Steve Bould sacked

[VCC]

What happened to this guy? Why was he so rudely passed over?

Actually if it was up to me he wouldnt have the youth team,
Arsenal needs to find its backbone it needs to establish winners and as good a player as Bould was he has still learnt his managers trade behind Aw, for me he was the same as Pat Rice may as well been a cardboard cutout

[Phil71]

The whole youth set up at the top clubs has turned into a commercial venture - with clubs more interested in how much they can make from loaning players out than how they actually progress.

A lot of the smaller clubs put barely any focus on youth development. Instead they scout around for players in their late teens / early 20s that they can buy at a reasonable price from lower league clubs or abroad.

Maybe that's what we should do instead of having dozens of kids on the payroll who will never get near our first team - or players who are simply not good enough on endless loan spells.

There needs to be a proper reserve team structure in the country where men can play - and not just kids playing kids.

[Zenith]

https://theathletic.com/news/arsenal-st ... JL5Ard4mYv

[Zenith]

The Athletic

Arsenal sack Steve Bould after over 30 years with club

By Amy Lawrence, David Ornstein and James McNicholas

Arsenal have sacked Under-23s coach Steve Bould after over 30 years at the club.

Bould has been in charge of the Under-23 team since June 2019 when he swapped jobs with Freddie Ljungberg as part of a major restructuring of Arsenal's coaching staff.

Who is Bould?

Bould is a former Arsenal defender who became part of a legendary back four with Lee Dixon, Tony Adams and Nigel Winterburn under the management of George Graham and Arsene Wenger. During his 11-year playing spell at the club, the centre-back won the league title three times and the FA Cup twice, clocking up 287 appearances.

He returned to Arsenal as a youth team coach in June 2001 and led the Under-18 side to back-to-back Premier Academy League titles in 2009 and 2010 as well as the FA Youth Cup in the 2008-09 season.

In May 2012, he was promoted to assistant manager, replacing Pat Rice. He held the role for seven years before turning his attention to the Under-23s in a switch with Ljungberg.

Why has he been sacked?

Arsenal’s academy has been in the limelight this season with the influence of “Hale End FC” — the group of players headlined by Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe influencing the first team — and the pressure to continue the production line is on.

Per Mertesacker is in charge of the academy but this has not been a season to write home about for the younger age groups. Arsenal finished 10th in the PL2 Under-23 league this season although of course results are less significant than player development for academies.

Bould returned to the academy to manage the Under-23s during a restructuring of the coaching set-up in the summer of 2019 after seven years as a first-team coach.

A parting of the ways feels pertinent to the friction between old and new methodology that echoes the changes in the approach to scouting recently.

What has his time been like at Arsenal?

Bould was a stellar defender for Arsenal and one of the pillars of the iconic back four alongside Dixon, Adams and Winterburn.

He was a much loved player as Arsenal won a glut of trophies under Graham. Bould took to coaching and spent 11 years educating youngsters at the academy before joining Wenger’s coaching staff.

After Wenger’s departure he initially stayed on to offer continuity around the first team when Unai Emery arrived but ultimately preferred to be able to manage a team than take instruction in the new post-Wenger set-up.

Bould has proudly served the club for over 30 years.

Who are the notable prospects in the Under-23 squad?

Folarin Balogun’s debut in the first team last season signalled the next generation to come through, with Miguel Azeez, a technical midfielder, not far behind.
Who is set to replace him?

It is uncertain at this stage but the appointment will fall to Mertesacker, the Arsenal academy manager.

[jayramfootball]

This is a good sign.
Bould was integral to fostering a culture of losing at the club.

[Arsenal Tone]

This is a good sign.
Bould was integral to fostering a culture of losing at the club.

Loved him as a player but hard to argue with this

[swipe right]

To be replaced by a cheaper man with no experience.

[Nuggets]

He was ok as a player but shite as a coach.

[Arsenal Tone]

To be replaced by a cheaper man with no experience.

Probably true tbf

[Royal Gooner]

Sad news

[Phil71]

To be replaced by a cheaper man with no experience.

Is the right answer.

[Highbury Hillbilly]

Watched Bould sitting by Wenger's side for 6 years. Still no idea what his role was.

[Va-Va-Voom]

Watched Bould sitting by Wenger's side for 6 years. Still no idea what his role was.

Professional gum chewer.

All he did.

[VCC]

Watched Bould sitting by Wenger's side for 6 years. Still no idea what his role was.

Watched pat rice for I dont know how many I can't count that high same result as bould.

[Highbury Hillbilly]

Watched Bould sitting by Wenger's side for 6 years. Still no idea what his role was.

Watched pat rice for I dont know how many I can't count that high same result as bould.

Don't disrespek like that, he was wenger's wartime consigliery

https://imgur.com/DNNiW