Bye Bye Englands No 1

[Lanesra]

David Seaman signed for man city this morning, the end of an era, the last one of 'THE' back four to go.

I Still think he's the best I've seen, although some here would disagree.

[Dave Brother]

David is pure class. I thought he still had one more really good year left. I wish him all the luck with the decision he has made.

[michaec]

It's tough to criticise his decision if I were a professional footballer I'd want to play on as long as possible too, and I do wish him the best of luck at City. However, for a man who is increasingly prone to injury which means he's likely to miss a fair percentage of games next year and who is inevitably not as agile as he was, playing behind City's attack-minded team may not do him any favours in the goals against column. I also think that his faith in being picked for England if he is playing first-team football at City is misplaced. Eriksson seems to have settled on David James as his goalkeeper now with backup coming from Robinson, Kirkland, Wright and Walker.

I think he may hhave done his reputation more good by staying at Arsenal and taking on the goalkeeping coach position as well as providing cover for whoever is number 1 next year. That said, I'm sure he'll get a great reception when he returns with the City team next season.

[gunner_21]

Wow. I knew it was going to happen but still so unprepared. Seaman has been the GK since I started following Arsenal. Great man, great GK. I wish him the best of luck!

[martymarts]

Originally posted by michaec
...I think he may have done his reputation more good by staying at Arsenal and taking on the goalkeeping coach position as well as providing cover for whoever is number 1 next year. That said, I'm sure he'll get a great reception when he returns with the City team next season.
Agreed! It would have been nice to have David as cover, but, can't blame him for wanting to be 1st choice. Hopefully he's seen enough of Shaaban in training to realise that without another injury his chance of 1st team football has past?

With Luzheny going seems like it's "out with the old and in with the new"? Exciting times! Are we about to see a team built totally around big Paddy? Will more folks be on their way? I wouldn't be suprised to see Parlour, Stepanovs and Keown next?

When AW joined Arsenal it was his intention to get rid of the old guard and start fresh. When he saw how effective the back 5 were, he left well alone and it's paid off. Will this be the year that we see a team that is all Wenger? (I know that DB10 is pre AW and there a few youth team guys left, but Dennis' has played nearly his football for him and all the youth guys have come through under AW).

[DallasGooner]

Wow....I at first thought it was a joke that he really left. He was a great player and won many games for us. I think Man C getting into Europe finalized the move.

[fox point fury]

I'm impressed by the courage it must've taken him to make this move. I wish he hadn't done it, but I can't say I blame him.

Good luck David. I hope Sven gives you a few more games and I hope to see you back at Highbury in a year or two.

[Senor Askew]

Et tu, Dave?

Say it isn't so. The old guard really is passing into memory now.

I was prepared for him to retire but to sign for another club! I'm very sad. I understand his motivation but it will still be hard to think of Seamo keeping goal for a club other than Arsenal.

I'm sure we'll see him back at Highbury soon enough as goalkeeping coach, but still......

[DallasGooner]

Originally posted by Senor Askew

I'm sure we'll see him back at Highbury soon enough as goalkeeping coach, but still......

I was sure hoping he would becoming a playing coach for next year and groom Taylor.

[dwinkler]

Good luck to Dave, but I can't help thinking it's a bit pathetic. Seaman's desperately trying to keep Sven's attention for Euro 2004, and I'm sure he'll have a lot of opportunities to show off his shot-stopping ability playing behind Man City's porous defense.

Speaking of Man City, whatever happened to Nicky Weaver? Highly touted at one time, now where is he? Just another overrated young English player?

[mogador]

I have to say this one has completely taken me for a loop.

I am scratching my head and can't imagine what would have possessed Seaman to make this move.

Does this mean Rustu is coming to Highbury?

PS I haven't really been following the transfer rumours so I might be hopelessly off with that...

[DallasGooner]

I guess I would have to agree that the reason for this move is so he can stay (or regain) #1 for Euro 2004. Of course with Man C's low quality defense he should really be able to shine if he is still up to it (much like Fridel) and if he is not up to it...well, I don't want to see him embarrassed but that may happen if he is not.

This move to me makes perfect sense for Man C, they get a very experienced player for their return to Europe.

[Lanesra]

Originally posted by Lanesra
David Seaman signed for man city this morning, the end of an era, the last one of 'THE' back four to go.

I Still think he's the best I've seen, although some here would disagree.


Sorry I meant back Five, post night shift tiredness

[TheSlipperyOne]

Originally posted by mogador

Does this mean Rustu is coming to Highbury?


I think it certainly means some new goalie is coming in.

We'll miss you David.

