Daniel Ek

[TromsoGooner]

Bit of a conspiracy theory for now, but I do wonder if Gazidis was there to get Wenger out because he was too powerful and influential in general.

Bit of a conspiracy theory for now, but I do wonder if Gazidis was there to get Wenger out because he was too powerful and influential in general.

I doubt it, I think the Kroenkes loved having Wenger there. Up until his last season him being there guaranteed them CL-football and money, they knew he ran the club on him own basically, which meant Stan could take it easy at his ranch plus having someone with the aura and respect Wenger carried in world football would always be good for the clubs image and profile.

 

[Tosker]

The whole ownership thing is really fascinating.

In the realm of American sports, the Kroenkes are about the most perfect owners you can get. They're stinking rich, they hire good people to run their teams, they aren't meddlers and stay out of the way and let those good hires do their jobs, and they've had a ton of success. The Avalanche/Nuggets/Rams are all model franchises on and off the field.

But they like cost certainty and sustainable models. It probably isn't a coincidence that those 3 teams are all in sports with revenue sharing/salary cap and successful business models while they don't own in MLB which is a gong show by comparison and more similar to the PL model, where the Yankees and Dodgers can just out-spend everyone else.

So I do understand completely where they're coming from and why they're pushing for this. And as I said in a previous post, I do genuinely believe they're confused as hell about why supporters hated this so much since it would have locked in Arsenal as a massive team in perpetuity while also guaranteeing better opposition in the Emirates on a consistent basis.

They just don't understand the sport or the market at all. They're out of their comfort zone. And the weak hires they've made here also speak to that, given what a strength it's been for them in the US. And not understanding your market and then going for a move like this is unforgivable. And I doubt it can ever be fixed, which means they have to go.

But I don't think they're quite the villains they're being made out to be, either, and its a bit funny how supporters can simultaneously hate on City/Chelsea for what they've done while hoping the be the next City/Chelsea with some African billionaire buying the team. Fans are fairly spoiled when finishing 7th-8th, being defending FA Cup champions, and being in a position to win a European trophy is being described as a 'ruined' club. Things could be A LOT worse than this.

I for one - and probably I the only one - appreciate some perspective on the situation

I wonder if the Kroenkes ever sat down properly with Wenger and listened to his explanation of how English football in general, and the PL in particular, worked - no one better than him to try to put them straight, but I suspect either he didn't try or they didn't want to hear

probably a combination of both

 

[Iceman10]

I doubt it, I think the Kroenkes loved having Wenger there. Up until his last season him being there guaranteed them CL-football and money, they knew he ran the club on him own basically, which meant Stan could take it easy at his ranch plus having someone with the aura and respect Wenger carried in world football would always be good for the clubs image and profile.

Just to expand a little, Arseblog reckons ESL was always the plan for the Kroenke's, so it isn't extravagant to suspect so. We have quotes of Arsène Wenger going back a long way opposing such a breakaway plan. I know there isn't much to add meat onto the bones to substantiate this though. I do agree during first five years or so of Kroenke, Arsène was still nicely growing asset value.

 

[Melquiades]

I for one - and probably I the only one - appreciate some perspective on the situation

I wonder if the Kroenkes ever sat down properly with Wenger and listened to his explanation of how English football in general, and the PL in particular, worked - no one better than him to try to put them straight, but I suspect either he didn't try or they didn't want to hear

probably a combination of both

Oh, I fully expect they came in with a mindset that the English football system was stupid and that it was an obvious fix to turn it into NA pro sports with the 25 biggest teams all in the same closed league, and probably never even considered that fans wouldn't love that notion just as much.

All billionaire owners basically suck as a baseline, and as people. But as someone from North America whose favourite team *actually* has terrible ownership and is currently getting crushed by a rival owned by Kroenke ... I can see where maybe this is more just a bad fit culturally that that the guy is some sort of super-villain ruining Arsenal. The guy is very clearly an excellent owner in the right situation. This is just not the right situation.

 

[AbouCuéllar]

The whole ownership thing is really fascinating.

