Why Stewart Robson should be given the sack immediately « Untold Arsenal: Arsenal News. Supporting the Lord Wenger; coach of the decade
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Arsenal History …… Making the Arsenal …… Arsenal Uncovered
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By Michael Shelly and Tony Attwood
Unwarranted criticism emanates from ex-Arsenal players and managers (Bob Wilson, and Charlie Nicholas generally excepted) all day every day. From Paul Merson to Ian Wright, those who have nothing better to do now their playing days are over, knock Arsenal. We see it and hear it day after day after day. It has become an industry – find an ex-Arsenal player, wake him up, and ask him to criticise.
Of course some are decent and never say a negative word. Dennis Bergkamp, Marc Overmars, Thierry Henry…
Maybe it is something to do with nationality (although not all non-English ex-Arsenal players are reasonable in their commentaries, just as not all English ex-Arsenal players are negative). But whatever it is, it generates constant negative feedback as it seems to come from our “own community”, which gives added credence to this criticism.
Of course everyone is entitled to an opinion, however far it is from our own, and you can see some ex-players like Martin Keown doing their level best to keep getting the work (even if it does mean being an organ grinder with a monkey by your side) while trying to give some sort of balanced view (as the producer shouts in your ear, “say something controversial Martin or you are not on next week”.)
Yes everyone is entitled to an opinion, but there is a case where this has just gone far too far: Stewart Robson.
If ever there was an enemy within it is he. We assume he is still employed by the club as a match commentator and summariser and hasn’t recently been sacked, but if he is still there, surely it cannot be right that he is allowed time and space on Arsenal TV while he spends most of his life undermining and criticising everything that Arsene Wenger and his team does.
His commentaries on Arsenal TV are bad enough. But every time he is asked for his comments on that terrible excuse of a radio station Talk Sport he never once has a good word to say about Arsenal, Arsene, or the players, the set up, coaches, or anything. If he was asked to comment on the media centre or the quality of tea in the refreshment lounge I doubt that he would ever find a good word.
It is bad enough that men who we have cheered and given up our savings to watch will criticise and criticise and generally seek to undermine the club that gave them jobs – that just makes them look rather bitter, childish and spoilt. But it is an utter disgrace than an Arsenal employee goes on a National radio station to slag off the respected manager of the club that employs him.
It would be good to know Arsenal TV’s and Arsenal FC’s view about this situation, and indeed if you have written to ask them and have had a reply, do please write to Untold to let us know what was said.
Certainly those of us who are employers would normally take action to stop an employee undermining the company for whom he/she works in this way. There is freedom of speech, but when one of us (Tony) found a member of his staff writing negative things about his company on Facebook she was given a formal warning to stop it.
Generally it is part of a contract of employment that staff uphold the good name and reputation of the company and to contravene that would have been a sackable offence.
Quite what made these players – including Robson – so bitter is hard to see. Certainly it is not love of the club. Maybe it has something to do with the briefing that those producers give them.
“Attack Wenger, OK Paul.”
“Right.”
“Good boy, here’s your cheque.”
That’s how it goes, but really it is a sad reflection on the insight and ability of these men whom we once admired.
But as for Robson – this has just gone too far.
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