by Arsenal

Created on: July 05, 2007

Farewell, Titi. You are graced the supporters at Highbury and Ashburton Grove beyond our imagination's reach. But with life, you must move on. And moved on, Titi, you have done.

As a Gooner, I feel torn between my feelings towards Henry's rash departure. At one side, I am grateful for everything he has given to the Arsenal - and I always will be. I want Thierry to be happy, as he has given his heart and soul to the club over the past eight campaigns. From the sublime strikes and blistering runs to the heartache and pain of defeats, he has shown, with few exceptions in the heat of the moment, that beauty and class outweigh the today's flaws of the beautiful game, including the Italian match-fixing scandal and rising diving epidemic.

On the other side, it is a far different story. I feel as though I have been stabbed in the back.

Repeatedly.

While I understand a player's desire to move on, the fashion in which Thierry did so is what startles me so. Although I do not have exact quotes from Titi, we all know what was said. From statements saying, "I will never leave the club" to "This is the last contract I will ever sign. This is where I belong," it is hard to swallow to see Thierry standing in front of the Barca badge. I am not bashing Barcelona by any means. When you think about it, who wouldn't want a player of Henry's caliber on your roster? The lies, the deception...Titi, why not be honest with the people who supported you, even when you came up short? Thierry, you are not the only one to give your heart and soul to the club. The fans give their heart and soul every season, every victory, every defeat, every waking second of their existence. It is difficult to realize how Titi could do such a thing to those who ever turned their back on him - only for the supporters to have Titi turn his back on them, on us, on me.

I hope all the best for Thierry. Aside from the Arsenal itself as a club, he is one of the only players to bring my life to a stop in order to do everything possible in order to see him grace the pitch. I find it somewhat sickening to imagine what the 07/08 campaign will be like without Titi. I believe the newest addition to the club, Eduardo da Silva from Dinamo Zagreb, will be a great asset to the club once he is settled into the Gunners young but eye-catching starting XI. It will be strange, although, that #14 will stretch another name - if one at all.

I believe Thierry is an Arsenal great, no doubt in my mind. But is he an Arsenal legend? I'm not so sure now. Did Dennis Bergkamp scrap us? Did Ian Wright? I believe with time, perhaps in the far distance, he will become an Arsenal legend due to his contributions to the club. He had it all to be an Arsenal legend - with great ease, might I add. He had it all until loyalty followed him out the door. It will be a very long time before many Gooner faithfuls will be able to forgive Titi. From following a variety of Arsenal-related message boards throughout the internet, opinions are very mixed. But there is one similarity - we all took a step back in realizing one of the most gifted players in the club's history has left when we truly needed him the most. Perhaps not as much on his pace or skill, as in the past, but for his leadership and guidance to our young squad whom Thierry is an ideal role model and leader for the next generation of Gunner greats.

Farewell, Titi. May your days be well in Spain. Although you were a great reason why Arsenal Football Club has been so successful, I will always been red and white - with or without you.

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