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Profit is the bottom line

Arsène Wenger breaks his silence on Arsenal transfer policy.

8 February, 2012 9:00 55 comments
Profit is the bottom line

Mata: Did need for profit dictate his non-signing?

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For a long, long time I suspected that Arsène Wenger was under pressure from the Arsenal board to turn a profit from player-sales every single season, but I was always frustrated that he would never come out and tell us lowly fans what the situation actually was.

It now appears that Arsène is growing increasingly frustrated with the financial constraints placed upon him by the current Arsenal hierarchy (if his recent quotes are anything to go by, that is). In a recent interview with the French media, he was quoted as saying "you should know that, each season, it is imperative to show a profit of between £15 and 20 million. I would add that the purpose of a coach is always to buy at a price he sees fit. I really like him [Hazard] and for several reasons - it's his creative power, his ability to mis-align the opponent, his vision of the game and his consummate skill to address the last pass which make him a very interesting player. Hazard has what it takes to play for a top-level club, and Arsenal are a top-level club".

If Arsène is saying that the real reason that we are missing out on players such as Juan Mata, Mario Götze and Eden Hazard at Ashburton Grove is that he is under pressure to make £15-20 million pounds every single season from player-trading, then that is obviously going to be seen by a huge majority of the fans as a complete mismanagement of the footballing side of the Arsenal PLC business model. Arsenal failing to make the Champions League not only results in the loss of the Champions League revenue but also has a knock-on effect for future sponsorship, merchandising and television deals for example in Asia, leading some of us to question the logic of Arsenal’s decision to sit on their cash reserves rather than add to a struggling squad.

As Arsenal face a real uphill battle to finish in the Champions League places and retain the services of Robin van Persie, many observers will be left wondering for how many more years we will have to endure the sales of our star players just so that Arsenal can rake in that extra bit of cash on top of the most expensive season-tickets and highest match-day revenue per game of all Premiership clubs.

It seems to me that, because Arsène has had his fingers burned on two separate occasions with the purchase of expensive flops, Jose Antonio Reyes and Andrey Arshavin, Arsenal would now rather finish outside the top four (but still make a profit) than pay over £15 million each for a couple of top-class players and make a real fist of challenging for the title.

The failure to recruit a top-class striker to cover for or play alongside van Persie must now be seen as a direct result of Kroenke and Gazidis letting Wenger know that profit and not trophy-success is the bottom line at Arsenal PLC.

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55
comments

  1. Jekyll

    Feb 10, 2012, 13:07 #18478

    "the purpose of a coach is always to buy at a price he sees fit." Strange, I thought the purpose of a coach was to coach the team and tell the board what players he likes, and they sort out the money side of things. But no, it seems in Wenger's world, the very purpose, the central tenet, of a football team coach's job is to 'buy at the price he sees fit'. This quote highlights why so much is wrong at AFC, the manager has gone way beyond his original remit. We'll never compete again with this state of affairs.

  2. StuartL

    Feb 09, 2012, 19:35 #18448

    Canada - who mentioned gate takings being decisive ?? No-one, stop making things up that suit your own agenda. However, the Emirates money is roughly 3 times the amount each game produced at Highbury, so hardly chicken feed is it - and why are they so keen to have season ticket holders signed up in April if the money is not of any concern ? If our stadium was half full and there were protests outside for example, which then appeared on tv and in the newspapers don't you think that the corporates that inhabit our stadium would be reporting back about the unrest, that the major companies that plough good money to have their name associated with Arsenal would be making enquries about the kind of coverage they are receiving for their mega bucks ? The amount of regular empty seats is already a common talking point as demand to watch dour offerings has seen attendances well down and most games now going to general sale and not sold out till near the fixture date. Fan power can achieve huge things, just ask AFC Wimbledon fans or aren't they big enough to have made it over to Canada ?

  3. CanadaGooner

    Feb 09, 2012, 16:29 #18441

    StuartL: TV money runs football today, not gate takings, so yes, fans are rarely listened to anywmore. Look at Blackburn (could it ever get nastier than that?); is Kean still not in charge? I certainly wouldnt wish to see arsenal fans descend to such lows 'unprincipled'? what planet are you on? This is football you're talking about right? very funny. Get with the times mate

  4. Gee

    Feb 09, 2012, 13:04 #18425

    The sooner AW leaves the better. The new man can spend what is available to them instead of sitting on it and hoping garbage crocks like Diaby, Gibbs etc come good and one season wonders like wilshere make it.

