Showing posts with label AST. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AST. Show all posts

Monday, March 19, 2012

Mr. Stan Kroenke. Behind the silence, is a genius.

Stan Kroenke is a sports entrepreneur from America. His company currently owns Denver Nuggets, Colorado Rapids, Colorado Avalanche, Colorado Mammoth, St. Louis Rams and is the majority shareholder of Arsenal. However, we got to know most about him after April of 2011 when it was announced that he would own 62.89% of Arsenal. That was when Arsenal fans turned to look at him, wondering if Arsenal was going to join the 'big-spending' club?
Since then, it has become a known fact that the Arsenal board opted for Kroenke to resist the pressure exerted by Alisher Usmanov. Whenever I think of Usmanov, a certain Russian comes to my mind. Oh yes, Roman Abramovich it is. The mighty tycoon, who owns Chelsea. He spends big on big players and sacks managers twice in a season. Well, okay. Would Usmanov be how Roman is at Chelsea? I know not. But, I have a cheeky feeling that he might have been. So you've started thinking that would have been perfect? We would probably have players like Gotze already with us? We would be on our way to a double? I think not. And here is why.
I have been and always will be a big big supporter of Arsene Wenger. He has pulled us through a tough financial time, something no other manager would dare to do. When Kroenke became the majority shareholder, I remember Wenger saying that he should be in charge of the football. Kroenke agreed. And that was it, fans knew that Kroenke was not going to spend big, because Wenger was in charge. This was a time, when Arsenal fans were yelling out for proven stars, but Wenger stuck to his guns. A lot has been blamed on Kroenke. He hasn't interacted with the fans, he's remained silent and nobody knows what he plans. In one such instance, there were reports that the players did not even recognize him. I agree, he is not like the other owners, he isn't present on all the matches and he is hardly ever in the news. I'm sure you agree with me till now. Agree with me on just one more thing, even on their worst days, Arsene Wenger, Peter Hill-Wood and Ivan Gazidis amongst many others at Arsenal, know more about football than Kroenke does. 
The best way to run any organization is to hire the best people and then let them run the show. Kroenke had the best people available and he is letting them run the show. I say these are the best people because the have together pulled us through some of the most challenging times. Stan Kroenke trusts them to do a good job. And that is what a good leader does. He gives Wenger the freedom and the power to call the shots. Would you rather have an owner whose manager is just a puppet? I wouldn't. Would you rather have an owner who sacks a manager every year? Treats his players as if they are disposable? I wouldn't. 
Would you rather support a club that leaves no legacy? I wouldn't. Stan Kroenke is involved, but he trusts Arsene Wenger to run the daily show. That is the sign of a good leader. He clearly knows how to run an organization and I'm happy we have an owner who thinks before he does. Who consults with the people running the show and takes a collective decision. Spending big is a short term thrill. To be at the top for a long time, you need people like we have. The biggest trait of a leader is to trust his subordinates to do the right thing at the right time. Stan Kroenke does just that.
This team will win a trophy again, and we'll do it the right way.
Till then keep the faith. Pray for Muamba.


"I'll let you do what is right" "You do that"

Friday, February 24, 2012

Arsenal have turned a corner. Now.

The week's gone, and finally I seem to have forgotten about the Sunderland game. However, much has been happening since then, which has said a lot about Arsenal. Over the past few years I have read a lot of posts talking about how Arsenal have turned a corner since the epic Invincible's team. And since then we've turned quite a few corners!
After the Milan game, Wenger was unusually critical about the players, not that he had a choice, but I haven't seen our manager react that way often. It just got me thinking if Arsene Wenger had finally come to the conclusion that the players had let him and his faith in them down. After the Sunderland game, much was said about how Arsenal runs and everyone right from Wenger to the board was criticized for it. 
I said it earlier this week and I'm saying it again, I want Wenger to stay. But the board should start suggesting changes and ensure that they happen. The board should not be stagnant, they need to push for change. Be more ambitious.
The people who lead Arsenal have achieved great things with the club and are hence justified in having confidence in how they think. However, it does not seem to be working. Now, the average age of the Arsenal board members is 73, with all due respect, at that age bringing about a change of ways and being ambitious can be difficult. Maybe the change is not needed in the players and the manager, but more at the top, forcing change all the way down?
Maybe Stan Kroenke needs to have a look at the team at the top.
AST has been all over the place talking about the financial situation at the club. They estimate that we should have £55 million at the end, however this will reduce substantially if we do not qualify for the champions league. This makes it even more important for us to qualify for the Champions League. 
A day later, there has been news that Stan Kroenke is in London and that Arsenal and we might have £100 million to rebuild. Now that is why I say Arsenal have turned a corner. Never before have I heard an amount like that being associated with Arsenal. The Sunderland defeat seems to have woken up a few people at the club, things seem to be moving, albeit it's too early to say in which direction. But things seem to be changing. In the summer Wenger made a few 'Un-Wenger' like signings and now there is talk of him losing patience with Theo Walcott. Theo is a good player, but what seems to go against him is that he hasn't grown in past few years. For me, he's still an impact substitute. Reading in various blogs and articles it looks like Wenger has finally learnt that a few players have consistently let him down. And I agree with him. If it's true that we have money to rebuild and we're after players like Podolski and GotzĂ©, then Arsenl have turned a corner. Maybe Wenger finally is going to bend his rules. Maybe the night is darkest before the dawn.
Talking go money, apparently we didn't spend in January to save the money for a 'rainy day' - No Champions League. Again, what bothers me here is the thought process, we seem to be preparing for no champions league next year and I just do not like the thought of that. Well, hopefully we won't have to watch Arsenal play on thursday nights! Oh, and if we do, Ivan Gazidis has agreed that the ticket prices should be discounted and has frozen the ticket prices for the time being. That is definitely positive news for Gooners. 
That seems to be it. At the end of the day, I'm glad that there seems to be some changes taking place than defend the way we are, and keep going down. All we can do now is fight whatever goes against us, and we seem to be doing that. Just a little late.
Let's believe things are moving in the right direction. Things change quickly in football.
North London Derby coming up next then, never wanted Arsenal to win one so badly. But that's what I say before every derby. 
Till then, watch this. Love the way the players start the game.