In opposing Kroenke, is the Arsenal board acting in Arsenal’s best interests?
While the media laps up Arsenal’s last stand vs the dirty, money-grubbing greedy foreigners, there’s an important question that has to be asked.
Is the Arsenal board acting in Arsenal’s best interests?
Do Arsenal need Kroenke (or Kroenke-like investment) to compete with Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool?
Peter Hill-Wood spoke at length after Dein’s exit yesterday (Source: BBC).
On Stan Kroenke:
“Why don’t we want the American at our club? Call me old-fashioned, but we don’t need his money and we don’t want his sort.
Our objective is keep Arsenal English, but with a lot of foreign players.”
On foreign ownership of Premiership clubs:
“Americans are buying up chunks of the Premiership football clubs and not because of their love of football but because they see an opportunity to make money.
They know absolutely sweet FA about our football and we don’t want these type of people involved.”
FA = fuckall, I believe.
Hard words, but it’s good to see the shareholders and the board take such a principle-based stance against Kroenke.
The problem is, of course, that in applauding Hill-Wood we might lose track of the real discussion:
Do Arsenal need Kroenke-like investment? The floor is yours.
Update: Hill-Wood statement transcript on David Dein’s departure (Arsenal.com)
Football News 24/7
We saw the same thing with United that we are seeing with Arsenal. Either way it doesnt bother me although I favour a take over more. The worst thing to come out of this though is the departure of Dein. That alone is a mistake and only Kroenke could bring him back.
Hill-Wood is an idiot and owning less than 1% I wonder how he has so much power.
April 20th, 2007 @ 16:41Chasing the yankee dollar eh? Fuck that – I’m proud AFC are trying to remain English owned.
Just remember Norm – these yanks aren’t coming here for nothing. They want ROIC – return on invested capital.
And Kroenke has some scumbag links to a real scumbag corporation.
April 20th, 2007 @ 16:55Dein was and is a selfish individual with a primary objective of looking after David Dein – he wasn’t the only member of the board aware of Wenger before he became Arsenal manager, but he’s happy to take all of the credit for that introduction. Hill-Wood and his family have served Arsenal for many years and it was him and other board members who opposed Dein’s preference of a Wembley ground share and instead made sure we got our new stadium. Hill-Wood has so much power because the major shareholders of Arsenal know he does a great job for the club and is strong enough to stand up to the likes of Dein and his new American buddies. If you want to support a club owned by money-grabbing foreigners (with no interest in football) you have several clubs you can support instead of Arsenal….
April 20th, 2007 @ 17:19While I have no intentions of defending Norman, I think the reaction is too knee-jerk and emotional.
Instead of dealing with simplistic beliefs (takeovers, money and Americans are evil while English, Arsenal and self-sufficency is good), we have to look at whether the takeover is really in Arsenal’s best interests.
Taking a piece from United’s takeover, the board still had to recommend / approve Glazer’s takeover proposal.
I think that Hill-Wood and the gang should at least hear Kroenke out and see what plans he has and what guarantees he puts in place to protect Arsenal’s English values.
April 20th, 2007 @ 17:24I think we should listen to see what Kroenke has got to offer, it would be ignorant to dismiss the man based on him being American. Does a businessman want to run a business which is unsuccessful?? Of course not, he will get a better return from the club if we are successful on the pitch, which means investment!!
Every season fans are told we have £30 million kitty and every season we spend a fraction of this amount. We have the money, but AW doesn’t spend it. So even if Kroenke is successful with a takeover, can you see Wenger spending big!?
Arsenal’s English values!! Don’t make me laugh… we’re the most foreign team in the Premiership, it’s us fans that will keep us English. Hill Wood complains about keeping English ownership/values and yet our home is called the Emirates!!
Look at the bigger picture, David Dein did and to suggest he didn’t have the clubs best intentions at heart is ludicrous. The man watches our reserves, Arsenal heart, Arsenal blood. end of..
April 20th, 2007 @ 17:58[...] Arsenal vs Kroenke, and Arsenal vs David Dein. [...]
April 20th, 2007 @ 19:01It is a golden oppoturnity for the gunners.We have been bulled on the European sceen due to lack of world class prayers. Here comes the chance to get the best prayers when Kroenke takes over.
April 20th, 2007 @ 19:29The “professor” will bring the champions leg to the emirates next season bse will be having the best and fresh legs in europe . Its time to act rightly for the good of asrenal , wake up people and act now!!
DEIN has a good vision for Arsenal.
Moses Kiwanuka
COMBRA
Uganda
I wouldnt trust anyone with a dodgy tache like that
April 20th, 2007 @ 22:39[...] account all offers and doesn’t blindly reject something that’s good for Arsenal. Heh, that’s what I said yesterday, and that’s EXACTLY what the board is NOT [...]
April 21st, 2007 @ 15:34