  5. Jeff

    Feb 09, 2012, 10:55 #18401

    Oh for god sake! I love this chant "sack the board" It just shows how mindless some fans are. Who exactly are we chanting at? The board? Who are we asking to "sack the board"? The board? Yeah, go on hill-wood, look in the mirror and sack yourself, now you kroenke, look in the mirror and say, "you're fired" Please think before using these inane chants.

  6. Gman

    Feb 09, 2012, 10:12 #18400

    Have the board forgotten the maxim-‘If you don’t speculate you can’t accumulate’? They did it with the stadium move so why have they developed a blind spot with the team here. We have needed to bring in some proven world class players in a number of positions, not least in defence, at least over the last 5 years. Failure to bring in top players, not winning any trophies and not being in the CL hits revenue streams and completes the circle of a downward spiral. It doesn’t challenge the mind of a chimpanzee to realise success on the pitch equals success on the balance sheets, but then we are dealing with Kroenke and we all know he doesn’t give a toss about football at our club; it’s just another business to him.

  7. Ikechukwu Enahoro

    Feb 09, 2012, 10:10 #18399

    Yeah poor Arsene he has no money. Must explain how a piece of sh** donkey like Djourou can be given a new contract on £60k a week. Danny Welbeck at ManYoo earns £15k a week and scores goals. Djourou was subbed in that game he was so garbage and this is his reward. The worse a player performs the more money he gets! Might as well give Theo a new deal too. No money eh Arsene? You laughable bulls****er!!! Oh and btw...if Wenger is being screwed by the board as his dying band of AKBs like to claim...two simple questions 1. Why has he not quit then? His professional reputation has taken an absolute battering, no one rates him. Surely you'd preserve your rep and leave? Or is that 7 mil a year too nice! 2. Why did Wenger sign that new contract in 2010 as fast as he did? He did not hang around he signed it double-quick. A manager who was being screwed by his board would not be so fast to sign a new contract. Wenger only had a year left on it then. He coulda let it run down, hence respecting his contract, and buggered off to a big team in Japan or Russia. But oh no, he could not wait to sign it. Because yeah...managers getting hung out to dry by their boards are super-eager to sign new contracts and carry on that horrible relationship yes? Pfffft seriousl the last remaining Wenger apologists listen to yourselves! Your stupidity knows no boundaries!!!

  8. Joe S.

    Feb 09, 2012, 6:10 #18398

    Why would Arsene Wegner be so afraid of losing his job as Canada Gooner implies. According to Brian Glanville when interviwed on Australian TV there is no one at present in the Arsenal administration with the clout to stand up to the great leader to either contradict or question any of his decisions such is his sranding. I'm sure behind the scenes Fergueson has expressed his displeasure whenever required to make a point on policy. Is Wegner so much of a gutless jobs worth afraid to lose his retirement plan that he can't express how he feels. Nonsense,the man could walk into any number of new challenges from Spain to Russia,the Middle East and then there would also be Japan or even China offering millions.

  9. Jonesey

    Feb 09, 2012, 5:59 #18397

    Canada Gooner- You can't have it both ways. If, as you say, Wenger would have been fired had he previously complained about having his hands tied financially, let's see what happens now he 'apparently' has done just that. Unfortunately your argument falls down on the fact that there's NO evidence that Wenger can't spend big in transfer market. As others have said, the club accounts, in black and white for all to see, say he can spend. Gazidis only last week said that he can spend every penny the club generates, a clear unambiguous statement unlike Wenger's clumsy attempt in France this week to deflect attention from his own managerial shortcomings. I only hope the situation is more firmly clarified at Friday's press conference for the benefit of Wenger's dwindling but obviously fanatically loyal band of followers so we can judge the man purely on what we see on the pitch rather than some mythical financial strait jacket.

