Thanks Ralph. It seems Arsene is a braver man than me.
83 comments January 19th, 2007
When Laureno Bisan-Etame Mayer came here from Mallorca as an attacking wing-back in May 2000, no-one would’ve thought he’d go on to become one of the most consistent full-backs in English football. However, persistence paid off, and the former Cameroon international became part of a defence that won two titles and three FA Cups. Moreover, he became an Arsenal folk hero: his icy stare and even cooler penalties contributing to his reputation as a hard-nut warrior.
He was a critical part of the Invincibles side, and was voted as the league’s best right-back in that year. He continued to be our “Mr. Reliable”, holding off the challenge of new arrival Emmanuel Eboue and improving his positioning with every game. That is, until January 2006. For months, Ralph had been playing through the pain. After the defeat in the second leg of the Carling Cup semi-final with Wigan, Lauren’s knee could take no more punishment, and he was forced to undergo an operation on a career-threatening injury.
Whilst Ralph missed the final game at Highbury, and the Champions League final, Emmanuel Eboue excelled in his absence. Over the summer, things got even worse, and it began to look as if Lauren’s career, not just at Arsenal but in football, might be over. However, his dedication and determination saw him come back from the brink, and in January of this year, fully one year on from his operation, Lauren was declared fit.
However, Lauren would never play for Arsenal again. He featured on the bench in the defeat to Sheffield United, but his last game for the club remains that Wigan date back in January 2006. Yesterday, he signed for Portsmouth for an undisclosed fee, confirming that he will never represent Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. Upon leaving, he said:
“I have made many great friends and have many wonderful memories from the years I have spent at Arsenal. I have enjoyed great success with the Club and I am very grateful to Arsène Wenger, my team mates and all the fantastic Arsenal fans for their support. The fans have been brilliant. Of course I am sad to be leaving Arsenal, but am I am very much looking forward to a new challenge at Portsmouth.”
I’m as sad to see him leave as he is to go. Portsmouth is a decent club for him though: they are in the top half of the table, and he’ll be joining Campbell and Kanu at the unofficial Arsenal retirement home.
And some people will say we were right to let him go, I’m sure. They’ll say that he wouldn’t have been the same player after his injury. And they might be right. But they might not. Personally, I hope Lauren comes back as strong as ever and proves the doubters wrong. A lot of the time “Arsene knows”, but even he is not omnipotent. Neither Emmanuel Eboue nor Justin Hoyte have convinced me that they are the long-term solution at right-back: I was one of those clamouring for Lauren to come back into the side. Surely he should have been given a chance to prove himself where the only true test lies: out on the pitch. Perhaps it was right to let him go, but I remain unconvinced, and have a sneaking suspicion this one could come back to haunt us.
Still, we wish you all the best, Ralph. And here’s a happy memory or two for those of you who will miss him as much as me.
