Have we've lost the mantle of coolest club in London?

Discussion in 'Arsenal' started by martymarts, Dec 20, 2005.

  1. martymarts

    martymarts Member

    Mar 11, 2003
    NYC
    I watched Oceans Twelve for the first time last night and was somewhat bemused and bewildered by the scene involving them The Arsenal? However, plot ambiguity aside, what struck me watching this was that if the movie was made today they would probably be wearing Chav outfits?

    While this is not the end of the world, it does have major implications and it farkin sucks (lets be honest!). Club success can no longer depend upon the home fan base, it's an international business and the cache of not being the capital's premier team will cost us big moolar? If a European League ever started then as of this minute, I don't think we would make it in?

    While AW has said he considered making a move for Michael Owen in the summer, but didn't, and while I wouldn't have been mad keen on his coming, in hindsight he might have been a useful acquisition? With DB1o done and Titi a ?, and with DB7 on the wain, it looks like Owen couldl be the next England Captain and his worldwide profile, as well as his reignited form, would've been good for the club?

    At a time when we're about to move into a super new facility surely we need to have more than one player with a profile on the world stage; and who will we have if Titi leaves? We don't have the living memory history of a Liverpool, we haven't sustained the runaway success of ManUre in the late 80's and early 90's and we don't have the billions that the Chavs have; and we don't currently have the depth of quality and experience to consistantly play breathtaking football and consistantly win major trophies, so how do we define/redefine ourselves in this "brave New World", because waiting is probably not a comfort we can afford?
     
  2. GunnerJacket

    GunnerJacket Moderator
    Staff Member

    Sep 18, 2003
    Gainesville, GA
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Relax. Penultimate success comes and goes but Arsenal's support is hardly razor thin, else they wouldn't be building a larger facilitiy. If a clubs long term viability were dependent on its forever remaining within the top 3 of every competition, well then what's the point for every other club involved then, eh? Chelsea may be the hip club of the moment with all the superficial global fans who only follow "winners," as they've done with Arsenal, ManU, Real, etc. Don't let that fleeting fashion trend dictate the terms of your support, or suggest the true value of any club.

    As for Owen, star power and the future of the squad a similar line of patience is called for. Arsenal are a club in transition but that period will end. Once the ground move is completed and Arsene has a better read on his short and long term budget, as well as getting over the World Cup issues of fatigue and reassessing talent, then the managers will reload the side.

    Patience, Iago.
     
  3. feej92

    feej92 New Member

    Oct 24, 2004
    Los Angeles
    Arsenal Football has been around since 1886. and it's only been for, say, 5 of those years that we've been considered the "coolest" club. i think we'll be fine.
     
  4. Bluto11

    Bluto11 The sky is falling!

    May 16, 2003
    Chicago, IL
    really?

    damn, i'm out.
     
  5. Catfish

    Catfish Member

    Oct 1, 2002
    Chicago
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Stop, just relax. If you need a Arsenal boost, I HIGHLY recommend picking up The Official History of Arsenal FC on DVD. As you can clearly see from the DVD, Arsenal have been THE cool club of London and often all of England for a very, very long time. We are family and here to help each other out when you slip and fall. Someone will lend a hand and put you at ease.
     
  6. fox point fury

    May 19, 2001
    Providence
    Rumor has it that it was a thread much like this one which caused Zani to switch from manu to chelski. That and all the pictures of Terry on the cover of Tiger Beat...
     
  7. martymarts

    martymarts Member

    Mar 11, 2003
    NYC
    I appreciate the soothing words, I know the clubs history, and have been a fan long enough to know about the ups and the downs too, but, I'll be honest, I've gotted used to sucess! I've gotten used to the turn on of watching my favorite team play some of the most scintillating and breathtaking football in English history and I've gotten used to be being proud of AW's achievements on a meagre budget, and while mid-table mediocrity won't stop me from following the Arsenal it's looming spectre is a depressing thought?

    I want us to be in the thick of the great teams of Europe, I want us to win the European Cup and win the title 3 years in a row and be given the FAC for winning it 3 years in a row, and finally and unequivacally be consider as amongst the all time greats; it's not much to ask for, is it? :D

    But seriously if we are to maintain our current level of success, which I assume we all want, then we have to be globally positioned, it's the way the game is going, and why Roman has lavished out so much on The Chavs! Profile is not everything, but, it's important and ours sucks right now and in the short term there ain't alot to suggest it'll change?
     
  8. jegerpenge

    jegerpenge New Member

    Jan 18, 2003
    Lake Charles, LA
    Who cares if we are the coolest club anyway? I'll take being hated by everyone and going back to winning form.
     
  9. fox point fury

    May 19, 2001
    Providence

    Wow, I've been called a "biatch" plenty of times, but never in a positive rep! :D

    Marty, you know you're cool with me, I just can't pass up the opportunity to make fun of actual plastic fans!
     
  10. Dave_M

    Dave_M New Member

    May 25, 2004
    Enfield
    Being "uncool" has its perks. Means you can get tickets to see games, which is a BIG plus if your a fan, rather than a fashion victim.
     
  11. Maczebus

    Maczebus New Member

    Jun 15, 2002
    You sure? Not saying it's Rs either but hell with George '1-0, lover of the offside trap, boring boring Arsenal' Graham - I think you're stretching things a little far.
    Besides, Rodney Marsh never played for you, or Devon White. You can't be cool with Devon's name not appearing on any team lists.
     
