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Ivan Gazidis

celestis

Arsenal-Mania Veteran
Moderator

Country: Australia
statement from the club and Ivan:

We can announce that Raul Sanllehi and Vinai Venkatesham will lead the club following a decision by chief executive Ivan Gazidis to join AC Milan.

Raul, head of football relations, has been appointed as head of football, and Vinai, currently chief commercial officer, becomes managing director.

Josh Kroenke, deputy chairman of Arsenal’s majority owner Kroenke Sports and Entertainment UK, said: “It has been a pleasure working with Ivan. We will miss the wisdom, insight, and energy he brought to our club on a daily basis over the past decade. We are confident we have outstanding people in Raul and Vinai, and we look forward to working with them and coach Unai Emery to continue to move the club forward on and off the pitch.”

Club chairman Sir Chips Keswick said: “Ivan has led Arsenal with skill and dedication and leaves us in a strong position. The club has been transformed and he has recruited talented people, such as Raul, Vinai and of course Unai Emery, who will take us to future success.”

Raul joined us in February after 16 years at Barcelona where he was director of football. Vinai arrived in 2010 from London 2012 and has overseen all our commercial activities.

Raul, who will lead our football activities, said: “Although I joined Arsenal just months ago, I've felt embraced by this great club and part of its family from the first day. I will do everything possible to maintain our strong values which will be as fundamental to our future as they have been in our past. Vinai and I will need everyone's help, to do everything right and secure the success everyone connected to Arsenal wants. I sincerely thank Arsenal’s board for their trust in us and thank Ivan for bringing me to this great club, and for consistently supporting me every day, in every way. It's with overwhelming pride and utmost excitement that I face this new opportunity.”

Vinai, who will oversee all business operations, said: “From the day I joined Arsenal I have always considered it a privilege to serve this great football club, so it’s an honour to take up the position of managing director and lead the club alongside Raul. Together we will work tirelessly with the extraordinary staff we have at Arsenal to respect and enhance our unique history, heritage and values; with the overall objective to bring success to our millions of fans all around the world and make them proud of their club. I thank Stan and Josh Kroenke and the rest of the board for their trust in me, and Ivan for all the support he has given me since I joined the club in 2010.”

Ivan will leave by the end of October and becomes chief executive at AC Milan on December 1. He said: “For the last 10 years I have been privileged to dedicate myself to this great club. Arsenal is entering a new chapter and I have done everything I can to ensure that it is strongly placed to take on that challenge. This includes world-class facilities and outstanding leaders in every sector who carry the values of the club, including, of course, Unai Emery, Raul Sanllehi and Vinai Venkatesham in whom I have enormous faith.

“We have been building on the club’s progressive social values, leading the way on the women’s game, diversity and inclusion, and establishing the Arsenal Foundation. This will remain central to the club’s philosophy.

“Although it is very hard to do - the hardest decision of my life - I believe that, after 10 years, it is the right time for me to step aside to allow new leadership, energy and ideas to take the club forward into this exciting new era. I believe in the positive force of change, both for me and for the club. I am excited to see what the future holds for this great club and I am energised by a new personal challenge with AC Milan.

“My sincere thanks go to Stan and Josh Kroenke for their support and guidance on everything we have done. To Sir Chips Keswick, Lord Phil Harris, Ken Friar and my wonderful management team and staff, on and off the field, to Arsène Wenger, Unai Emery and to the fans of this giant and incredible club, thank you for your immense support and friendship over so many years and for the wonderful privilege of being part of the journey.

"We lived through many emotions together, the highs and the lows of football, and I am proud to be able to say that I gave this club and its fantastic people everything that I had in me. I am excited and energised for the future for myself and for Arsenal Football Club and I will always hold it in my heart.”

Just poach the Barca Doctor Raul so we can watch Xhaka turn into a pace merchant.
 

redanddread

The stone that the builders refuse
Behind the scenes at Arsenal: Why is chief exec Ivan Gazidis to leave the Emirates for AC Milan?
(Editor's Note: Ivan Gazidis' departure from Arsenal was confirmed less than 24 hours after Gab Marcotti's article on the CEO's impending departure from the Emirates)

" What still does not add up is why Gazidis would find the Milan offer so tempting.

Contrary to reports in England, this isn't about money. Sources familiar with the situation insist Gazidis' base salary would not be substantially higher -- in fact, it's likely to be lower -- at Milan. There would be a bonus structure in place and possibly even some equity, but it's likely to be predicated on the club growing revenue quickly, and that is by no means guaranteed."

"Gazidis does have a decades-long relationship with Gordon Singer -- the son of Elliott's founder, Paul Singer -- who heads the London office. And of course, it's entirely possible that Gazidis simply relishes the challenge of restoring one of the biggest brands in world football back to its past glory."

"This link has caught a number of people off guard at Arsenal, not least the ones who joined in part because of Gazidis' experience and charisma. It has all added to the air of uncertainty at the Emirates, particularly given the fact that it has dragged on for several months. Some observers have even blamed it for affecting the club's contract negotiations, like the one with Aaron Ramsey.