[Mike Toole]

I'm shocked and a little dismayed. Like almost everyone else, I was figuring on another season and then coasting into coaching. I'm glad that he's guaranteed himself another year of first-team play, but I really don't think it'll get him what he wants, which is some Euro 2004 action.

Still, I wish him well, and hope to see him back with Arsenal as goalkeeping coach in a year or two. He was a big favorite of mine-- I thoroughly enjoyed his almost comically straightforward autobiography-- and I'll miss him for next season.

[Coach_McGuirk]

Originally posted by TheSlipperyOne
I think it certainly means some new goalie is coming in.

What it doesn't mean is Tim Howard. This may be old news, but the Dallas Morning News reported today that MLS and manUre have an agreement in principal for Tim's services ($2.5 million), with Friedel possibly joining him as first choice.

They also reported (again, possibly old news) that manUre and Real have agreed on a transfer figure for Becks ($45 million). I guess the divorce between Fergie and Becks is almost official.

On an Arsenal related note, where were we when Tim Howard's name started floating around, and if Friedel is truly available, why aren't we on him right now? Americans in general aren't that great in Europe, but the USA does develop some good talent between the sticks....

[Jeff L]

To answer "Mogador's" question, I think the answer is £30K a week! You're not going to get that as a GK coach at Arsenal. Also a prospect of European football with MC getting the "fair play" place in the EUFA Cup and keeping alive his dreams of "Euro 2004".
Personally speaking, this is the biggest departure since TA6 last season, and now certainly the end of the "Old Guard".
Again, I think it is short sightedness of AW (unless he has a "big" GK signing in mind, and again Rustu is being mentioned).
I would have kept all GK's and said to them, "However is playing the best, keeps the spot". Therefore everyone is "hyped up" to play well. Sure DS1 would probably have not got through 60 games next season, but certainly 30 would have done, and then "groomed" Taylor for eventual takeover, and "experience" for C/L games, that at present we still don't look like getting close to the Final. Together I feel it would have worked.
He could have begun his coaching role at the same time.
Other than Brad Friedel, and maybe Cuddacini, who else is better than DS1 in the EPL last season. More important who will be better than him between the sticks at Highbury this coming season? Is it going to be a case of "hope" or is AW going to pull off one of his "master signings" again? Let's hope it's the latter, and not being disrespectful, the remaining GK's left at AFC do not add up to DS1.

[Martin Daoust]

Arsene Wenger can't win-he's at fault for not replacing the The Famous Back Four(or Five-or even Six-remember Bouldy?)Now he's being premature with Seaman! Wow! Actually it is quite sad really-he has been a part of so many great moments with Arsenal and a key to our winning numerous trophies on several fronts. And he has been simply a great goalkeeper-even this year at OT vs Sheffield in the FA Cup Semi(simply one of the biggest and best saves I've seen in modern times). It s too bad it couldn't have ended with him lifting the FA Cup as Captain at Cardiff. But that's the way more often than not in all sport including football. It's all too rare that they get it right and leave while at the top-Tony Adams is the exception rather than the rule. Just best to wish him well-especially against ManUre-except when facing us. He'll be missed no doubt, but Arsene Knows and will find us a top keeper to replace him. I don't dare guess at who right yet...

[DoctorK]

I'm crushed to see Seaman leave. His days with QPR seem a lifetime ago, and he's the one player on the pitch I feel was the link to Gunners past.

Arsene certainly seems premature in this, as there simply isn't anyone as secure in goal than DS (long chips notwithstanding). Although I'm sure we'll never know, I wonder what the full deal is behind this. Why push someone out of the #1 spot when you haven't a replacement? Truly great keepers age like fine wine.

What is it with the city of Manchester and my favorite keepers? The Timmy Howard to ManUre deal, if that does happen, will hurt all the more in light of Seaman's move to ManCity.

Bummed.

[Martin Daoust]

Seaman WAS outstanding THIS year-no question-and he was splendid in the run-in to the Double last year-but like Tony Adams a year ago-you couldn't count on him being available on a regular basis, as, as with many players around that age(mid to late 30's)the injuries became too frequent and the recovery time too slow. No doubt we had no one better-certainly not right now-but just as with Adams and Lee Dixon last year and Seaman and even Martin Keown this year, several of our players at the back were there until they beagan to or actually did break down physically. I suspect Wenger made a hard personal decision on that basis to allow Seaman to move on. Seaman may play for three or four years and make us regret that decision BUT he may not play often enough even if he plays that well to do so. I suspect the latter if only because he seemed to spend as much time battling injuries as he did opposing strikers the last two years...