FAI call crisis meeting in bid to quell unrest
OFTEN MALIGNED, SOMETIMES MAGNIFICENT — BUT DON’T BET AGAINST DAVID LUIZ HAVING THE LAST LAUGH AGAINST HIS FORMER CLUB
IN YET another sign of the unrest engulfing the FAI, the association yesterday invited all members of its National Council to a special meeting in the Red Cow Hotel next Friday, August 7 after the emergency summit was requested by more than 20 members. The Leinster Football Association’s James Kelly wrote to all Council delegates with concerns over the terms of January’s rescue package, primarily the make-up of the board which will see the number of independent directors rising from four to six. The FAI confirmed in a statement that the agenda for the meeting will include the make-up of the football and business committees, the future role of the council and the Memorandum of Understanding with regard to the board and the deferral of the AGM. It is understood that a number of council members believe that having half the board made up of independent directors is a move towards allowing the control of the game to be taken over by ‘outside interests’ rather than representatives who would be elected from within football itself. The FAI have said that they will hold a media conference once the meeting, which is due to start at 4pm, comes to an end.
AS sub-plots go, the one centred on David Luiz is the most intriguing heading into today’s FA Cup final. You can picture it now: 89th minute, 1-1 and Arsenal win a corner. Luiz, chest puffed out, strides forward. You know the rest.
Not that Luiz would rub it in Frank Lampard’s face if he did prove to be the matchwinner. He isn’t that kind of guy.
The explanation for his shock, whirlwind exit from Chelsea last summer differs depending on who you talk to.
But no one will dispute the fact that Luiz and Lampard did not see eye-to-eye. Yes, they were teammates and yes they won trophies together. Things change, however.
The transition from team-mates to a player-manager relationship was not a smooth one.
Luiz was more than happy at Stamford Bridge, he had just signed a new two-year contract and was preparing for life under Lampard.
Then the phone rang. Unai Emery was on the other end.
The pair had worked together at Paris Saint-Germain and Emery was keen to rekindle their relationship in London.
There was a catch, though. Finances are tight at Arsenal and they could only offer him a 12-month contract with the option for a further year depending on how the season went.
With a guaranteed two-year deal in the bag at Chelsea, the opportunity to join Arsenal represented a big risk for Luiz. Yet it was one he wanted to take.
But why would the 33-year-old leave the comfort of Chelsea, a club who had just turned a blind eye to their policy of only offering over-30s one-year contract extensions to offer him two?
In the end, it was the conversation with Emery that proved decisive. The Spaniard pleaded with Luiz, telling him his Arsenal squad lacked leadership and that he envisaged the centre half becoming the bedrock of his defence.
His decision came as a shock to those in the Blues boardroom. They had heard about the strained relationship between player and manager but it was nothing out of the ordinary and once the season started the belief was that Lampard and Luiz would put whatever differences they had to one side.
However, Luiz’s mind was made up. So, too, was Lampard’s as soon as the Brazilian informed him of his wish to move to north London.
On August 7, Luiz reported to Chelsea’s Cobham training complex as normal but a mutual decision was made for him to train away from the first team.
It made sense — Luiz wanted out while Lampard felt the defender was becoming a disruptive influence as he attempted to force a move across the capital.
Twenty-four hours later he was confirmed as an Arsenal player in a deal worth £8million.
Since his arrival life at Arsenal has been eventful. Emery was sacked in November and replaced by Mikel Arteta three weeks later.
His journey on the pitch has meandered, too. From maligned to magnificent in the space of six weeks, Project Restart has almost mirrored Luiz’s career.
He was written off for a calamitous display against Manchester City on June 17, Arsenal’s first game back after the corona virus enforced shut down. Fast-forward
to today and Luiz is preparing for what would be one of the most satisfying moments of a career that has amassed 16 major trophies.
It wasn’t publicised at the time, but Sportsmail can reveal that Luiz was carrying a hamstring problem in the 3-0 loss to City, which was why Arteta named him on the bench.
There was uncertainty, too, over whether Arsenal would activate the 12-month extension to his contract.
But Pablo Mari suffered a serious injury in the 24th minute at City and Luiz was called into action. The rest is now notorious.
His cameo lasted just 25 minutes and included him committing an error that led to City taking the lead before later conceding a penalty for which he was sent off.
Luiz was pilloried, yet news about his injury was unknown until now.
It says something about his commitment that he agreed to put his body at risk when his future at the club appeared uncertain.
Not that it would have changed the reaction from supporters who were demanding Arsenal cut him loose.
But Arteta, despite what he had just seen, had made up his mind. He knew all about Luiz’s history of mistakes — there have certainly been a few.
But he also saw in Luiz someone who has emerged as a leader of his team — a player who takes it upon himself to guide a squad bursting with young potential such as Bukayo Saka, Reiss Nelson and
Eddie Nketiah. Young players gravitate to Luiz — just ask Callum Hudson-Odoi and Mason Mount at Chelsea.
When Luiz is on board he is 100 per cent in. In October, for instance, Arsenal were struggling to get players to agree to a two-day visit to Rwanda as part of the club’s partnership with Visit Rwanda.
A number are believed to have turned down the opportunity, citing their busy schedules. Luiz agreed to go, understanding the importance that the playing squad were represented.
That is Luiz in a nutshell: when he’s in, he’s in.
Yet there was a period last month when Luiz could easily have found himself on the move again.
He received another phone call, this time it was Jorge Jesus. His
former manager explained that he was heading back to Benfica for the start of 2020-21 campaign and he wanted Luiz to come ‘home’.
Luiz and Jesus spent two seasons together in Lisbon, winning the league title and two cups.
Jesus remains a father figure to Luiz and is not a person he would routinely say no to. Benfica tabled a two-year contract, and Luiz was in a quandary.
But, in the end, Arteta’s influence won him round. In a series of meetings and after hours of phone calls, Arteta explained his vision for the club.
Luiz was deeply impressed by the manager’s footballing philosophy. He has played for some high-profile managers: Antonio Conte, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, Luiz Felipe Scolari and Rafa Benitez to name just five. But 38-year-old Arteta was providing insight into a different way of playing, something he had never seen before.
Arteta drilled Luiz day and night to ensure that he would stay and on June 24 he signed up for another 12 months, passing up the offer of two years in Portugal.
Since then, Luiz has proved Arteta’s faith was not misplaced with Arsenal losing just twice since he returned to the team following suspension.
His performance in the shock semi-final win over Manchester City side was inspirational.
And now, as he lines up against the manager who was happy to let him go last summer, who would put it past Luiz to deliver another Wembley masterclass today?