Angry Kagame blasts Arsenal’s ‘mediocre’ EPL start
Arsenal’s American owners and manager Mikel Arteta are facing increased pressure after Rwanda President Paul Kagame led a host of fans in airing their frustrations with the club’s dismal start to the 2020/2021 league season.
The Gunners opened the league campaign in the worst possible fashion, losing 2-0 to newly promoted Brentford on Friday.
This, coupled with the team’s poor returns last term, plus wins by rivals Manchester United, Leicester, and Liverpool has left Arsenal fans seething.
And Kagame, an ardent fan of the English Premier League side, and whose country is among the club’s jersey sponsors, insisted the team ‘must not accept mediocrity’.
He tweeted: “What?? It’s football, it’s a loss of Arsenal at/to Brentford. Brentford deserved to win and they did.
“The game itself aside Arsenal and the fans don’t deserve to kind of get used to this….NO !!!
“I say this as one of the big fans of Arsenal. The change has taken too long to come!”
We just must NOT excuse or Accept mediocrity. A team has to be built with purpose to win win win. So that when we lose….it was not to be expected! I am sure we all know on whose shoulders the heaviest burden rests. I hope they know too or even accept it!!! End
— Paul Kagame (@PaulKagame) August 13, 2021
“We just must not excuse or accept mediocrity,” Kagame continued. “A team has to be built with a purpose to win win-win. So that when we lose…it was not to be expected!
We just must NOT excuse or Accept mediocrity. A team has to be built with purpose to win win win. So that when we lose….it was not to be expected! I am sure we all know on whose shoulders the heaviest burden rests. I hope they know too or even accept it!!! End
— Paul Kagame (@PaulKagame) August 13, 2021
Sergi Canos opened the scoring in the 22nd minute of the game, before Christian Noergaard’s towering header guaranteed the points for the hosts.
Arsenal failed to qualify for any form of European competition the last term and as a result, can focus fully on domestic matters this season.
Besides Arsenal, the Rwandan leader is also the sponsor of the Cecafa Kagame Cup, an annual football tournament that brings together teams from East and Central Africa.