Dennis Bergkamp says he understands why people have compared the capture of Mesut Ozil with his arrival from Inter Milan back in 1995 and has backed the German as the man to take Arsenal to a new level.
An an interview in today’s Telegraph, the Dutch master spoke about the impact his signing had on the club and said that although he’s not keen on setting the two up together, he can see why people have made the comparison after the £42.5m signing from Real Madrid.
“I don’t like comparing. We’re all unique. But I do understand the similarities people see and I believe he can be very important to the team.
“He is a tremendous player with a lot of effective skills like controlling the ball, making creative passes and assists, taking the right position in the field every time. And he’s extremely experienced.
“Putting all that together I think you’ve got a player who can be the missing link in the Arsenal team, a player who will make a striker score goals, who will link up in Arsenal’s position-game and who will score goals as well.
“With all the respect to the other Arsenal players, I think he is the one who can make a difference. The other players are good in midfield. But you need someone of a high-level you can be good in all areas of the pitch.”
Bergkamp also touched on desire to return to the club at some point in his coaching career, but suggested it’s something that won’t happen in the immediate future.
“I can’t really plan ahead. I know I will be here [at Ajax] for at least another three or five years and then I don’t know. I don’t see myself being at Ajax for the rest of my coaching career. I don’t see myself as a manager.
“I see myself as being part of the coaching staff. I really enjoy that role, especially the individual training with the strikers.”
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Read the full interview here – and if you want to listen to an interview with the author of the Dennis Bergkamp book ‘Stillness and speed’, check out last week’s Arsecast.
Oh God
This is the word of God. Thanks be to God
This is one mighty endorsement; Ozil should feel blessed
I still shake my head at the memories of the day we signed Dennis.
Let’s hope in another 20 years we feel the same about the day Ozil signed.
Indeed. The early signs are good…but it is way too early to say. The full article linked in the post is well worth a read. I liked this part: “Behind every pass there must be a thought”, as he puts it. And Arsenal’s new assist-meister is clearly a fellow-believer. “Özil knows exactly how to control the ball in what kind of space to give himself time. That’s the difference between the players and great players. With his intelligence and his touch and his skills, he is trying to do something right with every ball.” Özil lit up Arsenal’s September with… Read more »
Mmmmm, interesting so technically Ozil can claim to get an assist as much as 3 passes back.
I personally prefer the day we signed double winning Sol. I was half way up a particularly tricky Sycamore tree,attempting to cut a large branch off when the news came on the radio. One of my neighbours was just about visible and looked quite worried as I screamed ARSENAL HAVE SIGNED SOL CAMPBELL at him several times. I had never spoken to him before and I have never spoken to him since.
Özil will end up as a legend just like Dennis.
Nobody will ever match Dennis for me. The newcastle goal is the greatest goal of all time. Totally unique, no other player could have done it. Dennis is the most influential player to play in the premier league. What he did for Arsenal was incredible and could never be repeated.
For me it’s either the one against The Toon or the one against Leicester.
His statue…people will bow down to it.
Listen to the word of God!
that interview with the author of the Dennis Bergkamp book ‘Stillness and speed’ is awesome.. i really want to read that book
You should. It’s amazing. I’ve been to work many times feeling tired and grotty after a heavy night out, but this is the first time I’ve been to work knackered because I was up till 2am reading a book I couldn’t put down.
Back to training Nik! And no more nights out.
And thus spoke the God.
What actually happened with his statue getting put outside the ground?
This http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/arsenal-to-unveil-dennis-bergkamp-statue and then it all went fairly quiet?
“The statue of Dennis Bergkamp is still in its early construction phase and the unveiling is planned to take place before the start of next season.”
But its a Feb 2013 article. “Before start of next season” means before start of 2013-14 season (which is currently underway)
Would you fly if you could walk on water!!!!!…. God DB10 has given the blessings Mr. Ozil… time to score a hattrick against dortmund, man united and liverpool… No pressure…
And then Bergkamp said, “Let there be Ozil.”
and there was Ozil and god saw that it was good
And that is the word..praise be to god.. 🙂
why wait 3 or 5 years. sign him up now!
He’s working for Ajax. It’s his choice. He is committed for 3-5 years. He will come when he is ready.
the headline provokes an image of dennis roaming the plains searching for big game to display to the village elders upon his return.This gibberish pleases me. Alas, the adjoining image of mezut shivering under a large net provoked much melancholy-such is life. At least he has the interlull to recuperate- even a heavily tranquilised ozil would still dispatch Norwich with comparative ease.
It doesn’t surprise me that he doesn’t want to take a managerial role. He’s not that kind of a person. He’s more of the intelligent sorts who would get into something more technical.
But despair not, because Henry is exactly the kind of person who WILL manage Arsenal at some point of time. Imagine both of them being together, with Lumbering as the director.
Well, also he refuses to fly so that’s something of a hindrance.
Solution: Person jetpack or aquaplaning batmobile.
