IAN WRIGHT has slammed Arsenal for joining the European Super League – adding that David Rocastle would be ‘turning in his grave’.
Club legend Rocastle was a former team-mate of Wright’s and tragically died aged 33 after winning two league titles with the Gunners.
Former striker Wright, 57, was left aghast at how the club had gone from making an impeccable tribute to its heritage to joining the ESL.
He told his Twitter followers: “I literally couldn’t believe it when I saw Arsenal’s name.
“This is the same Arsenal that was only just, a couple of weeks ago, commended for its tribute to David Rocastle.
“God, he would be turning in his grave knowing what’s going on now.
“Is this how far we’ve fallen? That we are now getting into competitions because we’re not good enough to get into [the Champions League].
“So, to the detriment of the English game, we’re getting a seat to the table we have no right to be at. It’s shameful. I’ve heard that word used, it is shameful.”
Wright joined the growing number of players past and present, fans and clubs in condemning the ESL project.
Arsenal are one of six English teams who signed up to the proposals despite last winning the Premier League in 2004, with Mikel Arteta’s team currently sat ninth in the table.
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Uefa have threatened to kick the club out of the upcoming Europa League semi-finals, and Wright pondered how the players feel about the move.
He continued: “If I’m a player I’m worried like, ‘If I play in this competition, I can’t play in the Euros, in the Fifa World Cup’.
“They’re saying the teams in the [current season’s European] semi-finals may get disqualified because of this.
“Where is the competition in all of this? Why haven’t we seen exactly how this is going to work? I totally disagree with this.
“But where’s the jeopardy? Who goes down, who wins, what do they win? Are we supposed to play these great teams on a weekly basis.
“I played against AC Milan twice in my career, it is something I will never forget. Are we supposed to be playing these teams so frequently? It’s not meant to be like that.
“You dream of playing in the Champions League and the World Cup. Now they’re saying you’re not allowed to play in those competitions.
“How do you feel as a player right now? I’d be absolutely s***ing myself now.
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“You look at the time the announcement was made, they’re not catering for us. They don’t care about what’s going on in England.
“Those clubs involved are English by name only. It’s a shame. It just makes me very sad.
“There is no way the fans, they will see straight through this b*******, I just love the way that everybody is roundly condemning this, we have to stick together with this.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
