Friday, March 29, 2024

“Not funny” – Rosicky hits out

Tomas Rosicky says that he finds the current situation he’s in at Arsenal ‘not funny’, and that since Arsenal took up the option on his contract for a further year, he’s been marginalised from the team.

The experienced Czech international didn’t even make the bench for the FA Cup final, and is clearly unhappy with his lot, although he says he’ll remain professional.

“Since the moment Arsene Wenger used the option in my contract, I haven´t been even on the bench,” he said. “I am laughing but it´s not funny.

“It´s frustrating but I am a professional. Even if you lose your place, you must be still prepared because the situation can change.”

It’s a bit of a throwback to the situation earlier in the season when he was finding it hard to get a game, and suggested leaving in January might be an option.

It’s also interesting that he implies the activation of the contract extension wasn’t quite mutually agreed – although surely both parties would have to be willing to do it.

And while we know this is quite anecdotal, on the way to Edinburgh with Arseblog Tom after the cup final, he mentioned he’d watched Rosicky after the game and he seemed somewhat distant from the group.

His disappointment at not making the squad must have been part of that, but it’s sad that this is a situation that’s teetering on unhappiness. When you look at the squad, and his age, you do wonder if perhaps the best thing for him and us would be to call it a day this summer.

If he didn’t play as much as he liked this season, how much will he play next? We love Tomas here at Arseblog News, so fingers crossed this doesn’t play out much further in public.

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Ormey88

Maybe AW decided to activate that clause so we could ensure that we would get some money for him? Rather than let him sign for someone on a free..

Seems petty, but this is Arsene Wenger we’re talking about!

GOONERSMURF

are you suggesting that Wenger is behaving like Mourihno? I don’t think so! Tom is hurting, but I find his outburst a bit concering much like Ramsey’s blubbering about his wing position.

Uncle tommy will be fine.

Ormey88

I’d never suggest that Wenger is anything like Mourinho!

Just saying that Arsene has been known to look after the pennies…

gar14

Imagine an intelligent man with a economics background not wanting to throw away stupid money while building a world class multi-million pound stadium…stingy fucker

Ormey88

The man is a genius and an absolute legend. I’m not suggesting anything to the contrary.

I just can’t work out why he would activate this clause and then barely play him (Or even include him in some match day squads).

Mark Hughes

But which players has he held on to that don’t want to be at Arsenal anymore?

Players off the top of my head that wanted to leave Arsenal and did:

Anelka, Vieira, Cole, Campbell, Reyes, Toure, Adebayor, Nasri, Fabregas, van Persie, Song, Vela. There are countless others that didn’t want to play with a cannon on their chests and were sold to free up wages and make space.

If no one buys Rosicky then this ‘looking after the pennies’ theory you have goes right out of the window as his wages arent going to be zero.

hg

Ozil and Sanchez were cheap?

RosaLegend

how is this an outburst. He is handling this absolutely professionally. This is an ongoing and long-term problem of Wenger not playing Rosa when he always impacts the game for the better and often other midfielders are inconsistent. I’m still raging about him not featuring in the final. Not even the fucking bench…

gooner1981

It’s the exact opposite of what Wenger would ever do! Wenger looks at players as people rather than ‘assets’ (to our detriment in some cases). On the one hand the Chelsea way of signing a bazillion young players, sending them on loan and basically hoping that if you throw enough mud something will stick makes perfect business sense (especially with the FFP rules and whatnot). But Arsenal are a classy club, and don’t treat players like pieces of meat in a market. We don’t tap up players, or talk about players before a deal is done, or wave plastic flags.… Read more »

gooner 44

C F C no fuckin history.
thankyou.

David

Given we massively outperform our investment dollars, treating players like humans seems like a good investment to me.

GOONERSMURF

I am Hurt 🙁

Walcott's left footed curl

Would be gutted if he turned on the club, because we somehow mishandled his contract situation. Rosicky is a great player and a fantastic character. I’m very glad that he’s been a part of our club and would love to see him end his career here, testimonial and all. But I also feel that he has given us his best years, and if it’s his perogative to leave, the club should not stop him.

CB

If he wants to leave I’m sure he will. He has a great manager for allowing that.

David C

strange that he did’t make the bench even…Contrast that to Barca’s treatment of Xavi in CL final.

Tomas could have easily had a nice 10-20 mins in the final and that would have been a nice swan song with Arsenal.

