Takeover?

[Marc Overmars]

https://www.skysports.com/share/12287394

Interesting to see how this pans out. :popcorn:

Always rated Spotify tbf.

[Letters]

It's good that some ex players are in the mix.
Always rated money tbf.

[Bumble]

It's good that some ex players are in the mix.
Always rated money tbf.

think that is one way to get the fan base on side.... throw in a few arsenal legends and invincibles.

[dazthegooner]

Living on a dream world Kreonke will not sell the club wouldn’t be in HIS best interests

[Mac76]

https://www.skysports.com/share/12287394

Interesting to see how this pans out. :popcorn:

Always rated Spotify tbf.

Well, they're often accused of giving a pretty measly share of revenue to the artists whose music they use to make their money, but compared to human rights abuses and/or mass fraud it's a better option...

[Ralpheroo72]

I like Swedish people

[Ollie the Optimist]

I doubt he will be able to buy the club outright as Kronke values it as 2 billion according to reports.

The Spotify founder is worth around 3 billion but that doesnt mean he has that cash sitting in the bank.

My worry with this would be that he either has to go into a partnership to purchase the club with someone who may not have the best interests of the fans at heart or he has to leverage the club with debt in order to fund the takeover similar to Glazers & United.

Doenst mean it wont be better then Kronke but i think some questions need to be asked if this is a serious bid

[Mac76]

I doubt he will be able to buy the club outright as Kronke values it as 2 billion according to reports.

The Spotify founder is worth around 3 billion but that doesnt mean he has that cash sitting in the bank.

My worry with this would be that he either has to go into a partnership to purchase the club with someone who may not have the best interests of the fans at heart or he has to leverage the club with debt in order to fund the takeover similar to Glazers & United.

Doenst mean it wont be better then Kronke but i think some questions need to be asked if this is a serious bid

his offer is $1.8 apparently which is a good starting bid.

there's another demo at the ground at 6pm on 6 May, if it's another biggie it could be that Silent Stan chooses to move on and opt for the quiet life...

[WGC Goon]

I've seen reports but I'm a bit confused about Bergkamp, Henry and Vieira's roles in this.

Are they chipping in financially to the takeover bid or fronting the PR campaign for it?

[WGC Goon]

his offer is $1.8 apparently which is a good starting bid.

there's another demo at the ground at 6pm on 6 May, if it's another biggie it could be that Silent Stan chooses to move on and opt for the quiet life...

If Stan Kroenke was to sell I think I would actually shed real tears of joy, the thought of the club being under his tenure for many years to come is just too depressing to contemplated.

#KroenkeOut

[Mac76]

I've seen reports but I'm a bit confused about Bergkamp, Henry and Vieira's roles in this.

Are they chipping in financially to the takeover bid or fronting the PR campaign for it?

well i've no idea what those players are worth but it will be nothing like what Ek is valued at, so I'd imagine it will be mainly advice and support, not just PR but on making the the club work well in the footballing sense and to get fans on board

[Bumble]

I've seen reports but I'm a bit confused about Bergkamp, Henry and Vieira's roles in this.

Are they chipping in financially to the takeover bid or fronting the PR campaign for it?

although Vieira, Henry and Bergkamp are probably fairly wealthy individuals. They aren't billionaires so cant contribute financially but perhaps they are there for PR
I doubt he will use his money for the purchase but rather purchase through loans and debt and use the club to cover the costs as who wouldn't unless you are mega billionaires.

Will Kroenke sell... well he doesn't care what the fans think so no pressure from there, so its just is the price right. Its not like Arsenal are going to get relegated.

but at least this adds a bit of excitement to Arsenal.

[I am invisible]

Kroenke ain’t selling - not until all avenues to resurrect some kind of super league are dead. And anyone who could actually afford to buy him out would likely be just as bad.

At this point I’d settle for KSE hiring the right CEO and DoF and just leaving them to it.

[IBK]

Kroenke ain’t selling - not until all avenues to resurrect some kind of super league are dead. And anyone who could actually afford to buy him out would likely be just as bad.

At this point I’d settle for KSE hiring the right CEO and DoF and just leaving them to it.

Yeah - I kind of agree.

[Niall_Quinn]

People are demanding the government do something about this. Like take 51% of Stan's shares and hand them to the fans. I think they underestimate how powerful the corporation has become in the last few decades - far, far more powerful than any state in terms of legal privilege. It's hard to imagine any entity that has more legal rights than the corporation. As rights are revoked for the individual the legal entitlement of the corporation goes from strength to and was almost cemented beyond revocation by the horrific "trade" deals the globalists are trying to push through. I doubt the government would be able to lay a glove on Stan.

[Letters]

Kronke saying he’s not selling.
So there.

[Ollie the Optimist]

Kronke saying he’s not selling.
So there.

There are two things behind that statement in my opinion

1. They genuinely mean it and if so, on we go with the same old shit

2. If the price is right they will sell but they want as much money as possible so by saying no now, it starts to push the price up

[I am invisible]

Yeah - I kind of agree.
Who knows if the Kroenkes might sell, or how long that might take? I think we need to concentrate on things that we can change: CEO > Technical Director / DoF > Head coach. Get the right people running the show and the Kroenkes can just fade into the background - they’re good at that.

