The Bungs Scandal that Rocked Arsenal
Controversy in Sport
Let's start of here by explaining what I understand when I here the word controversy and then I'll share a definition from a trusted source. For me controversy is something or someone who acts in a way that steps across the invisible line of fairness or decency. It is often an act that is frowned upon by society and may be fuelled by such things as greed, hatred, racism or ignorance to name a few. An example that everyone with even a fleeting interest in sport and more specifically football will know about is the famous 1986 "Hand of God" where Maradona went on a Maradonesque mazzy run against England in the 1986 world cup quarter finals, flicked the ball to a team mate, who lost control and a England foot flicked it inadvertently towards their own goal. In sneaks Maradona for what seemed like an impossible header from the diminutive Argentinian. As you'll see below it was actually his hand that got to the ball, which caused an absolute shitstorm in the "home of football" This particular controversy will never be forgotten about
So that right there is controversy and fits the definition which I found in the Cambridge English Dictionary.
a lot of disagreement or argument about something, usually because it affects or is important to many people:
Before I move on though, it would be wrong for me not to mention the other goal from this match, in fact it would be downright criminal. There are few if any goals ever score that can top this, other than a few I scored playing three goals in with my mates as a youngster, but that's another story. If you think the run that led up to the "Hand of God" was mazy and sublime, then fasten your seatbelt for this second goal from the same match. The first goal may have been controversial, but this one is spectacular.
Controversy at Arsenal FC
Ok, so this post is not about Maradona, but his "Hand of God" was a good segue into the world of controversy and specifically football controversy. You see the hand of God was not the only thing of note to happen in 1986, no something far more important was going on in North London. As Don Howe's tenure as Arsenal boss was drawing to a close, there the Gunners were on the hint for a new manager. Terry Venables was the favorite to jump into the hotseat, but negotiations broke down and they failed to prise the Englishman away from Barcelona. Their attention then turned a Scotsman, but not the one you are thinking of. You see in a parallel universe, Alex Ferguson would never have become the manager of Manchester United, but would have joined arch rivals Arsenal instead - the role was offered to him in 1986, but after thinking about it, decided that he wanted to wait until after the World Cup before making any decision on his long term future.
The Arsenal board had it all planned out, with Ferguson taking charge and George Graham who was doing great things with Millwall at the time coming in as an understudy. In the end, we know what happened Ferguson waited until after the worldcup and the Scotsman who never even applied for the job, namely George Graham taking the top spot, a position that he kept by solidifying Arsenal's defense and winning domestic and European trophies ending a trophy drought and bringing confidence back to the Londoners.
He very much became Mr. Arsenal and held the reins of power from 1986 and 1996. He was a legend at the club and not only managed them for ten years, but played for eight years too notching up sixty goals in his 227 appearances in the red of Arsenal. He was the man and it was hard to see how he might part ways with the club, but part ways he did in 1996 and it exploded across the red top tabloids one morning and no matter how much he tried to deny it, there was no getting away from it.
He did not lose the reins because of a bad run of results or a falling out with the chairman, no sir, it was something more sinister, a controversy, a football controversy. Introducing Bungs..........
Bungs
Were it not for that human trait of greed that got the better of George Graham, he would be remembered for the six major titles he helped steer the Gunners towards in his ten year tenure, but instead of steely defending and 1-0 victories, Graham will forever be remembered for the Bungs that made his position at Arsenal football club untenable.
I don't like football agents for the most part, I never have. They tend to be self serving, greedy, slippery and generally bad news and the Norwegian agent who got Graham into all of this bother was no different, his name is Rune Hauge and he most certainly ruined George Graham, so much so that Graham had to stoop to the lowest of low ebbs for any man, woman or child born a Gunner - he had to cheer for Spurs for not one, not two, but three torturous years and even had to pretend to enjoy it 😁😁
John Jensen was a stand out player for Graham's Arsenal team and Pal Lydersen less so - it was the transfers of these two players that brought Rune and Graham on a collision course and over a period of two months Graham received "unsolicited gifts" as he described them or bribes/bungs as everyone else saw them to the tune of £425,000. That's a hell of a lot of money in anyone's language and Graham knowingly took, fully aware that it was wrong. Greed simply got the better of him as he visualised the new cars, the big house and the luxury holidays. Who knows what may have transpired at Arsenal football club had this not happened? Would Arsene Wenger ever have come to Arsenal? Would he have made it elsewhere or would he have made it at all?
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Peace Out
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