Empty Emirates Stadium
Raul Sanllehi will take no action to replace Unai Emery until fans begin to boycott the Emirates Stadium and refuse to purchase Arsenal merchandise. That is the considered view of Blackburn George (@arseblagger) and yours truly in this the November 24th edition of the Uncensored Arsenal Podcast. Almost every big twitter account, blogger and YouTuber are now convinced that Emery must go. But even after drawing 2-2 with Southampton, the 19th team in the league, Raul is determined to hang unto Emery. Why?
Similarly he is determined to keep the legendary David O’Leary, who is a real football-man, off the Board. So much so that that Sir Chips Keswick, who is chairman, and Lord Harris, director, are reportedly willing to quit because of feeling they are merely being treated as figureheads. How are the two connected?
We give our explanation to this and many other related issues in the podcast. Feel free to give us your feedback in the Comments section of the blog.
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Positively Arsenal 
Things are bad, but not bad enough for me at least to boycott those who wear the shirt, whatever those upstairs are up to. I don’t make every game but will always back the players when I do. The players didn’t ask for this mess, but they bear the brunt, IMO undeservedly eg Xhaka. Having said that, suspect some players have their own boycott against the manager going on, probably for good reason. Emery clearly has communications and other issues must be hard to play under.
The reality, despite sharing your fears of the board doing nothing, a few snippets starting to appear suggest to me at least emery is finished, just a matter of when and who comes in. His job is surely now untenable given his publicly stated objective for the season.
The board may appear inactive but I am sure they are not stupid or unable to see.
This time last week I feared emery would be here in May but something seems to have hopefully changed.
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Laca not celebrating and the crowd not really celebrating a late equaliser speaks volumes. Surely cannot have been missed the hierarchy. How long will they let the rot continue I wonder.
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Mandy: As George and I have always maintained, when it suits him, Raul will easily hang Emery out to dry. In my opinion the Head Coach’s days are numbered. It is the diabolical actions and maneuvers by Don Raul (supported by Josh) that is the root of the problem. Will things change if another gimp, whom Raul can manipulate, is put in place?
Will we just have another round of transfers, buying and selling, decimating the club of quality players, make a difference?
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Agree Shotta, think his days are numbered, and Raul prob will hang his alleged choice out to dry. Will be very interesting to see who is next.
Markyb, myself and a load of people around me were absolutely convinced the ref would find a way to disallow Lacca goal, with that refs performance all game, initially wondered if Lacca thought that too , and was wary of celebrating, tho the TV pictures are more damning
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Josh is not my favourite person but I disagree that he is supporting this mess. That would imply Raul is his proxy. Raul didn’t just pulled the wool over the eyes of many fans but also the Kroenkes with his bold and ambitions plans and links to agents, needed to take Arsenal to the next level. Edu wasn’t signed because he was the best technical director available but because to gain excess to his networks of agents.
What ever frustrations because Emery is still in job, there’s management structures in place. Josh can’t simply go over Raul, Vinni or Edu’s head and do as he please. That would imply theirs zero faith in the management team. Its for Raul them to acknowledge they’ve reach the end of their rope where Emery is concerned and make the necessary recommendations for Josh to sign off on.
Emery is Raul’s hill, and the don is losing face with fans as well as the owners.
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Sensible point Labo. Josh is surely no idiot, he goes to quite a few games as well, we are led to believe, he will see what’s going on.
This season may by now be deemed a bit of a lost cause by those in power, the top four has near as can be, gone. An EL win looks unlikely , certainly under Emery. The best case scenario might now be ensure they get into the EL again next year.
I have no doubt by now, Emery has no long or even medium term future at the club, and if so, I am sure he and the players are well aware. Emery looks like a man with the troubles of the world on his shoulders.
But if CL next year is unlikely next year, this actually buys the club time to make sure they get the right appointment today, Xmas or end of season.
It is possible the delay in sacking emery is just because their chosen one is not available until the summer, perhaps they don’t think Freddie is ready? And there are no suitable hired guns who would just take the job for the rest of the season. Must admit, part of me did at one point fear Jose coming in.
