So, do we chase a replacement? Do we sign a new AM/ST? Who will be our next captain? Will Walcott sign a new contract? Interesting times ahead for AFC.

I remember seeing something about AVB wanting Walcott at spurs?

One of the most lolworthy rumours around.

Anyway, people are getting a bit ahead of themselves. Still a very reasonable chance he will be with us next season.

Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov has criticised the running of the club after Robin van Persie announced he would not be renewing his contract.

The Uzbek billionaire has sent a strongly worded letter to the board accusing them of a lack of investment.

"Yet again we are faced with losing our true marquee player because we cannot give confidence we can win trophies," he writes

"Where are the safeguards to ensure this doesn't happen again?"

Usmanov's Red and White Holding company has a 29% stake in Arsenal. American businessman Stan Kroenke is the majority shareholder, owning 63% of the club.

Kroenke tried to complete a full takeover of the club in 2011 but Usmanov insisted he would not sell.

In the open letter Usmanov accuses chief executive Ivan Gazidis of giving supporters the impression that Red and White was in a bitter stand-off with the board.

"In our view it is clear you are trying to distract attention from the more fundamental issues facing the club. These are the financial model, the lack of investment and club's future strategic direction."

The letter suggests the "real conflict is between the supporters' expectations and your visions for the club".

"Mr Kroenke was sold a vision by the board at a time when the club could be successful without further investment," he writes.

"As a consequence of this policy, which is dressed up as prudent financial planning, it is down to our manager and not the shareholders, to have to deal with the club's tight finances, carry the burden of repaying the stadium debt by selling his best players and having to continue to find cheaper replacements.

"This policy is leading to the loss of our best players, often to main competitors, and even causes the players themselves to question their future at the club and the club's ambitions. The situation with Robin van Persie sums this up."

Van Persie, 28, who has a year left on his contract, revealed on Wednesday that he and manager Arsene Wenger and Gazidis disagreed on the way the club should move forward.

It is not clear whether he the striker - who scored 41 goals in 53 games for club and country last season - will see out the remainder of his contract or seek a move away from the Emirates.

The letter says: "As a top club we should, at the very least, match if not beat the offers that other clubs make to try and lure our very best players away and provide a more compelling vision for the future.

"You can try and put a good face on a bad game for as long as you want, but it will not hide the obvious fact that it just does not allow our great manager to fully realise his managerial talent and deliver success for fans who are paying the highest prices in the land. "

Usmanov says Champions League qualification is the "pinnacle of the club's ambition", and calls for investment to match that spent by Real Madrid, Barcelona, Chelsea and Manchester City or face lowering expectations even further.

He signs off the letter by saying Red and White is willing to buy more shares and retain its shareholding for "family members to benefit for generations to come".

Despite Usmanov's public request, Arsenal are understood to remain committed to their current approach and believe they will be competitive on that basis.

How about potential captains?

Sagna- Loyal club servant, loves the club. Would be in a good position to hand it down to Jack in a couple years time.
Vermaelan- A natural leader, but will he play?
Koscielny- ?
Walcott- One of our most experienced players, [b]and could entice him to stay[b/]- Which I feel we need, as to lose 2 of our top contributing players last year will hurt us.

Edited by jlm8695: 5/7/2012 12:55:12 PM

It's certainly earned me as a supporter. Three captains have left in six years. Some of our best names have jumped ship. RVP's departure is proof that we are not victims to some sort of anomaly. We are a club on the downhill spiral.

It's time to stop pointing the blame at 'selfish' players and time to start asking the difficult questions.

[size=6]Terry Burton joins Arsenal's coaching staff[/size]

Arsenal Football Club is delighted to confirm Terry Burton as its new reserves and head development coach.

Burton joins Arsenal following Pat Rice’s departure as assistant manager at the end of the season, and the subsequent move of Steve Bould and Neil Banfield to the first-team coaching staff.

Born in Camden Town, north London, Burton has had previous spells with Arsenal, as both a youth player and coach.

