Stan Kroenke called in on Arsenal’s training ground today to give Arsene Wenger’s squad a well-deserved high-five for Sunday’s trouncing of Chelsea and to further elucidate on his somewhat underwhelming three minute ramble at the AGM.
Speaking to media who had assembled for the pre-Marseille press conference, the American revealed that he had watched the weekend’s action in person at Stamford Bridge and confirmed he found the experience all the more special because John Terry had fallen on his arse to hand us the win on a plate. Well not quite…but he did say:
“It was very enjoyable. I had a great time the whole day. I walked to the stadium and the fans were having as good a day as I was. I spoke with a few of them along the way. Of course, the game was spectacular.
“Sports are a very important part of our modern society,” he continued. “I think the English Premier League particularly has a visibility around the world. It does a lot of good in a lot of ways that often aren’t pointed out so I was happy to be there.”
Many supporters who attended last Thursday’s annual general meeting complained that the Denver-based businessman had cut a rather uninspiring speaker when called upon to make a statement. Explaining his surprise at being asked to communicate with supporters, Kroenke clarified:
“Maybe it’s because I look at the Club differently. These clubs are bigger than one person. They are about a lot more things than just one person, one fan, one manager, one anything.
“This Club has been here for 125 years. It has had periods when it was up and long periods when it wasn’t so up. But I am proud of the Club.”
Having not won a trophy since he first got involved with the club four years ago, Kroenke also responded to suggestions that changes are needed to rectify the situation.
“We have been around the Club for four years at one stage or another and you always like to win trophies. We were very close last year but we didn’t get there.
“You are not going to win trophies every year. I am smart enough to know that. I think it is fair to say we have a broader experience than anybody in sports because we are involved in so many different teams. You don’t win trophies every year. You’d like to. But I have friends who are owners in the leagues in the US who have never won a trophy and they have been in it for 30 or 40 years. We have been fortunate to win a few.
“I am very proud of our management [at Arsenal] and I am certainly extremely proud of our manager and I am very proud of the way the Club has been run.”
Last week Kroenke touched on how Arsenal managed to turn his head despite opportunities to invest in other Premier League and European clubs. Eager to add meat to the bones of his initial statement, and to make clear to fans that he was a long-term investor, he continued:
“First of all, I love London. If you look at our history we are long-term investors. We don’t get involved just to be here today, be gone tomorrow, ‘flip’ and make a profit – that’s not us.
“We like to get involved in things that we can help develop over time. Maybe it’s just me but I think London is a great place to be. I think long-term if you want to attract players, it is a great place.
“Arsenal Football Club – wow! 125 years, great tradition, great manager, great model and lots of opportunity.”
A self-confessed fan of Arsene Wenger’s methods both on the training field and as a smart operator in the transfer market, the American again paid homage to the Frenchman.
“Arsène Wenger is an unbelievable manager. I think he’s a tremendous person, I just think he is as good as there is. Now, do you lose some games? Do you have tough losses? It happens. You can’t judge a manager on one game or on one stretch of games. You judge him over time. That’s how the really good ones are judged.
“Arsène has been here 15 years and you look at what the Club had as assets and revenues back then. It’s fantastic the growth that has occurred within the Club. It has been done very responsibly and they have the record for participating in the Champions League for the most consecutive years. For long-term stability and an approach to excellence, I think that’s unsurpassed really.”
There are plenty of other Kroenke quotes doing the rounds from today’s meeting with the press. For Arsenal.com’s version of events click here. For the full transcript of the interview as presented by The Mirror’s John Cross, click here.
I don’t really know what to make of this. I’ve seen some Gooners freaking out about some of his comments. About him not putting money into the club but did anyone really expect that from him. I don’t think he’s going to change the way things have been going. I guess new owner doesn’t necessarily mean big changes within the the whole process that we do things. But remember we did have a lot of movement during the summer not something that we are used to seeing. Maybe positive changes are going to happen or are happening without huge shake-ups… Read more »
Arsenal, bloody hell.
hmmmn!
Baffled as to how any supporter could find the the man’s comments anything but objectionable. He rather obviously sees the Club as a business providing it’s customers with a product. His comments regarding the Glazers represent the greatest of all political gaffes – accidentally telling the truth. For Mr. Kroenke supporters are just fans and they need to divorce themselves of any notions they might have of Arsenal “belonging” to them. He owns the Club and if you don’t like how he runs it – as a profit maximizing business than you’re free to stop going or watching. And by… Read more »
“Well, here’s the thing. I think you know that one of the players who departed had nothing to do with money. I think our manager would tell you that. There was a specific personal circumstance that happened. Maybe I am saying too much.” Uhhh, I would like that explained! Something happen with Fabregas we don’t know about?!
