AST Meeting 6/6/12

[Cripps_orig]

Arsenal (http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/clubs/t3/arsenal) chief executive Ivan Gazidis (http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/term/ivan-gazidis) will be quizzed on why Alisher Usmanov has not been given a place on the club's board and whether Arsene Wenger (http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/term/arsene-wenger) will be asked to spend heavily this summer in what could be a stormy meeting with supporters next Wednesday.Gazidis will meet with 300 supporters consisting of the Arsenal Supporters Trust (AST) and other supporters groups at the Emirates Stadium.
And in a series of questions submitted to the 47-year-old in advance, the AST have made clear that the club's future is on the agenda, with one question asking whether the club's wage policy should be ripped up in a bid to keep top stars such as Robin Van Persie (http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/players/p12297/robin-van-persie).
Arsenal have not won a trophy since the 2005 FA Cup but fans are perhaps less mutinous than a year ago when a rise of 6.5 per cent in season-ticket prices was followed by the sales of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri (http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/players/p28554/samir-nasri).
Yet the future of captain Van Persie, who is out of contract at the end of next season and has so far refused to sign a new deal, are top of the agenda with one question asking whether Usmanov, who owns just under 30 per cent of the club, should be granted a seat on the board.
So far Stan Kroenke, the majority shareholder, has refused to allow a representative of Red and White Holdings, Usmanov's investment vehicle, to be represented at board meetings, but the AST will ask whether Arsenal should accept the Uzbeki's offer of financial assistance to prevent them falling further behind Manchester City and Manchester United (http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/clubs/t1/manutd).
Questions will also be asked of whether Gazidis and his chief negotiator, Richard Law, have learnt the lessons of last summer, when Fabregas and Nasri were sold late in the transfer window and Arsenal made their worst start to a season in 58 years.
But there will be no questions over the future of manager Wenger, whose performance was criticised by some fans before an impressive rally saw the club finish third in the Premier League, ensuring direct entry into next season's Champions League.
Yet the club's future appears to rest largely on whether Van Persie can be convinced to remain at the club while other high-class additions are brought in, with Lukas Podolski the only confirmed signing so far.

http://www.talksport.co.uk/sports-news/football/premier-league/120601/gazidis-be-quizzed-usmanov-and-wenger-173468

[Özim]

Wonder whether they'll stop people saying what they really think as is usually the case?

[Syn]

We know the score.

We believe greatly in our sustainable business model. Funds are however available for the manager to spend if he wishes. We are happy with the way we finished the season considering where we were. We spent £70m last summer including contract renewals and have bought podolski so we are clearly spending money. With FFP to kick in we believe our model is sensible. We did not account for qualifying for the CL and nor do we have to. We will try to keep Van Persie. Usmanov is a fat greasy shit who likes kicking orphans. Ticket prices are rising by less than inflation so we are looking to look after our support. We built some statues so the arsenalification of the new stadium continues. If you would like to ask a question you will need to make a donation of £50, 8% of which goes to a charity of Wilshere's choice.

[Joker]

Yep they're come out with the same old bullshit propaganda, whining about the distortion of the market, pointing out how well we recovered after our start to the season, how injuries hindered us last season and that we are running a self sustainable business model based on prudence and sound business principles. They'll probably also bring up the issue of Greece, Spain and the Eurozone crisis as another reason for exercising caution in the transfer window. Then they'll bring up bar charts, pie charts, time series etc all showing how we're projected to record healthy profits over the coming years, which is what it's all about at the end of the day.

[Özim]

Pretty much, if they showed any inclination to listen to people's concern and take them on board and allowed people to say what they felt it might be interesting.

As it is, probably more of the same thing we hear every year.

[fakeyank]

Lock the room and set it on fire

[Xhaka Can’t]

I was going to suggest someone rake direct action and set the stadium on fire. But I've been beaten to it by GW's Vice President of Direct Action.

[fakeyank]

Who the fuck's the president? :angry:

[Xhaka Can’t]

The position is vacant.

Burn the place down and the position is yours.

[Niall_Quinn]

Just rob them and quickly buy some players before the police can get there.

[Cripps_orig]

Any news on this?

[Xhaka Can’t]

Cut and paste the news from last year and replace the names Cesc Fabregas and Samr Nasri with RvP and Walnutt.

[Cripps_orig]

- We sell to buy in the next three years unless we pay more for our tickets and/or perform better in the league or Champions League (finish higher/go further) because of our commercial deals aren't of the level of MUFC.
- Failing to qualify for the group stages of the Champions League could cost the club £25m.
- The Transfer Proceeds Account has roughly £30m in it and this has to be spent on signing new players and uplifting the contracts of current members of the squad.
- If we sold some of the younger players who aren't going to make it at the club, we'd be able to spend our cash better.
- Arsenal's wages are spread throughout the squad and there aren't the incentives for younger players to try to get a higher wage through performance as there are at other clubs.
- Arsenal pay Aaron Ramsey three times as much MUFC offered him. They offered him a junior contract but AFC offered him a first team player's contract on day one.
- Season tickets for next season are sold out.
- Just year one in four people took up the option of a season ticket offered to them from the waiting list.
- Club Level sold out early June.
- Queensland Road property deal has been completed and will raise the club £25m.
- Red & White are 400 shares short of 30%. There are only 2,800 shares not owned by Kroenke or R&W.
- If R&W reach 30% they can have access to the books and can reveal details about player's contracts, wages, club cost etc.
- Arsenal no longer have a board. Members of the current board - apart from Kroenke - have no more share holdings than members of the AST and Fanshare.
- Current board are understood to have a committment from KSE to keep their positions for a year following the takeover.
- Gazidis was interviewed by Wenger for his job. Doesn't have the same dynamic as other PL CEOs with their manager.
- The threat from the American owners is to lose relegation.
- Emirates Cup is unsustainable and it will probably be the last one this season.
- Asia Tour will be making the club a small profit.

The board of Arsenal Fanshare stopped purchasing shares during the takeover period but now have found some supporters who are willing to see to Fanshare rather than take the cash of Usmanov or Kroenke.

http://www.goonersweb.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=452&page=1

:unsure: