Mark Halfpenny
20th February, 2012 marked a turning point in my 35-year relationship with Arsenal Football Club. Nothing happened on the field that day (it was a boring winter Monday) but I did attend a meeting of the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust, of which I am a Life Member, in a nondescript meeting room at the London School of Economics.
The main discussion point of the meeting was the forthcoming interim financial results of Arsenal Holdings PLC, due to be announced before the end of February, 2012. However, my complete and utter frustration came from the other aspects of this meeting and also from what wasn’t said. Let me try to explain. Well over 100 people attended the meeting, in Central London on a cold, dark winter’s evening when there were a thousand and one other places that we’d rather be, such is our love for Arsenal Football Club. Everyone who spoke was eloquent, calm and rational, and it was quite clear that the vast majority are far from happy about current events at Arsenal and about the direction in which our Club appears to be travelling.
During the meeting, two topics other than the financial announcement came up time and time again:- 1. The future of Arsène Wenger 2. The Board of Directors. Mid-way through the meeting, a view was expressed from the floor of the meeting that Arsène is now holding the Club back and that he should resign or be forced to leave. This was not put to a show of hands to see exactly who supported this, but everyone around me (including me) seemed to agree with this and it has to be said that any support for the manager was in short supply. The view of the AST was that we don’t want to express any negative views while there is still something to play for, but the question will be asked before the end of the season. Sadly, it must be asked and, if results carry on as they have been, the answer will make for some uncomfortable reading.
There was much talk about the composition and size of our playing squad and about how on earth we have ended up with so many under-performing but overpaid players on the books. Hearing confirmation of the length of contracts and the salaries being paid to the likes of Bendtner, Denilson, Diaby, Vela, Chamakh and many, many others really felt like a punch in the stomach. It beggars belief that so much money is being thrown away on players that are so obviously below the standard needed to win trophies. Do they ever stop to consider how long it takes us to earn the money we spend on Arsenal?
There was also discussion about the Club’s current transfer policy and here a vote was taken. Roughly two-thirds felt that money IS available to Arsène but that he won’t spend it, and one-third felt that the Board is denying him the funds he needs. The crucial point here, though, is that even the board of the Arsenal Supporters’ Trust doesn’t know the truth – so much for transparency from the Club and so much for Kroenke’s undertaking to improve communications.
Moving on to the Board, questions were asked about the possibility of Alisher Usmanov/David Dein ever being invited on to the Board now that Red & White own almost 30% of the shares. It was made quite plain that the current Board will not even consider this option, and that Ivan Gazidis tells the AST not to bother even asking about it as it is not a matter for discussion.
The feeling expressed by the AST is that the fall-out from David Dein’s removal as a director was so acrimonious that the two “factions” cannot reconcile their differences or work together for the good of the Club. I find this incredible, as Kroenke, Gazidis and the other directors are putting their own interests ahead of the collective good. In business, a director should always do what is best for the Club, irrespective of their like or dislike of a particular person – this is, I believe, even more pertinent as the Club has gone backwards since Mr Dein’s departure.
There was also a very competent and plausible theory put forward by the AST that Kroenke’s financial position in relation to Arsenal doesn’t change if the Club finish first, fourth, fifth or even lower. This is because the Premier League “brand” is so strong and is being expanded across the globe, into markets that dwarf the domestic market. Arsenal’s attractiveness is pretty much guaranteed just by being a part of the Premier League. What a lovely position to be in, but it doesn’t strike me as a position that will inspire a ruthless hunger to win.
My frustration was compounded when I asked the last question of the night “What does the AST know/understand about Mr Kroenke’s long-term intentions for Arsenal FC? Is he in it for the long haul or is he looking to sell as soon as the right offer comes along?” I concluded by asking “Will we be having these same discussions in five years’ time?” The answer was that nobody really knows (except Kroenke, of course), but the AST board (who have met him) believe that he is here for the long-term, will probably hand the Club over to his son Josh, and the Kroenke family will control Arsenal FC for the next 15 years. Oh dear - I wish I hadn’t asked!
Having sat through the meeting, learning more about how our Club is being run and how Mr Kroenke runs his other sporting ventures, I am at an all-time low, supporting Arsenal. I know now that my loyal support counts for nothing; I know now that Arsenal FC care more about breaking even and enriching themselves than they do about winning trophies. Also, I know now that it will be painful if we are going to try to change this – painful but in my view necessary as the long term pain will be worse.
As I see it, supporters like me are left with 3 choices :-
1. Put up with it. By which I mean keep spending fortunes that I can’t afford to watch overpaid wasters strolling about the pitch before heading home to their multi-million pound mansions.
2. Stop going altogether. I’m close to this one but my 30-year support of Arsenal can’t just be given up. Quite simply, I love the Club too much.
3. Protest. Let the manager and the Board know that, for the money we have to pay, we expect much more on-field determination/ambition and that we will still be here long after they have drifted off to their platinum-plated retirements.
Apart from work and family, there is surely nothing else in our lives which means as much to us and into which we have invested so much time, money and emotion. Accordingly Option 3 will be painful, but I think it is unavoidable unless there is a marked improvement in results, ambition and communication from the Club.