I love the guy and hope he gets the testimonial next year, but it’s tough to see who sits. He could at least be more involved as a squad player.

jo

what’s been bumming me out is the fact that we didnt use him in the first place when we definitely could have. He could have played on the right instead of ramsey in some of those late-season games, ramsey could have rested a little and spelled cazorla in the middle as well. He could have played the odd game on the left to give sanhez a break. He could have spelled cazorla for a game or two himself. There was no need for him to be so left out, given how he performed on the field. Baffling, really.

jony

Cose wenger is a prick

cesc van pushy

rosicky is class

cesc van pushy

unsung hero of arsenal

oluwapunkey

will miss you

Nacho

I think it’s pretty likely he’ll leave this summer. He’ll be 35 this year, many other players in front of him. He’s still a wonderful player but I’m sure he’s thinking: if he’s not getting any games with us, what’s the point?

Andy

In American sports (baseball, mostly) a lot of contracts have extra years included as ‘team options’ or ‘player options’ which can be activated by well, er, the team or the player without the other party having any say at all. So maybe that’s what we had with Super Tom? I hope he plays more next season because I love him, but part of me is also a little worried that we extended his contract so he can force a move away which would mean we could make a little bit of money from a sale? That’s extremely cynical, I know,… Read more »

gar14

I think this is quite common place to be honest. I believe Monreal has a year left on his contract with the option on another year if the club wish to take it too.

I guess it’s smart from a clubs point of view but this is Tomas Rosicky we’re talking about here. A bit of respect, please!

Thierry Walcott

We’re making out Arsene to be an ass in this situation here, which is totally unfair to Le Prof. We’re forgetting that it is the same manager who stuck with Rozza when things weren’t happening for him (injuries, which were not his fault) in all those earlier years. Wenger has shown more than most that he loves Rosicky, time and again. Why he hasn’t played him more regularly the past season is not because he’s be an ass to Rozza, we should know this. I do believe that is Tom wants to leave this summer he will be allowed to.… Read more »

gar14

I too believe that if Tomas wants to leave he will be allowed. I didn’t mean that Wenger was being disrespectful. Just that Tomas deserves to be happy after years of loyal service, professionalism and great hair.

I agree with everything you said!

RosaLegend

Maybe not a lack of respect on the manager’s part as you said but why not play him more when there were dozens of games begging for his presence on the field? And of course he has a role to play at the club. He’s the Czech captain and a great on a on field encourager to have.

dennisthemenace

i don’t think the numbers would stack up to support our primary motivation for keeping rosicky being financial. after his wages, signing on fee, and customary pound of flesh given to the agent i really doubt any transfer fee for a soon to be 35 year old would bring us out ahead. i suspect he was kept to provide cover for the annual arsenal injury crisis, which never quite showed up in full force as it has in most recent seasons. do feel for the man though and hope we can get him a deal he’s happy with, i’m sure… Read more »

gooner4lyfe

Would love to see him stay, but i know his frustration of not getting so much playing time on the pitch. We have too much squad depth i think until AW didn’t know who to put up on the bench & at the end, have to left rosicky out of the squad. Whatever it’s, we love you little mozart.

goonero

This makes a lot more sense. Was wondering what had lead to the sudden u-turn since January. I don’t think Rosicky deserves to be kept around unhappy. Would have loved him to stay on at Arsenal but it would be a waste to see his final years soured in this way. I’m sure he won’t be short of offers abroad, Italy, the U.S.

Rozza the samourai

He definitely has and has shown the quality and stamina to be a substitute for a good 30 mn in every game and be a starter if there are injuries or a midfielder is rested. I have no worry if Ramsey or Carzola is rested and Rosicky is on the pitch. Him not getting game time when the team was underperforming at the beginning of the season was utter squad mismanagement from Wenger.

WengersNoseHair

I believe he is still one of our quickest players over 40m, incredible.

bestie

Not a player who I’d begrudge a move away at all – he’ll be 35 come the start of the season (or is that 30 in Tomas years?!) and needs to be playing regularly, really, at this stage in his career. I’d love him to stay; partly so he can get a testimonial, partly because he’s a great guy with huge experience to have around and partly because he is still a useful player who offers us something different in midfield, but if Wenger sees him as being behind Ramsey, Wishere, Cazorla and Özil (and probably Arteta, too) for the… Read more »

Darren

Feel sorry for big tom atm. For me still one of the best midfielders in the premiership. Even at he’s age ! And the man is a gentleman and a great professional :/ should of let him if is not going to be used . He has a few years left at top level . He needs to be playing

Balder

I dont think Wenger knows how to develop or utilize elder players. Not many Terry’s, Lampards, Scholes, Giggs, Buffons, Pirlos type legendary club players that stayed towards the end of their 30s in our club since Wenger joined.