Considering his phobia comes from a fear of unreliable technology I think the jetpack is out.
For the Batmobile, he’d have to beat the current owner, but in a fight between The Batman and The Iceman*, I’d know where my money would be.
*and NO, not Mr Freeze… Ever…. Ever.
not really he walks on water…
Blogs, who is thumbing down all the God references? For the love of Christ.
Is there some other monotheistic candidate for the position, or do you have lots of posts from the Vatican?
Someone obviously finds it offensive that people refer to Dennis as God and is ‘thumbs down’-ing those comments. To that person who is doing it, know this, God (Dennis) knows what you are doing, and will judge you accordingly! Praise be to Bergkamp.
Bergkamp = God
Özil = Jesus
EPL = Wine?
Stand still and consider the wondrouse works of Bergkamp.
Thus says the lord almighty, Ozil shall save thee and make you champions. Amen
Yo morons. Ozil is Muslim. I guess a website like this is not usually a target for the scholars among the Muslim community. Last thing you would want to imply is that Ozil is “God” which is “Allah” and get him some media reaction. So before you get all high and might, have some practical perspectives.
It’s freedom of speech and if you couldn’t tell, I think most people don’t actually think Denis Bergkamp is an all-knowing. all-powerful god – ITS A JOKE!
Freedom of speech my ass.
If it was really about freedom of speech, then why on earth “choose” to use names rooted in theological discourse?
If you were really that free, then, could have chosen something else.
Yes, Clippers, they did make a choice. They chose to use names ‘rooted in theological discourse’. They could have chosen to use names rooted in Comic Books. They didn’t. That is freedom of speech. They don’t have to choose something based on whether you think it is right, wise, or acceptable. That would not be freedom of speech, it would be censorship. If you feel that you would not choose names rooted in theological discourse then that is your choice and you are free to make it. Everybody is happy. This is good. Personally I see no difference between religion… Read more »
In addition to freedom of speech, they are also free to exercise their freedom to be a fool.
My point is not about free speech. It is about real and practical consequences. You think some religious extremist gives a shite that you are just “joking” when you fool around with something they hold sacred?
With free speech comes responsibility that goes together with it. Your words, might cause consequences to someone else or an entire community with effects that are too big for you to bear, even if you wanted to.
And “Allah” said to “God” (snore…) ” Doth thou knowest what thy haveth in Dennis Bergkamp?, He is’th the wondrous player of the footyball that will remain throughouteth time” And “God” said ” Oh Allah. I am awareth of the prodigy known as ‘The One’ and I haveth a special place for him to dwelleth on the Earth and it shall be called… ‘Highbury’ and so it shall cometh to pass that he will teach all who wish to learneth of the word, the philosophy, the very nature of the wondrous past-time that is the footyball and he shall conquer… Read more »
And God blessed Ozil, and there was much rejoicing
Why arsenews did not report on Ramsey and wenger winning the Barclay player and manager of the month??
Because we’re not that concerned with meaningless individual awards in a team sport.
Surely anything that helps to shut up the cackling, deriding, quarter-wit spundits (who definitively do take this sort of thing seriously) is a good thing.
And anyway, better us than some rank undeserving numpty … though come to think of it Özil was probably second and Flamini third and Gibbs fourth …
Preaching to the choir here though (for the most part).
We get enough moaning and gnashing of teeth from the faithful here. A bit of purely good news, if inconsequential in the broader picture, would be a fine thing to see occasionally. It would have a similar effect to seeing two little children sharing an iced lolly. Surely nobody here could ever write anything negative about Wenger and Ramsey being recognised for their good work this month?
(Cue lots of stories about horrible little brats that smacked their sibling in the gob to get total control of the iced lolly mummy gave them to share)
Cough cough http://news.arseblog.com/2012/04/robin-honoured-to-win-pfa-award/
interesting to read the comments about Van Persie then compared to now
That is somewhat more meaningful, 10 times more, than a player of the month award. It is also acknowledgement – from your peers – for your seasonal performance.
When Özil/Santi/AR16/HFB win the PFA or the other writers one………..well, different ball game.
We’ve learned our lesson!
Yes, BT partnership marketing bullshit warrants a story, but recognition of Rambo’s amazing form doesn’t….hmmmm…..
We’ve recognised Ramsey’s form on a consistent basis. We don’t need a sponsor’s trophy to tell us he’s playing well 😉
One thing it does is tell the players of other PL teams that they have been kicking the wrong Arsenal player. it tells them that they should lay off Wilshire, and start kicking Rambo instead. He’ll have to start practicing his swerve so he can avoid all the cloggers hacking at him throughout October now.
I have an idea!
Let’s just thumb Arseblog down to submission.
Yay!
Ah, but when you take both awards isn’t that a statement of good teamwork?
Form is temporary, class is permanent. Ramsey will have to prove himself month after month before he wins an accolade worth boasting about. Which he will, I’m sure. Cause he’s class.
