Fozzy's mate
Some time ago in my article The multi ownership/trousering model, I attempted to analyse the actual position taken by the board in contrast to the publicised policies. I paid particular emphasis on the genesis of and actual move to the bowl. Anyone reading that article would have sensed my contempt for the board and their dough-trousering disregard for those who actually are the club: the fans.
The article was well received and this week’s announcement confirming the gutless increase in ticket prices has spurred me to write a follow-up article. This announcement was accompanied by an "explanation" of the rationale by Mr. Ivan "Puppet" Gazidis. The statement was more or less confined to - "we have thought long and hard about this" and "we haven't raised ticket prices for three years".
As in my last article, I try to avoid placing all the blame at Mr. Wenger’s door as there are enough well thought out articles doing that already. I seek to find a rational explanation for the club’s failure to utilise the huge cash reserve it has built since the move to the new ground.
The intention of the former major shareholders to bolster the share price prior to selling out now appears clear. However, even they, no matter how supine and greedy, could never have envisaged such a gaping gap in the announced reason for moving ("to compete at the top level in the transfer market”) and the reality of us behaving like a mid-table team - scraping about for kids, has-beens or mediocre players, while selling proven world-class performers, who are slightly past their brilliant best.
My take on this is that the all-powerful Arsene is firmly ensconced in his comfort zone, keeping his buffer intact despite ever increasing pressure from the fleeced Gooner nation. While at the Highbury, we all accepted the mix of kids, unpolished gems, and former stars who had been on the ropes - such as Henry and Overmars. We even accepted the letter received in summer 2001 from the board explaining that an increase of 25% was required to fund the acquisitions of Campbell, Jeffers, Wright and Van Bronckhorst. Announcements of the move to the E*******s made us dream of seeing us go head-to-head for the world’s big names with Chelski, Manure and others.
In the early years at the bowl, we accepted the restrictions, but this acceptance can only go so far when the CEO admits to a cash reserve of £110 million. The £40 million fees received for Toure and Idolbarndoor sit almost untouched in the transfer account. I have recently read the opinions of some top managers that Mr Wenger will not spend the kitty at his disposal because it makes trophies compulsory and second place for twenty years unacceptable.
We now reach an interesting crossroads: Stan "Stick-On Tache" Kroenke has assumed control, we have not won a trophy for six years having collapsed again, and the highest prices in world football have been forced yet higher. In a few years, the stadium debt will be gone and the bowl will be an even bigger cash cow than it is today. Will Mr. Wenger still refuse to spend?
If this is the case, as one regular contributor to this site asked, "What was the point in leaving Highbury?" We now have the opportunity to reach for the stars and hope that Wenger is the man to take us in a vertiginous direction. However, if the dough is trousered by Kroenke and Usmanov either by design or by ongoing support of Arsene’s refusal to use the resources at his disposal, the rift between club and fans can only deepen.
Any scaremongering regarding Arsenal going bust must surely end now as 90% of the club is owned by two foreign billionaires with a combined fortune of around £10 - £15 billion.
We have no choice, but to pay up and smile. Not watching our team is no more an option than choosing not to breathe.
