Is This the Most Multicultural Team on Earth?

By: Homey | December 15th, 2011

Team photo 2011
In the spirit of the 125 anniversary celebrations, and in a follow up to Darren’s recent blog about Arsenal’s history, I now ask the question of whether the current team is the most multicultural team in history. I wasn’t the first one to notice it, but we’ve recently used a couple of different lineups where every player hailed from a different country.

Against Everton, our starting lineup featured players from the following 11 countries: Poland, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Wales, Cameroon, Spain, England (surely had to be in there somewhere, right?), Holland, and Ivory Coast. Our bench featured players from the Czech Republic, Israel, Russia, Morocco (although Chamakh was born in France), and Ghana (hard to sort out Frimpong exactly, but we’ll stick with Ghana). So of the 18 who suited up, there were 16 different countries represented. I would try to do a study on how many different native languages our players speak, but it’s already late, and I’m not going to go there. But I’m sure it’s a lot. On top of all that, I didn’t even mention our players from Brazil, South Korea, Italy, and Finland (if you choose to categorize Jenkinson as such).

Now, I suppose if you want to nitpick, you’ll notice that there’s a decided lack of New World flavor on the team. Santos is our only player from the Americas, so maybe we need a few more from this side of the pond to really round out our multiculturalism. (As an aside, Wenger recently stated that Neymar would be his dream purchase. Just reading those quotes makes me want to fall out of my chair, and if that deal ever went down, I think the Homey train would immediately come to a halt.)
Team photo 1969
So how did things develop over time? Well, of course, teams went from being all-white and English, to branching out through the UK, to eventually taking on various races, nationalities, and languages. As you can see from the old pictures I’ve attached (from 1969 and 1975), it took quite a while for things to change over time. As Darren noted in his blog the other day, there was a distinct Irish era ushered in by Terry Neill in the last 1970s. But to my surprise, the first black regular in the lineup wasn’t until Paul Davis arrived on the scene in 1978. Although it must be noted that back in 1971, Brendan Batson became the first black Gunner, but he only played 10 times with the first team.
Team photo 1975
Things began to change somewhat in the 1980s, as Arsenal finally had their first influx of foreign players, and Remi Garde became the first non-British Arsenal captain. Then, of course, things changed drastically with the arrival of Wenger. Too much so, in the minds of some fans and talking heads in England. (Check out this article from 2005, when Wenger had to deflect criticism for fielding the first team in top-flight English history to have all players born overseas.)

During the early years of the Wenger era, it seemed like we were basically trying to assemble a large part of the French National Team. As I think back to some of those teams, it seems like a rough estimate of the first team would be about 35-40% French, 35% English, and the rest an assorted mix. But now, things have shifted yet again. Yes, we’re still getting a number of players from Ligue One, but now nationality seems to be completely random on the team. It’s almost as if we’re hoping for a first team that looks like a UN meeting or something. Perhaps that’s why it seems like the fan base is so diverse as well. Or at least it is on this blog.

Anyway, well we’ll be posting a blog soon about our Champions League draw, but at least this will give you something to mull over until then.

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Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights. James 1:17a.

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Patoux21

Its funny how finishing first or second in the CL group stage we would still have to play a Milanese team in the next round. AC Milan is way better than Inter but at least return leg is at home
jturphy

We have to beat the best in the world no matter what order we do it. May as well start with one of the best.
Homey_Mills

While we're complaining about our bad luck today, I'm sure the Milan fans feel much the same way. They were put in a group that was extremely difficult to win in the first place, due to Barca's presence. So they do what's expected and finish 2nd, and then they draw an Arsenal team in good form.
Gigi_man

Well, thats the evidence, we are marked!

In recent years it was because we finished second or because we were in pre season UCL, or some similar reason due to our own performance; and then played the Barzas and the Celtics, got tired, stressed and out of competition.

Today, it was just plain bad luck.

Of a bunch of teams thatw ere in principle easier to beat, we get the toughest one (tougher than Napoli who doesnt have the experience and history in the compet that Milan has).

Today I am clueless for a reason. Football Gods? (I saw a comment here below describing a "tricked" draw, it can always be the case).

Whatever the case, there is one thing that is true: no teams are small here and if we want to win a trophy that could very easily make evreyone forget about the 6 years without one and step off the Homey train for good.

So, to AW, step up, put 200% focus on these two games, play strategies and dont be afraid of a specific strategy even if it means not playing the usual, and even if it is not that beautiful: mind over matter; furthermore, go out in January and buy; just buy strong people, spend good money, because we will be facing a good team (hopefully Tevez if he switches he wont be able to play, but still).

To the RvPs that are on the edge of a new contract, dont pay attention to what your teammates do and if they are up to your level, just show the world your level.

To the Ramseys, Artetas, Pers and Verms, be solid, be focused, be your usual selves. But be advised that the likes of Pirlo and Seedorf; Pato and Ibra, are not the usual contenders, they carry their expertise and shape. Even though, they can be beaten.

Lets show the world what we already know.
Derekk

After Manchester City beat us 1-0 in the League Cup, having had one shot on
target I suggested it was the most expensive shot in football history, if one
added up the cost of their squad on that day. Not my best line, but you know,
you get good days and ordinary days when writing a blog.

But still, it made me think. Prior to that we’d all noted how despite the
millions spent on their team, Chelsea were unable to guarantee trophies – and
certainly not able to achieve their goal of winning the Champs League.