  12. Roscoe P Coldchain

    Sep 14, 2004
    Westside St. Louis
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    From what I've seen we've always had a loyal fan base at the core. We play it cool and the cool mantle will be with us. For example, in America back in 99 the Lincoln Navigator was the cool SUV and Cadillac Escalade had just came out. Rappers/Celebs were pushing both SUVs hard. Lincoln started tooting their own horn and didn't adapt. Cadillac played it cool and let the public drive up the demand. Fast forward to today. Caddy's are "in", Lincoln are out all because Caddy took a bit of lumps the first few years to make itself popular, cool, in and what have you. I feel if Arsenal uses the Caddy model and don't toot their own horn, that is how you get loyal fans. Then you will get more revenue. And you will forever be cool. Tom Landry once said in so many words You either are a Dallas Cowboys fan or you wish you were one" Arsenal is like that to me and to Quote wrestler Carlito "Dat's qool!" That's my two cents...Thank ya now...Roscoe!
     
  13. PsychedelicCeltic

    PsychedelicCeltic New Member

    Dec 10, 2003
    San Francisco/London
    This thread is a pretty good example of those who found Arsenal and fell in love, and those who found Arsenal because they were top of the table. Or, those who know Alan Smith as the bloke who won two Golden Boots for Arsenal, or those who know Alan Smith as the ex-Leeds striker.

    Cool? Pff, Arsenal were never cool, but instead simply difficult to beat.
     
  14. red & wite army

    red & wite army I ain't no drama queen!

    Jan 15, 2005
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    I'd prefer not having these tag-along plastic fans...they're just annoying.
     
  15. surfcam

    surfcam Member

    Sep 8, 2004
    Corpus Christi, TX
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I could care less if The Arsenal were in Oceans 12 or if it were the Chavs today. And being a cool club? Those are all vanity issues IMO and all I care about is the team winning and silverware. I don't support the club because they are fashionable.
     
  16. PsychedelicCeltic

    PsychedelicCeltic New Member

    Dec 10, 2003
    San Francisco/London
    You can make a pretty good case that being a Gooner is precisely because you're unfashionable. :D
     
  17. carw2005

    carw2005 New Member

    Nov 28, 2005
    Herts, UK
    Hear Hear.

    Though we still arethe coolest club so no worries... :cool:
     
  18. red & wite army

    red & wite army I ain't no drama queen!

    Jan 15, 2005
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    REPPED!!!

    Exactly, who cares, I just support Arsenal as a football club who play football...I'm sick of all this other cr@p like transfer sagas, media speculation and feuds between managers.

    Of course in modern day football this type of thing happens, but I still hate it.
     
  19. KevTheGooner

    KevTheGooner Help that poor man!

    Dec 10, 1999
    THOF
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    Andorra
    If football is fashion....

    color me flannel.

    Give me some blue collar brusing 1-0 wins..right now. Hell, any "w" is looking pretty fashionable right now...
     
  20. hiddi

    hiddi Member

    Jul 23, 2005
    philadelphia
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    I'm cool and I like Arsenal so therefore Arsenal is cool. :rolleyes:

    One team in London,
    There's only one team in London,
    One team in London,
    There's only one team in London

    Only one team in London and England for that matter to me is Arsenal no matter what their record is or how "cool" they are.
     
  21. TheImposter

    TheImposter Member

    Jun 15, 2002
    Centerville, OH
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    One of the reasons I chose to follow Arsenal is exactly because, given the limited information I had at the time, I perceived them not to be particularly cool. And though I didn't follow the club in those days, I love the Arsenal of "Fever Pitch" -- not the movie (though I love that film for a lot of little moments and for the ending), but the book, for the long, long slog of being an Arsenal fan through all those years. I wish I had been. And I will be for the future, cool or not.
     
  22. red & wite army

    red & wite army I ain't no drama queen!

    Jan 15, 2005
    Nat'l Team:
    --other--
    Repped!

    Even if Arsenal ever got relegated (touch wood or Morinho's head), I KNOW I would still support them, and love the club just as much.

    There are a lot of losers out there supporting Arsenal just because they won alot, and I wish they could go away. :eek:
     
  23. TxTechGooner

    TxTechGooner we're having fun here, no?

    Feb 24, 2003
    crystal palace is like, way cooler...

    im so sure~~

    lol
     
  24. Dave_M

    Dave_M New Member

    May 25, 2004
    Enfield
    Its the old "Victory Through Adversity" thing. There is a reason the '89 Away Game at Anfield is so fondly revered. Its not because we won the league. Its not because we beat a near-unbeatable in the then fortress that was Anfield. It was the 18 year wait before it came.

    Any idiot can claim allegance what ever team happens to be on top in any given season, but thats no support and these people tend to be fairly clueless. Just look at Zani. Ultimate proof.
     
  25. ZonaGunner

    ZonaGunner Member

    Aug 23, 2003
    Tempe, Arizona
    That's similar to my experience. I still can't help but grin when my brother (stationed in England with the Air Force for 5 1/2 years) tells me how he took a lot of heat from his friends in England when they found out that I chose to follow Arsenal. It wasn't hard for me to pick up on the generally negative attitude toward Arsenal among many people, but the reasons I got for not liking them didn't make a lot of sense. In a way I found that to be a positive in picking them to follow, as I hate to just pick to follow a team because everyone will like my choice. I was just fortunate to pick them when they were on the upswing, but I honestly didn't know that when I picked them to follow. So in the end I think there's a certain coolness in picking to follow a team that's perceived by many to be uncool to follow.
     

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