Frank Arnesen- What Price Loyalty?

During a question and answer session held last July and reported on the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust site , Frank Arnesen said that he “had the greatest respect for real fans”

Well, today’s news that Arnesen had been approached by Chelsea and that he had told THFC that he would like to go to the Russian-funded mob has caused severe trauma and anger amongst those “real (Spurs) fans” for whom he allegedly had the greatest respect.

The club has quickly announced that it has suspended our former Sporting Director, but there’s nothing very sporting about his behaviour demonstrated here, is there? Whilst it is too early to pre-judge the issue or apportion the guilt, surely there can be no way back into the inner portals of Tottenham Hotspur Football Club for Arnesen, who in a flash has lost all the respect that he had earnt from adoring Spurs fans around the world.

Chelsea allege that they made an official approach, but maybe their enquiry was fielded by “Fun-time Frankie” himself!

With Spurs on the cusp of real achievement it looked at first as if all our hopes would fade to dust, before they had really brought any reward.

My initial thoughts are these:- Arnesen’s great work for the club over his first (and last?) year in office cannot be undone, surely? Already three new names have been signed for the forthcoming season (Teemu Tainio, Tom Huddlestone and Paul Stalteri) have been signed or agreed. Surely Arnesen has shared his short-term plans with Chairman Daniel Levy and Head Coach Martin Jol. Therefore, Spurs short-term future is already assured, despite Arnesen’s alleged treachery.

The long term is different though, and of course the club may wish to appoint a replacement for the same position, or maybe they will give Martin Jol the sort of responsibility that we are used to in this country for Team Managers to carry. As far as the day to day running of the football side of the club goes, Jol is the main man anyway.

As for Chelsea – the hatred felt by Spurs fans towards this club currently approaches, or even exceeds the levels reserved for the team down the road. Clearly, Abramovich, Kenyon and Co intend to continue trying to pulverise the opposition with a display of arrogance not seen in football before.

Finally, if I was a Chelsea fan, I would be worried. Frank Arnesen’s forte has been to trade in and nurture young, previously little-known talent. Where does that fit in with the current carpet-bagging style of Kenyon’s mob? As I understand it, Abramovich’s loan that deferred their massive debt has to be paid off eventually. Maybe their money will be running short sooner than their fans would like, and the joy they are experiencing at present is not to be long-lasting?

One thing does seem for certain – there is no way back into the boardroom at White Hart Lane for Frank Arnesen. It's just another case of Loyalty meaning nothing in the world of football. If you do spot it, treasure it!

· Read more comment here - "Perspective and Impunity

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