Gilberto: “I realised it was time to leave Arsenal”
October 25, 2013
Gilberto was on ESPN Brazil talking about his career with Arsenal.
Here is a transcript of what he said:
2002-3 was my first season in England. We lost the league to Manchester United with eight rounds to the end of the tournament with a twelve point gap. When we drew away with Blackburn, it looked like everyone forgot how to play football. It was a general failure. For the following season, things went differently. But aside from the individual skills we had, and when everybody played on the same tempo, it was great. But what was special during the season was when we went to the matches, we were certain we were going to win the games.
The reason that made me leave was a conversation I had. He called me during a training session. I had already accepted – well, “accepted” – that I wasn’t in the starting line up. But I was just waiting for an opportunity. And he told me that if I had an opportunity to leave, he wouldn’t oppose. Then I realised it was time to go.
Some news sources have spun this as ‘Gilberto was kicked out of Arsenal’; but really, it is standard of the way that Wenger has always dealt with players. When they are no longer in his long term plans, he tells them very early and gives them time to find another club rather than sit on the bench unhappily.