As annoying and frustrating as the wait may be, even damaging, I hope they take stock, time and really get the next one right, and don’t let Raul or anyone else bulldoze what turns out to be an unsuitable candidate into post at the last minute
But you are right, Emery does not look good on Raul, I doubt if RS will get sacked, but hopefully, there is serious pressure on him to help get the next guy right, and even a little humility behind closed doors?
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And if I were Raul, at this stage, I would be sending Arteta the very finest case of Spanish red , with a grovelling apology if reports of Rauls last minute intervention, and championing of emery are true
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Exactly Mandy. Raul got backed financially by Josh. That for me means he did his part. Raul’s constantly saying he back Emery to turn things around, Edu saying they back Emery and recently Pires (I’m not sure in what capacity), suggest these guys are getting pressure from above.
Raul seem to have something cooking with Emery. As in he want Emery to persist developing Guendouzi and a few other young uns, in hopes of selling them off for mega bucks to offset whatever revenue lose for not qualifying for European competitions.
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I am not suggesting that the fans boycott games to make a point, I’m suggesting that when they stop going because they can’t be bothered, that is the time it will bite for The Kroenkes.
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fair point George, that should be a worry for them
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I think Raul and Edu are trying to ride out the storm till January, or should I say the January Transfer Window, when they could become Don Raul and Savior Edu once again with two big money signings, say Dayot Upcamento who its reported we had a massive bid turned down for in the summer, and the signing of a big powerhouse midfielder, with Xhaka and maybe even Torreira shuffled out the door to not only offset the fees but to appease the boo boys, Xhaka has already been thrown to the Wolves, and I see a lot of the bloggers and big twitter accounts already turning on Torreira
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Odd falling for Mr Nuno Holy Spirit. 5-2, bookies favourite as next permanent manager apparently.
Would seem unlikely mid season, he is at a club doing well, backed by rich Chinese, but his agent is Rauls mate Mendes, perhaps a chance for Raul to redeem himself to Don status, in some eyes
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Some get superstar managers, maybe we will get a Superagent Manager?
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Mandy – I take your point about not boycotting and not supporting the players, and like you I wouldn’t do any of those things deliberately. But what I have found is that over the last few weeks I have had all hope extinguished by a creeping apathy, and that I no longer rush to rearrange my plans to accommodate watching (or listening) to the games. And I suspect that I am not alone, judging by the empty seats last week.
I do believe that we have a decentish squad, and that we have the players to operate in pretty much any system a manager might want to employ. I think it is possible that this season could still turn out well, with a strong second half of the league season and with an exciting run in the Europa. But for that to happen the players need a manager who can get them believing that these things are possible, and our current man seems no longer capable of doing that.
I find it quite strange that he hasn’t already been asked to leave.
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FH, often this month have thought of the piece you wrote before the season started, when you looked forward to the games and atmosphere of gonig to the ground in autumn and enjoying supporting the team. Certainly we have lost entrance to through the low door in the wall to the enchanted garden or even Lady Mollys!
I also find it hard to believe that he hasnt gone. Maybe theyre stumbling on the idea of a big pay-out ( amongst other things)?
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LTArsenal™
@ltarsenal
Ornstein: Xhaka is very highly regarded inside the club. Says he was told by the club “Even when he was being slated widely, you don’t understand how important he is to the team, the structure, the balance and the understanding of tactics.”
yet our head coach couldn’t wait to throw him to the wolves
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Chiefly for Mills, but how did Evelyn Waugh know this all those years ago?
I was aghast to realize that something within me, long sickening, had quietly died, and felt as a husband might feel, who, in the fourth year of his marriage, suddenly knew that he had no longer any desire, or tenderness, or esteem, for a once-beloved wife; no pleasure in her company, no wish to please, no curiosity about anything she might ever do or say or think; no hope of setting things right, no self-reproach for the disaster. I knew it all, the whole drab compass of marital disillusion; we had been through it together, The Arsenal and I, from the first importunate courtship until now, when nothing remained to us except the chill bonds of law and duty and custom. I had played every scene in the domestic tragedy, had found the early tiffs become more frequent, the tears less affecting, the reconciliations less sweet, till they engendered a mood of aloofness and cool criticism, and the growing conviction that it was not myself but the loved one who was at fault. I caught the false notes in her voice and learned to listen for them apprehensively; I recognized the blank, resentful stare of incomprehension in her eyes, and the selfish, hard set of the corners of her mouth. I learned her, as one must learn a woman one has kept house with, day in, day out, for three and a half years; I learned her slatternly ways, the routine and mechanism of her charm, her jealousy and self-seeking, and her nervous trick with the fingers when she was lying. She was stripped of all enchantment now and I knew her for an uncongenial stranger to whom I had bound myself indissolubly in a moment of folly.
