Eye of the Tiger

"We are starting to notice the differences he is making at the club. Everyone with a big responsibility like that has a different personality which they bring to the job, and he is making a few changes."

- Arsene Wenger, on Ivan "Tiger" Gazidis

It turns out that I was right. Ivan Gazidis is a relentless tiger who stalks the jungles and brings down the tasty big game upon which we feast. He's like one of those tigers in the wildlife documentaries, the psychotic ones who dive out of trees and swim across raging rivers in order to bag a nice juicy baboon. Only, he wears a suit and speaks in an American accent as well. For those of us who've been subsisting on roots and berries for five years, it's great to sink our teeth into fresh, bloody, gristly meat.

Right now, Gazidis is in the urban jungles of Johannesburg, sharpening his claws and licking his whiskers, waiting for the moment to pounce. The Confederations Cup has one of the biggest concentrations of talent in world football, and he's liking his chances for a fresh kill. He bagged us Arshavin, he bagged us Vermaelen, and he's about to bag us another ridiculously talented, superhuman-esque player to join our band of merry men and pubescent boys.

This year, there's been a definite change in the way we've approached our transfer targets. Gone is the wishy-washy prevarication of yesteryear. Remember how we missed out on Alonso because of £2 million? That will never happen while Tiger Gazidis is in charge. Consider instead the dogged pursuit of Arshavin, the surgical strike at Vermaelen... this is the way it's going to be from now on. We've got a transfer department that works now!

You've got to hand it to Gazidis. He is masterful. In the first six months of a new job, most people would try not to rock the boat. The most startling change they'd hope to effect would be to bring in a new coffee mug. Gazidis, on the other hand, has bought in Arshavin, Vermaelen, and a change in the way we do business.

Well done, Ivan "Tiger" Gazidis.