Ivan Gazidis has used the announcement of Arsene Wenger’s new two-year contract extension to rally against those who don’t believe the Frenchman has what it takes to keep Arsenal moving forward.
Having waited an age for the party line to be agreed, the Arsenal CEO finally broke his silence on the long-running saga with typical corporate panache.
His answers to questions posed by the Arsenal.com editorial team meander more than the River Thames. As always he peppers them with sound bites and, for good measure, references the club’s DNA, history, tradition and famous Latin motto ‘Victoria Concordia Crescit’.
In fairness, he stops just shy of borrowing Theresa May’s ‘strong and stable’ Tory election slogan, but you get the feeling he was close to chucking it in. No doubt he’d have used ‘Wexit, means Wexit’ had the boss walked away.
All in all, it’s classic Ivan. You almost want to buy into what he’s saying. But then you realise you’ve heard it all before during the last eight years.
Anyway, here’s a few snippets on the big issues…
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On Arsene’s new deal…
Arsène is somebody I have worked with for over eight years now, and I know the quality of the man, I know the quality of him as a football person and I know the quality of him as a human being as well. Those values that he has, those qualities, are world class in every respect. His DNA is the same DNA as this club. He is driven to move forward, he is driven to evolve and he is driven to achieve those objectives of winning for this club and making those fans proud. When you look at the world of football, and you think about the great candidates that there are – and there are many great coaching candidates in the world and Arsenal is a club that all of them would want to work for because of the things we represent in football – but when you look around and make that assessment, you don’t find any better candidates than Arsène Wenger.
On what happens at the end of two years…
We don’t [know]. Football is constantly evolving, constantly changing. This is a two-year deal so we are looking at at least the next two years. Again, at some point, of course, we will have to transition to the era beyond Arsène and that is not a sentimental connection that we have, that is a connection that is driven by what is best for the football club. I will say this, this is not just the club not being sentimental, this is Arsène not being sentimental either. Arsène would not make this commitment if he did not believe he could push this club forward. That is an assessment we continue to make as we move into the future, and who knows what the future holds.
On Arsenal’s ambition…
All of this [spending on and off the pitch] is driven towards the ambition of winning the Premier League. Does it mean you can win the Premier League every year? Of course nobody can guarantee that but that is the ambition. I think in football, the judgements are so black and white that often, if you don’t fire your manager, then you’re seen as being unambitious. I think that’s ludicrous. You don’t fire good people, you don’t fire people who are world-class, you don’t fire people who are driven to improve. What you do is work out how you can improve together and how you can move forward. That’s what this club is doing and we have a very clear ambition that we want to deliver it in.
His message to the fans…
Let’s get behind this team because they deserve our fans’ support. Together, we can achieve great things. Remember, the motto of this football club is ‘Victoria Concordia Crescit’, victory through harmony. We need to restore that harmony by getting behind the team to achieve success together. That’s where we have a chance.
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There’s loads more from Ivan…you can watch a video / read the transcript here.
Congrats! Hide behind him for 2 more years.
How long did it take the questioner and Gazidis to memorize the script to this ‘interview’?
The ultimate cunt weasel
What a fucking rat. There was a moment when I nearly started to believe he actually had a set of testicals – with all his talk about ‘time for change’ combined with the subsequent stories of the director of football being leaked to the press. But no. Nothing to say for the last 6 months when Arsene was there in the press box taking pelters. Now all of a sudden here he is. With his fucking shiny bald cunt head spouting more absolute troff about Wenger being the best around. Really? Is he really Ivan? If so – then where… Read more »
You need s kit Kat
I honestly think he wanted a change but everyone else blocked his attempt. What’s he supposed to do now, say “I voted against this…its Stans fault not mine fuck Wenger”
Can you tell us which manager you assessed Gazidis, because there are names like Allegri and Simeone that can be lured this summer.
