‘Come and get your hands dirty’ – Grimandi ‘saddened’ by Henry and Keown criticism of Wenger

The scout says he enjoys a positive relationship with the two former players but cannot stomach their criticism of the Gunners’ boss

Former Arsenal player Gilles Grimandi has hit out at former players criticising manager Arsene Wenger.

The Frenchman, who played five years for the Gunners between 1997 and 2002, now scouts for the club and has slammed the likes of Thierry Henry and Martin Keown for attacking the manager.

Wenger has come under fire in recent months for the Gunners’ poor performance in league and cup competitions, with the Emirates side unlikely to finish in the top four spots in the Premier League as they trail fourth-placed Tottenham by 13 points. 

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As such, their Europa League campaign has become all important, as Wenger himself has attested. 

“The criticism saddens me because guys like Thierry and Martin, I like them, I have a good relationship with them, but there a sense of a polemic and I deplore that,” he told L’Equipe.

“To those who have become panellists, I want to say three things. Firstly, they must have short memories: they owe a great deal to Arsenal. Some would have given an arm or a leg to come back to the club when they retired. 

“Then, they should respect the investment that Arsene has made for the club, the way he works like a madman on a daily basis. Arsene takes all the strategic decisions for the club.

“Finally, I want to say: ‘Get your hands dirty. Today, you’re only in a role of judgement, but if you invested yourself in the club, you’d realise it’s not so simple.’”