Wigan Warriors great Martin Offiah has bizarrely got caught up in a debate after Arsenal were knocked out of the FA Cup by Manchester United.
You have read that right, rugby league and Wigan Warriors legend Martin Offiah made an appearance on YouTube channel AFTV, a channel dedicated to Arsenal Football Club, to discuss Manchester United’s FA Cup victory over the Gunners.
Offiah, a Manchester United fan, had attended the game alongside the fan channel’s creator Robbie Lyle who then interviewed the Wigan Warriors legend post-match to get his reaction on the game
After Manchester United defeated Arsenal 5-3 on penalties after extra time, Offiah was in a jubilant mood and discussed United’s desire and effort, whilst also getting into a spat with an Arsenal fan about ‘giving up’.
Manchester United, who were underdogs for the match, went down to 10 men on the hour mark leaving many fans and pundits to expect Arsenal to easily overcome them. However, a spirited display saw Offiah’s side make it to extra time before being triumphant on penalties.
Assessing the performance, he said: “You just don’t give up. We weren’t favourites to win that game and we were very fortunate. Just don’t give up.”
When challenged about Arsenal fans’ lack of belief in manager Mikel Arteta, the Wigan legend recalled his own journey against the odds to make it to the top of the sport – offering that as a source of inspiration for those distraught Arsenal fans.
He explained: “People used to call me a glory hunter because I’m from Hackney but I lived up north as a Wigan Warriors player and now an ambassador, but now people feel sorry for me. Things change.
“You have to play the hands you’re dealt. You’ve got to be a thermostat rather than a thermometer – don’t just react, just say ‘What can I do to make things better’ which is what the fans and players have got to do.
In life, you never know what is going to happen. I was just a little black kid from Hackney who didn’t know nothing and I’ve got a statue outside Wembley. How do you do that?
“That’s got to be a bigger leap than Arsenal winning the Premiership – they’re more likely to do it.”
He would then get into a spat with one of the other fans regarding Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. When one fan expressed a lack of belief in the Spanish coach, Offiah told him: “You might as well give up then.
“You can’t get rid of him so would you give up? Are you going to fight and believe when you turn up? If you’re not then you might as well go home then. Stop coming to the games. You might as well if you’re going to give up.”
It is perhaps one of the more bizarre moments involving a rugby league legend in recent years, and one that coincidentally occurred on the weekend that marked the First Round of the Challenge Cup – a competition that Offiah and Wigan Warriors dominated in the 1990s.
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Wigan Warriors great has fan TV argument as Arsenal lose to Man United
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Wigan Warriors great has fan TV argument as Arsenal lose to Man United
Anyone can support a team when it is winning, that takes no courage.
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan
But to stand behind a team, to defend a team when it is down and really needs you,
that takes a lot of courage. #18thMan