And then he spoke…
After a long wait Arsenal’s majority shareholder Stan Kroenke has finally undertaken an interview with the British press and used the opportunity to draw a line under speculation suggesting that Arsene Wenger’s job is, has or will be at risk.
Backing the Frenchman not just as a tremendous football manager, but also as a person, the American businessman emphatically told the Daily Telegraph:
“I have tremendous confidence in [Arsène]. He is one of the great managers in the world. Arsène is one of my favourite people I have met in the last 20 years. He is a great person and I love the way he handles himself. He is a very intelligent guy.”
Having lived up to his moniker ‘Silent Stan’ since mounting his takeover at the Emirates in April, it’s safe to say that Arsenal fans have been chomping at the bit hoping to hear from a man who has overseen the sale of both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri.
However, keen to stress that the decision to let players leave was undertaken by Wenger, the Denver-born billionaire also made clear that despite a tough start to the season, he is positive that the club can still go from strength-to=strength.
“It’s a rocky start but what do people really expect? Cesc Fábregas is a great player who Arsène developed from the age of 16. He decided last year that he wanted to leave.
“Maybe it is one of those times when we have to work our way through, maybe with some young players. Arsène has been really good at developing these guys, people like Alex [Oxlade-]Chamberlain and Jack Wilshere. There are some really good players that Arsène thinks can be special. Arsène’s our man.
“I like the kid [Fábregas] but I’m not going to change his mind. Arsène made the decision.
“I also get it on [Samir] Nasri [who joined Manchester City]. If we didn’t do something on Nasri people would be looking at us next summer and saying, ‘Why didn’t you do this?’ We bought in a lot of resources that we can use on other players.”
Kroenke’s full interview will be available on the Daily Telegraph website at 07:00am (BST) on Friday.
bet Theo’s gutted he didn’t get a mention.
Unlucky Theo!!
How long have you been holding that picture in reserve, just waiting for Kroenke’s first interview?
Stan is no longer silent. We must now pass the moniker to “Silent Almunia”…
Or Silent Diaby
Another foreign parasite with no love of English football here to bleed the club dry. Bet he was laughing all the way to the bank we he sold Fabregas and Nasri. Asshole.
Wrong side of the bed was it ?
I am certainly laughing at the sale of Nasri – 25m for a headless chicken to a bunch of mugs – what’s not to like? And replacing Windy Clichy with Santos – at a profit – again, what’s not to like?
And Cesc wanted to go home, and took a pay cut himself to do so. Might not like it, but what were the options? Force him to stay? We’re all sad to see him want to go, but that’s life.
Yes, because all proceeds from transfers so obviously go directly into his pocket.
Moron.
the word in english is ARSEHOLE
It’s only an excerpt but he comes across well. You can tell he respects Arsene and is aware his knowledge of football pales in comparison to AW.
If you click on the linky dink in the post, you can read the full article.
Who’s this bloke again?
If we are going to invest in a European football club, I wouldn’t reallywant to invest in any other one. I know I’m not supposed to say that, but it’s the truth.
“I like the tradition of Arsenal… I like the fact that we have such a following
– Stan Kroenke
hmmm…
There were a lot of shareholders who loved Arsenal for half a century or more, who wanted us to step up and spend hundreds of millions of dollars to keep this thing stable and protected. We did that and we did that honestly.
– Stan Kroenke
There were a lot of shareholders who loved Arsenal for half a century or more, who wanted us to step up and spend hundreds of millions of dollars to keep things stable and protected. We did that and we did that honestly.
– Stan Kroenke
Why is he here? To make money from arsenal ? To invest or because he loves football and our club? It’s clear it’s not to invest and make us better as we have gone backwards and have not re invested the money we had this season. It’s clear he wants to make money from our club with the dearest season ticket prices in Europe 2 new kits, the transfer policy, and wage structure. We can’t compete with city or Chelsea that’s obvious but it seems we won’t be competing with spurs, man u etc etc. We were so close in… Read more »
I wasn’t sure why he is here but am sure he obviously didn’t came to drill some hole to his bank vault. Shame he didn’t have some oil well to support that.