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But?
“something quite remote from anything the builders intended has come out of the fierce little human tragedy in which I played; something none of us thought about at the time, a small red flame-a beaten copper lamp of deplorable design relit before the beaten copper doors of the tabernacle; the flames which old Gunners saw from their tombs, which they saw put out; that flame burns again for other Gunners, far from home, farther in heart than Acre or Jerusalem. It could not have been lit but for the builders and the tragedians, and there I found it this morning, burning anew among the old stones”.
I quickend my pace and reached the hut which served us for our ante/room.
“You’re looking unusually cheerful today” said the second in command
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Interesting about Xhaka. Ornstein also says the club want him back and, stating the obvious, have suffered in his absence.
Call me a slow coach, but the treatment of Xhaka was what really turned me against Emery for good and with vengeance, and even if he was just following orders, which I doubt, he had no business following orders like that, sometimes you have to make a stand, even to the point of resignation, but I am sure emery either instigated these things, or very happily went along. Pathetic. Xhaka strikes me as a passionate hotblooded type who was angry and hurt, not depressed or mentally ill. Yet another player Emery has thrown under a bus, I am sure Ozil, Ramsey, Xhaka, Torriera have, combined, a lot of friends in that dressing room
He should have backed Xhaka to the hilt.
Agree FH. No idea why he hasnt been replaced, but yes, creeping apathy is a worry. I am sure they would want to wait until the summer with more managers available, but they dont now have that option unless they want to risk the lowest finish for decades, and on their hands, that would be a fine start for Edu!
Is there any truth that Freddie/Per dont have the right badges? I would certainly take that duo, in the sure knowledge they understand the club, value the players, and i would hope unlikely to take too much nonsense from above.
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Ed and co who responded other day.
After lot of phoning and digging I’m now in situation where solicitors who put all this in motion have advised me I need to get my Aunt’s former insurers to pay off full outstanding amount. Aye, sure a call centre bod will agree to that instantly!
They allege that all of this has happened as a consequence of Aunt’s insurers literally not responding to any of their attempts at contacting them initially!!
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Laughable stuff. Wouldn’t have believed in a million years things could go that way. If genuine and they literally didn’t respond, it is fecking potty if laws allow them to then go after the individual.
Lot of the mess appears to have been caused by my Aunt moving house at start of year, so seems any enquiries to her were probably sent there- ccj lists that address-and all subsequent proceedings just went and took place without her knowledge. Insurance company did have her proper address, but hey, they apparently weren’t answering their calls or something.
It’s all a bad fecking joke, but whereas initially I was for her paying the debt to conclude matter, and ensure bailiffs didn’t go to my folks place and rack up hundreds more fees in process, I’m now in fighting mood about it. Can’t hack injustice of that. Surviving on coffee and cigarettes all day as I make my enquiries.
It’s taken my mind off Arsenal, Emery and co good and proper at least!
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Laughable stuff. Wouldn’t have believed in a million years things could go that way. If genuine and they literally didn’t respond, it is fecking potty if laws allow them to then go after the individual.
Lot of the mess appears to have been caused by my Aunt moving house at start of year, so seems any enquiries to her were probably sent there- ccj lists that address-and all subsequent proceedings just went and took place without her knowledge. Insurance company did have her proper address, but hey, they apparently weren’t answering their calls or something.
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Anyway, sorry about such non-football talk folks, but felt I’d give update to those who responded to my whatever it was the other day. This’ll be last (unless I can defeat the bastards!)
It’s all a bad fecking joke, but whereas initially I was for her paying the debt to conclude matter, and ensure bailiffs didn’t go to my folks place and rack up hundreds more fees in process, I’m now in fighting mood about it. Can’t hack injustice of that.