I don’t think either of those managers would want to step into the mess here at Arsenal…
Well, there has to be a mess for you to want a new manager.
To change, you don’t have to be in a complete mess, just by not achievinf the target can be the reason of change.
If our club ambitions is to win PL/CL, then change would have been done, but we all know what is our main target every season.
Allegri said he would be interested in moving to England. He would have taken the job for sure and I bet you having him on board would have convinced Sanchez to stay.
Has Sanchez gone?
Is that why he signed a new contract at Juventus? Why would he jump from the job done there in reaching CL final?
Read up Grae B. Do your homework like a good boy
Allegri already told us where to go
When did he say that? From what I read he was open to the job.
Allegri gets a mediocre Juventus side to the Champions League final AGAIN! A born winner.
What? How is Juventus’ team mediocre?
Do you honestly think their team has more quality on it than ours? For example, I honestly think the Ox could be a fantastic player in the hands of the right manager. Someone more disciplined than Wenger. Our team is chock-full of potential… In the hands of the right manager.
Sorry dude but Juventus has a far better squad than any premier league club, and they have for many seasons now. We should be using our capital to buy players like that even if the plan is to sell them on for double. I’m happy Wenger signed a new deal but we need to splash some cash
Ox will be fantastic under Wenger as well if he can put together a consistent string of health and form. He’s been given many opportunities to impress. He is starting to now and I would love to see him continue with us. But his fate is hardly all Wenger’s fault.
I absolutely agree.
Imagine how great our club would be with another manager. I bet Gibbs, Jenks, Coq, TW, OX, Ospina, Elneny, Iwobi would all be world class already.
He would have prevented injuries to Santi, Jack, Ramsey, Welbz and KOS.
Honestly I think we should be undefeated forever with another manager.
Don’t be myopic lol Juventus is loaded with talent. Stop talking about potential. Every club have players that don’t meet initial expectations. To blame a manager because a player doesn’t have a desire or will to get better is on the player not the manager.
So Caligunner, the fact that the squad has changed over the last 13 years but the results are still the same (a midseason capitulation) has nothing to do with the manager? My suggestion, go to Santa Monica and stick your head in the sand.
What about “those 6 weeks were a catalyst for change”…
I can’t stand this c**t
He speaks very highly of you. Bleeep
They don’t even try and they say this?
If Liverpool could Klopp? Shouldn’t we have tried getting someone like Simione? Atleast tried?
Not going to blame Wenger for any of it.
You obviously like boring defensive football if you want Simeone
If it wins titles and the CL who cares?
What has Simeone won apart from their league 3 years ago? He has under achieved
Wenger in
I care. I would stop watching. I watch football to be entertained. I don’t get to take the trophy home.
I like winning titles mate. Competing for the biggest trophies in CL finals etc. No denying Wenger is a quality individual but you’re wasting your time trying to convince us he’s a master tactician of football.
Over the last several seasons we’ve seen all of the ‘master tacticians’ get their asses handed to them by opponents of all ilk. Mou, Pep, Klopp, even the latest flavor Conte has lost a few with steaming pile performances.
They’re all master tacticians one day and shit ones another. They also need the players, motivation, form, rest, all of it.
Mpls. That is what I call a lazy-ass comment.
Simeone’s football isn’t boring mate. What I see is a team fighting for their coach, a team playing to win every game (even against the so called big teams) and a group of players who are tactically & technically disciplined with a few marquee players. I guess that’s why they are a force to reckon with in Spain & in Europe. You’ll agree with me Arsenal would need these characteristics to win trophies.
I dont agree that atletico madrid play boring football. Boring defensive footbAll is what mourinho was doing in his first chelsea era
Who is this guy? I don’t remember seeing him at all.
Does he do anything at our club?
I’d be interested to know what he has ever done that made much of a difference.
Signing up Wenger and then letting him do everything not included.
Has he made a difference on the commercial and/or playing sides of the club? Anyone know anything?
