What the pundits & media are saying about us

[Wheeler Dealer]

S C left us, signed for Arsenal, hated.
Pat Jennings, left us signed for Arsenal, loved.

It ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it.

Very different scenarios. It was us that wanted to replace Jennings with Daines, so he was deemed as surplus to requirements, and he didn't want to leave, but had no option.

We were desperate for Campbell to stay and he led us all to believe he would stay on, for him to inexplicably sign for Arsenal for nothing and the rest is history.

 

[TheBlueRooster]

Very different scenarios. It was us that wanted to replace Jennings with Daines, so he was deemed as surplus to requirements, and he didn't want to leave, but had no option.

We were desperate for Campbell to stay and he led us all to believe he would stay on, for him to inexplicably sign for Arsenal for nothing and the rest is history.

I know that it was different and Jennings was "pushed out" but at the time it wasn't widely known why. We didn't have the media that we do now. Jennings was expected to go to Ipswich but chose Arsenal as it was more convenient for him. He even alluded that he did it to spite the Spurs board. My point is he conducted himself in a way that he didn't upset the main thing, us the fans.

 

[Tucker]

It's the weirdness, coupled with the narcissism that really strikes one when you watch him. I actually have trouble comprehending where precisely he gets this idea that he's some sort of football messiah - something he's trotted out on more than one occasion. Based on what, Campbell?

I actually think he's borderline sociopathic, or has anti-social personality disorder, as the current definition goes. But when you look at some of the hallmarks, he does exhibit or has exhibited some of them.

The symptoms he's exhibited:

Lack of empathy - he's never even acknowledged, even when questioned directly, the distress he caused Spurs fans when he moved. OK, I admit, it's only football, but no-one's asked him to apologise or express regret, just acknowledge that what he did caused distress. He never has. Arsene Wenger has expressed regret over it and he's the one who signed him! His behaviour after Macclesfield went bust - publicly backing the winding up order. Again, he was owed the wages, that's undeniable, but to be so forward and brazen, to me, demonstrates at the very least a lack of tact and certainly a lack of empathy for the fans who were watching their club disintegrate. Or when he described himself as being 'pretty down' when he found out that the girl he'd been seeing was pregnant. Joy, fear, rage even, would have been understandable. But 'pretty down'? Really?

Impulsive behaviour - walking out of a game while playing for Bumenal; walking out on Notts County, constantly announcing these high-falutin' projects like his clothing brand, Heart & Sol (or whatever it was called) or campaigning to become Mayor of London, which then fall by the wayside.

Narcissism and manipulative behaviour - the narcissism is plain for all to see, but he's repeatedly banged his own drum to try and get what he wants. While was negotiating with Arsenal for his move, he was constantly saying, even in the press, that he was going to sign a new contract with Spurs - isn't that manipulation? According to an Bum fan I know, he tends more than is usual to to film or snap himself for his Insta feed (I admit to not using Instagram, so can't say what a 'usual' amount is).

Now, I'm in no way a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist, but his demeanour is just so strange, it's so off-kilter that I wonder if there's something biological behind it, rather than that he's just a complete tool. Or more accurately, that it's not just that he's a complete tool.

To be fair, a lot of the above can be used to describe other people, so I'm mindful that maybe I'm being horribly biased. I may have also opened myself to accusations of belittling mental health problems, which as a sufferer of them, I really shouldn't do; or that I'm actually discriminating against someone for their mental health problem, if it exists. And that one really shouldn't do if one believes that mental health conditions are a very important issue, which I sincerely do.

It's just, in his particular case, I find myself unable to feel any shame. When it comes to Sulzeer Jeremiah Scumbell I simply can't look beyond the phrase, 'Fuck him'.

I do wonder if the way he left Spurs for Arsenal had a bigger psychological effect on him than a lot of people think. By rights he should be an Arsenal legend, but you never really see or hear Arsenal fans or ex players talking fondly about him. Could well be that he was always an outsider there, and deep down his fellow pros didn’t trust him simply because of the way he fucked us over. He was never going to be loved by them, and certainly not by us after what he did. Could be that his narcissism has been a coping mechanism for that.

Let’s imagine he’d gone to Barca for a lot of money, and won the lot there, he’d have been fondly remembered by the Spurs fans, and likely more respected by his fellow pros.

That’s got to have an affect on ones psyche.