It’s taken my mind off Arsenal, Emery and co good and proper at least!
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Oops. Don’t know what happened there with the duplication. Should’ve waited a minute. I copy stuff now before sending in expectation of the gremlins eating my words.
Thanks for the literature guys. Good writing. Think I read one of his books once but remember nowt of it.
Makes me think you may have read The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford. Now that one I do recall being impressed by.
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well Rich when it comes to these companies and money you never know where it will all end. A mate told me the other day that he was having trouble with his broadband through his land line, he is with Vodaphone here in Ireland, and he took out their wifi modem to see if it would work, and it worked great so he wanted to switch from landline to wifi and they wanted him to pay up the remaining six months of his landline contract to switch to their Wifi, so he said he’d wait till end of his contract and then see which provider he would go with. He gave them back the Wifi modem, the guy in the shop told him he might get billed for having out the wifi modem but to ignore it. Last week he got a bill for 3 years worth of Wifi, they told him he was liable to pay the 3 years worth cos he did not leave the modem back in the shop within the fortnight even though he had left it back within a week.
They were looking for something like €12,000. So he went to the shop and they phoned Vodaphone but even they got the run around. He was given another number to phone, again they gave him the runaround for a few days. Eventually someone in Vodaphone sorted it out, but let it slip that he had only 24 hours left to sort it out at the time they did it for him, or he would have had to go to Court to sort it out. there is so much in the small print of contracts its unreal. No commitment trials are not as no commitment as they like to pretend. It was a good job he did not take the advice of the Vodaphone shop about ignoring the bill.
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its being suggested that our EL game on Thursday will see the lowest Emirates crowd for a first team game. Seemingly tickets available for all sections of the stadium, a crowd in the mid 20K expected. Frankfurt fans not allowed in.
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lots of media rumors that Emery is now a dead man walking as far as being head coach at AFC is concerned, but the question is, if he is in charge of our EL game on Thursday and we win, and win big say, winning our group, surely Raul and Edu and co could not sack him off the back of such a result. They’d have to wait till the next dropped pts in the league.
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Ed. Wow. Shocking from Vodaphone.
Worked for year in Call centre, faults, for Virgin Media Mid-2000’s. Left a few indelible marks- one being the incredibly hit-and-miss nature of service you get.
Religious types should put up a prayer before making a call, as luck of draw means while you might just get someone who cares and has a good level of knowledge…very good chance you won’t.
Key to a great service would be one (trained, good) member of staff taking ownership of issue and not letting up till resolved. Nowt like that. Main measurement of workers always speed.
Just fingers crossed when make my next, all important call to Churchill- ‘hello, the other lot say I have to ask you to pay up pronto, even though you ignored them 1st time around’- I get a real bit of luck!
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As said the other day I thought in all reality he had already been sacked but having made one mistake getting the right man to come in might take some time.
Identifying the right man, negotiating him out of a club and his contract at ARSENAL then bringing him in will all take some time. We don’t know when they started but even so Unai may still get a few more weeks wages yet.
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If emery really is effectively sacked, they need to remove him from the team.
Firstly, it’s not fair to humiliate UE. Let him take his money and leave, and go and build his career somewhere else, I would imagine in Spain where I hope he does well.
Secondly, a number of players might desperately want him out, they are not going to try too hard for fear of winning and extending his stay.losing more games is the last thing this club needs.
But can completely see they need to take their time with the next man, just cannot see anything before the summer with anyone suitable, ,aye a caretaker, but rumours Freddie doesn’t have his badges. Unless Paddy gets sacked or something…he doesn’t seem to be doing great atm
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Nuno ES is now 11/10 on one major betting site to be next permanent AFC manager. A betting site which I will not name/ advertise here or anywhere else.
The guy is almost evens, his nearest rival on this site is 4/1. Arteta 8/1.
Why? Does someone know something?
He has done ok at wolves , but not aware of any great history, haven’t seen anything that stands out and makes him an Arsenal manager unless we really are getting into bed with Mendes as well as Kia Joorbachen. Lots of Brazilian and Portuguese players if these odds are reflected I guess , along with Edus presence.
Just betting no need to worry yet I tell myself.