Sponsorships/partnerships, like the Puma deal I guess. Also Hale End development.
I get that we all feel that Ivan should be more of a football guy and one who concerns himself more with on field performance and all that, but having run a couple of different businesses myself, I think the sheer difficulty of running even a small business is way underappreciated, let alone running something as big as Arsenal FC. There is a hell of a lot more involved in doing the job of a CEO than most people realize. Yes, I am sure he makes a lot of money to do it, but so do the players, and I… Read more »
What happened to ‘catalyst for change’?
You certainly won’t find one if you don’t look Ivan. What’s most upsetting about the last few contracts for arsene is that all the club do is ask him how long he wants to sign for. Even the people on here who think there are no better options out there can surely see this is unhealthy? Not just for the club, but for Arsene too.
Yeah the bit where he said “the next two years at least” jumped out at me. This could go on for a while.
Is it true Arsene’s salary has gone from £8m to £10m per year?
So Ivan’ish’. At this point, I don’t have any faith in him or the board. And what the hell does he mean he doesn’t know what is gonna happen at the end of the two year deal!!!??Looks like the club still doesn’t care about any sort of a succession plan for Wenger.
Lets discuss this again 2 years later about how this club is directionless.
Wenger: FA cup, means FA cup…Trophies, means trophies…I want to stay, means i want to stay.
Gazidis: War chest, means war chest.
Scouts: Onyekuru, means Onyekuru.
Wenger: Onyekuru, means the next Henry.
Fans: League title, means league title.
I don’t understand anything about this comment
Allegri, Simeone (and even) Tuchel could have been possible and all and if they’d pulled their heads out of their arses earlier, what about Guardiola, Klopp and Conte
What a nob head.
As if we’re the ones who need reminding of the club’s motto! Still, it’s good we’re taking an interest in their affairs, I suppose. What a fucking ass hat.
Truth is, Arsenal is operated as a very conservative business. Very much risk-averse and that starts from the top…High risk = high reward and we don’t show much of that. Prove me wrong my dear Arsenal…
I don’t know who’s more full of BS him or our manager? To say there’s no better manager out there then Wenger, is shockingly bad and quite disrespectful of other managers who have won league titles(recently)and have advanced further into the champions league then us.
Basically what his trying to say is we have a manger who won’t leave on his own accord and we don’t have the stomach to give him the p45.
Conclusion we have a hopeless board.
What does this man do! GAZIDIS, WHAT THE FUCK DOES YOUR JOB ENTAIL?!?
We never replaced David Dein, that’s our problem. We expected Wenger to pick up the slack, which he tried, with inevitable negative consequences.
The board basically use Wenger as a human shield for their incompetence…which I believe is against the Geneva Convention…
Finishing 18 points behind the chavs and losing 10-2 to Bayern is not world class
Manchester City is spending an obscene amount of money on transfers. I really don’t see how we are able to compete with them next season right now.
United spent an obscene amount last summer and finished below us. The scarier thing about City isn’t how much they spend (they always spend big), but rather that Guardiola might actually get it right next season…
Meh, Guardiola looked like the flat track bully Moaninho always said he was. He’s not so good without Messi or with proper competition (the german league is a joke)
Yawn. Haven’t seen ya for months and then this generic garbage comes out of his mouth. Where have you been the last few months to talk to the fans? Go back to your hole Gollum and take your precious sound bites with ya!
What I can say is Wenger out
Has this now become a ‘Wenger Out’ blog? What’s wrong with you people? Get behind the team and stop this delusional sense of entitlement…for better for worse Wenger is the Manager for the next 2 years…
I’m sorry it’s some of you that are starting to sound delusional. You really expect everyone to think alike?
If you disagree with someone, make a persuasive argument instead of demanding that everyone supports the club just like you. That’s the point of these forums and what most people on here are trying to do.
Fine Papas. But the season is over. Is this not the platform to express our personal views?
