Football

Arsene Wenger weighs in on Arsenal for making Gunnersaurus redundant


Arsene Wenger has slammed Arsenal’s sacking of club mascot Gunnersaurus as “unjustifiable” and “incomprehensible”.

Jerry Quy worked in the role donning the much-loved dinosaur suit for 27 years before he was one of 55 staff to be made redundant in a cost-cutting exercise by the club last month.

On the same day, Arsenal forked out £45million to sign Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid.

Arsenal were widely criticised for the way they handled the situation, and former Gunners boss Wenger has now given his verdict.

Asked by So Foot how he took the news, Wenger responded: “Badly. The decision was financially unjustifiable. I don’t know what got into them.



Arsene Wenger has criticised Arsenal for making Gunnersaurus redundant
Arsene Wenger has criticised Arsenal for making Gunnersaurus redundant

“No one can understand it. Everyone who loves Arsenal didn’t take the decision well. I’m part of them.

“They laid off 55 people, which could possibly be explained by a certain reorganisation, a desire for efficiency. The mascot cannot be justified by a desire to rebalance finances. It’s incomprehensible.”

Quy had effectively been put out of work following the coronavirus crisis as matches went behind closed doors.



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Outcast Arsenal star Mesut Ozil quickly curried favour with fans by offering to pay Quy’s salary for as long as he remains a player at the club – though that now looks likely to only be until June, while former Gunners legend Ray Parlour branded the offer a “PR stunt”.

Quy was not the only person to lose their job in the round of redundancies.

Well respected scout Francis Cagigao was also let go by the club after more than two decades’ service, having been hired by Wenger at the start of the Frenchman’s tenure.

Asked recently if the departure came as a shock, Wenger told the Guardian: “Yes, because Cagigao did outstanding work.

“I was amazed but what is the real reason?

“Certainly it was not financial because we spent a lot of money after that.

“I don’t know if you put the wages together of these 55 people that you can buy a player with it.”





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