Pampered Gunners must be told they have a duty to save Wenger from the sack

By Steve Stammers

Published 09:00 21/09/11

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Here’s an idea. On Thursday or Friday, Robin van Persie, in his role as Arsenal captain, calls a meeting of the first team squad.

No room for Arsene Wenger. No Pat Rice …. In fact none of the coaching staff. Just the players.

And in that meeting Van Persie will remind his teammates in no uncertain terms of their responsibilities to the club, the supporters and, in particular to Wenger.

In front of Van Persie will be an array of seasoned internationals, many of whom have earned their status under Wenger’s tutelage. The likes of Alex Song with Cameroon, Bacary Sagna with France, Theo Walcott with England and Aaron Ramsey with Wales.

There will also be a room populated with millionaires whose most searching decision every morning is which car to drive to the state-of-the-art training facilities at London Colney where they are cosseted to such an extent that a cordon bleu chef cooks their lunch. They could not ask for much more from life – and they have failed to deliver.

At the moment, Wenger is taking all the flack. His demeanor has been scrutinised, his judgement questioned. And after each setback in what has been a traumatic start to the season, he is asked if he will carry on. And yet the players have emerged scot-free.

Well maybe it is time for them to show Wenger that they acknowledge what he has given them. A life-style beyond the dreams of the huge majority of their fans who pay top-dollar to watch them play. The chance to compete for football’s major honours on a regular basis… including 14 successive seasons in the Champions League.

Maybe it is payback time. To be captain means more than wearing an armband and deciding who kicks off. It is a privilege and an honour. Now qualities of leadership need to be shown.

Go back a few years and think of the players at Manchester United, Tottenham and West Ham. If you think they were quivering at the thought of a rollocking from Sir Alex Ferguson, Keith Burkinshaw or the late John Lyall, wait until they heard that the home truths were going to be spelt out by Roy Keane or Bryan Robson at United, by Steve Perryman at Spurs or Billy Bonds at West Ham. They were not men to mince words and any indifference in response would be greeted appropriately. One West Ham striker was held against the dressing room wall by Bonds for his apathetic attitude. Suffice to say he livened up a tad after that.

So this is a golden opportunity for the Arsenal players. Wenger has taken all the criticism on their behalf. Now they can show that as well as the "communication, co-ordination and concentration" that Wenger has demanded, they also have character.

A good time to show it would be at The Emirates on Saturday.

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