I wasn’t sure why he is here but am sure he obviously didn’t came to drill some hole to his bank vault. Shame he didn’t have some oil well to support that, if u know what mean.
I agree wholeheartedly. I find his rhetoric about his desire for self sustainability to be nothing more than that. He’s in it to make money and its that simple.
It’s always about money in every case, unless you are talking about glitches in the Matrix like Man City and Chelsea. I’d much rather that than someone taking over our club because they love it. Love will leave you broke. I want some hard-case businessmen owning our club.
Really wasnt worth posting twice mate!
Blah, blah, cliche, cliche, lip service, yadda, yadda.
All that time he took to bother addressing the fans and he comes out with the blandest pile of rhetoric I’ve had the misfortune to waste my time reading.
“Why won’t he say anything?” month later “Why did he bother speaking?”
If you are going to wait over a year before speaking to the fans, then at least make it worthwhile. If you are picking on fans who said “why bother?” then maybe you should consider that point first before calling fans fickle.
Yes Stan, Arsene’s our man but you & Hill-wood have proven not to be. Why not speak up in the AGM, why know? – so the Telegraph pays YOUALL the money for your comments instead of it going to Arsenal? Arsenal to fund your Rapids? I don’t think so!
Wenger needs to go back to being a manager with Dein doing all the board level supportive work a board member does unlike the cureent board leaving ALL the work for Wenger whilst leeching off Arsenal & Arsene.
At least the Glazers show ‘their’ Utd the money, in fact all the Americans have – including those 2 plonkers who were at Liverpool – none of the them have modeled the club in a self-sustaining way but are above Arsenal. How can Wenger do his job (like he used when won things) when the rest of the board are so inactive for getting top stars & keeping their current stars (not increasing their wages to the player’s ability – & I’m not just talking about the events this summer, ever since Stan has come to Arsenal look at how… Read more »
At least the Glazers show ‘their’ Utd the money,
LOL……what money mate ..they placed the club assets as collateral to the bank to finance their last spending spree…..
All this bollocks about leeching and in it for the money. Yet what are Usmanov’s motives?
The Glazers are only in it for the money at United. Win things and nobody gives a shit.
Yeah, agreed, they are all in it for the money. Unfortunately, Stan’s history of trophies (or rather lack of) with all of his other sports “franchises” doesn’t indicate we are going to be challeging for the big trophies anywhere in the near future. Self financing is one thing, but being self financing, scrimping on purchases AND trying to make money out of a club isn’t going to get us anywhere. I like the self sustaining model, but it has to be done properly and if his comments and previous are anything to go by we can forget about being one… Read more »
Listen at least the Glazers show ‘their’ Utd the money, in fact all the Americans have – including those 2 plonkers who were at Liverpool – none of the them have modeled the club in a self-sustaining way but are above Arsenal. How can Wenger do his job (like he used when won things) when the rest of the board are so inactive for getting top stars & keeping their current stars (not increasing their wages to the player’s ability – & I’m not just talking about the events this summer, ever since Stan has come to Arsenal look at… Read more »
You had me all the way up until listen.
LOL
Agree blogs win things and no one will but we haven’t and look further away now than we have done for years. We were close last few years and had we invested a little more ie alonso
Insted of carrying on with denillson etc etc a keeper when ww needed one a decent central defender etc etc the arguments have been made. We have fallen way behind now and we had no need to. I’m not calling for the Russian just proper investment in decent players when it’s obvious to most people it was needed.
Can you believe Wenger thought Denilson was up to the job that Alonso could of done for us? Not one of his greatest moments.
