Alisher Usmanov recently blamed the Arsenal board for the clubs lack of silverware.
The 57-year-old Uzbekistan billionaire stated in the News of the World yesterday:
‘If the role of a board member is to oversee a trophyless period, while making significant personal profits and asking fans to pay inflation-busting ticket price increases then, no, I would not want to be on the board. If instead it is to try to deliver sustained success, to increase your personal investment in the club, to help develop the commercial position and to ensure the fans have a say in the running of the club then, yes, I think I certainly have something to contribute.’
Now he may have something to contribute to the club as he stated above, and I feel attacking the board may actually be the best thing he could have done in order to get himself onto the board of directors (he already owns a 30% stake in the club).
I think Usmanov is right in what he says because obviously there is an issue somewhere within the club that stops us from splashing the cash. I think with all the money that we have earned over the years, through gate revenue, merchandise and player sales; we SHOULD easily be in a position to go out and spend £100 million on players.
We all know Arsenal have got a very tight wage structure to abide by, which has over the years stopped us from signing a couple of players, as well as keeping a hold of a few. However, these kind of things are necessary in order to keep a club financially stable, and I’d much rather we be a team that survives, than a team that ends up losing everything.
Several fans already follow Alisher Usmanov, and have refused to sell their shares in the club – he has obviously won over a few more fans by siding with them after recently stating that the ticket price increase is outrageous.
It remains to be seen whether he is true to his word and will actually make a change if/when he ever ends up on the board. What we all want as fans is to see the club end this trophy drought which has been haunting us for the past six years.
So far it appears that we are focused on change this summer, and while I am certain that Usmanov will remain a favourite with many fans, I think if Arsenal win trophies this year and hold onto the likes of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas this summer, then maybe we will be in a different position in 12 months time.
It is still too early to tell this summer, if come August, we are all going to be happy, or worried for the season ahead. However, I am pretty confident in saying that we have not heard the last of Usmanov and new owner Stan Kroenke.
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This is not an outburst. It’s the most logical, well reasoned and intentioned statement to come from major shareholder in many a year.
Contrast this statement with PHW labelling any fans with questions as ‘silly’. Those supporting the current regime of kroenke/wenger/board are simply those too stupid or lazy to think.
Dismissing a massive investor who works with David Dein and who can really do something financially(other than buy and hold shares hoping they go up in value) for the club to favour a clubby, insulated regime that can’t buy quality for a team going nowhere and whose answer to our financially situation is to further gouge the supporters. How thick are you??
In true emotional terms Usmanov ,being of Euroasian stock, is more likely to embrace the love of football as we know it than Kroenke who views it as “English soccer”.
I agree with Gunnerholic. We here stateside have witnesses Silent Stan accumulating teams which then do NOTHING. The NFL Rams used to be title contenders, but once again will be at the bottom. The NBA Nuggets lost Carmelo Anthony because Stan would not bring in another marquee player to help up front, in spite of a great coach in George Karl…his Colorado Rapids won a MSL crown and have since not seen really any money put in…the prejudice against Ushmanov is his origen, not his wiles. He would make a good partner to Kroenke. Obviously if you want the brand to sell you have to do more then just go to Asia, you have to win.