Monday, December 11, 2006

Chairman Peter Hill-Wood answers YOUR questions


It is exactly 120 years since Arsenal Football Club played their first game.

On December 11, 1886, Dial Square beat Eastern Wanderers 6-0. The victors later became Royal Arsenal, Woolwich Arsenal and then Arsenal FC. To celebrate this event, Arsenal.com asked fans to send in questions for Chairman Peter Hill-Wood. The interview was conducted this morning, here are his answers.

What do you think is Arsenal’s best ever achievement both on and off the pitch? Jo Denham, Bethnal Green.

PHW: “It is impossible to give an answer to that. We have had so many wonderful things happen to us in the last 50 years or so. Moving to Emirates Stadium was a massive achievement. It is an enormous stadium and cost an awful lot of money. I feel it will transform the fortunes of the Club for the future.”

How pleased are you with life at Emirates Stadium so far? Is the new stadium as you envisaged it would be? Richard Gendall, Bude.

PHW: “I think it is far better than I thought it was going to be. I think it looks great and the fans all get a good view. It works very well. I don’t think I could have hoped for it to better than it is. I think it is magnificent.”

As a lot of fans still cannot get tickets for home games, should the ground have been bigger? Gary Caffell, Cheshunt.

PHW: “That is something that we certainly considered. But, overall, my view and I think the view of the other directors was a ground with 60,000 in it is not so big that half the people can’t see anything. I am sure we could sell 80,000 seats for many of our matches but 20,000 people would be miles away from the pitch. I would rather have a more intimate stadium.”

What is your favourite Arsenal match that you watched at Highbury? TF Blinks, East Sussex.

PHW: “I have said this before but that Fairs Cup match against Anderlecht. We were down because we had lost in Belgium. That is as good an achievement in my opinion.”

Does the team depend too much on Thierry Henry? Jamal Ibrahim, Egypt.

PHW: “Team matters really need to be referred to Arsène. He’s the expert. But Arsène has always said that it is not a one-man team. Thierry has not played all that much this season and the boys have proved that they can play whether he is with them or not. You must miss a player of Thierry Henry’s talent but the others have done very well indeed.”

What is your biggest challenge in your time as chairman? John Davies, Huntingdon.

“Every day is a challenge [laughs]. Again I suppose agreeing the development of moving from Highbury to Emirates Stadium. It was a risk. There were no real doubts in my mind although I admit I was nervous that we would not find the finances. But everything fell into place very well.”

With recent club take-overs and ever increasing transfer budgets, will money be available to Arsène Wenger if needed during transfer windows? Ashleigh.

PHW: “Well he has been very shrewd in his transfer dealings, he has not spent huge amounts but has produced a side that can compete at the highest level. We have never denied him any money but he has never asked for silly amounts.”

What do you think of foreign investment in Premiership clubs? Krishan Gohel, Cambridgeshire.

PHW: “I don’t think it does any harm and it brings more money into the game so, you know, good luck to them.”

What do you think about Arsenal's performance this season? Alexei Kovalev

PHW: “We have had one or two disappointing results this season when we have drawn but we should have won. That would have put us up the table. However they are a very young side and I am delighted at the way we have played our football that has been hugely entertaining.”

Who would you consider to be your best managerial appointment? Marc Heller, Mill Hill.

PHW: “That is simple - Arsène Wenger. Definitely. He has been hugely successful but also made the team play attractive football. We are in the entertainment business. Although under George Graham we were successful we did not play particularly attractive, attacking football. With Arsène we play a free-flowing game on the ground with lots of passing. I think it is terrific to watch.”

Who else was considered for the Arsenal job when Arsène was appointed? Michael, Enfield.

PHW: “When Arsène was appointed? That answer is nobody. We approached him and did not think about anyone else

Did you have any doubts about him? Joan Seamark, Brittany.

PHW: “You are always a bit nervous when you appoint a manager because you are never sure he will work like you want him to. But on the day you appoint him you must assume you have made the right decision.”

I am an Arsenal supporter from Malta. I have always wanted to ask you if there have ever been any plans for an Arsenal TV channel to be set up, an obvious source of increased revenue for the club? Damian Camilleri, Malta.

PHW: “Well it isn’t an increased revenue stream. Manchester United and Chelsea have them and I am not sure they make too much money out of them. There is lot of television and there are lots of limits on what you can show on your club channel.”

Do you think Arsenal will ever tour Africa? Abubaker Sekajugo

PHW: “Well we might do. The problem we have with tours nowadays is there is so much football — then there are internationals — that the players get very little time off. So to tour — be it America, the Far East of Africa — is low down in our list of priorities.”

