What has Bergkamp done to deserve a statue at the Emirates? It's an insult to Arsenal legends Smith

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What has Bergkamp done to deserve a statue at the Emirates? It's an insult to Arsenal legends Smith and Thomas

Alan Smith, Michael Thomas, Ian Wright and Ray Parlour are all more deserving of a statue outside the Emirates than Dennis Bergkamp

By ADRIAN DURHAM
PUBLISHED: 09:01, 25 February 2014 | UPDATED: 09:03, 25 February 2014

Dennis Bergkamp unveiled his statue at the Emirates at the weekend.
How long will it be before the Alan Smith statue is erected next to it? After all, Smith scored the winning goal in the 1994 Cup Winners' Cup final to seal the only European trophy Arsenal have ever won. That’s an achievement that surely warrants a statue. Better than sitting on the bench in a Champions League final for Arsenal, which is what Bergkamp did.
Smith was also a double Golden Boot winner, and twice a title-winner with Arsenal, scoring in that famous 2-0 win at Anfield in May 1989.
Dutch of class: Dennis Bergkamp unveils his statue outside the Emirates Stadium on Saturday +13
Dutch of class: Dennis Bergkamp unveils his statue outside the Emirates Stadium on Saturday
Making history: Alan Smith fires home the only goal in the Cup Winners' Cup final against Parma in 1994 +13
Making history: Alan Smith fires home the only goal in the Cup Winners' Cup final against Parma in 1994
Decorated: The former England striker also won two league titles with Arsenal under George Graham +13
Decorated: The former England striker also won two league titles with Arsenal under George Graham
Maybe Alan Smith isn’t a sexy enough name to warrant a statue. And being the kind of guy he is I’m sure Smith would react modestly to my suggestions here.
What about Ian Wright? Scored a phenomenal amount of goals, won all sorts with the club and was brilliant. No statue, not yet anyway.
How about Ray Parlour? Won so many trophies with Arsenal, scored a brilliant FA Cup final goal against Chelsea and was a player the fans totally related to. What’s wrong with a ginger statue?
David O’Leary played 722 times for Arsenal. He was part of the team that won at Anfield in that historic game in 1989. Where’s his statue?
And of course, Michael Thomas, scorer of arguably the most famous goal in Arsenal’s history that night in Liverpool. ‘It’s up for grabs now!’ Where is Michael Thomas’ statue? It could be a spectacular sculpture, Thomas ended up doing a handstand on his neck as he celebrated – that would look so awesome!
Grandstand finish: Michael Thomas scores the title-winning goal for Arsenal at Anfield in 1989 +13
Grandstand finish: Michael Thomas scores the title-winning goal for Arsenal at Anfield in 1989
Bergkamp is a ‘sexy’ footballer of course, and he scored a wonder goal at the World Cup for Holland in 1998. He’s globally acknowledged as one of the most gifted players the world has seen.
That shouldn’t elevate him above some true Arsenal legends though.
For me Bergkamp was terrific to watch. But he didn’t impact the 2000 UEFA Cup final penalty shootout defeat by Galatasaray, and he was left on the bench in the Champions League final in 2006, Wenger choosing instead to bring on Jose Antonio Reyes to try and rescue the game late on.
No impact in two big games for Bergkamp. The doubles? Invincibles? There are others who contributed the same if not more to those Arsenal sides.
So is the statue really all about some special goals? A hat-trick at Leicester when he bamboozled Matt Elliott in a 3-3 draw? Surely not!
Three and easy: Bergkamp curls home to complete a memorable hat-trick against Leicester in 1997 +13
Three and easy: Bergkamp curls home to complete a memorable hat-trick against Leicester in 1997
That goal at Newcastle? I’ve always thought it was more luck than technique and when I interviewed Bergkamp last year he admitted I was right: ‘Of course there’s a lot of luck involved… there’s quality and talent in there but there’s some luck in there as well.’
He scored a great goal against Argentina in the World Cup in 1998, but what’s that got to do with Arsenal?
I’m not saying Bergkamp wasn’t brilliant, all I’m saying is that there are other Arsenal legends who should have had a statue before the Dutchman. I would have expected Thomas and Smith to be honoured before Bergkamp.


I suspect the lack of trophies in recent seasons has blown Bergkamp’s legend status out of all proportion.
And the money men at Arsenal know only too well a statue of an internationally acclaimed footballer will mean more to potential investors and sponsors than a midfielder from 25 years ago who never played at the Emirates, or a former non-league striker signed from Leicester. I wonder if any of these people who sanctioned this decision can quote the late Brian Moore’s famous commentary of Thomas’ late late title-clinching goal. I doubt it. Have they ever seen the film Fever Pitch? Do they even know which Italian side were beaten by Smith’s goal in that Cup Winners’ Cup final in Copenhagen?
A statue of Bergkamp isn’t in itself ridiculous. But a statue of Bergkamp before a statue of Smith and Thomas and others is an insult.
Bergkamp spoke on Saturday about ‘how big this club has become in the last 20 years.’ I hope Arsenal fans aren’t as quick to forget some of the very special memories made before Bergkamp arrived.
History shouldn’t be distorted at such a great club

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