 

[rez9000]

I do wonder if the way he left Spurs for Arsenal had a bigger psychological effect on him than a lot of people think. By rights he should be an Arsenal legend, but you never really see or hear Arsenal fans or ex players talking fondly about him. Could well be that he was always an outsider there, and deep down his fellow pros didn’t trust him simply because of the way he fucked us over. He was never going to be loved by them, and certainly not by us after what he did. Could be that his narcissism has been a coping mechanism for that.

Let’s imagine he’d gone to Barca for a lot of money, and won the lot there, he’d have been fondly remembered by the Spurs fans, and likely more respected by his fellow pros.

That’s got to have an affect on ones psyche.

Yeah, I can see that being the case as well.

 

[buckley]

No not for me wherever he went to or won he would be lied he barefaced lied to us all for 18 months .
I remember taking my grandsons to the training ground when there was about 10 months left on his contract his exact words to the media man who asked him about his contract were " I love it here why would I want to go anywhere else plus I would not like to leave London "
I take the leave London part as particularly misleading as he new he had his Arsenal future lined up .
On top of intense dislike and distrust for some reason I find him a creepy person and I am pleased with that .

 

[McFlash]

It’s called having a sense of humour pal, as much as I hate him for being a gooner, mersons a mans man with a good sense of humour, Rio Ferdinand is a complete tosser, he used to drink in Bromley, out his nut in all the pubs walking round thinking he was a gangster. Now he’s putting on this big act of being the worlds nicest guy, he’s fake, funnily enough around the times when he accidentally forgot to do his drugs test and turned his phone off yo hide from testers

To be fair, we've all come across as a bit of a tosser when we were young and on the beers, and that's without having the fame and money that he had.
To judge someone from a couple of incidents when they were young and drunk is pretty harsh.

 

[SecretLemonadeDrinker]

Every comment on this board, and every other internet board*, is obsessing too much over something!

*Apart from www.apathy.org

I was weighing up whether to click on that link or not.

But then I realised that I didn't care either way, so I didn't bother.

 

[McFlash]

Never forgive Campbell for ruining one of my favourite shirts. Bought the Adidas blue and yellow kit, long sleeved version and because he kept saying he was gonna stay, I put his name on the back.
I think I only ever wore that shirt once.
What a ****, I wasted a lot of my hard earned on that fucking shirt!

 

[TheBlueRooster]

I hope he's not doing our match today. Sky often have him as Spurs and Arsenal defender knowing both sets of fans detest him.

 

[kmk]

 

[ZiggySpurs]

 

['O Zio]

Other than being an absolute disgrace of a human being, this is one of the things I detest about Campbell. He tries to portray himself as this cultured, football intellectual when the reality is that he is as thick as 2 short planks.

He's not funny, charismatic or interesting in any way. He just comes across as rather boring and quite strange.

He's definitely strange. Even all bias and hatred aside, if I was just a neutral fan I still think I'd think he's a fucking weirdo and not in the least bit knowledgeable as a pundit. He's not even entertaining as you say. There are honestly no redeeming features about him whatsoever. Arsenal fans don't even seem to like him despite the fact that he's part of one of their most successful periods. The whole Campbell thing is just weird.

 

['O Zio]

I don't think it's quite as clear cut as they're making it out, there's an argument that Sanchez flies in recklessly etc. but either way what I find the most ludicrous is this idea that the ref on the field has the most clout when it comes to the ultimate decision.

For whatever reason there's this weird obsession with not undermining the on-field ref. I can understand that up to a point, but what I absolutely don't understand is situations like Gallagher had explained in that clip where the VAR is effectively hamstring by what the ref says to him. To me it's ludicrous that the opinion of the person who has the worst view out of everyone involved in the process is given precedence over people who have access to slow motion replays, different angles etc.

If anything, the VAR's opinion should have more weight than the on-field ref's but for some reason it's the other way round

 

[Shadydan]

I don't think it's quite as clear cut as they're making it out, there's an argument that Sanchez flies in recklessly etc. but either way what I find the most ludicrous is this idea that the ref on the field has the most clout when it comes to the ultimate decision.

For whatever reason there's this weird obsession with not undermining the on-field ref. I can understand that up to a point, but what I absolutely don't understand is situations like Gallagher had explained in that clip where the VAR is effectively hamstring by what the ref says to him. To me it's ludicrous that the opinion of the person who has the worst view out of everyone involved in the process is given precedence over people who have access to slow motion replays, different angles etc.

If anything, the VAR's opinion should have more weight than the on-field ref's but for some reason it's the other way round

This is true.

You'd think that Oliver would have at leas used the monitor though.

