According to a report in the Guardian, Tomas Rosicky is high on the list of candidates to replace Edu as Arsenal’s Sporting Director.
The Brazilian’s surprise departure in November has left a vacancy, with various names linked with the job over the last few months. Arsenal have been in no serious rush to make an appointment, confident that the current recruitment team – for now led by Edu’s then second-in-command Jason Ayto – have what it takes to do any business in January if the club decide to make a signing (or two).
Rosicky was a contemporary of Mikel Arteta as a player, making 246 appearance for the club between 2006 and 2016, after which he had a brief spell at his first club, Sparta Prague, before retirement.
In 2018, he became Sporting Director there, and helped guide the club to the Czech title for the first time in 9 seasons in 2022-23, followed up by a successful defence of the league last season too.
Speaking to James in The Athletic last year, he spoke about his future and potential plans for life beyond his boyhood club.
“When I started this job, I never had the ambition to do it anywhere else but here,” he said. “This was about a pure love for the club where I started.
“But that’s evolving. I had an offer to go and interview for a position with a big club. I refused as I have work still to do here, but it changed my thinking a little bit.”
As per the Guardian piece, his appointment would likely take place at the end of this current season, leaving a big onus on the existing recruitment department, but having played with Arteta and Academy Head Per Mertesacker, his appointment would make some sense and hopefully help bring success on and off the pitch.
One to keep an eye on.
That could be cool.
Little Mozart was easily one of most talented players I’ve seen and one of my faves – those injuries though, damn.
I love everything about this. I feel he’s got unfinished business with the Arsenal.
Arsenal must have some sort of record for signing the most intelligent footballers of all time. You look at other club’s players and they can barely string a sentence together without inane cliches to link their single syllable vernacular.
But we’ve have such smart people at the club. All speak well. All are thoughtful. Most have had a great career post playing days.
Seriously, name me one gormless oaf ala Harry Kane that has played for arsenal.
I’ll wait.
I always thought that, and also that our players tend to be on average better looking. Like we just don’t seem to sign those hideous types like a Carlos Tevez or a Wayne Rooney.
Or is it simply the case with me as Arsene used to say, that “everyone thinks they have the prettiest wife at home”?
Senderos was a bit of a minger.
But he was a qualified lawyer, if I remember rightly.
Gervinho had a better than average forehead
Nearly a fivehead, to be fair.
Hleb looked like a heroin addict though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-XxbdR3Nik 😀
Look at my username 🙂
Andre Santos?
Make that, “Arsene Wenger must have had some sort of record.”
When i used to play Football Manager, I filled every staff position with retired Arsenal players. I approve this appointment.
Always loved Tomás Rosicky, and if this is true then I love the fact that Wenger’s boys will continue to be so dominant in running this club.
Best news we’ve had in ages
Great, just hope he has the gravitas to pull off the big deals
If he gets an agent in a room with him it’ll be Czech, mate.
Oh, well done indeed.
As long as he doesn’t bounce!
I trust our Little Mozart to be composed.
Thomas Rosicky was probably my favorite Arsenal player to watch.
How will he be as an SD is totally unrelated to that, but he has all the good will from me already.
That classic Rosicky half turn tho
Would love to see TR7 back at the Red and White, in any capacity. He has success at SD position, So hopefully he can carry that success on here.
Signing us some world class players, passing them over to Mikel with the outside of the boot. Can’t wait
This…. would be fuckin excellent.
Bring in Flamini on the Board as an investor too, and Arteta could have ex teammates throughout the club! Flamini on the Board, Rosicky as Sporting Director, Arteta manager and Mertesacker Academy.
Please not Flam☹️
Isn’t Flamini already rich enough to buy Arsenal?
I owe it to Tomáš Rosický that I’m an Arsenal fan. For many international fans, it’s often the little moments that make you a fan of a certain club thousands of miles away. I have three formative memories: 1 In 2002, I had a FIFA demo on PS2 that I played endlessly – Arsenal was one of the few clubs you could pick to play with. 2 My grandpa gave me a huge “Thierry Henry – All time leading goal scorer” poster for Christmas that’s still on the door of my childhood bedroom. Then there was this short and very… Read more »
I’ll never forget how he signed during the 2006 World Cup, and when he scored a 25-yard screamer against the US right after signing the commentator said “They’re going to LOVE him at Arsenal!”
Great moment. For that week, football was infinite possibility.
Super, SuperTom, etc. Let’s have ya!
I like this a lot – feels like the Bayern Munification of our back room staff. I would never agree with hiring anybody just because they played for Arsenal, but when there’s somebody competent with an Arsenal connection I think they should always be considered. Heritage and culture aren’t just advertising slogans, they’re things that have to be preserved and passed down.
Love this.
God I love Rosicky
If you love football, you love Tomas Rosicky – Arsene Wenger (2014 probably)
I like this idea, our Mozart was an exciting attacking player and would be a big help to identify and recruit good forward players. Bring it on!
I don’t understamd this :
Our recruitment is shithouse, our recruitment team is shithouse and slow, and our recruitment needs are urgent. Yet the team act like they’re on holiday sipping Pina Coladas and collecting their fat cheques.
Pound for pound, our recruitment department must be up there as one of the worst in the league – only Man United, Southampton and Everton could challenge for that unwanted title.