Written by George Sezer Friday, 10 February 2012 14:52

GunnerTalk Blog

Arsenal fans may remember the underrated defensive utility player who spent five seasons at the club between 1997 and 2002. He was often referred to as the “new Gus Caesar”, the former Arsenal player immortalised in Fever Pitch as the worst defender ever to play for the club but improved when he switched to midfield.

Grimandi left Monaco to link up once again with Arsene Wenger, who was sacked by the French club and took over at Arsenal a year prior and the player won the double with the Gunners in his first season.

The 1998-99 season was particularly difficult for Grimandi, who started just three matches and received a red card during a 3-1 win against Leeds -just 15 minutes after coming on as a substitute.

He faired better in the 1999-00 season and featured in 43 matches – although the cards came thick and fast with 12 bookings and two sendings off.

In December 1999 Grimandi went on a three-match scoring run which would have pleased punters wagering free bets on him scoring the first goal during that run – he netted first in 3-0 Premier League victory at Leicester, got the first equaliser in a 3-3 draw at Nantes in the UEFA Cup and opened the scoring in a 3-1 home win against Blackpool in the FA Cup.

Grimandi received a three match ban during the 2000-01 season for striking Lazio midfielder Diego Simone during a bad-tempered Champions League encounter which saw Sinisa Mihaijlovic banned for two matches for racist abuse towards Patrick Viera. Referee Hellmut Krug missed the Grimandi incident, in which Simone needed six stitches to a cut near his eye.

The 2001-02 season was to be his last and Grimandi won his second double and had played as a central defender, wing back and defensive midfielder during 171 appearances and six goals in all competitions.

At the age of 31 he sought first team football elsewhere and joined Colorado Rapids ahead of their 2002 campaign but after playing just one friendly match, Grimandi saw his contract terminated before the season began and he announced his retirement from the game soon after.

In 2004, Grimandi was named as director of football at ASOA Valence in the third tier of French football before the club filed for bankruptcy a year later.

In 2007, Grimandi was linked with a director of football role at Arsenal although no appointment was made and he currently works as the club's chief scout in France.

He has spotted the likes of Abou Diaby and Bacary Sagna – having watched the latter more than 40 times playing for Auxerre and the France Under-21 side before he made the switch to the Emirates.

Grimandi has spent, on and off, the past 15 years associated with the Gunners, not bad for a player once compared with Gus Caesar!