It never is for some.
They say hold off criticism till the end of the season.
End of the season comes and now it is don’t criticize at the end of the season.
Been the same thing for a decade now.
But you didn’t hold off criticism till the end of season now did you? The criticism and banners etc. were slap bang in the middle of season so please spare us
Its because many think its for worse. Its a blog where people express their views.maybe start your own with you as the sole contributer if you dont like this sort of democratic blog
I see his point. I think I would like to see more comments relating to the story.
A story on a cat having puppies in Elneny’s hair would still generate more #arseneout and other negative comments then the shock story itself. And thats the disappointing part, having to filter through 99 arsene comments just to find someone talking about the story.
That’s very objevtive reporting, Mr Arsenal News Hound
Why do I have to be objective?
So do you have an agenda.
Because you might end up writing in an echo chamber where everyone agrees with you but the rest have gone somewhere else
If you’re giving news, it should be objective (I’m looking at your name).
You probably should separate your opinion on the matter into another section in the article, because then you lose credibility as someone relaying news.
You might as well then take up a moniker like Gunnerblog or the Arsenal Hound if you wish to mix your opinion in “news”
Is he another one whos not allowwed an opinion unless it agrees with your own.he helps write a blog for fucks sake not a political manifesto
the Wenger Out brigade are in a minority , as far as I know…this blog is now making them out to be the majority…we’ve got to stop this shit…the club have decided Wenger is the Manager for the foreseeable…so people, lets get behind the team until such time…otherwise you might as well join Piers Moron and become one yourself…
We are not a minority
Jesus this guy is a prick. Actions speak louder than words….. In this clowns case we don’t hear either. I thought after all this season had hurt us with the next had to improve. We are the most stagnant ” big” club around. We’re the biggest club to never win the Champions League and we never will either. Still though, we’ll show desire I’m sure.
What a pussy
Has this now become a ‘Wenger Out’ blog?what’s wrong with you people? What’s with this delusional sense of entitlement? People flying banners over stadiums and fighting each other. ..that’s not the team or club I support…we have Wenger for another 2 years so get behind the team people and stop this…most unbecoming of us…we have class we have tradition and the world over people know what we stand for…not this chavvy bickering and sniping from the sidelines…
The fans have heard the same things over and over and have supported the club through all these years even when the players and staff have disappointed us. We want change. And giving a new contract to Wenger isn’t change nor can it be warranted. Yes, even with the FA Cup.
careful now what you wish for…look at Manure…it takes at least 5 year to transition a team…
Pathetic as always.
What. Are. Your. Transition. Plans. ?
It’s no coincidence that once David Dein resigned after falling out with the rest of the board we have struggled, in the league and the transfer market. Dein was a real football business man, sitting on various boards incl the FA but also a real Arsenal fan too. Gazidis is bloody useless and had no love or attachment to the club.
You can find better candidates Gazidis (Klopp, Pep, Simeone, Allegri) even Benitez has won more than AW in last 10 years. The problem is Gazidis does not want to look for them
Klopp: finished 1 point above us, no silverware. Pep: Spent £150m finished 3 points above, no silverware. Simone finished third, no silverware. Allegri – please this myth has to stop, hes not a good manager – won domestic cups with a great squad inherited from Conte (a good manager)
Not a good manager? Did u watch the quarter finals of the champions league?
Oh jam it up your Arse you little dancing muppet.
*puppet
Fucking he’ll Gazidis is back from his hols with lord Lucan call off the FBI did we expect anything else from him no same statement from 2 years ago unless big words back them up
The motto of the club which you money grabbing so and so’s took off our crest and turned it into a Disney land fluffy looking load of nonsense
turned
So if Wenger is so impervious to being sacked, why didn’t he sign a new deal at the beginning of last season so we didn’t have all this ridiculous will he won’t he going on. Wenger said himself that it effected the team, and low and behold we are even further behind. The boards indecisiveness is our biggest burden. What were they waiting for exactly? Had we lost the final would he have left? Probably not. So how badly did we need to play for Wenger to leave? We only got to the FA cup semi because we played two… Read more »
I hope Wenger justifies the contract..just splash the f******g money on top players..and do it FAST..extend ozil & Sanchez contracts..if Wenger does this , I don’t see why we can’t win premier league.I hope Wenger had reborn .
