Namaste Gooners! 🙂 Welcome to the 5th edition of “Indian Gooners Speak Out”
Today’s featured Gooners are Nishant Singh, Keith Cardoza and @i_m_Pania.
Nishant and Keith are different from the first CIA operatives I had interacted with. Clearly, they have no affinity towards Twitter. While their day jobs revolve around solving mysterious crimes in the country, they suggest otherwise.
Nishant Singh is from New Delhi. Did his MBA from Bangalore and am currently working as a senior manager trainee in Expat Group. He loves Arsenal to d core. He is fun loving, humorous guy but a bit short temperd sometimes.. He says he is awesome when it comes to flirting. 🙂
I am sorry bro, but you will be disappointed in Arsenal fan spheres. Very few Goonerettes out there. 😀
Keith clearly didn’t have an introduction of himself, probably he is solving the Arsenal Stadium Mystery. 😀
And if you need added proof of it, he has provided me the picture below. He, quite naturally doesn’t want to reveal himself. 😛
@i_m_Pania is an IT Engineer Working in Accenture Banglaore and die hard Arsenal fan.
So, here we go.
1) When did you start supporting Arsenal? Which year was it?
Nishant – I started supportng arsenal From 2001-02 season.
Keith – 2006 at bergkamp’s testimonial, i was into Arsenal before that but i really got into it after that match
@i_m_Pania – I started supporting Arsenal in 2004 during the Invincible season, but honestly I didnt know that they went Invincible till around 2006 (used to follow the team through old newspapers in Dubai )
2) How old were you when you started supporting Arsenal?
Nishant – I ws 15 yrs old wen i started supporting arsenal.
Keith – i was 11 i believe
@i_m_Pania – 14
3) Did you start off by supporting one of the more popular clubs like Manchester United? Be honest.
Nishant – I started supportng arsenal straight away….
Keith – uhmm, not really, but i did have a lil love for Juve, they had my idol Del Piero so yea 😛
@i_m_Pania – No, Arsenal Vs West Ham was the first match I saw of Arsenal and instantly fell in love.
4) What most do you like about Arsenal and why. And you can name only one thing.
Nishant – One touch pass and counterattacks. reason being i guess they play the most bful football on earth.
Keith – they make football more about trophies, about more than money, they make it about lives, about careers, they give the youth, everyone a chance at the stardom..they make it life…
One of the best answers I have heard. 🙂 Oops, it is the best answer I have heard so far. 🙂
@i_m_Pania – Arsene Wenger.. Many players came and went but Arsene Wenger has stayed on and thats what I love about him
5) Thierry Henry or Dennis Berkgkamp? And why?
Nishant – Henry. bcoz “wen u need goals, u need thiery o’ henry..”
Keith – Dennis Bergkamp…he to me, is exactly what the gunners are about, playing for the team and not for themselves..
@i_m_Pania – Dennis Bergkamp, Its not like I dont like Henry but its more like 51%-49% bcoz DB10 retired at Arsenal
6) Your most joyous moment as a Gunner?
Nishant – The unbeatable season.
Keith – .i think the 5-2 with the spurs…and the 5-3…i just went crazy in those matches….its matches like those that teach you what football is and that feeling i get in my heart, its like my heart is high 😛
@i_m_Pania – When Thierry henry scored the solo goal against Real Madrid, We had advanced in the CL against all odds
7) Your most disappointing moment as a Gunner?
Nishant – When fabregas left.
Keith – carling cup…couldnt cry more that night.. 😦 😦 😦
@i_m_Pania – The loss in Carling Cup final against Birmingham, If we had won things would have been very different today
8) Is Arsene Wenger still the man for the job at Arsenal? And why?
Nishant – Yes defintly. I guess he can Only make it do like THE ARSENAL WAY.
Keith – Yes, i havent ever doubted him, and never will, with that passion and determination, he will always be the man for the job…its people like him, bergkamp and henry that define what Arsenal is..
@i_m_Pania – Ofcourse he is, coz he is a man with a plan, he has started this project and will finish it successfully or die trying
9) If no, then who would you like to see at the helm and why?
Nishant –
Keith –
10) What would you opt for if you were the CEO of the club? The self sustainable model, which is at place, with moderate spending and sparse silverware, or the ‘Petrocash’, which is being used by Chelsea and Manchester City to win trophies at will?
Nishant – Petro cash.
