There is no doubt that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was always one of the elite strikers out there and it was a brillian coup when Asene Wenger persuaded him to come to the Emirates, where he continued to score goals for fun after scoring 98 times for Dortmund in just 144 games.
In his first half-season at the Emirates he scored 10 in just 14 games, then 22 in each of the next full seasons. But, after being given a massive wage rise and contract extension, his output deteriorated immediately so Mikel Arteta strangely decided to make him captain, hoping it made the Gabon hitman more committed to the cause.
It didn’t work, and he started getting disciplined by Mikel Arteta for being late to training and it looked like he had no respect for the club or his manager. We all know the bitter way his time at Arsenal ended, but now PEA has given his own full version of what transpired in an interview with @colininterview. Here is his words: ‘It was during the COVID period and we were playing, I think, Everton,’ Aubameyang recalled during an in-depth interview with @Colininterview. ‘My season wasn’t great, we were struggling in the league and the day before the coach told us: ‘Look, it doesn’t matter if we win or not, you have a day off. But if you want to leave, you notify yourself before the match because you have to follow the health safety rules.’
‘My mother a few months before had a stroke, it was going to be Christmas time so I went to see the coach and I said to him: ‘Coach, I’m coming to see you because I’d like to leave, I’m going to go pick up my mother to bring her back for the holidays.’ He tells me no problem. He knew very well what had happened, the day it happened he had already given me permission to go see her. So he gives me authorisation and tells me to check with the doc about the return in relation to Covid.‘I’m going home to Laval, normally I was supposed to leave on the free day and return in the evening rather than the morning of training. My mother had exams to do, I couldn’t leave in the evening so I left the next morning on training day. Once I got there, I had to take my test but in fact I should have done it the day before since I was coming from another country.
‘I arrive, the coach finishes his meeting and then he grabs me and he completely tears into me, he shouts at me like I’m crazy, he says: ‘You put a knife in my back. You can’t do that to me given the times we’re going through.’ At that moment I tell myself that I’m not going to answer him because it’s going to end angrily. I didn’t go partying. He knows very well the reason for my departure so at that moment I don’t understand why he is lecturing me like this.
‘I go home and the doctor calls me and says ‘Tomorrow, the coach doesn’t want you to be there.’ I said ok, I knew the next match was coming and I said to myself: ‘Damn once again everyone is going to talk about it, it’s going to be a mess, what is this crazy thing?’ I couldn’t understand it.
‘The days pass and the doctor tells me: ‘Look, he doesn’t want you to be with the group anymore, but you will be able to come and train but separately.’ I say to myself ok… And then afterwards, he calls me and we have a meeting so he can explain to me that one, he’s taking away the captain’s armband, and two, I’m not training any more with the group.
‘Once again, he explains why he is against me during this period when it was complicated for the club. That I have to be an example and that I couldn’t do that. At that moment, I said: ‘I admit that I have my share of responsibility but the real cause I think you can understand if you are a little bit human. You can understand my move.’
‘After that, it was over, I stayed for a month training on my own while waiting for the break.’‘I’m sure I was depressed. There are attitudes that are seriously different from your daily life. For example, I started drinking a lot.
‘It was a difficult passage. It started a little before I was fired from Arsenal. So yes, it was depression, I think that personally it was related to the state of health of my parents.
“It affects a man, it was difficult. How to get out? Often we say that we have to talk about it, there’s no shame in that.’
So, there is a lot to discuss there from his words, a lot of the club’s version we saw on “All or nothing”, but it was strange that after being rubbish on the pitch for Arsenal, he then went to Barcelona and scored 13 goals in 23 games, and last season he notched up 30 goals for Marseille.
Whatever difficulties he was going through, he showed no respect for Arsenal and cost us a hell of a lot of money.
What is your opinion on PEA’s version of events?
Jack A
ADMIN COMMENT
So here are some simple rules which I must insist commenters follow….
You agree not to give any personal abuse to other Arsenal fans. Everyone is allowed to hold their own opinions even if you disagree with them. It COSTS NOTHING TO BE POLITE TO OTHER ARSENAL FANS.
CALLING ALL ARSENAL FANS! Anyone who would like to contribute an Article or Video opinion piece on JustArsenal, please contact us through this link…
Sounds like Arteta was accommodating him as much as possible within the confines of COVID rules. PEA clearly thought he was above that as he couldn’t be bothered to check the rules etc.
Many examples of entitled footballers and this is yet another. And it’s s hame because I am sure with the new team he could have been that missing spark in from of goal.
Many fans think it was a mistake but I know one bad apple can spoil a team spirit and atmosphere…and look what has happened since
There’s so much more to digest than the provocative headline about drinking and his eye watering contract.
If I’ve read it correctly, his mother having a stroke – contract extension – captains armband given and taken away – covid – drop in form – banish from the squad – drinking … all happened within a six month period (give or take?).
That’s one hell of lot of pressure to be on one’s shoulders and I can understand why it all went wrong… but what could Mikel do, other than discipline him?
Go back to the covid time and we had the players being asked to take pay cuts, three players refusing to do so, 50 odd people being made redundant, players getting involved in political issues, struggling on the pitch, the super league debacle and I’m sure I missed other issues out as well.