Why does everyone keep spouting these so called decent managers as candidates. Don’t forget who had even heard of Wenger when we got him – it doesn’t have to be a recognised name. I would happily endure a relegation fight with a team trying to win and a manager trying new things than another week with Wenger. Bigger issue is whoever had come in would have had no more expectation put on him than Wenger had from the board. Just so long as the dollars keep rolling in. The issues go much higher than Wenger who perhaps would have been… Read more »
How is a relegation fight gonna win us the Champions League?
I never said it would.
I said i would like to see a team trying to win and a manager trying new things.
AW tried the three at the back, although it took him too long to be honest. But we’ve been doing well since. We even defeated the inventor of the modern back three in Conte. So perhaps the old man is still learning. And after the FA Cup final it should be clear the team want him to be there and perform for him too.
I agree on the second part of your initial comment though.
U would happily endure a relegation fight with a team trying to win. Sorry that doesn’t make sense
Why doesn’t it make sense?
A team trying to win isn’t always going to win.
I want to see some effort in games from both a team performance and a tactical angle for once – not just in a FA Cup final.
Let me preface this by saying I’m not sure if Wenger can change sufficiently to garner the title or big prizes but there is also reason to believe he may. Life is not a guarantee unless your the media in habit of making facile predictions based on the past. If you are Linneker, you pronounce Arsenal have no chance of winning the title because we are further away than before…but hey wait a minute, Chelsea were piss poor last season and practically had the same squad this season. Conte lauded as the master tactician to Wenger’s cluesless approach has been… Read more »
Not if you don’t fucking look for one you useless twats.
I hate when scientifically illiterate people talk about DNA. No that’s not what DNA is or does or how it functions.
It really irks me. First Barcelona now Gazidis.
What a wankblanket
I can see a return of the motto on next season’s kit
Funny reading idiotic comments on BBC. Selective much? Fans complaining about lack of consistency, if anything we have been one of the most consistent for 20 seasons! Whether we are doing enough in the summer to scale higher is a question but our finish has been remarkably consistent and a high minimum. BBC conveniently mentions two halves to Wenger’s reign and how we have struggled for trophies second half…but wait a minute, have we not won 3 FA cups now in four seasons? That’s trophies and consistency. If that’s the new minimum standard…:D Then they dig up an old fossil… Read more »
“Let’s get behind this team because they deserve our fans support” On the contrary, the fans deserve the recognition and “support” from the club. We are the ones who spend our hard earned cash and put up with the complete lack of respect and appreciation shown by the clubs hierarchy. Comments like this just highlight the boards complete disconnection with the fan base. We are not to be blamed for being disallusioned. Maybe if Ivan got out of his fucking cave during the last 4 months and represented the club in the appropriate manner we might have 1% faith in… Read more »
Love you guys
No disrespect to Arsène, but it’s hard to find better candidates when you’ve – to all appearances – made absolutely no effort to find any!
Gazidis is such a wanker. Not quite John Terry level, mind you. But not a million miles away either.
The comments here are just mental – end of the day he is staying – majority of fans that wanted Wenger out wanted Kloop in at any cost – well look how that’s turned out – WTF has he achieved, the same fans we’re asking for martinez, and moyes and a few other nobody’s – just because alegri is doing it in Italy it doesn’t guarantee doing it in the prem even Guardiola is struggling at Man City with all there riches.
Put it to bed, get behind the lads, move on
Trolling right?
What an absolute twatbag.