Gunners seek respite from football boardroom squabbles

AFP - 20 April 2007 03:32

Arsenal Vice Chairman David Dein talking to the media, June 2005. Dein, the Gunners vice-chairman who brought Wenger to north London in 1996, quit the club 18 April 2007 because of unspecified

LONDON (AFP) - Arsenal will seek respite from the boardroom infighting besetting the club when they visit north London rivals Tottenham on Saturday.

The most conservative boardroom in football was shaken to the core on Wednesday when it was announced that vice-chairman David Dein was to leave the Gunners after 24 years as the club's chief power-broker.

His departure has wider implications as manager Arsene Wenger's future has come into question due to his close friendship with Dein.

It is thought that Dein will return to Arsenal and reclaim the club by forming a partnership with American billionaire Stan Kroenke, whose investment plans for Arsenal have been vehemently resisted by long-serving members of the Gunners board.

In the meantime, Wenger has the task of safeguarding the club's more immediate income stream by ensuring qualification for the Champions League for a tenth season running.

Victories in the last seven days over Bolton and Manchester City have strengthened their cause, and they go to Tottenham looking to avoid a first defeat against their north London rivals for nearly eight years.

Midfielder Tomas Rosicky said: "Both Bolton and Everton are already sufficiently behind us and although we have not yet definitely qualified for the Champions League, we can play the rest of the league a little more relaxed.

"And we have a good chance of clinching the third spot ahead of Liverpool. There are still four games to play in the competition and already Saturday's one can be the key one to the final results.

"We play the derby against Tottenham which is always a special day for the fans. We have been successful in them this season, we have beaten them 3-0 in the league and we also eliminated them from the Carling Cup. If we did the same on Saturday, it would be great."

Tottenham retain ambitions of qualifying for the UEFA Cup despite being knocked out of the competition by a stylish Sevilla just over a week ago.

A year ago their 1-1 draw at Highbury, Arsenal's former home, put them in pole position to reserve Champions League football for this season. But their defeat at West Ham on the last day of the season saw them fall short.

Robbie Keane, who scored for Spurs at Arsenal that day, will miss the game after sustaining a knee injury at Wigan last Sunday.

"It would mean everything to beat Arsenal. We've had some disappointments this season, especially because we didn’t manage to get to a cup final," said Finnish midfielder Teemu Tainio.

"I thought we were going to beat them at home last season and at Highbury, but we didn't. We've been close so many times and this time we have to make sure it's not just close, but that it's done.

"It's good that we've had a full week's preparation before Arsenal, everyone knows how important this game is, we need the points and it’s a must-win game for us.

"Everyone knows how good Arsenal are and if you give them the space, they will punish you because they have a lot of skilful, technical players. We will look to start brightly again and I feel confident that we can do it."