Joining the Club as a schoolboy, Burton was an integral part of the Arsenal’s FA Youth Cup-winning side in 1971. He later joined the Gunners as a youth coach in 1979, and was instrumental in the hugely successful generation of players including Tony Adams, David Rocastle, Michael Thomas, Paul Merson and Martin Keown. He was also a first-team coach during his time with the Club, notably working with Don Howe in the mid-1980s.

Following his initial spell as a coach with Arsenal, Burton forged a successful coaching career with Wimbledon, where he spent time as manager, and then with Watford, Cardiff City, West Bromwich Albion and most recently working as assistant manager at Sheffield Wednesday, helping guide the Yorkshire side to promotion into the Championship.

Burton will take charge of the Club’s reserves side, but will also head up the Arsenal team which is participating for the first time in next season’s NextGen Series, the elite European Under-19s competition.

Working closely with head of youth development Liam Brady, Burton will also influence coaching strategies across all of the Club’s youth development age groups.

Arsène Wenger said: “We are delighted that Terry Burton is joining Arsenal. I have known Terry for many years and he is someone who is hugely respected and highly regarded in the game. Terry brings with him a wealth of coaching experience and he will be a great asset for us, working with our reserves and youth development players.”

New Arsenal coach, Terry Burton said: “I’m delighted and proud to be joining Arsenal as reserves and head development coach. Having started my career at Arsenal as a youth player, and then as a coach, I know the history, class and values of this great football club. I can’t wait to get started in my new role and to meet the players and my new colleagues.

Burton continued: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank Dave Jones and everyone at Sheffield Wednesday for their support and understanding. Wednesday is a great club and I leave behind many great friends. I wish everyone at Sheffield Wednesday the best of luck for next season.”

Burton joins the Club next week, in time for the start of the Club’s pre-season preparations.

Everyone at Arsenal welcomes Terry back to the Club.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/terry-burton-joins-arsenal-s-coaching-staff

[size=6]Arsenal postpone pre-season game in Nigeria[/size]

Arsenal Football Club has announced it is reluctantly postponing its proposed trip to Nigeria this summer.

The Club has taken the decision as a result of complexities linked to the planned game against Nigeria on Saturday, August 5 in Abuja.

Arsenal marketing director Angus Kinnear said: "Bringing a top-level club to an international market is always complicated and logistically challenging. With the proposed match in Nigeria planned for early August, we could not get comfortable on everything needed to satisfy our requirements, so we have reluctantly taken the decision to postpone the team’s visit."

Kinnear continued: “We have a huge and loyal following in Africa, and we are sorry that the team will not be visiting this summer. However, we have a long-term commitment to Nigeria and we are already making plans for a visit next summer.

"In addition, we also have some exciting forthcoming activities planned with our commercial partners in Nigeria - Emirates, Airtel and Malta Guinness, which will kick off in the next few weeks.”

Emirates are the presenting partner of the Arsenal 2012 Tour and Boutros Boutros, divisional senior vice-president of corporate communications said: “Emirates shares Arsenal’s disappointment that the team’s visit to Nigeria has been postponed. We look forward to working with Arsenal to bring the Club closer to its loyal Nigerian fans through new initiatives over the coming months.”

All further updates on Arsenal’s future activities in Nigeria will be communicated on www.Arsenal.com.
http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/arsenal-postpone-pre-season-game-in-nigeria

If you want a player to stay at Arsenal, don't make him captain.

How about potential captains?

Sagna- Loyal club servant, loves the club. Would be in a good position to hand it down to Jack in a couple years time.
Vermaelan- A natural leader, but will he play?
Koscielny- ?
Walcott- One of our most experienced players, and could entice him to stay- Which I feel we need, as to lose 2 of our top contributing players last year will hurt us.

Edited by jlm8695: 5/7/2012 12:55:12 PM

Wilshere?

So it appears that Podolski and Giroud are just the (eventual?)replacements for RVP while the M'Vila case has gone cold too.
So much for the buzz we had about this transfer window a few weeks ago.

So another skipper heads off. RvP becomes the fourth captain in a row to leave with his dignity and legacy tarnished.