I think that it’s good that he has finally spoken up, but what else was he going to say: “Hey, I think Wenger’s shit and I’m gonna sack him if we don’t win the league”? Of course he was going to back our (senile) manager. But his loyalty will only last for as long as Le Boss is making him money – and that means finishing in the top four this season. Which we won’t. So let’s see what the Yank does at the end of May. By the way: the real future for clubs like Arsenal is to owned… Read more »
Short of coming out and saying we are going to spend ten of millions and buy x, y and z there was nothing he could say that would suddenly make everyone feel better. By and large I thought he came across well and as a likeable guy. The whole thing did seem a bit detached from the reality of what is happening at the emirates though unless he genuinely takes a long term view an accepts there is going to be a blip but we will recover in 2 or 3 years time. Reliance on youth hasn’t worked so well… Read more »
@arseblog: at least the Glazers show ‘their’ Utd the money, in fact all the Americans have – including those 2 plonkers who were at Liverpool – none of the them have modeled the club in a self-sustaining way but are above Arsenal. How can Wenger do his job (like he used when won things) when the rest of the board are so inactive for getting top stars & keeping their current stars (not increasing their wages to the player’s ability – & I’m not just talking about the events this summer, ever since Stan has come to Arsenal look at… Read more »
Fuck off will ya? You don’t need to post the same thing 4 times you dopey cunt!
‘Fuck off will ya?’ – are you asking me, telling me or you’re just not sure.
Apologies for posting 3 times (not 4 for those who cannot count) but some Gooners have trouble understanding it’s not soley Wenger’s fault for lack of trophies. Also Stan & the current board are not the answer for the short or long term solution.
Anyway at least this ‘dopey cunt’ remembers his kids names, so what would you call those who cannot?
I see subtle humour (kids names) is lost on you, try this, fuck off! (Instruction not suggestion – just to clarify) you annoying little twerp. 3-4 whatever, doesn’t change the fact that you should bugge roff somewhere else to troll.
chin him!
@usmanov4arsenal If you can’t make a point without resorting to infantile name calling, proves more about the person you are than the one you are childishly trying to belittle, it almost makes whatever content you have posted moot, because all its doing is showing you have an agenda, rather than just an opinion.
I suggest next time, looking up the definition of mature before you post again.
haha, scotch eggs is keen as mustard!
What makes me laugh is that people seem to think that the grove will stay full and money will continue to poor in, my era was the late 70’s next 15 years home and away nearly all games. Most part we were shit but loved the club it was ours and never complained. Liverpool had a recipe that no one knew off we accepted that. Forest had clough but we were happy to go and enjoy what came our way. 17000 against Norwich on a crap Tuesday night then weeks later 59000 against spurs or Liverpool. Arsenal fans are fickle… Read more »
Oi! I’ve got a son called Oliver and a daughter called Felicity……..
…..no not really they are called Tarquin and Rebecca……possibly.
Totally agree with you, Voldermort. Most of our fans just don’t seem to fully realise just how much shit that we are in. With the current level of under-investment, and a manager who has lost the plot, we are on the edge of a precipice. With Wenger and the Board’s hopeless mismanagement of the club, we are heading for mid-table mediocrity – and when that happens the Ruperts and the Tarquins will disappear with their prawn sandwiches. The REAL Gooners won’t come back because they were priced out years ago.
Lol or felix and jermima
[…] Has it ever happened to you when some chaps get mentioned and you go like, who? Well, meet forgotten member number 1, Stan Kroenke. The Arsenal owner has finally stepped out from his American shell, and gave an interview. […]
Is it just me, or does that photo of Kronke make him look like a 70s porn star?
That picture of Kroenke is in fact a picture of the American actor Sam Elliot (put up toungue in cheek no doubt), so yeah I am guessing it is just you.
Scotcheggsrule-Actually Stans other francises have won 2 Stanley cups, 1 MLS cup, and 1 super bowl- not a fan of kroenke and don’t trust his motives- but his teams have won titles
no shit sherlock stan you slueth faced cunt….
next time stay quiet….you said fuck all we didnt knw anyway u tit!
I hope this club doesn’t end up like ‘Villa
he’s worth a reported 2.6bil
yet he has no ambition for this club to achieve success
i will punch this man’s face in the moment i glimpse it. no passion for sport whatsoever, all he’s interested in is making more MONEY MONEY MONEY