Get French Football News sat down with former Arsenal FC and AS Monaco star Gilles Grimandi, who paid tribute to his former Arsenal teammate Robert Pires and his coach at both Monaco and Arsenal, Arsène Wenger.
There were around 100 players present at Robert Pires’ testimonial earlier this month. Do you think that says a lot about Robert Pires himself, both as a player and as a person?
Yes, I was at the testimonial. It was a fantastic celebration. I think it was one of the most successful testimonials in a very long time. The welcome from the public and the locals was surprisingly fantastic. Above all, Robert managed to bring a lot of people together, and that allowed us to go back in time for a little while. We got to meet people we hadn’t seen for a very long time. There was an atmosphere of kindness and sharing that really warmed the heart during this rather difficult period we’re currently going through in France. It was a really wonderful event, and it reflected Robert himself: he’s always kind and considerate. I think Metz contributed greatly to the success of the occasion, both through the welcome they gave everyone and through the people in the stands.
It says everything about Robert because if you don’t have a good relationship with someone, you don’t go to their testimonial. You don’t take part in an event where that person is the main focus. Robert isn’t someone who creates conflict; he’s someone who enjoys life. He’s an epicurean. Robert loves life, enjoys good food and likes people. He doesn’t have any bad intentions, so I think everyone likes him as a person. A large part of the reason people came was Robert himself.
There were some transport and scheduling difficulties, so people had to make an effort to get there. If they made that effort, it’s because Robert has that quality of kindness. That was certainly the feedback from people in France about the event. I was surprised by how widely it was watched; lots of people had spoken to me about it, and everyone loved seeing so many people together again and experiencing the friendly atmosphere. I’m very pleased.
It was a great occasion for Metz, certainly. We saw Carlo Molinari [legendary Metz ex-President] and people who are part of the history of French football. It was a real pleasure to meet them. Joel Müller [Metz coach under whom Pires played] was there too. It was a really, really lovely evening.
The Arsenal manager at the testimonial was, of course, Arsène Wenger. You have a close connection with him from Monaco and then Arsenal. What influence did he have on you personally, on Arsenal and perhaps even on English football in general?
For me, his influence was obviously enormous. I played under him for nine years, then worked with him in recruitment for fifteen years. I think what he passed on to me was his passion for football. It’s deeply rooted in him; it’s in his blood. He loves the game profoundly and is passionate about it – perhaps excessively so, perhaps too much at times. That made certain periods difficult for him. He has such a strong desire to win and succeed, and he puts so much commitment into it that it’s difficult when things don’t go the way he wants, given how much he invests.
He passed that passion on to me. When you work alongside him, he’s everywhere because he’s so passionate and doesn’t miss matches. You have to be able to respond constantly and try to meet his demands. I only ever knew football in that way: through total commitment. Sometimes, when I see people entering this profession, I think they need to understand that you’re effectively giving your life to football. Otherwise, you can’t succeed. That’s the main thing Arsène taught me.
As for English football, I think there were two particularly interesting factors in Wenger’s arrival in England. Arsène had a broad, overall vision of football, while the English had a very specific focus on competition. They were focused on Saturday at three o’clock. Those two approaches came together. Perhaps in French football we didn’t always handle competition particularly well. Maybe we put too much pressure on the occasion and made it too important, whereas the English could enjoy the event and keep it in perspective while still giving their maximum. I think they had a very good approach to competition, perhaps better than we did in France.
On the other hand, they lacked that broader vision in areas such as nutrition, medicine and related matters. Arsène brought structure to all of that, and it helped the club succeed. But success is always validated by trophies. If there hadn’t been trophies, perhaps Arsène ‘s project wouldn’t have worked – or people would have said it hadn’t worked – even though the ideas were there. Unfortunately, many people bring new things to football but don’t get recognition because they don’t achieve success. Guardiola’s case is similar: people validate his project because he has succeeded and won trophies. Without trophies, it wouldn’t be validated. Arsène was fortunate, too, to work with English players who contributed something to his project.
Gilles Grimandi was speaking exclusively to Get French Football News courtesy of Swiper Casino Canada
GFFN | Jeremy Smith
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