Sagna talks too much while Cesc shows some class

Cesc - showed proper respect for Arsenal yesterday

I was really annoyed yesterday when I read the content of an interview Bacary Sagna had given in France. Our right-back felt it necessary to answer questions on the future of Cesc Fabregas. The easiest thing (and the most appropriate) would have been for Sagna to say he doesn't know anything about the situation and that it's down to Arsenal what happens. Instead he decided to "reveal" that Fabregas "wants" to go to Barcelona this Summer. I am fed up with Arsenal players giving interviews to the foreign press in which they seriously put their foot in it. It has happened far too often over the years. What we often hear soon after the story breaks (though not in this case it seems) is the player claiming to have been misquoted. The simple solution to not being misquoted is to not open your gob in the first place. It's not helpful to Arsenal for one of the players to be saying anything that could damage the Club in some way. When George Graham was at Arsenal such interviews would have been nipped in the bud long before this stage. There is a real need for Arsenal to ban their players from talking to the foreign media. This has always been a particular issue with the French players and it must stop. I know Ryan Giggs has become a regular name in the papers lately but for twenty years we have heard virtually nothing from him. The same goes for Paul Scholes (though his inability to speak coherently is another reason for that) and Gary Neville. Arsene must tell the players not to speak to the foreign media about anything concerning Arsenal Football Club.
While Sagna's comments were being reported, Fabregas himself was doing some publicity stuff in Madrid. The Captain gave something of a master-class in handling the questions of the press. He was able to say that he is "happy at Arsenal" and anything to do with his future is down to Arsene Wenger. You have to say that this is exactly the way that an Arsenal employee (especially the skipper) should behave. Fabregas showed immense respect for Arsenal yesterday and didn't allow himself to say the wrong thing in public. Do I think he will leave Arsenal this Summer? Yes, I do. But I have a lot of time for the eloquent way in which Cesc presents himself and represents our Club.


I've just heard on Sky Sports News that Patrick Vieira has been released by Manchester City. This may mean the end of the Great Man's playing days but I hope it opens the door for his return to Arsenal as part of the management team. It seems that Arsene Wenger is never likely to bring in Tony Adams as a tub-thumping assistant, so Vieira would surely be the next best thing - the likes of Denilson and Eboue might be less likely to get away with their lacklustre displays with a character like him hanging around in the dressing-room.