it just can’t and won’t work.
A ‘solution’ has been called for, which would see Diaby move into a deeper midfield role, possibly next to Francis Coquelin and just sit in front of the defence; because ‘he’s big and he would be good at it.’ What’s the point? How will this resolve the issue? Diaby may be too reluctant to dive into tackles due to fear of another injury and who could blame him? But Arsenal as a professional football club that should be succeeding cannot afford to make exceptions.
The club signed Diaby as a midfielder who can get forward and run at defenders, so why limit his footballing ability? Yes, he was also purchased to a sort of ‘box to box midfielder’, because he is (or was) a very athletic man, but he hasn’t been allowed an extended run in the side to allow himself to showcase that.
The only realistic scenario that Abou Diaby should be allowed to sign a new contract for Arsenal is on a yearly pay-as-you-play contract, similar to that of Michael Owen when he signed for Stoke City. Paying him every week is not acceptable, nor justifiable. The 28 year-old Frenchman is on a reported £65,000 a week pay cheque, which is astronomical amounts of money to earn each week for a player that hasn’t been playing football.
If reports from 2013 are true, then Diaby should be commended for refusing to accept any wages until he gets fit, it is the right, honest and fair thing to do.
However, a sense of realism must remain and we have to be realistic about Diaby. This season he has been limited to little over an hour of football and last season a lot less. 14 minutes. What can we expect for next season? It’s not enough and it’s not only about the money, it’s about a footballer taking a position in the limited squad of 25 men and not being able to utilise them, a spot that could be used on another player, someone who will contribute to the team on a regular basis.
On the other hand, Robin Van Persie was extremely injury prone for the majority of his Arsenal career and could have been let go many times throughout his contract, but in his last couple of seasons managed to stay relatively fit and repaid the faith shown by the Arsenal Manager before leaving for United. This proves it is possible, but Diaby’s case seems much worse.
If he can keep fit for the rest of the season and stay in full training, he may actually get back to first-team football and play a bit part role, then it will be nothing short of a miracle. Don’t hold your breath on that though.
After that, we’ll no doubt find out what happens. There will be discussions amongst the Arsenal board about his future at the club, with Wenger surely making the final decision; it can only realistically go two ways. Pay-to-play contract, or find a new club and there will no doubt be a number of clubs who will take the gamble on Diaby’s fitness, because if he can stay fit then he could be a huge asset to any side.
The Arsenal-Diaby love story sustaining could have been a fantastic one, with Diaby being strong, quick and good on the ball and it’s impossible to say that the club didn’t give him their all, but it just wasn’t to be. Never mind. He’ll be loved and remembered should he move on at the end of the season.