Sign the thing bergkamp. He might be deployed down the middle in the last 5-10 minutes while we are cruising 4-1 at Newcastle fc
I would ACTUALLY sacrifice BOTH of my testes to be coached individually, on a day-to-day basis by God himself.
That’s like Hendrix being your personal guitar teacher – but better.
I’m waiting for the article any day now…
Stuart Pearce – Ozil’s a waste of money
Michael Owen: ‘Jordan Henderson is twice the player ozil is’
It is probably a cultural thing in England. Mugsmashers calling Robbie Fowler, “God”, while we have our very own “God” as DB10.
The religious inclined among us will have to step back and understand that a lot of religious references are for fun, and not taken seriously.
Being a religious guy, I find this uncomfortable as well but we live in a secular world and I do understand where some of this is coming from.
If it really gets under your skin, just leave this page and go venture to other parts of the site.
Being a atheist guy, I also find this uncomfortable as well but we live in a christian theological world and I do understand where some of this is coming from.
Being someone who doesn’t really care about the use of words that are religous in connotation or not, I would just like to say…
ARSENAL ARSENAL ARSENAL!!!!!!!
If you want a serious answer, then yes it is in part an English thing. Culturally almost nothing is outside the bounds of questioning or humour for us. Its a not recent thing, go through the last 1000 years and you’ll see comments that basically say the English don’t do religion very well, often because we have the awkward habit of replying to things with: ‘why?’ Its never meant with offense in mind; its just…English. More generally, things like all the Bergkamp stuff (Perhaps shaky terminology aside) can be traced back at least 2000 years to Octavian, which means the… Read more »
Not True Rufusstan. In the 17th century, the only time England was a republic, when Oliver Cromwell and the puritan religious fanatics were in charge of the commonwelath Christmas was banned ( because it was not a christian holiday/ not in the bible) and the theatre was banned too as it was seen as an unholy and sinful source of entertainment.
Blasphemy was also taken quite seriously in those days (death penalty) but I think ever since those times there has been a deep mistrust of both military dictatorships and fundamentalist religion in England.
It wasn’t a republic. It was a dictatorship under the name “Protectorate” with a bunch of parliamentarians (i.e. rich landowners) all vying with each other to see who could get their tongue the farthest up their beloved fuhrer’s, sorry, I mean Protector’s rectum, and a whole slew of draconian religious laws designed to exterminate Catholics in Ireland and Scotland. Typical Born Again religious extremist nutter. Just because a guy will have you executed if you don’t agree with him is no reason for an Englishman not to take the piss (even if you do keep your voice down a bit… Read more »
Add to that, the protectorate and the Dictator for life period (and you cannot emphasize enough that they total 9 years between them) only happened because Cromwell (and the puritan clergy) finessed the chaos of the civil war to get what they really wanted (power). Even when he was in charge, a fair chunk of the bishops refused to go along with him, and from that you can imagine how the average person though of it all. People were expected to follow the faith of the King/Queen, so ever since Henry VIII, religion got dragged into politics as we see-sawed… Read more »
while also recognising of course that DB10 is God and Robbie Fowler is a fat scouser. Just feel it’s important to make that clarification.
Lol
Metaphors make atheists uncomfortable? What a world!
Next time somebody uses the word iconic, let’s stone them for blasphemy! Actually let’s stone them for using a cliche, but still.
Do the women have to wear beards?
(– Just missed posting this as: ‘women have to wear bears.’ Nearly left it as was because of the surreal images it generates, and had to mention it in deference to the original)
Is Dennis… Is Legend…
They even made Beavis in his image.
If Dennis is God and Özil is the new Messiah, then Arry Redknapp surely has gotta be a prophet! He keeps claiming he saw things coming. Alas, he was stoned and booted out. He probably was the first to know that Özil is a triffic player and tried to sign him.
Dennis Bergkamp
Best ever Arsenal player.
Best ever premier league player.
I hope Ozil understands the importance of those comments
The man is a legend and so will oooooooooozzzzzillll
In my opinion Thierry is the best arsenal player over the last 20 years and the best player thats played in the premier league. And theres no point over rating dennis footballing ability. if he was really that good he wudve won more individual awards. Thierry, ronaldo (brazilian), eto, drogba world class category of strikers. Bergkamp, van persie ibrahimovic suarez very good strikers category.
Plonker.
F*cking Carlos Kickaball eh, what does he know… 😉
Good one Sugar, you f*cktard!
Come home DB10.
Who are your top 5 players for arsenal over the last. 20 years?
Dennis.
Fuck.
Ing.
Berg.
Kamp.
Bergkamp
Henry
Wright
Pires
Vieira
You cant really argue with that unless your name is tony adams
1. Thierry 2. Pires 3. Bergkamp 4. Vieira 5. Wright
As a Muslim, calling a mere mortal player “God”, especially a Muslim one, I find it very offensive.
Having said that, I am a great admirer of Ozil as a player. He is a true artistic footballer.