  10. Danny

    Feb 09, 2012, 2:19 #18396

    its not the board my friends. its wenger. its his ideas and policy and the borad go along this, because he is saving them money at the expense of the team. Wenger needs to go fast. Someone should remind him, he is the coach, not the manager of bank of england. If his hands are tied then whyt not naff off to citeh or madrid, and say i want to win. he is trying to fool us again againb, and majority of you are falling for it

  11. OMGnotthis****again...

    Feb 09, 2012, 0:25 #18395

    So let me get this straight.... Wenger a genius beyond compare, the man who could get a job at any club or nation as manager, is being forced by the board at little old Arsenal to take all the flak for the policies that the board alone want to pursue...In fact he is such a slave to them that he is forever extolling the virtues of said policy (which he most definitely doesn't believe in himself) and slating clubs who operate any other way... This would all make a little bit more sense if we weren't talking about a man who thinks he 'Knows'... who accepts no criticism or advice on anything he does and is idolised by said board who are scared ****less of questioning him on anything he does...But apparently he is their patsy carrying out their evil agenda against his wishes...but of course..LOL.. Also this 15-20m he is talking of...i'm assuming this is a deliberately vague reference to the annual debt payment...deliberately vague so that those desperate enough to carry his torch will concoct their own interpretation of what he said to absolve Wenger of any responsibility for the way we do business and our lack of success... Finally the idea that he needs to generate 15-20m a year profit on player sales is blown totally out of the water when you take a little look at the books...We had 127m cash at bank at financial year end 2010 and strangely enough a year later financial year end 2011 we were sitting on 160m cash..Now even accounting for the just under 32m we need on account as our debt service reserve...i don't think anyone with half a brain cell would think we 'NEEDED' to generate 15-20m pound profit on player sales when we are sitting on that kind of wedge... Lets be honest they make profit on transfers because they choose to, not because they need to or have to, and as long as Wenger keeps qualifying for the CL, they, and i mean they as in Wenger and the board, because make no mistake they are one and the same when it comes to how we do business, will keep operating in this way where profit is more important than taking unnecessary financial risks by investing in the team...

  12. gunnerbriggs

    Feb 09, 2012, 0:16 #18394

    Canadagooner who buys these donkeys, who plays them, who constantly tells us they have great spirit and mental strength, who recommends to the board to give them big fat lucrative contracts? heeehawww.

  13. QuartzGooner

    Feb 08, 2012, 23:13 #18393

    Ever since the stadium loan was converted to bonds, we have needed to pay back approx £20M per year, and will do so until 2031. But the new stadium brings in more profit than Highbury. What I, and everyone else would like to know, is how much of that £20M per season repayment money, has to come from transfers?

  14. Highbury Boy

    Feb 08, 2012, 23:05 #18392

    Yes it looks like another 3 years of Djourou. Might be lucky enough not to actually see him play as no doubt at some stage he will follow Denilson ,Bendtner,Vela and the other 15 out on loan while we pay most of the wages. Walcott next in line? What about Squillaci? And Park? Why not? That'swhere the money goes.

  15. StuartL

    Feb 08, 2012, 22:44 #18391

    Canada - Me daft ? you don't think that fan pressure can get managers sacked ? board members to resign / step down ? You clearly have never been to a game where fans have turned their ire on the board and made their lives very uncomfortable then. Arsenal fans are by and large a very tolerant lot, but everyone has there tipping point and many have reached that already. If Wenger is worried about being sacked for telling the truth then he truly is a spineless, unprincipled man who is only interested in getting his money.

  16. CanadaGooner

    Feb 08, 2012, 22:22 #18390

    StuartL, dont be daft. If Arsene had come out to say his hands were tied he'd have been fired and no amounting of ranting online by fans would have stopped that. Some wouldnt have believed him anyway, as you dont now. Bottomline is that we're losing to Swansea, Fulham and Blackburn (and the Carling Cup loss to B'ham with Fabregas and Nasri still at Arsenal) and that has nothing to do with finances; the players are simply donkeys!

  17. StuartL

    Feb 08, 2012, 21:59 #18389

    I believe that Arsene has deliberately gone along with "project youth" which was more or less imposed due to the stadium move and the debt incurred and one that he thought he could get away with by buying young talent and selling them on for large profit to finance further purchases (just like Anelka), however, far too many, Vela, Denilson, Fabianski,etc just have not come up to standard and we are left paying silly money in wages for at best bit part squad players. If Arsene wasn't on board with this situation then why has he not come out previously and said that his hands are tied ? The fans would react and be demanding the board, (sorry, custodians) loosen the purse strings and allow Arsene to manage as he see's fit. The board sold out and have made huge profits and I think that they will be replaced this summer, but it also needs to be a change of policy not just personnel to put things right again.

