Wednesday 9 October 2013

Dennis Bergkamp reveals he wants to return to Arsenal to work on the club's ... - Telegraph.co.uk

"I can't really plan ahead. I know I will be here [at Ajax] for at least another three or five years and then I don't know. I don't see myself being at Ajax for the rest of my coaching career. I don't see myself as a manager.

"I see myself as being part of the coaching staff. I really enjoy that role, especially the individual training with the strikers.

"I've spoken to or have heard about others [former Arsenal colleagues] who would also love to come back.

Steve Bould is there now which is excellent. I've spoken to Patrick Vieira and Thierry Henry would love to come back to Arsenal one day. Tony [Adams] is a big option as well."

Bergkamp, who won two Doubles and was one of the 'Invincibles' with the Gunners between 1995 and 2006, knew as soon as Özil started to make his mark at the Emirates that he would be asked to make the comparison – and he is prepared.

"I don't like comparing. We're all unique. But I do understand the similarities people see and I believe he can be very important to the team.

"It is still early days. He is a tremendous player with a lot of effective skills like controlling the ball, making creative passes and assists, taking the right position in the field every time. And he's extremely experienced.

"Putting all that together I think you've got a player who can be the missing link in the Arsenal team, a player who will make a striker score goals, who will link up in Arsenal's position-game and who will score goals as well."

Thoughtful, skilful and decisive football has always been Bergkamp's credo.

"Behind every pass there must be a thought", as he puts it. And Arsenal's new assist-meister is clearly a fellow-believer.

"Özil knows exactly how to control the ball in what kind of space to give himself time. That's the difference between the players and great players. With his intelligence and his touch and his skills, he is trying to do something right with every ball."

Özil lit up Arsenal's September with piercing passes and perfect assists. Bergkamp picks out the ball up the line to Olivier Giroud which set in motion the move that led to Jack Wilshere's equalising goal for Arsenal at West Bromwich Albion last Sunday.

"With that pass it seems like Özil was already calculating what the next pass should be. So he puts the ball on the side which means Giroud's only option is to pass it to the third player. The point is that there is a thought behind that pass. You see that with his control and his movement and that's what I like.

"With all the respect to the other Arsenal players, I think he is the one who can make a difference. The other players are good in midfield. But you need someone of a high-level you can be good in all areas of the pitch."

In Bergkamp's book Stillness and Speed, Patrick Vieira describes how he used to make attacking runs because he knew Bergkamp would find him.

When Bergkamp was off the field he would not bother because others did not see the pass. Bergkamp sees something similar now.

"It looks like it's a relief to the other players. 'Oh yes this is what we want', 'Oh this is a great ball'. They are adapting to Özil, and moving into spaces where before maybe they didn't do that because maybe they weren't expecting the ball."

Özil's form was no surprise – Bergkamp had seen him playing for Germany and Real Madrid.

"We played a few times against him with Ajax, so I got to see him close-up.

"At Madrid the problem was there were all those big names so he was more or less the fourth or fifth big name in that team. He deserved more. He deserved a free role on the pitch offensively. He is a creator."

Former strike partner Ian Wright said Bergkamp's arrival at Highbury in 1995 helped transform 'Boring Arsenal' into the total-footballing Invincibles. He said his influence changed the culture of the club permanently.

"But it worked the other way as well!" Bergkamp says now. "English football changed my DNA too.

"It made me a better player. I played at Arsenal for eleven years and the warmth of the players, the staff and the fans ... I must have done something right. In Holland people always ask me about 'my team' meaning Arsenal."

Bergkamp was appalled that some Arsenal fans abused and insulted Wenger when their team were beaten in their first day of the season by Aston Villa.

"The things some of the fans were saying to Wenger were quite shocking. Arsène is a decent, normal guy and I'm sure he's the first one who wants to win trophies."

Bergkamp still calls Wenger "The Boss" and cannot believe that people doubt his ambition.

"He wants to win trophies of course. It's in his nature. There are probably more reasons why Arsenal hasn't been successful over the last few years than we know of.

"For a lot of years Arsenal has been a healthy club with a fantastic big stadium, and good football. But now we all feel that it's time that we leave that story behind us.

"You know, paying for the stadium, playing good football, bringing up a few good players. Now you feel 'OK, now it's time to get going, to really make an effort and win a trophy.

"At some point the club was like: 'Let's get Champions League again for next year, and we'll get the money in again and build up and hopefully win a trophy.'

"But that didn't happen so now there is more pressure than ever. Can Arsenal go all the way and win that trophy? The signs are good.

"I still feel up front there should be a few more goals. Maybe in the winter transfer window they might look at that. But I think there is a chance to get to a higher level with the team."

  • Dennis Bergkamp's book 'Stillness and Speed', written with David Winner and Jaap Visser, is published by Simon & Schuster.

No comments:

Post a Comment