Joining Milan would unquestionably be a roll of the dice for Gazidis. In the meantime, what is evident is that the past two months have helped neither Arsenal nor Milan, both of whom would have benefited from a quick resolution. Nor have they helped Gazidis. That's why his imminent farewell from the Emirates will be greeted with sighs of relief and closure all around."



http://www.espn.com/soccer/blog/mar...an-gazidis-to-leave-the-emirates-for-ac-milan
 

Gooner416

Master of Stonks
Trusted ⭐

Country: Canada
Thierry should have taken the Bordeaux job. He thinks because he was a great player he can start at the top, but guys like Pep and Zidane paid their dues coaching full time and managing in the Spanish 2nd division. They were groomed for the jobs at Real Madrid and Barcelona. Lampard is starting out at Derby. Gerrard at Rangers. Vieira spent several years in development at City, then went to manage in MLS and is now at Nice. None of those guys went from the broadcast booth and a part-time coaching gig for a national team into a top club. They didn't expect a big job to be handed to them because of their name.

I love Thierry Henry, but he needs to decide whether or not he wants to be a pundit or a football manager. And if he wants to be a manager he needs to dedicate himself and work for it. He had a very similar job to the one Vieira took this summer offered to him and thought he was too good for it.
It was under my impression that Thierry agreed to take over at Bordeaux and the only reason it didn’t happen were finances.

http://www.espn.com/soccer/bordeaux...coaching-talks-over-excessive-demands-reports
 

dashsnow17

Doesn’t Rate Any Of Our Attackers
Trusted ⭐

Perhaps Venkatesham will in some respects be the new custodian of Arsenal values at executive level. Sanllehi really doesn't know the club that well at all, nor would someone like Josh Kroenke. I suppose it must be seen as a positive that there's a thread of continuity upholding values going back to the Deins and Hill-Woods etc.

For instance Sanllehi needs to realise that Arsenal can't be run like Barca. Can't just be poaching players like Neymar illegally at a place like Arsenal.
 

Stannis

Well-Known Member
Gazidis will be equity at rewarded Milan and will be in working for some of Wall Streets biggest players.

This has nothing to do with Milan, and everything to do with the financial world. From a career point of view its an amazing opportunity (if you have no morals regarding private equity)

Going back to Arsenal I seem to like this new structure. Having Rahul at the top will protect emery.

My only query is who decides the budget for transfers
 

Slartibartfast

CIES Loyalist
It was under my impression that Thierry agreed to take over at Bordeaux and the only reason it didn’t happen were finances.

http://www.espn.com/soccer/bordeaux...coaching-talks-over-excessive-demands-reports

Exactly. He wants a job at a club where he can buy success, not a club where he needs to learn how to be a football manager. Bordeaux, like Nice, is a club that needs to sell in order to buy. The two clubs' financial dealings have been quite similar over the past several years. It didn't stop Patrick Vieira from taking the Nice job because he wants to learn how to do the job right. He's willing to earn his dues. That doesn't seem to be the case with Thierry.
 

dashsnow17

Doesn’t Rate Any Of Our Attackers
Trusted ⭐
Exactly. He wants a job at a club where he can buy success, not a club where he needs to learn how to be a football manager. Bordeaux, like Nice, is a club that needs to sell in order to buy. The two clubs' financial dealings have been quite similar over the past several years. It didn't stop Patrick Vieira from taking the Nice job because he wants to learn how to do the job right. He's willing to earn his dues. That doesn't seem to be the case with Thierry.

In Henry's defence Bordeaux does appear to be a total basket case right now, they wouldn't have been looking for a manager if they hadn't pissed Gus Poyet off by selling a player behind his back. But yes, Henry does need to start actually managing at some point if he's going to be taken seriously.
 

Slartibartfast

CIES Loyalist
So, Gazidis has jumped from my favorite club to my 2nd favorite club. I just can't get rid of the guy. :D Well, hopefully he can get the mess Milan has been in for the past several years straightened up. We'll see.

Interesting that the appointment of Sanllehi (whose name I've just gotten to be able to spell) and the guy whose name is going to take me a long time to spell correctly signals a further decentralization of the power structure at the club. Raul will be able to focus solely on the football side of things, just as he did at Barcelona, and will have complete control (aside from the owners themselves). I'm really not familiar with Vinai (I'll just call him that for the time being) beyond what I've read today, but he certainly seems to have an impressive resume when it comes to financial dealings and great experience. Each will be able to focus on his own area of expertise and won't need to keep a hand in the whole pie as Gazidis did.

Considering Sanllehi's record at Barcelona, I'm anxious to see what he can do at Arsenal over the next few years. Hopefully he will be given the resources he needs to succeed.
 

Slartibartfast

CIES Loyalist
In Henry's defence Bordeaux does appear to be a total basket case right now, they wouldn't have been looking for a manager if they hadn't pissed Gus Poyet off by selling a player behind his back. But yes, Henry does need to start actually managing at some point if he's going to be taken seriously.

Apparently Bordeaux is about to be taken over by some American financial consortium.
 

Makingtrax

Worships in the house of Wenger 🙏
Trusted ⭐

Country: England

Player:Saliba
Clearly struggling on a day to day basis without his friend and mentor at the club with him. Missing his philosophy, class, strength and intelligent quips.

Don’t blame him for moving on, like a divorcee who struggles to stay in the same domestic environment, with all those little reminders everywhere he looks.
 
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