Arsenal: Mesut Ozil drama can be summed up with one word

Arsenal’s controversial maestro, Mesut Ozil, has had his character called into question, but this can all be summed up in one word.

Arsenal don’t need drama. The arrival of Unai Emery was bound to be drama free because the man was brand new and therefore had to be given some leeway. So any drama that was going to happen was going to happen unrelated to the club itself.

And we found some, in the form of Mesut Ozil and the failure of the German national team.

The defending World Cup champions were unable to get out of the group stages and, in the process, German fans found a way to blame all of their sorrows on one man – Mesut Ozil. They pointed at his Turkish affinity as a problem and criticized his decision to be photographed with the President of Turkey.

Shortly after they were bounced from the Cup, Ozil announced that he would be retiring from international football. At the age of 29, that isn’t the most unheard of thing in the world, but for Ozil it was something different.

For Ozil, it was a matter of mistreatment from the fans, and racism.

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Some voices in the German sphere wouldn’t leave it at that. They proceeded to call him cowardly and questioned his character, which, all in all, was rather sickening.

Now, however, Ivan Gazidis has spoken out and backed Ozil’s decision, which was unexpected, but also incredibly welcomed. Ozil has given so much for the German national team, he’s been the German player of the year five times and without him, they don’t win the 2014 World Cup.

What this all comes down to can be boiled into one word – respect. Ozil had earned the respect of the nation and the nation, in turn, refused to give it to him. Rather, they spat on the idea of respect and that disenchanted him and caused him to walk away.

That is a very mature way to handle this. He wasn’t spiteful or vindictive. He just walked away. If that is a cowardly thing to do, then what even is being brave? Screaming aimlessly into a camera? That isn’t brave.

All the players wear those armbands that say “respect” on them. It’s a necessary reminder that they deserve respect too. Ozil didn’t get it, so he let it all go.