Perhaps it has to do with Wengers love of giving young prospects their chance instead of holding onto relics no matter how good they might be.

Anyways, the treatment of Rosicky for the final is in stark contrast to that of Xavi for Barcelona who got some minutes to say goodbye in the Champions League final.

Eissek

Well it was confirmed already that it was Xavi’s last match for Barcelona, whereas Rosicky may not even being leaving.

CB

Tommy can do that next year with us.

CB

Of course he’s laughing – earning loads of cash by most people’s standards, keeping fit very day, sometimes playing for the greatest club ever, good team spirit, lives in a nice place, no doubt an attractive partner, won’t have to work again the rest of his life if he is sensible, but can do what he wants from now (Mayor of Prague?), leaving a great legacy, well remembered everywhere.

I’m keen that he’s happy but most of us would swap places with him.

Tom thumb

I think it would be best if he signed for a club where he would be the focal point of the team,he’s a class act and his experience and talent would be asset to most premier league clubs,would be strange to see him in a different kit because he’s been here so long but he deserves first team football

Arsenal's Legend

I didn’t find it funny either TR7

Anteneh

i would be professional too if i was getting paid a lot of money to sit on the bench.

RosaLegend

thank God becoming a professional footballer doesn’t come down to a decision but rather an everyday one and hard work to back it up.

Third Plebeian

One of my favorite players–or I guess I should say personalities–at the club. He’s really been with us throughout the transition from the Invincibles squad to the present-day assembly of a new group of highly competitive stars.

I wish he could have played more, because I think the transition would have been easier with him on the pitch more than the treatment room. As much as the loss of Eduardo in Feb 2008, I think our title charge was derailed by the long-term injury to Rosicky just prior to (or was it just after?) that infamous day at St Andrews.

n11gooner

Love him but its probably time for him to go. Best of luck to him in whatever he does. Legend

berlingoon

I think if everybody is fit he will find it hard to get in the squad. But as soon as we have one or two injuries he will be in it and will be a top top back up. I think it’s hard for us to find a player of that quality who would be satisfied with that much game time but we need back ups if we really want to challenge for the league next season. And I think even if he wouldn’t play that much, he would love to win the league with us at last. So I… Read more »

Silent Stan's Content Mustache

Now this makes a whole lot more sense, unfortunately.

Luka

“It’s also interesting that he implies the activation of the contract extension wasn’t quite mutually agreed – although surely both parties would have to be willing to do it.” In contract law, there are so called “options”. In this case, there was an “option” in Rosicky’s contract to extend a contract for another year. 1) There had to be a consensus about this “option” when the contract was signed (or previously extended) from both parties, i.e. Rosicky and Arsenal. 2) But there didn’t need to be any consensus when the club decided to activate this “option”, so once Rosicky and… Read more »

Cornelius P. Snuffington III

Yes it’s true that the club apparently had an option, but it’s still true in my opinion that they wouldn’t have activated it if Rosicky was completely opposed. Perhaps at the time it was announced he was convinced he would feature more, and his complete exclusion in the time since has made him regret it.

AllGunsABlazin

All the dungeon jokes might not be wrong.

Luka

Anyways, it’s sad to see Tomaš being sad. Maybe we should let him go back home and finally give Zelalem some first team minutes?

Chris O.

I hate to see Tom leave under a cloud, but I do think that he’s far too good of a player to hold onto just to play him merely 15-20 times a season as a squad player. He’d be a star even still in virtually any other league in the world. If he wants to leave, let him go. That’s just more games for Jack, who needs more games anyway.

Bosscielny

Am I the only one who thinks that wenger underutilizes rosicky?
He is brilliant technically. I would even put him in the same bracket as ozil and Cazorla.
Hope to see more of him next season.

WengersNoseHair

Strong words from the handsome man. I did not expect this from Arsenal or Wenger, very sad to say. It looks like he will be a squad filler for cup games, particularly the League Cup, or when there’s an injury crisis.

