Nice have announced that Gilles Grimandi has joined the club as their new Technical Director.
The former Gunner was previously our chief scout in France, and presided over a period in which our signings from there were hit and miss. Laurent Koscielny was a big success, Olivier Giroud did well, but Yaya Sanogo not so much. And during a time in which a fantastic generation of French talent emerged, we didn’t seem to be close to signing any of them.
Grimandi will link up with his ex-teammate Patrick Vieira, and he told their official website, “I consider joining OGC Nice as a chance. After 20 years at Arsenal, I’m happy to be back in France, in a project that reminds me of my first years in England.
“I am obviously delighted that our paths cross again [re: Vieira]. But I would not like shortcuts to be made, that we imagine that I decided on a whim just because Patrick was in Nice.
“I’m coming for the club project. It is an ambitious club, with solid bases and whose membership has a real potential that we will have to complete and perfect .
“I will settle in Nice every day at the end of the month, but I am already at work, motivated by a great motivation to show me worthy of the trust given to me.”
There’s nothing more motivating that motivation, that’s for sure, and we assume this now leaves us requiring somebody else to head up the scouting operation in France.
Given that we have yet to announce the replacement for Sven Mislintat, or a Head of Scouting, that might be something that happens a bit further down the road.
Anyway, good luck to Gilles at his new club.
I am not gonna apologize to be off-topic: Cazorla playing great again at Villareal 31 games, 6 goals, 6 assists. I wasn’t aware until today. This is genuine Arsenal news anytime.
Now on topic, Vieira lost Balotelli, has a squad without special quality but winning games.
Since we’re already off topic, have you seen BBC are asking this rather ludicrous question! Who is best Dutch player in Premier League history?
https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/47443053
I reckon we should all vote dirk Kuyt!!
That’s not even a question. If you took the word “Dutch” out of the sentence, it would still be a no brainer.
Glen Helder was Dutch, wasn’t he?
Beat me to it
Oh my Dennis, what a pointless question.
Watched a few games, still enjoying football. His team however…
Since this is off topic lol
Regarding VAR
If Kane wasn’t offsides and no penalty was called on mustafi even though he clearly fouled Kane and the ball went out of of play would that be reviewed to see there wasn’t a penalty during that play since it was close to goal?
If a penalty was called on mustafi like it was on Saturday, would VAR only review the actual penalty or review the whole play from start to finish?
Or VAR only used when a player scores? Only when a Penalty is called?
If my auntie had bollocks would she be my uncle? Hope VAR will be able to answer this as it is keeping me awake.
If they were attached to your Auntie then yes I would say she is your uncle, however if she just had a pair in a jar I wouldn’t go visiting her.
Nowadays who can say
Cali, this article touches on a lot of those questions:
https://www.goal.com/en-us/news/var-in-premier-league-why-2018-19-season-when-introduced/1ujo235owuj3q1wsx6vysf7uzu
If nothing is called on the field, VAR referee can notify the Head Referee of something they have seen.
If I’m not mistaken play leading up to the event CAN be reviewed.
But all that can still be out the window if we’re lined up against Mike Dean.
The head center ref still gets ultimate call on what to use VAR for, and whether or not it overrides the decision on the field, subject to the muddy phrase ‘clear and obvious error’.
Thanks
As we are already off topic, should I become a lawyer or a wildlife photographer?
With a question like that I’m going to say Lawyer.
Or conservative political radio talk host.
Judging from the Madrid-Ajax match, there can be a VAR review of a play that led to a goal even if there were MANY intervening actions. I don’t know if the Premier League will have the same standard as the Champions League. Based on yesterday, I certainly hope not.
I’m not always enamored with how VAR is used in MLS, but it’s never been THAT bad. If I were writing the rules it would be if you can’t see it on the replay at full or maybe 3/4 speed at slowest, then it’s not Clear and Obvious, therefore the call (or non-call) on the field stands. But I don’t know the exact rules for UCL. I think they are different for out of bounds and offsides where the call is supposed to be absolute, and they don’t use the criteria “clear error”. This is where the League needs to… Read more »
Hi Guys, slightly off-topic, with all the rumours about Monchi joining us a technical director, can someone explain please on what is the difference in job scope between technical and football director? I understand that with Raul stepping up we have noone fullfiling either of these roles, do we need then one Monchi or two Monchis? Cheers!
As far as I am aware, there isn’t a standard job description (JD) for either a director of football or technical director.
The jobs concerned will therefore vary from club to club, and from country to country, with football clubs being free to write and tailor the JD as they see fit, according to their particular needs and wants.
Thanks Mate. So in the nutshell – it does not make a shit of a difference?
So was Sven just in charge of the scouts? And recommendations of players?
Raul would be the one to finalize and movement on the players?
From all above, what exactly does Raul do at Arsenal ?
Well the only tangible think that im aware of is not giving Sven the technical director role (whatever the fuck it means ;)) and hence getting rid one of the most respected scouts in the world from our Club. Ah, also making sure we spent 000$ in January when absolutely needed to strenghten our squad. Sounds impressive doesnt it?;)
Firing people and kicking Rambo out of the club
Your picture perfectly shows the sadness of your post mate.
Now if Bayern get Xavier Amaechi then I’m seriously done with this club.. I haven’t gotten over gnabry yet and this? .. Bayern pursuit of Xavier amaechi is no coincidence…mislintat is at work here…sonce he is going to Bayern.. mislintat knows our gems very well.. Same wit grimandi…and it won’t be long before grimandi starts goi6for them also for Nice.. i think arsenal have to secure their future gems(nelson,smith Rowe,xavier amaechi,saka,folarin balogun, willock, nketiah, nwakali, tyreece John Jules)… If not we might not go into a golden period like Barcelona in those successful years
If Amaechi potentially leaving makes you “done with this club” then you better quite now mate.This journey is gonna have FAR bigger heartaches and disappointments than this.
