Arsene Wenger has paid homage to Tomas Rosicky on the day the Czech veteran celebrates his tenth anniversary at Arsenal.
The 35-year-old bid farewell to the Emirates after the 4-0 win against Aston Villa on the final day of the season and is expected to continue his playing career elsewhere when his Gunners contract ends in July.
Reflecting on a decade spent sharing a dressing room, the boss lamented the injuries that deprived him more contact with a player he so respects.
“It will always be a frustration [he didn’t play more games] because first of all Tomas was an exceptional talent,” Wenger told Arsenal Player.
“I personally, like we all do here, love the player. The standing ovation he gets every time he walks out there tells you a lot.
“We love the man as well, and his attitude, and his exceptional class and qualities. It’s sad [that he’s leaving] but I must say, for me it was a privilege to manage him.
“He makes it look very easy when he’s playing. He has a quality – when the ball comes to him the game suddenly becomes a bit quicker, more incisive, more mobile.
“He had all the football qualities to play the game we love to play here, and I would say Tomas Rosicky was the perfect player for Arsenal Football Club.”
Tomas’ experience will certainly be missed at the Emirates. He ends his time at Arsenal with 28 goals in 246 appearances and now has a decision to make about where he spends the final years of his playing career.
Time to enjoy his best bits…grab a tissue.
I haven’t even watched the vid, and im already in tears ??
My favorite player from this squad.Im going to miss watching him play.
Hodor 🙁
Genius
Just watched it :'(
GOT and this Tomas tribute vid have made me a blubbering mess the last two days :'(
Tries not to cry.
Cries.
Great player. Sad for him and us that we didn’t see more of him, would have made a big difference if we had.
He’s just the best. That turn of pace, that gliding dribble style, that slide tackle… ugh, I just wish we could’ve seen more of it. There’s a reason he’s a fan favourite, he gave it his all. He’s up there with Messi for me. He’ll always be my idol.
It’s like he was here, and there was this slow build up to this moment, like a verse, when he would become a god in Premier League football. And his best years just zipped us by; and that final burst of establishment of greatness he deserved, that chorus, it never really came: and he suddenly grew too old. It’s sad.
Such a cool guy, TR7. So classy.
Great player, better man; underrated hair as well.
That goal a couple years ago against Sp*rs…
That song though. Couldn’t take it.
Going to miss Tomas, fantastic player.
Why I love this guy.
https://vimeo.com/63615795
Can’t decide which I liked more, the slide tackle or the outside of the foot pass… I know there’s no room for sentiment, but damn I wish he’d play at least one more year
Me too Arsène, me too.
Hold the door for rozza ?
The goal against Liverpool in the FA Cup many years ago is the one I truly remember. I think Henry was still playing then but I’d say this, very few players in our squad now epitomize what we’ve come to know arsenal for. Very few players in the squad today that you imagine if they were in the invincible era would gel right in and you just can’t help but think of how well they’d connect with our legends. Roaicky is one of those players and I surely would miss his footballing prowess, his lovely attitude and smiles whilst playing… Read more »
Kos the Boss:
http://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2016/05/23/sl-alderweireld-vs-koscielny-season-comparison-the-arsenal-and-t/page/1/
If only he was fit
\m/\m/
I have a lot of fond memories of Rosicky, but for some reason that run down our right flank to prevent Ronaldo cutting in…sticks in my mind. An absolutely gut-busting run, keeping pace with Ronaldo. Wonderful determination.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DlcBr5LZe4
I have loved no Gunner like Rosicky.
I love the player. I love the man.
My best.
We’ve had many what if players at Arsenal, Diaby and Eduardo being some of the most emotionally taxing stories, the kind that just pausing to think about fills you with sadness. We signed Rosicky at the peak of his powers, a player earning a reputation as one of the best offensive midfielders in Europe and looking like a young pavel nedved. When we signed him I half creamed my pants. The midfield combination of him on the left, hleb on the right and flamini amd fabregas in the middle was hands down the best midfield Arsene has put together since… Read more »
“…until into the second half of the season when our annual collapse began, his injury being part of it.”
===
Absolutely. His injury being a BIG part of it. That season’s collapse is very often blamed on losing Eduardo to that horrific injury, but I think the loss of Rosicky (whose injury occurred just before our tumble down the table) hurt us more.
Totally agree with the second part of your post. People dwelt on the Eduardo injury because of the emotion surrounding it, but Super Tom was more instrumental in us topping the table in the first place. I’ve always thought that made more of a difference to us overall. He was my favourite player in this squad and he’ll be a big miss for me. I often just watched him when I was in the stadium because he made the game so good to watch – he was so effortless at times, it’s a real shame he ccouldn’t stay fit for… Read more »
There’s a good argument to be made there. Considering the replacements for hleb and TR7 that season were Eboue and Walcott (armand traore too if you want to include him)…while upfront we had Adebayor scoring goals for fun, RvP intermittently fit and scoring, Bendtner before he ascended to lordhood and was actually a decent backup striker, cesc contributing too.
I still think the emotional toll of that Birmingham game was huge, it must have really shaken our boys. There was the injury, the cunt mike dean giving the penalty for a dive, Gallas losing his mind…sigh.
Yep, and don’t forget Adebayor screwed up a great chance to put us 3-1 up that Birmingham would not have come back from despite what else went on to happen. He was selfish instead of squaring a pass to a totally unmarked player (can’t remember who now) to slot in. From that moment on the season changed.