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Nuno not a figure that would instantly snap me out of my funk, that’s for sure. Maybe I’d be intrigued, but I’m not even sure about that.
Most of my former convictions have disappeared right now but pretty sure I had him down as a very defensive, counter-attacking coach.
I amended that opinion somewhat, on basis that Moutinho and Neves are two very accomplished technicians and passers, but even then still felt those abilities were primarily used in service of counter-attack football.
As I say, not many convictions at present, but pretty sure that’s what their relative success is based upon. That and a very good front two, with a hardworking central striker, thriving as the main man, ably supported by a skilful fairly fast dribbler.
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Just cannot reconcile the arrival of the super agents with a self sustaining club, unless the plan is to hoover up the best young talent….from places like Portugal and Brazil, and sell for mega. A bit like Wenger was able to do many years ago.
Just keep reading about our lack of options to take over from emery mid season, presumably Nuno also in this bracket as wolves have things to aim for. Depressing. Wonder why Freddie didn’t take his UEFA A badge, not that I know anything about such things . No wonder the club have been desperately looking for the slightest and silliest excuse to say emery is turning things around, eg Leicester
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Arsenal Academy
@ArsenalAcademy
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47s
Here’s how #AFCU23 lineup this evening in the Premier League International Cup
🔥
XI: Hein, Swanson, Clarke, Mavropanos, Bola, Smith, Burton, Smith Rowe, Tormey, John-Jules, Coyle
Subs: Olowu, Hillson, Olayinka, McGuinness, Cottrell, Medley, McEneff
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Arsenal Academy
@ArsenalAcademy
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7m
Goal for #AFCU23. Carceles parries an effort straight to @Nathan_Tormey
who heads into an empty
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🔴
1-0
💛
(6) |
🏆
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Arsenal Academy
@ArsenalAcademy
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6m
HALF-TIME: #AFCU23 1-0 @VillarrealCF
@Nathan_Tormey
’s early goal gives us the lead at the break
🔥
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Arsenal Academy
@ArsenalAcademy
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1m
WHAT A GOAL! @EMILESMITHROWE
DOUBLES OUR LEAD
😍
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Arsenal Academy
@ArsenalAcademy
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2m
Goal for #AFCU23. @TraeCoyle
receives the ball at the back post and takes a touch before slotting underneath Carceles
😍
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3-0
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(78) |
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Arsenal Academy
@ArsenalAcademy
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2m
3⃣
goals and
3⃣
points in the Premier League International Cup
✅
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Interesting this. Anyone hear claim, back around summer Kante joined Chelsea, that Wenger pulled plug on a transfer because of dodgy elements around player, payments, or something like that?
Can’t remember it exactly, but it was in that ballpark.
Thought it was probably nonsense but story about Kante today gives more credence to it.
Get impression that it’s unfortunately quite common to have this sort of bullshit around players now- there was something like it with O Dembele that complicated his early career/moves. Bit sad if Kante has to put up with stuff like this.
https://www.getfootballnewsfrance.com/2019/ngolo-kante-threatened-with-a-gun-in-2017-a-story-of-surrounding-yourself-with-the-wrong-people-part-1/
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With our chances of a top 4 finish not looking so great, our best chance of getting CL football next season looks to be through winning the EL, but some big teams that could drop into the EL are,
Atletico Madrid
Liverpool or Napoli
Dortmund or Inter – one of them will
Ajax, Chelsea or Valencia – one of them will
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I see the wolves boss is the current favorite to replace Emery if he is sacked, and oddly enough I see many gooners creaming themselves over the prospect. Well if ever there was a Bruce Rioch appointment in the making it would be this guy. Yes he has got wolves promoted, got them in the EL, and has a very good record v top sides, but it all based on a counter attacking style, any game Wolves are given loads of possession and face a team that sit back to defend, they have loads of trouble in breaking them down. Plus it must be said Wolves have built their squad due to their “special relationship” with big agents, their transfer spending over the last two seasons is around £180M
Emery’s biggest problem is that the ream is built to counter attack, built to play like the smaller club, how would replacing him with a manager who has his team playing that way, change anything for the better. By the way the only thing Santo has won as a manger is the Championship.
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Labo is in the building with a new post.
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