Arsenal ………. Made in Japan BY SAMUEL GATHU I’ve been reading a book about certain aspects of Japanese history and culture, and like everything else I come across in my life, I look for parallels with Arsenal. Sometimes they are easy to establish, sometimes far more tenuous. But still, since Arsenal occupies such a huge part of my brain’s activity, it is understandable. In this case, we don’t have to look too far for a parallel. Wenger, our greatest ever manager, was a manager in Japan before he joined us. He openly acknowledges the role Japanese culture played in his development as a coach, and as a person. The respect for an opponent, playing the game the right way, not just in the style of play, but also in terms of not trying to con the referee or cheat/harm your opponent ; his willingness to be professional even in the face of provocation, related to which is his lack of artificial bonhomie and familiarity with journalists, referees, and other managers; his aim to be the best but not at all costs, and having the strength of belief, the determination, to stick to his principles in that regard; the acceptance of sacrificing himself in the pursuit of a larger purpose. These are things I associate with Wenger. Not all of them are necessarily a result of his experience in Japan, but this seems to be the code he abides by, and what he probably sees honour in. The samurai of Japan called this ‘bushido’-The way of the warrior. It represents the elaborate, ostentatious culture of the Japanese samurai. It guided their actions, including in matters of life and death, whether others’ or their own. Loyalty was highly encouraged, and the spirit of sacrifice for a greater cause was inculcated. However, they were certainly not shy of showing off their sense of self worth. Dying for a cause was worthless if there was no one present to see them do so. Humility was not a virtue. Glory was everything. Wars were occasions to show their qualities, and of course there was the samurai method of dealing with defeat that they are probably most renowned for. The act of seppuku, or cutting open their bellies. Something, based on the noise on the internet, a few people would like Wenger to do (not literally, though there’ll be some of those idiots as well) But, there was a flip side to the samurai culture. Wars are not won simply through honour. Spies for acquiring information, spreading disinformation, betrayal, and deception play a vital role in war. All of which was anathema to the code. So the samurai had to turn to, and into, ninja, the original men in black (they actually didn’t wear black since it stands out on a moonlit night) The ninja, in sharp contrast to the samurai, were all about survival. Secrecy and deception were their best tools in that regard. A ninja’s aim was to complete his mission with total dedication. But a delay was better than a rushed, botched attempt. A true ninja, stayed alive. No matter what it took. The ninja skills first developed amongst a sort of peasant cooperative seeking to defend their lands against an increasingly chaotic and disunited Japan. Maybe there’s a parallel in there to the chaotic environment of the Premier League, ever since the oil rich armies invaded the land. Wenger no longer could win the battle by being a samurai. The darling of the public. The one who won all the glory through his wonderful displays on the field of battle. Because the landscape had changed, because he was faced with an enemy more powerful than himself, he had to turn to the ways of the shinobi. He could no longer hope to challenge the top clubs for the choice of players, so he had to go underground to collect a raggedy band and train and develop them. He was often faced with betrayal and mutiny, not to mention the combined forces of loan sharks and poachers, which kept setting him back in his mission. All the same, he maintained his public face, kept on the facade of being a true samurai by refusing to acknowledge the precarious position his club were in, nor acknowledging the nature of his current assignment. Some of his own called his actions dishonest, disregarding the necessity of his actions, and the implications of not having him do what was required. This led to memories of his glories fading from many a mind. New samurai were fighting ever more ostentatious battles, with ever more showmanship and flair, to win the hearts and minds of the public. Regardless of how many wars they actually won, they were heroes already, while Wenger was deemed to be a coward and a failure, in not having taken the field at all. But little did the people know that the ninjitsu of Arsenal were quietly going about achieving the numerous small victories they needed to gather the resources for winning the final battle. By avoiding open conflict, Wenger looked to avoid annihilation, and keep hope of victory alive. Just like a ninja should. He is now in his last year of his reign. His fiefdom has grown prosperous under his reign, but faces more of an internal turmoil than ever before, fed by the jealousy and propaganda of a covetous and malicious horde. They all proclaim year on year, that the samurai lord is now too weak to rule. But is this now the time that we see Wenger don his armour once again and go out and lead his team to a glorious victory? (Hopefully at which point the most peacocky of all samurai, named Mo Rinyo, will show some rare honour, and slit his belly :) ) If Gazidis’ statements are anything to go by, (and they are quite unprecedented) then Arsenal and Arsene are ready to give up guerilla warfare, and to come back into the public eye with a renewed sense of confidence, and a show of strength. And while some will deny them the credit for doing what was necessary, nor accept the possibility of us joining the field with real intent again, the truth is that Wenger and Arsenal need be ninja no more. No more do we need to hide in the shadows. The Arsenal Samurai are coming.
Posted on: Sun, 07 Jul 2013 11:17:14 +0000
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