Since then we have had the failure of Manchester U and Manchester C (both
rich clubs with huge incomes – although in the case of Manchester U with huge
outpourings to non-football matters too) to reach the next round of the Champs
League itself. Plus the failure of a Redknapp inspired transfer dealing club to
make it into the knock outs of the Europa League, placing them at the same sort
of Euro standard as Birmingham City.

But of course it is not just England that has clubs run by people with huge
amounts of dosh. It is happening in Russia, in Spain and in France – and
certainly in the latter case they seem to be experiencing the same problem.

In France we have PSG who shot to the top of the league on the back of the
investment from overseas, and we now have the news that Monaco, who have
suffered total collapse in recent years and linger at the foot of the second
division, are just being taken over in a similar way.

And yet, and yet, money still isn’t the instant route to success that the
rich boys like to think.

We can see this not just because our Manchester chums went into the Europa
League, but because PSG emulated Tottenham by going out of the Europa League
this week.
PSG scored two goals in the last five minutes at Parc des Princes in a 4-2
win against Athletic Bilbao but Salzburg beat Slovan Bratislava 3-2 and so it
is they and Bilbao who go through.
And what will PSG do? Most likely sack their coach Mr Kombouaré – nothing
personal it is just what very rich clubs do when they don’t get everything their
own way. Carlo Ancelotti might take a pot shot at the job.
PSG are owned by OSI of Qatar and spent €82m in the summer. They are joint
top of the league and still in the Cup (but not the league cup).
I remember when Chelsea first got their billions, a journalist on Radio 5
asked fans who would win the league next year. One guy said, “Chelsea – this
year, next year, the year after and every year until Abramovich gets fed up.”
And it was tempting to think that. But it hasn’t happened.
Of course money is needed, and money helps, but it does not guarantee
success. Indeed in some ways it can be an impediment, because the temptation is
to buy so many players in so quickly that the settled team never appears. Yes
of course Man City have no real problem with Clichy being banned from their game
with us for his red card – they probably have 15 left backs sitting around
somewhere ready to play. But I really do believe that the fight, and the
spirit, and the drive that can come from a team that doesn’t have such a level
of resources is often missing in the mega rich clubs, such that when they
shuffle the team around, they don’t get the best out of the players. Players go to rich clubs for money – sometimes an extra £2 a year on top of the
£4m a year already being earned. They also speak of going to rich clubs to win
things, and I can understand this.But I believe they also want to play at lot – and it was obvious to many
observers, I believe, that when Flamini went to Milan, his performance on the
pitch suffered because he was reduced to occasional first team starts, plus for
a fair number of matches coming on towards the end, as a sub. Nasri isn’t
suffering the same fate exactly, but I think he is declining somewhat from a
lack of being in every possible starting line up.
Money helps, there is no doubt, but it doesn’t buy success, and so I begin to
wonder how long the new club owners will continue to kid themselves that it can
buy success.
People do kid themselves for years on end. If you went to a school in the UK
where the headteacher lectured you in assembly each day about behaving properly
and working hard, you’ll have experienced exactly that situation – the mindless
belief in the face of all the evidence that a 50 year old lecturing a bunch of
teenagers on a daily basis actually achieves very much.
In the end I expect they’ll stop doing it, and go and buy something else
instead, although that eventuality is still probably quite a few years away.
But in the meanwhile, I am rather heartened. Not only does money not buy you
love (as the Beatles said some time in my youth) money doesn’t automatically buy
success in football either. It can work – but not always.
OJ

"Not my best line, but you know,
you get good days and ordinary days when writing a blog."uh... if you have a blog why are you posting here?
eijner

you sir, have mastered the art of trolling.
Derekk

What a pathetic, outdated draw format

So the ex-captain of Bayern Munich stands there and is able to see exactly
which ball they are when it goes into the pot……and surprise, surprise they get
FC Basel

Where as Chelsea and Arsenal get the Italian clubs.

Honestly it wasn’t hard to keep your eye on which ball you wanted and to pick
it out – a bit like which cup is the ball underneath !

This is 2011 and the draw is made this way. Unreal. What a total fix
Martin

We drew Milan, the toughest team we could have drawn. Ba. But on the bright side, it's a marquee match-up against a very good side, and our record against Italian sides in general, and Milan sides particularly, is actually quite good. Should be exciting.

Also, Bendtner and Lee Cattermole apparently got drunk and decided to go out and bash on some cars in Newcastle, and got arrested. His year is just going from bad to worse...
Ezekiel Obanda

Truly UNITED NATIONS!!
Casimir

Definitely another positive to be a supporter of Arsenal FC.
Tomisin

The Homey train hasn't stopped yet? Really?
Spetcha

where is Park in the first picture?
Gigi_man

Nice.
It is in my opinion one of the beauties of non national teams, you get the best from all around the globe, the world is the limit and especially with AW.
Actually my dream is to see a Panamanian one day as a gunner. Maybe not in my lifetime (although I am convinced that if AW wanted to buy Blas or Tejada in the winter, they would jump at it)-
Do you know at what time the UCL dra takes place?
Murukesh Mohanan

In about two hours. (11 GMT), I think it's streamed live on the UEFA website.
Gigi_man

Thx, didnt see it, but saw what had to be seen..ugh
LachlanS

That is one way in which I would love to jump off the Homey train. I can see it now...
Bops

One of the things I like about my club. Gooner from India. :)