Reporting Sports in a refreshing style

Arsenal star offers to pay sacked mascot’s wages

Mesut Ozil handed Arsenal a dilemma by offering to dip into his own pocket to keep the man inside their Gunnersaurus mascot costume in a job while he remains at the club.

Jerry Quy, who filled the role for 27 years alongside a series of other jobs around the club, lost his job as part of Arsenal’s recent Covid-19-related cost-cutting drive.

His position, which he has carried out since Gunnersaurus was introduced in 1993, was deemed no longer essential with games currently being played behind closed doors and no supporters to entertain.

However Quy and Gunnersaurus were both hugely popular around the club and Ozil, whose contract runs out next summer, said: ‘I was so sad that Jerry Quy aka our famous and loyal mascot and integral part of our club was made redundant after 27 years.

Ozil pictured shaking hands with Gunnersaurus ahead of a match at the Emirates Stadium

‘As such, I’m offering to reimburse Arsenal with the full salary of our big green guy as long as I will be an Arsenal player so Jerry can continue his job that he loves so much.’

News of his sacking has not gone down well.

Just like the announcement of the 55 redundancies earlier in the summer, which came just before Willian joined on a deal worth up to £220,000-per-week, three-year deal, it has also been ill-timed.

Details of Quy’s exit emerged on transfer deadline day on Monday which ended with Arsenal activating Thomas Partey’s £45m buyout clause and signing the midfielder on a £230,000-per-week four-year deal. Ozil’s offer is intriguing and has put pressure on Arsenal to reinstate Quy.

And while some have also viewed it as a clever PR move the gesture was sincere and an example of a willingness to use his wealth to help those less fortunate that Ozil has displayed previously.

Ozil and his wife Amine Gulse marked their wedding last year by announcing they were going to pay for 1000 children to have life-saving surgery.

After winning the 2014 World Cup with Germany Ozil donated his winnings of around £250,000 to pay for 23 children from host country Brazil to have vital operations.

Ozil is on £350,000-per-week but was among a small group of Arsenal players against taking take pay cuts while he awaited further details of the financial impact of the pandemic on the club, a stance that invited criticism.

He is currently frozen out of manager Mikel Arteta’s plans which has shone added spotlight on his earnings especially compared to his current contribution even if his omission is out of his hands.

Read Also: Super Eagles shot-stopper set for Apoel debut

Though now he has emerged as a potential saviour of a well-liked figure and character with a gesture which will boost his image among Arsenal supporters and beyond.

It is unclear if Arsenal would take up Ozil’s offer. They insisted Gunnersaurus is due to return when supporters are allowed back in stadiums.

You might also like

Leave A Reply

Your email address will not be published.