In the realm of American sports, the Kroenkes are about the most perfect owners you can get. They're stinking rich, they hire good people to run their teams, they aren't meddlers and stay out of the way and let those good hires do their jobs, and they've had a ton of success. The Avalanche/Nuggets/Rams are all model franchises on and off the field.

But they like cost certainty and sustainable models. It probably isn't a coincidence that those 3 teams are all in sports with revenue sharing/salary cap and successful business models while they don't own in MLB which is a gong show by comparison and more similar to the PL model, where the Yankees and Dodgers can just out-spend everyone else.

So I do understand completely where they're coming from and why they're pushing for this. And as I said in a previous post, I do genuinely believe they're confused as hell about why supporters hated this so much since it would have locked in Arsenal as a massive team in perpetuity while also guaranteeing better opposition in the Emirates on a consistent basis.

They just don't understand the sport or the market at all. They're out of their comfort zone. And the weak hires they've made here also speak to that, given what a strength it's been for them in the US. And not understanding your market and then going for a move like this is unforgivable. And I doubt it can ever be fixed, which means they have to go.

But I don't think they're quite the villains they're being made out to be, either, and its a bit funny how supporters can simultaneously hate on City/Chelsea for what they've done while hoping the be the next City/Chelsea with some African billionaire buying the team. Fans are fairly spoiled when finishing 7th-8th, being defending FA Cup champions, and being in a position to win a European trophy is being described as a 'ruined' club. Things could be A LOT worse than this.

Tbh I'm not sure most fans understand the sport any better than the Kroenkes.

This is the same fanbase that was for the most part chuffed when we made a terrible, incompetent hire in Unai Em*ry, after finally sacking Wenger years and years too late. The same fanbase that was going on about what a big **** Sanllehí had and how great he was that summer when he signed Pepe, when those of us from Spain with knowledge of our football knew he was an absolute clown and danger to the club, just like with Em*ry.

Now we have a talented young manager with a club that seems to finally be starting to run better after years and years of poor management and poor contracts and wages, that is starting an interesting project albeit with some hard early road bumps, and the fans are acting like it's the end of the club.

I said the same with Wenger, what Arsenal fans think really shouldn't be a measure of anything. The consensus opinions on forums like these tend to be far, far, worse than any opinion the Kroenkes have.

I don't think Stan really has a clue or gets involved in anything to do with sporting decisions but Josh seems to more or less have a clue. He was the one who seemed to push for Wenger to finally get the sack and also I remember reading he wanted a talented young manager to go with the new project (Arteta). Unfortunately at that moment he still had clowns like Gazidis and Raül around and they made a terrible decision as clowns like them are bound to do.

 

[TromsoGooner]

Just to expand a little, Arseblog reckons ESL was always the plan for the Kroenke's, so it isn't extravagant to suspect so. We have quotes of Arsène Wenger going back a long way opposing such a breakaway plan. I know there isn't much to add meat onto the bones to substantiate this though. I do agree during first five years or so of Kroenke, Arsène was still nicely growing asset value.

That I agree with, when they were getting ready to make the final move for their Super League, I am sure they were very happy it was Arteta and not Wenger in charge.

 

[akhil]

Tbh I'm not sure most fans understand the sport any better than the Kroenkes.

This is the same fanbase that was for the most part chuffed when we made a terrible, incompetent hire in Unai Em*ry, after finally sacking Wenger years and years too late. The same fanbase that was going on about what a big **** Sanllehí had and how great he was that summer when he signed Pepe, when those of us from Spain with knowledge of our football knew he was an absolute clown and danger to the club, just like with Em*ry.

Now we have a talented young manager with a club that seems to finally be starting to run better after years and years of poor management and poor contracts and wages, that is starting an interesting project albeit with some hard early road bumps, and the fans are acting like it's the end of the club.

I said the same with Wenger, what Arsenal fans think really shouldn't be a measure of anything. The consensus opinions on forums like these tend to be far, far, worse than any opinion the Kroenkes have.

I don't think Stan really has a clue or gets involved in anything to do with sporting decisions but Josh seems to more or less have a clue. He was the one who seemed to push for Wenger to finally get the sack and also I remember reading he wanted a talented young manager to go with the new project (Arteta). Unfortunately at that moment he still had clowns like Gazidis and Raül around and they made a terrible decision as clowns like them are bound to do.