  18. Stevesam

    Feb 08, 2012, 20:49 #18388

    As someone who has not worked in Development for more than half a day, can a better informed person tell me who is paying the Contractors Developing the land behind the Clock - End. Does this ongoing major regeneration Project limit the amount of money available to the Football Club and allocated by the Group Holding Company ? I suspect 10 years of regeneration has been an economic drain on the Club. Highbury Square did not meet the profit margins projected. When will we see the true profits on the investment ( sustained success on the pitch and trophies in the cabinet ) ? Does Arsene know !

  19. Half Full

    Feb 08, 2012, 19:35 #18387

    Do the math. In order to meet the financial requirements this year we need to sell Arshavin (£6m?) Chamakh (£5m?) Rosicky (£4m?)... hang on that's only £15m.... Vela Bendtner,Squillaci,Denilson, Park not worth much because of their high wages and things being very depressed but they get us to maybe £25m in total. So we can't buy even one £10m player this Summer....unless we sell RVP. His market value must be near its all-time peak, he'll be 30 next year, probably has only another 2 or 3 years as a top player - as long as he doesn't get badly injured. Kroenke must be tempted to cash in and RVP won't want to finish his career aspiring to qualify for the Europa League. Oh dear. To say that we consistently underinvest in the team is only part of it, we also consistently disinvest i.e. sell our best assets without replacing them adequately. Is it any wonder that Arsene has to keep lowering expectations.

  20. Jock Gooner

    Feb 08, 2012, 19:24 #18386

    Re Peter Wain - Peter my old son you are quite right about the "higher the price, higher the quality" expectation BUT and here's the rub, the yanks have worked out that this does not apply to loyal footie fans. They have twigged that loyal punters will shell out for their club come what may. Everybody boycott the next match!! No - didn't think so, so just keep quiet lads and hand over your money.

  21. Treble Double

    Feb 08, 2012, 19:03 #18385

    Who knows what is really going on and what the agenda actually is? It seems more increasingly that winning trophies is not at the top. It's all well and good running a sustainable business model but a desire to turn a profit over success on the pitch is not acceptable, especially when you consider the amount we pay for our season tickets.

  22. Wenger the spin docteur

    Feb 08, 2012, 18:57 #18384

    This is just more clever spin from Monsieur to make excuses for his perennial failures on the pitch and policy of buy on the cheap only. Its all just an economic game to him now. He knows that everything he won was on the defensive foundation built by George Graham. He knows he is now exposed as a rather clueless tactician who doesn't understand defending, so he wins by playing money games. Hes an economist wearing a track-suit.

  23. Dan h

    Feb 08, 2012, 18:41 #18383

    Talk of budgets & apportioning blame they are all in it together IG was interviewed by AW among others for his position.Interesting to see Djourou has 'earned' himself a contract extension until 2015 according to several swiss papers!

  24. Harold

    Feb 08, 2012, 18:08 #18382

    "All the money the club generates is available to Arsene."- Ivan Gazidis speaking to Fox Sports after the Villa game 10 days ago.

  25. R Meade

    Feb 08, 2012, 17:56 #18381

    Haha yes please bring back bond scheme Dein to save us! The devil himself!

  26. Wenger is a Liar

    Feb 08, 2012, 17:39 #18380

    FFS WHY on earth are you believeing a WORD that comes out of this proven liar's mouth!!! Every time he is under pressure he pulls out the 'money' card. Oh yeah money. I suppose you'd need to be as rich as Bill Gates to beat Wolves, Swansea, Blackburn, Spuds, Newcastle, and avoid an 8-2 in Manchester eh? Pffft. The board say Wenger has money. The accounts say Wenger has money. Every summer before ST renewals AW reiterates how much money he has. A manager with no money would not be determined to chuck a £24 mil pay-day on Nasri as Wenger was going to do until Kroenke reeled him in. Wenger is LYING AGAIN to detract from his pathetic, incompetent 'management'. He thinks if he says that, there will be enough people stupid enough to cut him slack. Well unlucky Arsene pal, I'm not stupid. I see through your lies and constant spin and contradictory statements. ON THE PITCH, your management is rubbish. Time to go please. Anywhere.

