Markymark
As the growing stand off between the Board alongside the Manager, against a sizeable and increasing section of the Arsenal fanbase (which even some Arsene loyalists are admitting is 40%), intensifies, I thought I'd look at potential outcomes and possible implications of what may happen next.
The scenario is that Arsene, after appearing a beaten man has decided to reinvent himself using the general malaise of the board who neither have the will nor capacity to argue against his case and find a replacement. With the majority of the board members ranging in age from 69 to 82, some if not all, must be thinking about their ever increasing pension fund and their diminishing years in which to spend it. This time in life tends to be spent with the accent on social get togethers and less on immediate hard biting business decisions. The drive for greater things diminishes, the urge for a club chair rather than a driving seat.
This is not the mentality of a group who will take risk. I would suggest this Politburo have as much chance of reform as the old USSR. Having all the flexibility of a five year plan. The answer they offer is simply to starve.
So if Wenger is riding a power vacuum will the fanbase put up with it? In my mind we are now at 50/50 chance of outright mass protest or the collapse back to acceptance until a new bad run of results takes place in season 2017-18.
For all us Arsenal supporters, I'd pose a question. If Wenger's team fall out of the top four, can he as the Manager in charge ever regain that position?
For a very strong top five is now emerging and Everton now have enough funding to be a disrupter for United, Arsenal and Liverpool. Of these teams and managers I believe Arsenal with Arsene in charge have the least tactical flexibility at their disposal.
Moving onto the protests. My view is that the influence in the media has far outweighed the actual numbers on the March. The PR has been relatively good and Arsene is being handled by the media in a less deferential tone. I believe that Arsene's disconnect from the fans and the press will be cemented by his decision to stay on. This in turn will cause more radicalised protest. The further stages of which I suspect will cause picketing at London Colney and who knows what else.
Meanwhile the Yellow Jersey proposed as an idea by myself, (I believe credit really to Le Grove for this) might become a uniform of the disenchanted.
Into 2017 - 18 I suspect Wenger will ride his luck in the early part of the season whilst good results are had, however in the mud and the wet we will fall away leading to aggressive anti-Wenger chanting heard at the Emirates for the first time. The #boycott movement that is having major disrupting influence in the USA may be used to start targeting Arsenal sponsors. I am also beginning to imagine that some reach out may occur between Kroenke owned USA franchise supporters and those of Arsenal. It would be very easy to print Kroenke out posters across the entire portfolio of his stadia.
Ultimately Kronke, at the age of 69 years, may suffer potential blow back on social media. Could he be bothered with it? This in turn may push Josh Kroenke into the limelight as a new figurehead. Would a younger guy really want mediocrity across his entire network? The danger for the Kroenkes is that too little sporting success in a sporting franchise is ultimately not good for long term growth. At some point a new big guy on the block is going to want to come in.
The very sad nature of all of this is that the Arsenal board members are simply putting off the inevitable and actually allowing real damage to occur to he image of Arsenal. For so-called custodians this is both bizarre and bordering on a disgrace.
Change will come. Better for those on the Board to do it quickly than slowly drown in an angry sea of discontent.
