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Samir Nasri At Manchester City – Another Hleb Story In The Making?
Kush Sharma goes down the memory lane and brings to forth the case of a certain Belarusian which shall serve as a 'what not to do' manual for several footballers...
24-Dec-2011 10:15:00 AM
By Kush Sharma
Getty Images
In the expeditious world of the beautiful game, only few things have stood the test of time. Unfortunately, associating a player with a particular club and betting on his long term allegiance is not one of them. Opulent owners, the ever increasing pressure of grabbing finer wages, feuds with managers, and dissolution of the value of sticking to home when things go wrong, have all contributed in professionals taking the convenient route of frequent switching; even it is at the expense of letting down the fans and the club itself.
Carlos Tevez, Fernando Torres, Gareth Barry and Darren Bent are few recent incidents where the ugly head of mercenarism reared yet again. But if there’s one club in the Premiership this season that few could have envisaged having similar troubles, it is Arsenal FC.
Samir Nasri arrived at the Gunners from French giants Olympique de Marseille in 2008 for £12.5 million. When, against West Bromwich Albion, he became the 83rd player in Premier League history to score on his league debut and the 22nd Arsenal player to do so, it wouldn’t have been possible to envisage that the chants ringing around the Emirates for the debutant would have to be significantly altered three years down the line, with adjectives best not described.
Shocked l How could this boy leave us?
That was the case when a long drawn and much hyped transfer to Manchester City eventually materialized on August 24 , 2011. The Gunners’ faithful were left in disbelief , and so was Arsene Wenger , the fatherly figure responsible for nurturing and advancing the 24 year old.
Unlike Cesc Fabregas’s inevitable move to Barcelona FC , which was motivated more by a longing desire to return home and share the stage with best football team the world had ever witnessed, Nasri’s did not go down with well with the supporters, and rightly so.
The immediate response consisted of comparisons to the fate of players who had left the club from North London and regretted later on. One name amongst those, which stood out from the others was a man who coincidentally, had paved the way for Nasri to establish himself at Arsenal.
Alexander Hleb, one of the key players for Arsenal when he was signed in 2005, made a number of appearances for the Gunners. Being versatile, as most of Wenger’s acquisitions are, the Belarus international was used in a number of positions, and the Arsenal manager used him predominantly on the flanks though he preferred a more central role.
The Benchwarmer l Hleb
After forcing a move to FC Barcelona in 2008, Hleb’s justification of being more ambitious was rendered hogwash by the fans, most of whom saw greed as the primary motive. Arsene Wenger made sure he got a good deal, and a profit in the range of €5 million saw him acquire the services of a young Samir Nasri.
Hleb’s role under Pep Guardiola mainly consisted of warming the bench and despite winning honours; his minute contribution saw him get only more uneasy. He had clearly made the wrong move in leaving Arsenal. Loan stints at Stuttgart, Birmingham City and Wolfsburg did not exactly see the 30 year old set the world alight.
Hleb has never been shy of admitting his mistake of leaving the Gunners publicly. The innate human tendency to gamble more had caused his downfall.
Nasri was at the peak of the cultivation process last season when his mesmerizing displays, especially in the first half of the season, had many believe that he, and not Cesc Fabregas, would be the driving force in Arsenal ending their trophy less run.
But just like in Hleb’s case, that contemplation and promise remained just that. And though Manchester City’s sudden dominance has bookies tipping them as favourites to win the league this season, one cannot help but feel that the formidable squad strength that Roberto Mancini’s side boasts, as well as the fleeting nature of the significant individual contributions in that team, leads to a sense of insecurity for the players.
The fact that Nasri has already spent more time on the bench is a proof of the volatile nature of a well-to-do team like Manchester City. And though the consummate ease by which Mancini can get whom we wants might be a thing of joy for the City supporters, it is not so comforting for the players, who are well aware that performance and playing time might not always be in direct relation.
Would winning the league be half as satisfying for Samir Nasri when his involvement in that effort has been less than trivial, as commanding the centre of the midfield for a club which brought his career to life and aiding it in overcoming all odds?
Learn From The Belgian l Thomas Vermaelen
Samir Nasri would have done well to take a leaf out of Thomas Vermaelen’s book, after the Belgian centre back signed a new deal with Arsenal this October. The imposing defender cemented his place in hearts of fans around the world when he was quoted as saying - “It's easy to quit and go somewhere else, but that doesn’t mean somewhere else is better."
