By Tony Attwood
Over the last few weeks we’ve been gathering the names of ex-Arsenal players who are now either in management or in journalism. Thanks to everyone who has joined in.
It is possible that some names are still missing from the lists, but hopefully this is near a complete list in each case – please do write in with any further updates.
We’ve done articles on the management side of things, recording the clubs the players are with and I will try to provide some updates through the season. Now I am trying to get the journalism list fully sorted.
But it is interesting how difficult it has been to compile these lists. The feeling at the start was that we had very few ex-players in management, and many more in journalism, but it turns out (unless we’ve missed some names from the journalism list) that the management team out-weigh the journalism team.
It would be nice to get a feeling of who is pro and who is anti the current Arsenal set up from the journalism team. Charlie Nicholas and Bob Wilson always seem pro to me; the rest go for the cheap knocking commentaries. But maybe that is unfair – and since I never listen to TalkSport (a most awful station in my opinion) and don’t read the Sun, Mirror, Mail etc I can’t really get a full view.
Your thoughts would be welcome.
Ex-Arsenal players now in management at a senior level within clubs (including owners).
- Dennis Bergkamp
- Remi Garde
- Tony Adams
- Martin Hayes
- Brian McDermott
- Vladimir Petrovic
- Pat Scully
- Paul Dickov
- Brian Marwood
- John Jensen
- Ian Allinson
- Niall Quinn
- Marc Overmars
Ex-Arsenal players now involved in football journalism
- Ian Wright (?Sun)
- Charlie Nicholas (Sky)
- Alan Smith (Telegraph and Sky)
- Ray Parlour (TalkSport)
- Paul Merson (Sky)
- Perry Groves (BBC London and Radio 5, Talksport)
- G Graham (Talksport)
- Frank McKlintock (Talksport) in as well.
- Bob Wilson (Talksport)
- Lee Dixon (BBC)
- Martin Keown (BBC)
Nigel Winterburn always does Analysis/media work for Arsenal TV online…not sure if he counts?
Stewert Robson is a regular Wenger knocker on Talksport. I find some of his comments quite distasteful and disloyal considering his Arsenal TV connections. Maybe when he is asked for his Arsenal opinions he feels obliged (or is instructed?) to tow the usual anti Arsenal Talksport line. Nigel Winterburn is occasionally asked for his opinion as well on this terrible radio station. He is usually fair in his assessments.
Ian Wright and Frank McKlintock have sometimes been anti-Wenger. Wright comes across as somebody who doesn’t know how to stop criticising Wenger and Arsenal. When was the last time anyone heard anything positive from his mouth. Frank mainly compares today with his playing days and just does it a bit insenitively. I don’t believe he’s anti-Arsenal. Wright is very bitter about something and I’ll never forget the way he was encouraging Thierry Henry to leave Arsenal for Barcelona. Typical of a narcissistic player who, at the expense of the team, regularly begged the ref to book him for verbal abuse.
@Arsenal1Again I think Wright was upset about the great Henry breaking his goals record for Arsenal more than anything else and probably still is.
Of all the ex Arsenal players I have heard on Talksport the only one who seems to give Arsene Wenger his whole hearted support is Bob Wilson. All the others, Wright, Parlour, Groves, Robson, McKlintock and George Graham are critical in varying degrees. However the thing that annoys me with all of them is that when they are on they allow presenters like Durham (especially),Brazil,Quinn, Jacobs and Saggers to be openly rude and insulting to both Wenger and Arsenal FC without defending their former club and giving them some verbals back. It really infuriates me that they allow them to get away with it. Some of the things I have heard said about Wenger on this appalling excuse of a radio station have bordered on slanderous in my opinion.
Agree with Mick about Robson. How can Arenal still employ this man. He is a complete pain to have to listen to, one of the worst.
The Gunners also disappointed in the Champions’ League. Failing to get beyond the group stages as self inflicted woes cost them dear. I’ve read it from the other reference. Made a history by winning the double for the second time. Great!
I JUST DO NOT LIKE STEWART ROBSON AS HE WEARS FAR TOO MANY HATS. IS HE REALLY AN ARSENAL FAN? SOMEBONE SHOULD ASK HIM THAT!