Departing Keown senses something special for Arsenal
MARK BRADLEY
THE end may have finally come for not only himself but also the famed Arsenal back four at Highbury, but Martin Keown believes this was merely the "start of something special" for the club.
Keown savoured the ecstatic celebrations as Arsenal clinched their place in history in an entirely appropriate fashion by completing an unbeaten league season with a 2-1 win over relegated Leicester.
It was substance as much as style which had carried them to the brink of sporting "immortality" and it was exactly those two qualities with which they earned their place in the record books.
For not only did they sweep aside Leicester in a second half evoking their most cultured attacking prowess, but they showed the resolve to battle back from a shock first-half header by Scotland’s Paul Dickov, who ironically started out at Arsenal.
Keown finally made it onto the pitch to rapturous applause with three minutes left to qualify for the third title-winning medal of his distinguished career.
Now the former England defender, who turns 38 in July, knows he must leave Highbury for the second - and final - time in order to prolong his playing career.
He nevertheless insisted: "I feel this team is capable of lots of great things. It might be the end for me, but I think it’s the start of something special for Arsenal.
"If this team wants to become a great team then, of course, it has to conquer Europe so that has to be one of the goals - but first you have to dominate in the domestic league.
"Manchester United have done that and Chelsea will also have a lot to say about it. The next couple of years are going to be vital for this club if we can keep winning.
"When the new stadium is there, with the advantage it can give us, then maybe Arsenal can go on to dominate."
在临别之际，老基翁说：我感觉到这支球队一定可以完成一些壮举。对我而言，这个赛季的结束意味着我在阿森纳的时代终结了。而对于球队而言也许是一个‘不同寻常的开端’
如果阿森纳想成就霸业，就必须征服欧洲，这是不得不完成的一个目标 －－但是首先得在国内保持优势。
曼联已经做到了，切尔西也在跃跃欲试。在接下来的几年以内对这支球队是非常重要的，如果能够一直赢得冠军，那就会获得最终的成功。
等新球场造好了，就会给球队带来一系列的利益，有了这个因素，也许阿森纳会一直称霸下去。