Hands down, the best comment I’ve read on arseblog. Goosebumps all over my body. That midfield was something else, Rosický and Flamini my favourite players from last season, different reasons obviously.
Still love Eduardo’s song!
Glad you liked it! The real goosebumps hit when I rewatch some of he highlights of that team in top gear. I still remember the commentator from the Slavia Prague CL group game as we took them apart 7-0 stuttering in disbelief “This…this is perfect football!”. And it was. Technical excellence and telepathic team play. More than that .with Flamini in his pomp and Rosicky at his scampering best and Sagna in all his braided glory, we had the perfect blend of silk and steel.
Agree with you ALL the way, always said that Midfield of Rosicky, Flamini, Fabregas, and Hleb, was the most technically gifted, creative and exciting to watch under Wenger’s era (outside of the Invincibles) . I remember the day we signed Rosicky, I almost slapped my mum I was so Happy, and that Screamer against USA in the world cup SHET MAN!!! I was convinced we were going to Rule Europe with him in our team, but alas fate is a cruel mistress and she conspired to rob us of the service of a truly resplendent player. We will miss you… Read more »
Rosicky is one of the great soccer players in the premier league. His style of play is exceptional and to me his style of play was the core to Arsenal’s style. For one reason or another, Wenger did not give him enough play time, maybe he was too nice and hardly complain about lack of play time. If he was with a manager who understood his talent, he would have been a mega star, without a doubt. It is a shame to let such talent to spend the majority of his golden years on the sideline. I hope this will… Read more »
@ Blazor, did you read the post above the line? If so you failed to the understand the content.
Loved the sudden turn he does with the ball and instantly ups the tempo of the game..
Agree AW never played him enough when he was fit.
Any word on a testimonial?? Normally after ten years a player normally gets one right??
More than deserves it.
When Flamini becomes a billionaire he should invest in age reversal technology and bring Super Tom back to the club.
our favourite metal head!
Arsenal’s midfield has been in need of a bit of revamp as Rosicky and Arteta have got older. frankly both players should have been let go last season and we should have taken in a new player then. In terms of capability, we have as follows (should Granit join as expected) assuming at minimum triple redundancy for all positions : 1) Attacking Midfield. OZIL – RAMSEY The pocket behind the main striker is solely Ozil’s at the moment. But I feel Ramsey has the creativity and passing range to also compete for the role. The other possibility is Jack. 2)… Read more »
You forgot to mention Iwobi, but it was a long enough post anyway.
Great player I love you Rosicky. You saved us a lot of times in the second half of the seasons after when we were betrayed by past players, you sticked by us and was always fighting for the Arsenal. When Rosicky was on the field he was always looking to make something happen and not many players could come on in a game and make a difference like Rosicky if you really check it out this guy can come in a create two there chances in no time. 2013-2014 our success at the start of that season, rosicky had a… Read more »
Your comment is so wrought with stupidity it makes me lose faith in the human race.
Many faces in the pantheon of Arsenal greats but Tomas went further. He did the No.7 proud, particularly in continuing its tradition of punishing Sp*rs and Liverpool.
The injuries werent his fault. For what he did, hes an Arsenal great. So glad he won something with us.
Great player but should have been let go earlier than he has been. We’ve wasted so much money over permanently crocked players.
“if you love football, you love Tomas Rosický”, Wenger aptly put it some years back after the czech international had taken the game against brighton by the scruff of the neck
Little Mozart is forever a Gunner.
ain’t no football lover who won’t love him
I thought I had no more tears left after what happened to Hodor.
I have never been so wrong!
Rosicky The Rockstar!
But Wenger took an injured player from Dortmund,he knew he was injury prone and signed him anyway,personally i am not very fond of Rosicky,always out injured like Diaby etc.He always came good when he needed a new contract and Wenger couldnt stand that his pet project was actually a complete failure so he gave him at least 2 contracts to many but that is one of the reasons why Wenger has slacked of,in his early days he would have been ruthless with an injured player like Rosicky.Like Arshavin he never really got going and should have been chucked long before… Read more »
Guess your bacon is cooked!!
You may be Danish, but you are no Gooner at all.
i already miss his no-look passes :’ (
“for me it was a privilege to manage him”
Oozes class Mr Wenger.
Cant wait to see the fuckup Mourinho makes at the scumbags place……….it certainly wont be a “privilege” for him to manage any of their players.
That rasping, rising drive against Tottenham is possibly the best strike of a football of all time.
Give him another year! Seriously he’s still contribute
Class in every sense.
F****ng choked losing little Mozart, yet still we hold on to players that are not fit to clean his boots, you listening Theo??
His goal against the US in the world Cup is the reason I’m an Arsenal fan. I’ll miss you Lil mozart
Little Mozart is just a classical-classy player! He will certainly be missed!
Anyone remember the match in which Rosicky ran from the subs bench to celebrate a late goal?
Wenger a one year extension for tr7 please 🙂
Who is the bell-end on here who keeps disagreeing with everything that is said?
Probably a Spud!
He saved his best for the scum and never played on a team that finished beneath them. Legend!
Shall miss our Little Mozart so much. If only we hadn’t lost him to injury so often. All the Best to TR7 wherever he decides to play next. Sobs.
so maybe he should have played him in the last game instead of giving us b.s. excuses.
or better yet just extended his contract