Personal circumstance such as the player wanting to return home to his boyhood club perhaps?
Why would he say “maybe I’ve said too much already”? Everyone knows about his boyhood club. Read between the lines why don’t you
I’m sure we all need a reason to be upset. Cesc is gone and we all knew he was going to leave. Whatever the case is, whatever the “personal circumstance,” he’s gone let’s not get all worked up about it again because of some throw away comment that Kronke made. The team is showing that they’re getting on without him and that’s all that matters.
No no, I’m not upset about Cesc. Personally I like the character in this team without him and nasri. What does worry me however is that quote from Kroenke. If he’s doing something behind the scenes to run players off, what happens with RVP? As an American who knows kroenke’s teams here, I’m worried. His teams suck. I love the NHL, and what he did to the Avalanche last year was a crime
If anyone ran anyone off it wasn’t Kronke. Like he said, the manager would have more to say about it. That isn’t to say Wenger forced Cesc out that clearly wasn’t the case. Kronke has been the owner for how long now? He hasn’t done much of anything yet let alone run players off.
Reading the above is like reading one of the many Annual Reports I read on a regular basis when I assess them for a new business case. Stan Kroenke is a business man, his narrative is dry, unlike Arsene last week at the AGM which had a lot of emotion. Nothing above made me make a double take… except the Man U remarks which may be construed as a political gaffe for simply telling the truth. The dice is cast we are perceived as Fans and he owns the Club and when he is ready he will take dividends…so let… Read more »
I’m not sure comparing Arsenals standing in the premier league with that of American owners who’ve one nothing for 30 years really works. In the US they set up their sports so wealth and talent are distributed more equally. Arsenal, particulary since the Prem began have had a bigger slice of the pie than all but one, maybe two teams.
The only way I can see us competing with city and united is abandoning the wage scale structure that allows Bendtner, denilson Diaby to earn 50k a week for mediocrity but doesn’t reward RVP for world class performances.
Let’s see what happens to rvp and January. We could be going for 4th place and the addition of a quality player or 2 could cement that 4 th or even 3 rd. I don’t trust the American or the board afte the shambles of the summer which I believe was down to the board. Had it not been for the genius of wenger we could be in serious trouble. They hung the bloke out to dry letting him take all the shit whilst behimd the scenes they were penny pinching over every deal. So let’s see what happens in… Read more »
I think Kroenke’s role as a “good owner” will be judged in how he reduces preassure on Arsenal’s fan base, particularly the matchday attendance, to provide the clubs income. Obviously united’s stadium is massive allowing them to squeeze more fans less but the commercial side of their buisness is highly enviable. If Kroenke is for the sustainable model, and it’s great that he his, it’s the way football should be going in a sane world, he has to make it work better than it is now, to justify our rhetoric as part of the ellite, our stadium cost and of… Read more »
/her team. Obvs
Also a statement or two in the next window wouldn’t go amiss.
Jesus lighten up, I’m glad he’s finally speaking talks a lot of sense, give him time a few more transfer windows and we will see if money is being reinvested but people should calm down a bit he’s not put the club in debt buying it and things are on the up! Everyone was so happy he bought the club and not usmanov
Only time will tell if Kroenke will be good for the Arsenal-.but if we hadn’t won on Saturday I believe Stan would still be silent…
Anyway-John Terry, LOL!
His choice of words and the manner in which he delivered them has only reaffirmed what I already thought and that is that his only interest in our club is to make as much money as possible. Yes the same can be said about the Glaziers but the difference there is Utd have a sound team who know what it takes to make money but also to be successful in the English game.
By the when when I said team I meant management team not football team. And I don’t mean Wenger either. I’m hoping people realised that but I thought I should clear it up.
Let’s give him time. It’s only because we’re not winning trophies at the moment everyone is sceptacle about him. He’s a business man and a very successful one. What’s important is he doesn’t think he’s bigger than the club like other owners. That’s why he doesn’t want to talk much because what’s important is the football. At the end of the day our club can run on it’s own. Can Chelsea carry one without Roman? Can City manage without there billionaire? I don’t think so, those two clubs are relying on there owners money. If Kronke was to walk we… Read more »
On the contrary I would still think the same if we’d won the treble last year. When we start to win trophies again it will have been because of the team and the manager. Not a corporate fat cat with about as much football knowledge as my ex wife.
The thing that concerns me is that all of the teams he owns in the US are not exactly the cream of the crop in their respective leagues. Successful and earnest clubs? Sure.
Championship caliber, perennial winners, or big spenders? Not even close…
That said, I rather have an owner who watches from a far than an owner who is hands on with deep pockets that spends insensibly and drives the club into a Russian-sized debt.