“My contract has one year to run and there is an option for one more season which the club can take up. I hope they do because I love Arsenal,” says Bob Pires.
Well it’s nice he wants to stay, but he must know by now that when an Arsenal player hits his thirties, the contract rules appear to change. Even the legendary Dennis Bergkamp had a few difficult moments when renegotiating his contract, so maybe we’ll see the same shenanigans this summer. He’s got one year left on his deal after this, which will take him up to 32¾, but he wants the extra year that would guarantee he could end his career at the club. Would I grant him a one-year extension? Of course I would – despite his increasingly ancient legs, and what some argue has been an indifferent season, he has still scored 13 goals. That’s a pretty good return for a midfielder who has made 30 starts in all competitions.
And it’s now over to the excitement of hurtling down the M4 at a ridiculously early time of day on Saturday. Our convoy (made up of one red people carrier, veteran of about ten semi-final and final campaigns), is all set to depart Islington at 6.30am. We’ll be twiddling our thumbs in Cardiff before 9am. Hopefully, we’ll get our hands on some baps by 9.30am and will be ready for a kip by kick-off.
Baps. What a word.
Think it could be a cracker, Blackburn seem to have warmed up well at the weekend, so the whole team has to be UP for it (Reyes) or we might be in for a disappointment.
Then comes Chelski on the tuesday, at least they can’t clinch the championship with a win, but we haven’t beaten any of the big sides this season (apart form in the Charity Shield) so time for the big boys to show their metal.
I’m looking forward to travelling to Cardiff. It always seems to be a nice dy and ends up being a good day for the team( except charity sheild 2004). There is something special about 35,000 gooners descending on Cardiff and giving the northeners another trouncing!(I hope). See you in the South Stand. I’ll never forget the semi @ Old Trafford v Spurs and EVERY Arsenal fan singing..Oh Rocky, Rocky…Rocky,Rocky,Rocky, Rocky Rocastle! Lets honour the great man again.. Come on you Reds!
Shame on you Rotor – you know that East Upper’s ‘magic sharan’ is actually silver and usually pumping with a specially mixed blend of rap&retro gooner tunes (when not parked in a little chef car park).
It looks best when it’s carrying the picture of you wearing your classic 80’s gooner ‘flat-cap’. I know that this cap has been the subject of a previous blog, but wonder if you could post a picture of this beauty (the cap that his not) to help get us all in the mood for Saturday?
It truly is Georgie Graham’s magic hat….
Typical Fergie, using any opportunity to make snide comments and imply the FA are unduely influenced by Arsenal. He might note it has been proposed that semi finals will be played at the new Wembley for 3 years. The sooner he retires to an armchair with a bottle of whisky the better.
We’ve got the game LIVE over here in the Holy Land, so I’ll be keeping an eye out for you lot. You’ll be the ones with the Arsenal shirts on, right?
Fear not – the cap is making an appearance. I’ll dig up the pic, too…