Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has replaced the informal code with a stringent, written-out policy. These now include his players having to clock in at the club’s training base before each home and away game. With the new rule in place, many Arsenal players are now forced to book cab services for the whole day. The DfT’s farcical decision is increasing their costs, sometimes by thousands of pounds. As the club navigates this latest development, it faces scrutiny alongside other Premier League teams dealing with their own challenges.
Arteta’s instruction is clearly designed to create an air of togetherness and readiness about the squad before they get down to the business of competitive matches. The monetary consequences of this rule have many inside the club puzzled. Now players are left with extremely high expenses to satisfy the conditions. This unprecedented turn of events has opened a public and vigorous debate about the potential impacts on team culture.
Outside of this narrow football world, the climate is still hostile. Dharmesh Sheth partnered with the writers from Sunday newsprint to break down what they know. Combined, they provided unique perspectives on what’s happening right now in the Premier League. Our conversations uncovered the spectrum of player feelings. After being linked with Swedish international Alexander Isak all summer long, Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister expressed his displeasure on social media at the relentless transfer saga. The high-profile transfer, which was said to be worth £125 million, has as you’d expect left a number of Liverpool FC players feeling exasperated.
Isak, meanwhile, is set to make his Premier League debut for Liverpool in the Merseyside derby on Sunday at Anfield. Beyond all the off-field distractions, though, this is what makes this match such an exciting prospect! His expected debut should shift the mood among the roster. It would provide Liverpool with the shot-in-the-arm they’d need to go for domination.
At the same time, Rafael Benitez has been gracing the back pages by announcing he wants to come back to work in England. Ryan Giggs looking for a return after leaving Salford City. This statement is lucky for him, happening right at the time he needed it. As both ex-players find their way back into the coaching world, their journeys are emblematic of larger issues at play as they continue to develop.
In London, West Ham’s biggest supporters’ group are calling a protest at club owners David Sullivan and Karren Brady. Not surprisingly, reports indicate that this second protest could see 3,000 people rallying to support the protesters. With fan discontent growing, those numbers might swell to as many as 20,000. This unrest is indicative of the sometimes-treacherous waters many clubs are drawing with their fans as they come under mounting criticism from their own fanbases.
Also, Tim Lewis’ recent departure from Arsenal’s board of directors should give more power to co-chairman Josh Kroenke. These power dynamics are not new to the world of business. Understanding how they’ve shifted could change the ways clubs strategize and make decisions in the future.
Even more remarkably, Strasbourg has previously taken action against its own supporters. This announcement comes on the heels of a fan revolt aimed at club president Marc Keller and their BlueCo ownership. This decision is indicative of the growing strain between clubs and their fanbases, both sides still reeling from the recent shock to their systems.
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