Whether Nasri will turn out to be another Hleb or carve out his own success story at Manchester City remains to be seen.
One thing is sure though, professional footballers in the modern game would do well to acknowledge that the longest way round is the shortest way home.
Do you agree with us? Let us know your views by leaving a comment below
Carlos Tevez, Fernando Torres, Gareth Barry and Darren Bent are few recent incidents where the ugly head of mercenarism reared yet again. But if there’s one club in the Premiership this season that few could have envisaged having similar troubles, it is Arsenal FC.
Samir Nasri arrived at the Gunners from French giants Olympique de Marseille in 2008 for £12.5 million. When, against West Bromwich Albion, he became the 83rd player in Premier League history to score on his league debut and the 22nd Arsenal player to do so, it wouldn’t have been possible to envisage that the chants ringing around the Emirates for the debutant would have to be significantly altered three years down the line, with adjectives best not described.
Shocked l How could this boy leave us?
That was the case when a long drawn and much hyped transfer to Manchester City eventually materialized on August 24 , 2011. The Gunners’ faithful were left in disbelief , and so was Arsene Wenger , the fatherly figure responsible for nurturing and advancing the 24 year old.
Unlike Cesc Fabregas’s inevitable move to Barcelona FC , which was motivated more by a longing desire to return home and share the stage with best football team the world had ever witnessed, Nasri’s did not go down with well with the supporters, and rightly so.
The immediate response consisted of comparisons to the fate of players who had left the club from North London and regretted later on. One name amongst those, which stood out from the others was a man who coincidentally, had paved the way for Nasri to establish himself at Arsenal.
Alexander Hleb, one of the key players for Arsenal when he was signed in 2005, made a number of appearances for the Gunners. Being versatile, as most of Wenger’s acquisitions are, the Belarus international was used in a number of positions, and the Arsenal manager used him predominantly on the flanks though he preferred a more central role.
The Benchwarmer l Hleb
After forcing a move to FC Barcelona in 2008, Hleb’s justification of being more ambitious was rendered hogwash by the fans, most of whom saw greed as the primary motive. Arsene Wenger made sure he got a good deal, and a profit in the range of €5 million saw him acquire the services of a young Samir Nasri.
Hleb’s role under Pep Guardiola mainly consisted of warming the bench and despite winning honours; his minute contribution saw him get only more uneasy. He had clearly made the wrong move in leaving Arsenal. Loan stints at Stuttgart, Birmingham City and Wolfsburg did not exactly see the 30 year old set the world alight.
Hleb has never been shy of admitting his mistake of leaving the Gunners publicly. The innate human tendency to gamble more had caused his downfall.
Nasri was at the peak of the cultivation process last season when his mesmerizing displays, especially in the first half of the season, had many believe that he, and not Cesc Fabregas, would be the driving force in Arsenal ending their trophy less run.
But just like in Hleb’s case, that contemplation and promise remained just that. And though Manchester City’s sudden dominance has bookies tipping them as favourites to win the league this season, one cannot help but feel that the formidable squad strength that Roberto Mancini’s side boasts, as well as the fleeting nature of the significant individual contributions in that team, leads to a sense of insecurity for the players.
The fact that Nasri has already spent more time on the bench is a proof of the volatile nature of a well-to-do team like Manchester City. And though the consummate ease by which Mancini can get whom we wants might be a thing of joy for the City supporters, it is not so comforting for the players, who are well aware that performance and playing time might not always be in direct relation.
Would winning the league be half as satisfying for Samir Nasri when his involvement in that effort has been less than trivial, as commanding the centre of the midfield for a club which brought his career to life and aiding it in overcoming all odds?
Learn From The Belgian l Thomas Vermaelen
Samir Nasri would have done well to take a leaf out of Thomas Vermaelen’s book, after the Belgian centre back signed a new deal with Arsenal this October. The imposing defender cemented his place in hearts of fans around the world when he was quoted as saying - “It's easy to quit and go somewhere else, but that doesn’t mean somewhere else is better."
Whether Nasri will turn out to be another Hleb or carve out his own success story at Manchester City remains to be seen.
One thing is sure though, professional footballers in the modern game would do well to acknowledge that the longest way round is the shortest way home.
Do you agree with us? Let us know your views by leaving a comment below
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