Former Arsenal goalscoring legend Ian Wright has
admitted that the departures of Thierry Henry and David Dein has
put him in a position where he fears for the club's
future.
Thierry Henry was unveiled today at Nou Camp after a £16.1million
move from the Emirates Stadium and Wright admits he had worst fears
when David Dein quit the Gunners back in April.
Wright has said: ''When David Dein left I said it was going to have
major consequences and it's been proved right.
''I said at the time Thierry Henry won't be happy, obviously he's
got links with the Dein family. But I was more worried about Arsène
Wenger not signing a new contract and now with Henry saying Wenger
might not be there at the end of next season.
''I used to say `Arsenal always bounce back they will be fine' but
without Mr Dein there I'm worried and I said that at the start when
Mr Dein left that I was worried.
''They are not going to do a Leeds. But Dein had the fans' concerns
at heart. I don't know if they (the regime) feel the same way about
the fans and the club as Dein did and if he was still at helm I
would be happy.''
Wright believes that should Henry wanted to leave in the first
place, he should have left the Gunners last season, saying:
''Thierry's heart wasn't in it last season. I think he thought
Barcelona might have passed him by but it came up again this season
so once it came up he was just going to go.
''I thought he should have gone last season, he could have made
more money for the club, but all dragged out and now he's gone,
it's the end of an era. But when you hear him saying with Wenger he
doesn't know what is happening there, all the disruption at the
club, it's a little bit of a cop out.
''The way he played last season with his body language wasn't right
but when I mentioned it he had the hump with me. He didn't seem
right - he should have gone last season maybe and I think he has
dragged it out last season and now he has gone."
Former England striker Wright sympathises with Gooners, adding:
''It's a little bit upsetting for them. It was the same with
Patrick (Vieira). Is he leaving, is he staying? It was the same
with Thierry over the last couple of seasons. ''
''The fans can just concentrate on keeping Wenger there. I feel
sorry for the fans because now they have just got a deflated
feeling about them, I've seen them wearing black armbands. 'But
they have got to get up and go and get on with it and support who
is there now.''