  27. CanadaGooner

    Feb 08, 2012, 17:20 #18379

    @Zbizz - spot on mate. Wenger's been an easy target for way too long as he's the one out in the cold at the matches (and cant really tell us what's going on or risk losing his job anyway) and takes all the vile insult that's been coming his way in recent months. Gazidis, the board and Kroenke need to go. People say 'Wenger's the emperor at arsenal' - you obviously dont know how money works: these board memebers and owners didnt make their millions from being stupid! Wenger's a victim in all these; he wants to win and he wants more trophies, problem is, he didnt leave when he should have left in 2004/05 and joined Real Madrid. He thought Arsenal Fans would love him always, as he loves the club and that perhaps his group of 'babies' could somehow grow some balls and win something (but even when they had it on a plate against b'ham, they still choked)! but hey, it's all Wenger's fault (as we're asked to accept on onlinegooner)!

  28. RJ

    Feb 08, 2012, 16:49 #18377

    Goodness me. A business wanting to make a profit and pay its debts. F***ing B*******. I would rather have a bunch of bankers in charge.

  29. jamie hunter

    Feb 08, 2012, 16:19 #18376

    As much as I do want Wenger out, for a variety of reasons, I don't doubt that he has been hamstrung by the board to a certain extent. But Wenger is apparently loyal to the board to the Nth degree. But why? He has slowly turned into a joke figure. He spends most of the time these days looking like he is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. We are told frequently that he would be snapped up by any club in the world. So why put yourself through all this? Screw the board, they rarely stick their head up to support him anyway. Come on arsene, tell it like it is.

  30. Whinger_OUT_NOW

    Feb 08, 2012, 15:55 #18375

    That still doesn't explain how Whinger manages to get more money than almost every other manager. It also fails to explain how in a club aimed at profit someone like Diaby has been earning 60k/week for 6 years. It also doesn't explain how Wallflower got a contract extension, never mind one @81,000/week. It also doesn't explain how there was money to pay for Chamberlain but not for Mata..could it be because there was also fame for Whinger to be had just in case Chamberlain turned out good while Mata was already coming with a high reputation. Whinger is very, very sly. I suspect the truth is a mixture of the board and Whinger but the needle points more towards his hands in the mess and less of the board

  31. Shropshire Lad

    Feb 08, 2012, 15:53 #18374

    'g clarke', short, bitter, and to the point. Which is why nothing the fans do will really have a dynamic effect on the management of AFC at any level and why I was trying to persuade Joe not to throw in his ticket. Just wait for the commercial floors in the great Ivan No Bollocks Business Plan to emerge and change will come but it won't be from fan pressure/protest.

  32. Craig13

    Feb 08, 2012, 15:24 #18373

    The True Arsenal fans need to stand up against the board and ask that David Dein comes back to save our club. The fans are deluded into thinking we have no money but its filtering its way into the boards hands without investment going back. Yes Man Utd are in debt but you can see on the pitch where the money has gone and they win trophies, the clubs worth increases where ours is a full recession on the pitch.

  33. BringBackDene

    Feb 08, 2012, 15:01 #18371

    Good article Joe, but you missed out the point that failure to qualify for the Champs League also has the knock on effect of putting off top players from joining the club...oh sorry...I just remembered that we won't pay top fees anyway...silly me !!!

  34. Mike

    Feb 08, 2012, 14:43 #18370

    Like in any business, a major purchase will be motivated and subject to board approval as well. I am sure this is the case with any signings. Budgets are set usually in line with the expectations of the shareholders because they own the club. Whatever their motivation for buying into the club will determine to expected rate of return - it is then the onus of the manager to deliver on those expectations - it is clear that the expectations of Chelsea and Man City is trophies at any cost. I agree with the sustaining model and its principles, however I support from a fair distance and don't part with my money on a weekly basis at the stadium - the general expectation of the fans is obviously different, and because of this, it is unfair to offset some deficiencies by increasing ticket prices etc. This should be found from sponsership deals. Arsenal have a good squad when everyone is fit - the return of Wilshire, Gibbs, Gervino even Diaby and suddenly the bench will start looking good as well.

  35. Joe Fitzpatrick

    Feb 08, 2012, 14:19 #18369

    Sorry Gooners it's a busy day for me today. 67m - 39m is 28m profit not 21m! Same point though, if he's saying this and has been hitting those exact figures on player trading... Am I really the spin doctor that some are suggesting I am?

  36. Begeegs

    Feb 08, 2012, 14:00 #18368

    I'd agree with those on here that are stating that Wenger is trying to deflect blame - just like he has been in interviews recently, also dropping in the super quality signing that he would never make. Just in time for season ticket renewals. I suspect that if Arsenal don't improve towards the end of this season, the amplification of these sort of interviews will increase in quantity.