Has there ever been a player you regret not releasing funds for? Imraan, London

PHW: “No I don’t think that there is. With Arsène Wenger we have always gone along with his recommendations. So I would not think there would be anyone he would have wanted that we did not get.”

We have a good team for the future, but it might be another three years or more before it bears fruit. Are there any plans or measures to bring trophies to the Emirates sooner or are you happy with our youth policy? Lim Kian Young

PHW: “I feel we want to build up the youth policy and I think it can bear fruit sooner than the questioner is anticipating. This team can get better and better.”

Who is the best player ever to play in the red and white jersey? Dan Mason, Brentwood, Essex

PHW: “That is an impossible question. I can’t answer it. There are so many players for us who I thought were wonderful — Brady, McLintock, Adams, Bergkamp, Pires, Henry? I can’t just say one player, there have been too many outstanding ones.”

How often do you get to see reserve and youth games? Do you keep up to date with the goings on at the academy? Dave Greenhouse, Cumbria

PHW: “I don’t get to see the games very much. My colleague Richard Carr sees a lot of them. He is very involved in that.”

What are your earliest memories of the Club? Boris, Dusseldorf

PHW: “I suppose going to a game with my father and grandfather in 1948. I think we played Sheffield United. That was my first game but my father and grandfather had been chairman.”

What do you miss most about Highbury? Nathan, Leighton Buzzard

PHW: “It was a very intimate place and I got extremely used to it. It was sad leaving it but, when you look at it, perhaps the stadium was beginning to look a little bit tired. The main stand had been there for 70 years. Everyone was very emotional on that final day against Wigan. I did not cry exactly but I felt very sad.”

Could Arsenal be interested in starting their own League in cooperation with the other members in G14? Ole Dürr Pedersen, Goerlev Denmark

PHW: “The domestic game is very important. I think it is what the supporters prefer. They like the European matches and Champions League but I believe Premiership games are very vital.”

Did you buy anything in the Highbury auction? Jenna Harrison, Oulton

PHW: “The simple answer is no. But I do have a lot of memorabilia I have collected over the years. I have little trophies and bits and pieces. I have a very small house so I don’t have much room for anything else.”

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Chelsea Vs Arsenal

Match Report Barclays Premiership

Stamford Bridge

Sunday, December 10, 2006, 4pm

Chelsea Chelsea
Arsenal Arsenal

By Richard Clarke

One man’s problem is another man’s opportunity.

While many would regard Arsenal’s trip to Chelsea on Sunday as injury-hit and ill-timed, Arsène Wenger believes the Stamford Bridge excursion has come right on cue.

His side might be without three of their most experienced players but, make no mistake, the Frenchman is still actively pursuing the Premiership title. Having taken three points off leaders Manchester United at Old Trafford, the Arsenal manager argues pulling off the same trick against the second place team would kick-start their long-range pursuit of England’s top prize.

"I think it is a very good circumstance for us,” said Wenger at his pre-match press conference on Friday. “It is a relief for the team to qualify for the Champions League [Knockout Stage] and we responded well last week with a good win over Tottenham.

"The morale in the squad is very high and I feel we can go there and beat them.

“I want to win the Premiership and it is a good chance on Sunday to reduce the gap between us and Chelsea. It is up to us to do it.

”It is always difficult to win there but I would give everything for us to do it and go on to win the title.

”It looks crazy, but the next game is Chelsea and it is a good opportunity for us. Man United are still a long way away but we have done well in the big games until now. This is an opportunity for us to show we have the character and the quality. I trust my players to deliver something special on Sunday.”

Thierry Henry (sciatic nerve) will be out for at least another week while Kolo Toure is suspended. William Gallas (thigh) failed a fitness test on Friday morning but Johan Djourou has recovered from his hamstring strain and will take his place alongside Philippe Senderos at centre back. Gael Clichy and Emmanuel Eboue will complete arguably the youngest backline Wenger has ever fielded in a game of this magnitude.

The manager admits that his emphasis on youth has temporarily hampered his team title ambitions. In their stead, Chelsea have scooped back-to-back Premiership crowns. The Arsenal manager acknowledges that, in the starkness of the Premiership table, Jose Mourinho’s side have stolen a march on their North London neighbour. But, he adds, Arsenal are on the rise again.

“Chelsea have become better in recent years,” he said. “It is a side that has been slowly growing and maturing. All their players are between 26 and 32 so they know how to handle big games and be efficient.

“Three or four years ago it was a young side with Lampard and Terry but they are better now. They have also had an injection of good players and they have a good manager. That has made a difference.

”You can only go with the table and think that we have regressed a little bit in comparison but we have rebuilt now and we have huge potential.

“We got to the Final of the Champions League without losing a game and we had a good run after Christmas. That is why I feel the team is ready to take off again.”

Sunday would be the perfect time for the youngsters to spread their wings.