Former Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh recently completed his move to Cardiff City on a short term deal. Shortly after completing his move to the Championship club, Chamakh has been speaking to French website RMC Sport.
Chamakh was asked about his time at Arsenal, and the 32-year-old slammed Arsene Wenger for not keeping promises.
He said: “I deserved more playing time than he had given me and promised. The year has passed and, early in the season, he told me that we would maybe change our tactical approach and I would perhaps start with Robin.
“They were just promises, there was nothing at the end. That year, everything exploded for Robin, he was player of the year. I could not say anything and I would not go see Wenger and tell him that I had to play in his place. Robin was much stronger than me.”
Chamakh also insists Wenger was disrespectful, and that made him leave the club.
He added: “For the goals I had, I think it was a little disrespectful. I started well and overnight it slipped away like that. He asked me to be patient, told me that Robin wouldn’t string together more than ten matches, he was going to get hurt, but it lasted a whole year. At one time I made a decision and I left the club.”
Chamakh seems to have a very rosy memory of his time with Arsenal, and to pin so much blame purely on the decisions of Wenger, and the fitness of Van Persie, is twisting history almost to the point of delusion.
It’s not just at Arsenal that Chamakh flattered to deceive, and even in the Autumn of the footballer’s career it seems he’s still looking for that ‘new found maturity’.