  37. Judge Fred

    Feb 08, 2012, 13:55 #18367

    The investment of £15m - £20m on a single player will have little effect on the "overall" (I know AW loves that word) finances of the club. The club needs an overhaul from top to bottom.

  38. CanadaGooner

    Feb 08, 2012, 13:52 #18366

    Joe, this is old news and shouldnt come as a surprise to anyone with an iota of commonsense: do you think Wenger just got fedup with winning trophies? and how on earth do you lot think he was going to "come out and tell the lowly fans" as you keep saying, and still keep his job? but one day after you've pushed him out, the stories will emerge and we'll all say "shame we pushed him out" but let's move on (to several teas of middle table finishes and several average managers); when we had a great chance to support Wenger by turning all your negative energies against gazidis, kroenke and the board and forcing change that way the only other point to be made here (and my only reason for stating Wenger does need to leave (with dignity) at the end of this season) though, is that the money we have spent and players we have brought in are still good enough not to drop points against blackburn, swansea, wolves & fulham (teams who have clearly spent less, attract fewer players of quality and pay less), so it's obviously not all about not being able to compete with man city, chelsea or utd. we still have enough to get us to a much better position that we are right now + we need to look at the past 6 seasons collectively: loss in the carling cup final to birmingham has nothing to do with not having a 'mata' or 'messi', it was simply a typical 'spineless' arsenal display: something we've been seeing for the last 6 years, and something that has more to do with the manager (and his inability to pump some fire into the team) than the club's inability to buy more players (leaving the psychology bit aside)

  39. Joe Fitzpatrick

    Feb 08, 2012, 13:49 #18365

    Kane- Adebayor sold for 25m, Kolo Toure sold for 15m= 40m. Verminator bought for 10m and Arshavin bought for 15m= 25m. That's a 15m profit. Fabregas sold for 35m, Nasri for 25m and Clichy for 7m that's 67m. Chamberlain bought for 12m, Arteta for 10m, Mertesacker for 9m and santos for 6m, park for 2m? That's around 39m so it's a profit of 21m. Am I missing something?

  40. Zbizz

    Feb 08, 2012, 13:45 #18364

    SACK THE BOARD! SACK THE BOARD! WE WANT KROENKE OUT, SAY WE WANT KROENKE OUT! THERE'S ONLY ONE DAVID DEIN!!! We've given Wenger enough of a hard time - let's not let these guys get away with it. The Ashburton fans strugle for chants to sing, so i suggest we start with these and put pressure on the people putting pressure on Wenger.

  41. DN Key

    Feb 08, 2012, 13:31 #18362

    oh dear oh dear here we go again! The AFC wage bill is £130m for all 454 club employees and not just the 70 players and 47 training staff. AW gets a budget for wages and transfers and he uses that as he wishes. That we have Almunia, Flappy, Diaby, JD, Squillaci, Denilson, Park, Chamakh, Arshavin, Bendtner, Vela, Watt all on the wage bill is AW's choice. There isn't much impact on the first team from these 12 yet they eat up wages that could be paid to that special player to be found down the supermarket aisle marked "finest quality". Player selection and wages paid is down to AW working within his budget. The budget is sizeable and it is about resource allocation and player choice. £60k a week for Diaby for the next 2 1/2 years sums it up. People need to understand what is going on better and then make up their own minds.

  42. GoonerRon

    Feb 08, 2012, 13:30 #18361

    I may be wrong (and I'm sure I'll be corrected if I am), but when I originally saw the quote from him he didn't specifically say the profit had to come from player sales. If that is the case, the article's author is the master of spin.

  43. Kane

    Feb 08, 2012, 13:15 #18360

    The quote from Arsene Wenger is "you should know that, each season, it is imperative to show a profit of between £15 and 20 million". Where in that quote does it say anything about player sales? You have made up that to suit your own personal agenda. Please refrain from making up articles based on your "interpretation" of a quote!!!

  44. We're not all as stupid as you think we are

    Feb 08, 2012, 12:59 #18357

    Nice try Arsene. Give an interview in France, drop in a cryptic remark about money being tight, a remark which can be interpreted in at least two ways, and watch all the gullible AKBs and recent fence-sitters rush to your defence and exonerate you of all blame for everything, ever. And I'm sure if a British journalist asks him straight on Friday whether he actually is told by Kroenke to make a £15-20m transfer profit every year, he will claim he was misquoted in translation. He's used that excuse enough times for his overpaid, underachieving players.

