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Arsenal: Mesut Ozil comments reveal far more than just face value
Mesut Ozil has stated that he is looking forward to Arsenal’s pre-season tour to Australia. While his comments aren’t especially groundbreaking, dig below the surface, and they reveal more than you may think.
In the modern day and age, everything that is publicly said, done or even hinted will be scrutinised to the nth degree. It is the nature of working in such an exposed and attention-hogging industry. Everyone can watch you and everyone will judge you. Arsenal, as one of the more recognisable, better-followed clubs, have had to learn this lesson.
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Andre Santos, for example, swapping shirts with Robin van Persie at half-time, was not an especially popular man with the fans after such actions were seen by half the world on social media.
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The PR departments of clubs are acutely aware of the power of their message, both in what they say, how they say it, and whether their actions support it. That is why Mesut Ozil’s recent comments regarding the upcoming pre-season tour to Australia are so intriguing, pregnant with unspoken meaning. Speaking to Arsenal Player, this is what he had to say regarding the upcoming tour:
"“I hear Sydney is a nice city with a lot of nice people living there. I don’t know a lot about Australia but this is a good opportunity to see the city, the people and I’m really happy to go there with Arsenal. It is really good to have pre-season with the team, in my career it has always been like that. If you play at a big tournament, especially with Germany, you really miss pre-season.”"
Now, on the face of it, he has simply said what any right-minded person would in the situation – that he is looking forward to the trip and that having a pre-season with the club, when he is often occupied with international duties, is a welcome change. However, while what he says is all rather normal, premeditated and boring, the very fact that he is speaking of his looking forward to the tour is extremely significant.
If Arsenal were expecting Ozil to leave the club in the summer, there is no way that they would have selected him as a player to speak about the pre-season tour. It would be PR suicide. Moreover, if Ozil was expecting to leave the club, there is no way that he would be so open and so glowing about it either.
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The very fact that the question was put to him and that he answered it, suggests to me that Ozil is increasingly likely to stay in North London. This is certainly a case of me reading between the lines a little, speculating a hidden meaning, and it is far from certain or clear. But it is an undoubtedly positive sign that contract talks are, privately, progressing nicely.