Josh Kroenke attended Arsenal’s training session at London Colney ahead of tomorrow’s game against Norwich, speaking to players and staff as we try to get our season back on track.
October 6th was our last Premier League win, and recent form has made a top four finish even more difficult.
The Son of Stan also sat down with the official website to talk about Unai Emery’s departure, Freddie Ljungberg and the process of finding a new, permanent head coach.
With regards to the decision to part company with the Spaniard, Kroenke said, “Like all of our fans and supporters around the globe, we’ve been concerned about our recent string of performances.
“We wanted to support Unai and his staff until we decided it was time to make a change and ultimately we came to that decision over the last several weeks as a group between myself, Raul, Vinai and Edu.
“Unai is a good man, someone that we all respect very much. His work ethic on a daily basis between him and his staff was fantastic.
“Ultimately we started to fall short of several goals that we set. We still feel that we can achieve those goals this season, which is why we decided to make the change now.”
He talked up Freddie’s Arsenal DNA, and revealed that the process to find a replacement for Emery is already underway.
“It’s going to be led by Raul, Vinai, Edu and Huss [Fahmy] here internally,” he continued.
“I look forward to getting with them and working closely with them throughout this process.
“Because of our confidence in Freddie we’re very fortunate that we’re going to be entering into our process and doing a thorough search and it’s about finding the right candidate, it’s not about finding the first candidate.”
So, it sounds like Freddie could be holding the fort for a little while. Let’s hope he can get us back to winning ways, starting tomorrow.
It’s also good that there’s some visibility from the owners who are too often distant, and while there’s still plenty of work for them to do, being on the ground is a step forward, so hopefully it starts to make a difference.
Ton can be said towards Kroenkes, but let them have this one: Josh attending & speaking at this training session is a little yet very important touch.
Also, he fixed his hairstyle. Much better! No longer the slicked back look, as if he wanted to be a son of Trump.
The son of Satan you said? Amen to that.
Josh showing up has to happen far more often, Raul and co need checks and balances from the top and they need to know mediocrity is not ok. We need more accountability. Arsenal is not some other American sports franchise, it’s a 133 year old institution and it deserves far better.
Whether you agree or not, Arsenal football club is a franchise. The very reason that it’s owned by some bloke from Colorado proves it. Football is primarily about money and then whatever that is at stake for you and me.
These fools don’t know anything about how businesses are run. He called the club just an institution like the banks around the world aren’t institutions as well. That’s why the board doesn’t pay attention to these wimps.
People hate banks for ripping us and our governments off for generations, no one cares if they live or die. At the same time, people love football clubs, they provide an escape from all the chaos that institutions like banks create.
I might be getting ahead of myself, but, I do hope that even while they are searching for a new permanent coach that they assess how Freddie performs during his run in the interim. Would be an absolute travesty if at the time they decide on a new coach Freddie has got the team performing at a level that we expect from The Arsenal and this team for it to be a case of “Thanks, now we start again” Really hoping that Freddie has a great run as boss so that he is strongly in the running for the permanent… Read more »
More platitudes from kse as they attempt to get the fans back onside after a mess of their own making.
That they are so often reactive, instead of proactive, as owners tells us more than their empty words.
“Entering into our process” is a waffleism straight out of the Emery book of nonsense
Its a bunch of nonsense designed to make fans feel good again, after they squandered all the goodwill generated in the summer with player purchases (which I would argue they made in response to the fans’ discontent after the end of last season and the We Care Do You letter).
This feels like more of the same after the board dithered about regarding Emery. KSE have a history of this sort of thing.
Josh get on the phone to Pochettino, and make him an offer he can’t refuse, and then back him.
Serial winner..!!
Oh God no,no,no for so many reasons. I don’t want a spud serial loser anywhere near Arsenal. Can we not just get behind Freddie and the team and have some fun, and ignore all the shit about other managers until the summer, because for sure nothing is going to happen before the summer anyway. Call me a romantic but I’m praying this works out because I’d rather have one of our own than sleazy looking Allegri, shark teeth classless Rodgers or any of the other has beens that the media keeps coming up with. Pochettino would divide the fan base… Read more »
Why do we need a man who has never won anything in 12 years of management?
Because he turned the laughing stock next door into champions league finalists and perennial top four contenders on a nothing budget.
But still didn’t win anything. Surely we have higher standards than wanting a man who improved a rival club. Still left Spurs in 14th position and never has a positive demeanour.
How is he better than Wenger? He managed to get us top 4 for so long and one might say managing weaker teams than them lot have had the last few years. Yet Wenger still won more trophies in that period. They’ve also been extremely lucky in the run to the final last season. They rode their luck against City and less said about Ajax the better.
Pochettino is a really good manager, but he’s not an upgrade over Wenger. We have to look for better.
No mention of the board. Can we safely say it’s redundant.
Yes this is a major concern as to how the club is run.