LA

For years we’ve bemoaned the fact we don’t keep experienced players around, don’t built a deep squad with quality players and aren’t proactive with players contracts…. Can’t have it both ways.

Zizou

No player is bigger than the club but some times you have to be a bit flexible with the rules. It’s not like he is chasing money or a move to another team, he just wants to play. I know I’ve been on here before saying that the team shouldn’t be rotated too much just so the team keeps its fluency but I think there’s definitely been opportunity to play Rosicky more often this season. I love Tom and every time I’ve seen him play he raises the tempo of the game. I hope Wenger gives him a more game… Read more »

Coq Au Vin

My cat’s name is Zizou.

'desi'gner gooner

The manager wants to keep him because he wants to challenge on all fronts next season. I wouldn’t be surprised if Mozart turned out as captain in the league cup, with a strong starting eleven. We might also see more rotation in the three game weeks next season. Also we aren’t always lucky in terms of injuries and Mozart could walk into the first team against any opposition since he is steeped in the Arsenal way of playing…

skinnyarse

I always questioned why he never got even 30 mins, he always makes a difference when he comes on.

Ex-Priest Tobin

If you’re good enough to play you will. Stop whining and get on with the job.

Thierry Walcott

Re-phrase that. Otherwise the theory of it is true. Wenger can’t keep everyone happy every week. And that is the gospel.

RosaLegend

What a stupid and irrelevant statement.

RosaLegend

Since when is that true?

ckZA

As someone that didn’t jump the ship when countless others have, I am quite sad about the pocket rocket that is Rosicky. He deserves a hero’s retirement at Arsenal. It’s been a while since someone has been with the club long enough to qualify, and I stand firmly behind him being part of that Arsenal legacy.

I rate loyalty and commitment far beyond anything else. He ran his balls off for us, even at a “late” age.

No 1 is Perry Groves

I have to say that I feel he should have played a lot more than he did. He was by far our best player against Sunderland, and that despite only coming on for 10 minutes. If he’d come on earlier, or if he’d come on against Swansea I think the results could very well have been different. The same goes for other games this season. I guess if Arsene doesn’t want to play him (although I can’t understand why), it would be best for him to leave and enjoy the last years of his career actually playing football. I’d prefer… Read more »

DuckandChips

He only recently signed an extension and prior to that he wasn’t getting many games anyway, so it begs the question: why sign an extension, knowing you’re already lagging behind players in the pecking order? Also, he’s competing for a place with the likes of Santi, Ozil, Ramsey, Wilshire, The Ox…we’re not lacking in numbers there. What does he expect? I like Rosicky but I wouldn’t have him over the players mentioned above, despite the fact he played Battery by Metallica (very badly I should add) on a Xmas Arsenal YouTube video. This outburst is very strange and I find… Read more »

He is not saying anything controversial to be honest and keep in mind that the quotes can be incorrect, this is silly season after all.

Charvakan

It’s safe to say that AFC wanted Rosicky on board for the balance of the season. He’s not being jerked around. We went through a period in which he was not playing well (coming back from injuries) and periods in which he was injured and could not play. We stuck with him. He’s entitled to his disappointment at his lack of playing time; he’s not being disloyal. But his last good year or two ought to be spent on a team that doesn’t have so many excellent midfielders. I think he’d tear up la Liga or Serie A defenses.

Of course he is frustrated, it is completely natural. Every player at this level want to play as much as possible and we know that. But Rocky is a pro and i am happy that he will stay for another year but i don´t rule out that he actually will leave for MLS or something like that before this summer ends. If we can get some money for a player in that age and with that status it is positive.

Dennis Bz

I love Rocky and cant understand why he hasent played this spring. As many others is saying, he could have saved many points this season. When Rocky plays he’s always giving 110%. Running, tackles, yell at others and when he have the ball you can here the strings of violins. With that told and to this matter, i think Wenger is willing to “overlook” the fact that he is 35 and that’s for one reason. How many days have Rosicky been in Arsenals rehab? The only one who have more time there is Diaby and that can’t be so many… Read more »

GOONERSMURF

there’s more to this story…

He's got no hair but we don't care...

Of all the top 4 clubs, we’ve always had a history of our players speaking in public when frustrated.
I love Tommy but with the riches in our midfield, did he really think he’d be starting much or even on the bench?

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