  45. Seven Kings Gooner

    Feb 08, 2012, 12:41 #18356

    To me it is simple, we, the fans, need to polarize our feelings so the board understand fully what we want for the future of our club. Why not tell them that we will sign up for next year's season ticket when RVP signs a new contract - how's that for an ultimatum!

  46. Tony Evans

    Feb 08, 2012, 12:31 #18355

    More subterfuge, spin and half truths from the master of the art and it doesn't fool me for a second. Wenger has got away with it for several years now but not any more. We are not as stupid as he likes to think we are.

  47. Red Member

    Feb 08, 2012, 12:24 #18354

    another article which again points to the mis management of the club under our current board of course if people persist in renewing their season tickets you are backing Kroenke and co. The more people pay upfront for their tickets the more likely the top stars will be sold.

  48. g clarke

    Feb 08, 2012, 12:15 #18353

    arsenal fans dont own the club

  49. Joe Fitzpatrick

    Feb 08, 2012, 12:13 #18352

    GaryFootscrayAustralia- as usual you make a good point in historical context, fair play. It will be interesting to see how this plays out if Van Persie is sold for 40m and we still don't spend the much talked about but perpetually untouched "Transfer War chest" and the left over cash from Cesc and Na$ri sales.

  50. Ron

    Feb 08, 2012, 11:46 #18351

    Dead on Gary - Being a fan then was more fun though too i maintain. Ive no probs with a rubbish team, but paying top whack isnt my favourite vocation. Its my view that any fan complaining really isnt utterly and totally anti Arsene, its more the case of Arsene getting the stick due to the rip off prices. If he is having a veiled go at the Board, its not before time. Its never always been about AWs policies and philosophy, though the Club has always been tightwadded over my years ie since the 60s. Any top player always buggers off for a better deal than Arsenal offer. It makes me wonder just how much the Club would have won over 30-40 years with a bit more aggression in the transfer market and wages. I believe we would be up there with Utds list of honours and at least one Euro Cup/CL. That we are the 3rd most successful club is incredible really and in truth, the only Club in London who counts for anything.

  51. Arsenal4Eva

    Feb 08, 2012, 11:39 #18350

    I thought that Andrey Arshavin more than make up for his price tag by helping arsenal to 4th place that year. So not a bad business there. His signing was the necessary push we needed.

  52. Peter Wain

    Feb 08, 2012, 11:39 #18349

    If this is true is is a ridiculous situation. The manager of any football club should be given a budget and work within that budget. To say that you have to make so much profit from transfers immediately changes the focus of the manager. He should be concentrating 100% on buildinga squad to challenge for success depending on the level of financial support he is given. In our case we must be challenging for the title and we have to be buying two or three world class players every summer to improve the squad. If the board want to charge the highest ticket prices that is what this policy must mean. In any company the higher the price you charge your customers the higher quality they demand and the two Americans running Arsenal must be made aware of this and the consequences of not providing mean lower crowds, empty seats and boxes. If we have another window lkike last summer I think that we could easily find ourselves fighting relegation. The Amercians must provide whoever the manager is with a sizeable warchest this summer or go.

  53. Danish Gooner

    Feb 08, 2012, 11:29 #18348

    Do yourself a favour dont buy in to it !!!

  54. Jonesey

    Feb 08, 2012, 11:28 #18346

    Wenger never said that we have to make £15-20m profit on transfers every year, although i'm sure he's happy for it to be interpreted that way, and by linking it with his interest in Hazard he's made it more likely to be. He was obviously referring to our £15-20m mortgage that we have to cover, which we do easily thanks to the mugs in club and box level. As per the previous article, more spin from Wenger, and my respect for him lessens by the day.

  55. GaryFootscrayAustralia

    Feb 08, 2012, 11:24 #18345

    This would be the same club that 30 years or so ago, made 4 Cup finals in 3 years, and were 1 or 2 players short of a sustained title challenge ( sound familiar?)....then sold Brady and Stapleton, and replaced them with Hawley, Hankin, Chapman and P. Nicholas. To that extent history repeats itself. The significant difference is that the average punter back then wasn't having their wallet spring cleaned along the way.