Keith – Self sustainable, i dont want to see Arsenal turning into EXACTLY WHATS WRONG WITH MANY THINGS IN THIS WORLD, money! i dont want our team to run on money…period.
@i_m_Pania – I am a big fan of Wenger’s self sustainable economic model, coz not only it will make us debt free in a few years but also once we start making profits after our debts get over we can buy really good players without having to worry about their wages and debts which will truly make us a force to reckon with.. With this model in place our future is bright!
11) A one line message for Robin van Persie, who looks set to leave. And this could also be a message for Fabregas, Nasri, Clichy, Adebayor etc.
Nishant – ARSENE WENGER can make 1000 nasri’s, 1000 fabregas, 1000 clichy….. 1000 van persie.
Keith – Play for the name on the front, and people will remember the name on the back…
@i_m_Pania – Dear RVP, if you leave Arsenal, you surely wont get respect anywhere else and you have plenty of examples
12) Who would you like to see as Arsenal’s captain next season? And why?
Nishant – Rosicky as he is been there for many years and understand d players n system very well.
Keith – Vermaelen, without a doubt 🙂 he is exactly what Arsenal need, his goal against newcaslte, that 92nd min (i think) run he made from the the Arsenal Box to the the Newcastle’s box and put the ball in…beautiful..
@i_m_Pania – Vermaelen or Sagna, They will be loyal to us and will have a great influence on the team
13) Any specific signings you would like to see at the club?
Nishant – Cristiano ronaldo.
Yeah, right! 😀
Keith – I think Dempsey is good, but i would love to see rb anyways
@i_m_Pania – Would love to see Gourcuff or Lewandowski at the club
14) Realistically, what are your aspirations for next season?
Nishant – EPL title.
Keith – I really believe that Arsenal can win something this year 🙂
@i_m_Pania – With the squad we have and hoping RvP doesnt leave we can challenge for the title and atleast win the FA Cup
15) One thing that you would like to change at Arsenal?
Nishant – Wage system.
Keith – The boardroom, nuff said
@i_m_Pania – Ivan Gazidis, someone with the calbre of David Dein should be the director, Ivan has a bad reputation in front of the fans after Cesc and Nasri saga
16) Your favorite player at the club right now? And why?
Nishant – Arshavin coz he is a Gamechanger n hs a neva give up attitude.
Keith – Vermaelen 🙂
@i_m_Pania – Jack Wilshere, coz even if he didnt play last season still he was pretty confident that we would finish 3rd and we did and also coz of his unchallenged loyalty
17) One player, past or present, you think you would have done better than?
Nishant – Samir nasri.
Keith – uhmm…i really wanna say bendtner but im not a forward 😛 but i think denilson 😀 i would play much better than him 🙂
@i_m_Pania – David Bentley, If i had got a chance like him, I would have done better!
18) Your favorite Arsenal goal?
Nishant – Countless favourites but Van persie against charlton.
Keith – Michael Thomas’s goal in the 91st min goal in 1989 against livpool that won the game and the league for arsenal beating livpool on Goal diff on the LAST GAME OF THE SEASON.
@i_m_Pania – DB10 goal against Newcastle United.. Even God wouldnt have scored that!
19) Arrange in ascending order of hate..Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona, Tottenham, Stoke City? Any other, please mention.
Nishant – *BLANK*
Keith – Tottenham (1), Man Shitty (2), Real Madrid (3), Ac Milan (4), Man U (5)
20) Arsenal to win the Champions League before you die or a one night stand with the girl of your fantasy? Be honest!
Nishant – Arsenal to win champions league, after that i cn hv as many one night stands i cn.. 😀
Keith – Arsenal win champions league…no doubt in my mind 🙂
@i_m_Pania – Arsenal win the Champions League and then a one night stand 😉
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If you missed the earlier editions of the “Indian Gooners Speak Out” series, follow the links below. I hope you enjoyed reading! Will be back with more parts soon! Hang around!
Indian Gooners Speak Out – Part I
Indian Gooners Speak Out – Part II
Indian Gooners Speak Out – Part III
Indian Gooners Speak Out – Part IV
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And, if you are interested to know more about Indian football, its clubs, rich history, and all the passion the country has for the beautiful game, do read Barefoot Indian Football Magazine. It is a nice site, with the latest in Indian football. You can also like their Facebook page.
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While you are about it, follow Blazing Cannons on twitter. @blazingcannons
And do like, the Facebook page as well.
Go ahead you lazy bum, that’s all I ask of you!