The player has a contract till 2022 if I’m right. We don’t need to sell.
But since hearing of Bayern and Dortmund links, I’m interested in watching him have a go with the senior squad.
1) Read a gossip piece about Munich being after one of our previously unheard of academy members.
2) Find an above average highlights reel of said player on YouTube.
3) Spend the rest of the day fretting about his impending departure and what that means for the state of the club.
Summer is coming…
*Holds sword in fur coat but with shades on)
I love our young players like you do but damn lol golden generation?
Even if arsenal offer a good contract you can’t make everyone happy. Players need to look out for their professional careers. Signing with arsenal and going on loan after loan after loan isn’t ideal either.
This is most definitely the only risk to our Barcelona like Golden Period.
Only thing I know about him is he’s very highly rated on FM. After Reiss Nelson he’s our best prospect. FM is usually spot on with this sort of thing. Maybe we’ll get a look at him toward end of season
I don’t know why football clubs don’t just sack their scouts and listen to FM and FIFA. Mbappe, Sane, de Ligt, Dembélé, Donnarumma… I was playing these guys years before they broke onto the scene. With Sven out, let’s just buy a PC with a decent graphics card and go nuts…
Go mate.
Since we’re off topic….. PSG was rumored to want to buy Guendouzi for around £60million. If selling Guendozi meant we got de Ligt would yall be happy with that??
This is an interesting point. All the time you hear people emphasizing that our signings should have a resale value. But I bet now one would be happy if we actually lost a big talent for a huge profit.
*no one
Ya that’s what I was thinking and I feel like the defense is a bigger issue than midfield so just seemed like it’s a deal that could make sense. Seems like we have more options in the midfield with Torreira, Xhaka, Ozil even Smith-Rowe and AMN, but with defense Holding injured Kos is aging and Mustafi loves to ruin games for us.
What makes you think de ligt wants to come to arsenal?
To answer the actual question, no. Only because we have soo many needs that buying one expensive player wouldn’t help especially someone soo young at his position. I would rather get many players and add some serious competition at every position and depth.
Unless we are selling more players like one of the strikers and others to add to the rumored “40m” budget for the summer. Than that would shift priorities.
I’m not sure if he would want to or not but with us being linked with Ajax director, the director already said he would sign him to whichever club he goes to. Liverpool spent the money on VVD and he’s made such a difference with their defense just thought it could do the same for us. Yes de Ligt is young but with veterans like Kos and Sokratis he could learn quickly
Mate don’t gt your hopes up. Lest you wake up and find Mustafi here next season, and no De Ligt, because the club would have us believe that we’re broke.
It doesn’t matter what Overmars said, I’m sure he would like to take De Ligt with him, but the player is the one deciding. He’ll be moving for a massive amoount of money to a top CL club, we’re out of that loop now unfortunately.
Posts like this are always funny starting with totally unrealistic expectations of us, a Europa League club, signing the hottest talent on the world stage who has been making waves in the EL and CL and thus alerting every club in the world. There’s virtually zero chance we will be able to sign him right now, he’s in another class now and will signing for a tier one club for a massive fee. Our only chance to sign such talent is one or two years before, now it’s too late.
We did have an advantage over other similar, situated clubs: Wenger. A lot of younger players thought of Arsenal as a big club, a club on par with Man United or Bayern, because of him. (Don’t go nuts–I’m not arguing he should have stayed because of that, just pointing out what I believe to be a pretty obvious fact.)
Absolutely up to a point, that was 10 years ago. I think he lost a lot of that caché with young players that saw what happened with our talent injury-wise e.g.. There’s a plethora of names of players, mostly young french players that are breakthrough stars now, that wouldn’t sign for him. See for example tzhe whole Monaco squad, there were believable accounts that we’ve been watching and trying of each and every one of them, from Sidibe to Fabinho to Mpabbé. I think we’ve been overstimating the esteem he had. Personally I think more than anything the failures to… Read more »
That’s a very Nice new job for Grimandi.
Nice
Never forget when Gilles stopped a sp**s Player from scoring the first goal at Emirates.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PtidXpWaVVM
The look at the end cancels out sanago
That was decision making at its finest.
That’s not taking one for the team, that’s taking one for the honor and pride of the entire club.
Top class.
Happy Trails Gilles.
We need to be more aggressive in market. Mslintat is hit and Msiss. We should have got Mahrez for Wenger. That Rwing has been dormant and heavily dependent on Bellerin in the overlap, exposing issues behind. The Algerian was want away at Leicester last Jan and rumored to prefer a move to London. Price would have been likely 30-40m which would be high but no where near the eventual 60m+ tabled by City as a panic buy at end of window. At the same time we could have done more to resolve Ramsey early and not have extended Ozil at… Read more »
If we signed Mahrez, we wouldn’t have signed Aubameyang, there wasn’t enough cash for both. We made the correct decision. Agreed we should have done more to resolve the Ramsey situation one year ago.
Despite everything else you said, I really like the idea that Mslintat is hit and msiss.
Who was the idiot who signed Santi Carzola?
Arsene Wenger
Gilles is club legend and I wish him well. Will always fondly remember Simeone loosing his sh*t chasing him around the pitch with a blood bandage.
Also, wasn’t his fault we didn’t sign players like Mbappe or Griezmann – both of who he recommended to the the club when they were young.
Losing staff to mid-table (at best) French clubs. Nice one.