Fans are always going to compare our actions relative to other clubs. This past summer onwards, there were a whole lot of people on here who were talking about Everton and Aston Villa spending more than us and showing more ambition.

People were outraged when Cagigao got the sack, nobody gives a **** now. People were pissed when VV got the job outright after Raul got the sack and then were surprised when our most recent commercial numbers have us doing way better than before. Those are the things directly under his control.

Knee jerkiness of fans isn't a way to gauge how a club is being run.

 

[dashsnow17]

Oh man I miss that Emirates atmosphere

 

[gunner4lyfe]

How's is the "protest" going?

 

[SK___]

Mod Edit: no need for that

 

[Hunta]

@OnlyOne is sadly one of those who the stewards moved on. Just picked him up and threw him away. Shocking stuff.

 

[Jasard]

@OnlyOne is sadly one of those who the stewards moved on. Just picked him up and threw him away. Shocking stuff.

Corrr look at that, looks like its about to all kick off any moment!

 

[Moah]

Seems to be warming up well.

 

[SK___]

Seems to be warming up well.

laughingstock fc

 

[Camus]

This is the same fanbase that was for the most part chuffed when we made a terrible, incompetent hire in Unai Em*ry

Chuffed seems a bit like a overstatement. I don't think even the most ardent Emery fans thought he was going to lead us back to the glory days. He was supposed to be a short term fix to steady the ship off the back of having just sacked our manager of 22 years and 2 seasons without CL football. His remit was to get CL football and he came within a whisker of doing that on two fronts.

The same fanbase that was going on about what a big **** Sanllehí had and how great he was that summer when he signed Pepe, when those of us from Spain with knowledge of our football knew he was an absolute clown and danger to the club, just like with Em*ry.

Those Sanllehí comments were obviously mostly hyperbole but without the aid of hindsight we actually did some good deals under him

Martinelli, Saliba, and Tierney I think are all fantastic additions.

David Luiz was a respectable signing at worst.

Pepe at £72 million I was never happy about, it was made easier to swallow with the instalments spin but I still think and thought I the time that we overpaid by at ~30million. Still, under past leaderships we've wasted equally as much money if not more so I don't see it as the be all and end all.

Now we have a talented young manager

He's yet to do a single thing better than Emery, in fact he's done a number of things worse than Emery. I'm always baffled when people slate Emery and then praise Arteta, at least be consistent. Either both are rubbish or both are a mixed bag or both are outright good. Because I've currentlyseen nothing at all tangibly to suggest Arteta is better than Emery.

with a club that seems to finally be starting to run better after years and years of poor management and poor contracts and wages,

Literally this season we offered a declining 31 year old a 3 year contract to be our highest paid player and as usual he's repaid that by being terrible. We also offered Willian, a 32 year old, another long term contract on eye watering wages despite him being a joke. The Cédric deal was also terrible and it was Edu all over. So no we're not starting to become better run, I've yet to see any evidence of that.

that is starting an interesting project albeit with some hard early road bumps, and the fans are acting like it's the end of the club.

The project is to be a successful team. That's it. Same as it was under Emery. The "hard early road bumps" occurred at more or less the same time frame as Emery's and were actually far worse. Why are the acceptable under Arteta but not Emery? It's pick and choosing to suit your man.

Josh seems to more or less have a clue.

Again literally no evidence of this being the case. Why don't we wait for results/events to transpire that prove this because the results/events that have taken place are actually amongst the worst in recent Arsenal history so how would that be indicative of someone who has a clue?

 

[lamby22]

 

[Riou]

"Arsenal 'til I die"

...coming to Netflix in 2022.

 

[Riou]

Also, if any one finds a pic of a pissed up Wilshere at the protest...please tag me in it!

Good that it looks a decent turn out at least.

 

[lamby22]

 

[dashsnow17]

I reckon it's tame, everyone goes off to the pub, we lose to Everton, then everyone comes back sozzled and it kicks off.