 

['O Zio]

This is true.

You'd think that Oliver would have at leas used the monitor though.

Completely.. if we're going to insist on the on field ref having the final decision then the VAR should at the very least be able to force them to go and take another look at it on the monitor. It's just ridiculous having a situation where everyone else can see a replay and yet the bloke with no replay gets to overrule them.

 

[CoopsieDeadpool]

I don't think it's quite as clear cut as they're making it out, there's an argument that Sanchez flies in recklessly etc. but either way what I find the most ludicrous is this idea that the ref on the field has the most clout when it comes to the ultimate decision.

For whatever reason there's this weird obsession with not undermining the on-field ref. I can understand that up to a point, but what I absolutely don't understand is situations like Gallagher had explained in that clip where the VAR is effectively hamstring by what the ref says to him. To me it's ludicrous that the opinion of the person who has the worst view out of everyone involved in the process is given precedence over people who have access to slow motion replays, different angles etc.

If anything, the VAR's opinion should have more weight than the on-field ref's but for some reason it's the other way round

This is true.

You'd think that Oliver would have at leas used the monitor though.

Completely.. if we're going to insist on the on field ref having the final decision then the VAR should at the very least be able to force them to go and take another look at it on the monitor. It's just ridiculous having a situation where everyone else can see a replay and yet the bloke with no replay gets to overrule them.

And cue rule change.

 

[TheBlueRooster]

I think this is the problem with VAR. If we have it, it should be used. This penalty decision came down to arrogant refereeing not down making the correct decision. Oliver wanted to be the biggest player on the day. I've yet to see anyone who agrees that it was a penalty. He should be suspended and asked why he didn't look at the monitor and the answer made public.

 

[Riandor]

The issue for me is the way the statements are made by the refs to VAR (at least from how I understand it). Oliver has basically made his mind up and essentially "dared" VAR to say otherwise. In my view Oliver should have let the ball go out f play, pause the game (as it's at the very least a goal kick or throw depending on where ball goes out, thus game stopped anyway) and ask VAR, is there reason to award a penalty here?

Because yeah, at first glance it looks like a penalty, I thought it was at the time, so it's ok to question it, but not to state it definitely is a penalty and you have to prove me (the ref) wrong.

But even IF... why does VAR not have the balls to do its job? Because if this is the case, do away with it. It's unfit for purpose in the UK. Oliver should have been told to look again at the monitor and if he STILL takes the wrong decision, should be pulled up for that afterwards. So for me, the Ref in the VAR seat should equally be pulled up for it. Preferably both,.

A lot of time for Ian Wright as a pundit btw... and also Arsenal deserved to win, so just ice for them perhaps, but that's not how football works.

 

[TheBlueRooster]

The issue for me is the way the statements are made by the refs to VAR (at least from how I understand it). Oliver has basically made his mind up and essentially "dared" VAR to say otherwise. In my view Oliver should have let the ball go out f play, pause the game (as it's at the very least a goal kick or throw depending on where ball goes out, thus game stopped anyway) and ask VAR, is there reason to award a penalty here?

Because yeah, at first glance it looks like a penalty, I thought it was at the time, so it's ok to question it, but not to state it definitely is a penalty and you have to prove me (the ref) wrong.

But even IF... why does VAR not have the balls to do its job? Because if this is the case, do away with it. It's unfit for purpose in the UK. Oliver should have been told to look again at the monitor and if he STILL takes the wrong decision, should be pulled up for that afterwards. So for me, the Ref in the VAR seat should equally be pulled up for it. Preferably both,.

A lot of time for Ian Wright as a pundit btw... and also Arsenal deserved to win, so just ice for them perhaps, but that's not how football works.

Hmmm I don't agree that Arsenal deserved to win. They won because of a dodgy penalty that most pundits I've seen didn't think it was. They played better than us agreed but like them we hit the frame of the goal and they were hanging on come the end against 10 men.

 

[CoopsieDeadpool]

Hmmm I don't agree that Arsenal deserved to win. They won because of a dodgy penalty that most pundits I've seen didn't think it was. They played better than us agreed but like them we hit the frame of the goal and they were hanging on come the end against 10 men.

Oh come on. They totally outplayed us in every single department & we can debate the penalty as much as we want but, at the end of the day, we were nothing short of shit & got exactly what our limp, gutless & passion-less performance deserved.

Was almost identical to the Chelsea game & such performances in what should be passion filled derby matches is, quite frankly, shameful.