Running a football club is a complex job and not all of us are aware of the challenges the job possesses.
To run a financially stable club while not compromising on the club’s pride and stature needs the best brains in the business. So considering what the club has gone through in the last few years, it is difficult to pass a judgement on the board’s performance.
I would be foolish to say they underachieved for they have done a commendable job in seeing us through the stadium switch while making sure the on-field performances remain respectable. But a personal feeling is that the board have since turned a blind eye towards the club’s on-field performances once they started making profits, and Wenger’s influence in the running of the club is well known.
A master degree holder in Economics, the Frenchman’s eye for the future and financial balance is common knowledge. He has gained control of all footballing activities regarding the club, including player signings and contract renewals. He is the deciding authority for player intakes, and it is believed that the coaches of the reserve and youth teams report directly to him. Wenger also decides his own transfer budget and this has never been more than, or even equal to what the board is capable of.
With such an important role in the club, Wenger has been a part of the board (not a member though) that has transformed this club from an institution proud of its success on the pitch, to an attractive, profit making and stable business establishment.
But importantly, the board do have a few questions to answer:
1) Where has all the money obtained from player sales gone?
2) Why isn’t the board urging Wenger to splash the cash on high-profile players?
3) Why, as the highest authority in the club, didn’t they pressurize Wenger to win trophies?
4) And for the life of me, why haven’t they thrown Wenger huge sums of money and forced him to buy the players he wants?
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As you said, “Running a football club is a complex job and not all of us are aware of the challenges the job possesses.”
I would like to think(hope) that AFC has a plan.
1st stage: Stabilise the club and build a sound economical foundation, even though cup success may elude AFC for a while(which was not a given, as we may well have won a cup or two in this time).
2nd Stage: Start to really compete in the new ruled footballing world.
For fans, the 2nd stage is now.
PHW thinks everyone should keep quiet, that’s is why Emirates, a far larger stadium, is more quiet than the Highbury library.
Lady Nina, why then sell your shares to the one man(kronke) who was certain to leave this board in place?
The entire management structure needs to join Nina.
You advised Wenger to emulate Barcelona whoa re in debt of very close to 500m Pounds. This is in spite of the fact that they have won everything winnable in the years that we have won nothing. If all the money accruing from the trophies they have won cannot fund their transfer activities, then what is the wisdom behind such a spending habit?
Do you not realize that Barcelona will have to pay this huge debt one of these days? How are they going to do that? If they cannot pay, after they have exhausted every available delay tactics, what would happen next? Administration! They will be forced to sell everything possible to pay the debt and that will surely bring their footballing prowess down to earth. As a genuine Arsenal supporter, do you want Arsenal to have a similar fate?
I would prefer that we continue our policy and achieve a sustainable success that would last.
As for blaming Wenger, I agree with you! He is to blame for the 60,000 seater emirate stadium, the modern training facilities, a balanced book and keeping us in the top bracket of European football – along with the trophy-less period.
Arsenal have hardly anyone on the Board who knows anything about football. Must be good in the Director’s box though !! Have they been told the catering everywhere else (including Club Level) is utter shit ?? And that there is life after Wenger ?
Well said Mohamed! Arsenal will come out on top because of their wise approach to the business of the game.
Barcelona and Man U are both in a terrible financial mess. So glad Wenger and the board took the direction they did. Yes, not winning any trophies sucks, but always competing for them is AWESOME!
man utd just spent 50 million on players and another 20 if they get nasri!……they must be SOOO worried about their debt!!!.
I love the fact that we are the best financially club in england…makes me really excited……SO EXCITED I FORGET ABOUT THE 4-4 DRAW AT NEWCASTLE