Arteta had to handle all the above and, despite me acknowledging / seeing Aubameyang’s dilemma, he let the manager and the club down.
Interesting to read the other side of the coin though and I wonder if we will ever read Ozil’s account of that period and his side of the story?
That sheds a lot of light and explains Auba’s drop in form in his final season with us. That period was stressful for most people around the world but it must have been even worse for him given the challenges he’s mentioned. This goes to show that as fans we are working with very limited knowledge about the players and the coaching staff. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes that we aren’t privy to and as such we should always try to extend a bit of grace and understanding in our judgements.
And yet even after getting some insight to what was really going on, some us will continue condemning him.
He had a good start:
2018-2019 – 22 league goals
2019-2020 – 22 league goals
In first season- he got the record for the best minutes per goal ratio in Premier League history.
Also he helped us win FA Cup
Then he sadly went down in form
I’m trying to think back to the Covid pandemic and how it affected people. Ken1945 has mentioned all sorts of situations that made it difficult for everyone.
I’m sure PEA was extremely concerned for his mother and was given time to see her within certain guidelines. The fact that he didn’t follow them did let his team and manager down. There were far reaching restrictions on our freedom of movement a lot of the time- with families not being able to see loved ones some of which passed away alone.
My view at the time was that he was in some sort of ‘bad shape’ as his football was dire and his captaincy was non existent. He didn’t rise to the challenge or the honour unfortunately.
Was it just a coincidence that the egg timer countdown to the renewed contract and the bumper salary purely a coincidence with a plummet in form?
It’s also worth remembering that he turned up for training late which is contrary to what would be expected so for me, I was glad to see him go. He was appeared to be a senior player who thought he was above the club. The fact that he chartered a plane to push his move through to Barcelona (full of smiles I seem to remember) was a blot on his record.
Please forgive my terrible grammar in places
He confirms my thought that Arteta had no empathy and he prioritised family.
Sws, so how would you have handled the situation?
By applying a miniscule amount on EQ to the trying situation.
At face value it just seems like Arteta wanted a scape goat for how poorly the team were doing at the time.
Albeit the team are doing well now after huge investment and two good yet unsuccessfull seasons. I wonder if he will act the same way when times get trying again.
So he chose as his scapegoat, a player who he had just rewarded a new four year contract too, with a a whopping reported £300,000 a week salary, a golden boot winner and no one anywhere near his level to replace him?
Not sure what EQ means, but I suggest you use a little IQ and look at the facts.
He’s admitting he broke the rules… simple really.
Ken, I honestly expected more from you than to insult someone for their opinion. To insinuate I have a low IQ which is clearly implied by your post.
Please read Admin comments under the article, it takes nothing to be polite and attack opinions rather than the person.
EQ = Emotional Intelligence. Glad to have educated you a little.
Sws
Thank you for explaining EQ. It wasn’t a term I was familiar with either.
I am only suggesting that Arteta had most likely used plenty of that in the past, but when an employee of the club breaks the rules (not just the once either) then it was about time that PEA used his undoubted IQ to realise his responsibilities.
We were ALL living under stress from the pressure of the pandemic. He at least had a cast iron contract and wasn’t worried about paying the rent or mortgage or not being to see elderly and sick relatives as many were. He was allowed to go and see his mother so where was his EQ when disrespecting his club and his teammates who may have been concerned about family members or were struggling with their own mental health issues but didn’t put it out in the public domain.?
Auba just refused to play for Arsenal and Barcelona ,he did everything to make sure arsenal released him and Arteta granted him that wish..Arteta loved him but Auba stabbed him in the back and it’s true.
Amazing how gullible some people are…
1. This is HIS version of events.
2. Everyone has a story, even the guilty.
3. If this is the best he can come up with then it’s not much of a defence tbf.
What’s missing from this narrative is the bit where he calls/texts to say “Can I be a bit late?”. He doesn’t do that, he just does what he wants.
And everyone has a sob story about family – when he says he “couldn’t leave” because his mother had exams… why not? All that money he got paid he could have a private ambulance pick her up and take her for the best of private medical care.
The appointment would also be known well in advance, so why was it never mentioned to Wenger at any stage? And since it would be private medicine, why could it not be changed to whatever was convenient to her/him?
Also, it seems it was basically a routine checkup since he states that she had the stroke “a few months before” these events.
All in all, this is a very weak story. If that’s the best he can do then he’s guilty as charged to my mind.
Arteta was correct on getting rid of him. He’s trying to whitewash his history he was an arrogant git and damaging the team just like Ozil. When Arteta got rid of players who were not committed to the cause we started on the path we are on today. Good riddance to him.
I reckon there is a lot of context that has been left out. We’re hearing about the final actions taken I’d say there are a lot of misdemeanors we haven’t heard about
Arteta is a good football manager but extremely poor in man management. It shows the way he handles his bench. Even the way he went about Ramsdale issues. He needs to grow up in that regards otherwise he may just not be able to win us the EPL. You need to be able to use ALL your players well to win EPL and not just 15 players throughout.
When we look at Arteta, we see this true colors. He can’t manage big name players. There was no need to cost the club with this decision of not letting him train with the group. Yes you may bench him. Remember there is life after a player leaves Arsenal but don’t mess up a players future over shall issues. It’s rather you let them go. Same with the Ozil situation.