Good point
Yeah good point, but obsolete more than redundant.
Who do you guys want as coach?
I just hope we get back to playing attacking football similar to Chelsea, Leicester, and Liverpool this year.
Best of luck Freddie!!! COYG!
You said it with Leicester, I think Rodgers is among the best of the names being linked. Plus it would be interesting to see blogs having to come to terms with that appointment, and support him should he be able to get this team back to winning ways.
Would love Nicklas Bendtner to take the reins, with Park Chu Young as his able assistant
Another PR stunt from Josh. They waited until Top 4 was out of reach to make a change and were nowhere to be seen when the going got tough. Unforgivable, there tardiness has probably cost us Aubameyang unless we win the Europa League somehow.
I for one would be happy enough for Freddie to have it till the end of the season and see where we go from there. If we start winning games that is. Good luck Freddie and team!
He can’t as he hasn’t got a full coaches badge. In any case we need an experienced manager such as Allegri
I’ve stated a fact so why thumbs down????
Coz your fact is wrong
It was reported that he doesn’t have his Pro Licence but the club and Ornstein have both said that he does. Transfermarket shows him as only having his A Licence, which is where the story has come from, I think.
This is good. Actually very good. Ownership showing up, of course the plug should have been pulled way earlier, but at least this shows responsibility.
The naysayers within will dismiss this as a PR stunt but don’t we complain of lack of communication and visibility from the Kroenke’s? Basically damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
Now lets get behind Freddie and the team!
Make Poch an offer he can’t refuse and make money available in January and the summer. Easy when your a multi billionaire right?
Serial losers are not for us
Josh always comes out and fronts up. I like him.
If his family were doing anything constructive for American society with the billions of dollars they’ve hoarded… I might have more respect for him and his family.
Your loser mentality is showing up, Badaab. Keep talking like that.
It’s their fucking money. Would be willing to bet you don’t do shit with your money to help others.
Already feel freddie is onto a loser its a massive task now to get this team into a unit and winning ways the pundits and journos are as usual just waiting with bated breath for us to fail daggers at the ready hopefully he can keep them at bay with stability and back to basics even if he fails its not him who will bear the brunt from the fans the owners will get both barrels, so much rides on this season to fail is to loose 2 world class strikers and many more may follow them the running of… Read more »
I’m not here to agree or disagree… I just came to see the longest sentence of all time!
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It’s good that they are taking their time to find a suitable candidate. Whether or not you liked Arsene he did imprint a playing style in that arsenal always played good attacking football and gave chances to young players and I for one would hope the next manager carries on this tradition and it’s good to hear him speak about arsenal DNA and I hope they carry on with the values Arsene left the club with. That said I would like to wish Freddie the best of luck in his position and hopefully he can amaze us all and be… Read more »
Much has been said and written about the head coach past and present. Now it’s time to see performances throughout the team, mostly by the older guard, because they had their say and do in all of this mess we’re in. No excuses and they will have a envigorated and unrelenting support. It’s time to show your qualities Arsenal.
Been awhile since we sang we love you Freddie.
Kronke though saying “We still feel that we can achieve those goals this season, which is why we decided to make the change now.”” worries me a little he was slow making the change and waited till top 4 was near unachievable… This still lies with him and not anything Freddie does.
This has been the first time I have looked forward to a match in ages COYG
“The son of Stan.” brilliant, blogs! Absolutely brilliant
Yes. I give him an ‘A’ for that one!
Reading between the lines, I’d say this means the job is Freddie’s until.the end of the season. They are probably lining up a candidate for next season as he may not be available until then. I’m hoping it’s Ten Haag.
I think they did the right thing and acted with a measured amount of class and decorem with Unai. This unlike what many fans would have done. Kroenke’s did the right thing and gave Emery maximum benefit of doubt. And I think Unai genuinely tried buy lost his way in a rut mired in his own tactics unsuited for this set of players. Currently they are correct in assessment and appointing Freddy. The candidates out there are either not optimum or may not come to our club. Contrary to what many prefer to will themselves to believe in, we are… Read more »
Call yourself a fan? It’s Freddie not Freddy, Ljungberg not Llugberg, Vieira not Viera, and I think you mean Poch not Ponch.
I’d be keeping tabs on Erick Ten Hag. He prob won’t be available till summer but prob someone who will relish a challenge at Arsenal and the sort of disciplinarian we may need as well to whip the players in to shape. …from the famous Ajax, he will also sync in with Freddy and our own general ethos of developing our own. I don’t see Allegri or Ponch coming to us without a big layout. Viera flatters to deceive, Nuno needs Portugese support, Arteta will play the same game without the city assets. But meanwhile we need to sustain through… Read more »
Not sure why Josh is talking and why a lot of fans sees this as positive. Actions speak louder than words. Josh call Dalian in China and ask to speak to Rafa………..now.