At the very least I think Vinnai needs to go ASAP. Seems like a nice enough guy, but he’s been made to look like a mug twice now: once when he got grifted by that fake car company and now with this super league business. Either he was complicit in the attempted ESL coup, in which case he should resign in shame, or he was kept in the dark by the owners and not trusted, in which case he should resign on general principle. Either way his credibility is gone and I don’t think he’s up to the job - we need someone strong at the top who can set a clear agenda: vision, values, standards, process and execution.

Jury’s still out on Edu, for me. Last summer was kind of chaotic, with Raul suddenly going and the shorted timeline, so there’s not much evidence to go on when it comes to how he operates on his own, free from influence. Our business was certainly better in the second half of last summer, after Raul left, and he had a decent January, moving on a lot of the crap and making a really smart loan move in a problem area. And, tbf, he does generally seem to be on top of contract situations. However, the fact that Arteta had to be promoted to manager to supposedly share some of his responsibilities is a worry. Was that move about concerns over his competence, or was it a slap-down over trust (i.e. a means of adding oversight to what he was doing because no one was sure how involved he was in Raul’s shenanigans)?

I can’t even think about the manager / head coach role atm - not until I’m certain that we have the right people in place as CEO and TD / DoF. Right now I just don’t trust anyone at the club to make that appointment.

CEO definitely needs to change though, and that can and should be done immediately. And the board also needs some football men on it - again, that should be done right now.

[Mac76]

There are two things behind that statement in my opinion

1. They genuinely mean it and if so, on we go with the same old shit

2. If the price is right they will sell but they want as much money as possible so by saying no now, it starts to push the price up

It'll be 2. for sure - they're ultimately only interested in money - Ek clearly means business so they will consider his offer when he puts it forward

This is a good summary: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/apr/27/kroenkes-insist-arsenal-not-for-sale-amid-interest-from-spotifys-daniel-ek?

:popcorn:

[IBK]

Who knows if the Kroenkes might sell, or how long that might take? I think we need to concentrate on things that we can change: CEO > Technical Director / DoF > Head coach. Get the right people running the show and the Kroenkes can just fade into the background - they’re good at that.

At the very least I think Vinnai needs to go ASAP. Seems like a nice enough guy, but he’s been made to look like a mug twice now: once when he got grifted by that fake car company and now with this super league business. Either he was complicit in the attempted ESL coup, in which case he should resign in shame, or he was kept in the dark by the owners and not trusted, in which case he should resign on general principle. Either way his credibility is gone and I don’t think he’s up to the job - we need someone strong at the top who can set a clear agenda: vision, values, standards, process and execution.

Jury’s still out on Edu, for me. Last summer was kind of chaotic, with Raul suddenly going and the shorted timeline, so there’s not much evidence to go on when it comes to how he operates on his own, free from influence. Our business was certainly better in the second half of last summer, after Raul left, and he had a decent January, moving on a lot of the crap and making a really smart loan move in a problem area. And, tbf, he does generally seem to be on top of contract situations. However, the fact that Arteta had to be promoted to manager to supposedly share some of his responsibilities is a worry. Was that move about concerns over his competence, or was it a slap-down over trust (i.e. a means of adding oversight to what he was doing because no one was sure how involved he was in Raul’s shenanigans)?

I can’t even think about the manager / head coach role atm - not until I’m certain that we have the right people in place as CEO and TD / DoF. Right now I just don’t trust anyone at the club to make that appointment.

CEO definitely needs to change though, and that can and should be done immediately. And the board also needs some football men on it - again, that should be done right now.

I guess the best we can hope for is that their refusal to sell means that the Kroenke's are going to try to put the executive role positions under greater scrutiny. Not holding my breath, though...

[Mac76]

I guess the best we can hope for is that their refusal to sell means that the Kroenke's are going to try to put the executive role positions under greater scrutiny. Not holding my breath, though...

zero chance of that - after all, the ESL mess is the Kroenke's own fault not the executive

[IBK]

zero chance of that - after all, the ESL mess is the Kroenke's own fault not the executive

I'm not sure the 2 issues are necessrily connected. The Kroenke's are in this because of an ESL type opportunity, and have invested (or allowed quite significant investent) in players to try to keep us at the top table. Even they have to see that we face a double whammy after the ESL fiasco has sen us burn our bridges with the European club game, and if we are allowed to run down further then ultimately it may affect their bottom line. There is a chance that this might encourage the owners to pay greater heed to how the club's resouces are being applied.

[Ollie the Optimist]

Ek is giving an interview on CNBC at hte moment.

Confirms he has secured teh funds to make a bid so lets see if Kronke will consider it.

He talks about being a fan since he was aged 8 etc so perhaps it will be good but i still have some doubts. He is only worth 3 billion and if you are spending 2 of that buyin the club, i hope he has enough funds left to make signings etc. The club made a loss this year etc so hell need more on top of the money to buy the club.

[Dial Square Old Boy]

Living on a dream world Kreonke will not sell the club wouldn’t be in HIS best interests

Kroenke is just a business whore and will sell when the price is right, by Ek.

[I am invisible]

Ek is giving an interview on CNBC at hte moment.

Confirms he has secured teh funds to make a bid so lets see if Kronke will consider it.

He talks about being a fan since he was aged 8 etc so perhaps it will be good but i still have some doubts. He is only worth 3 billion and if you are spending 2 of that buyin the club, i hope he has enough funds left to make signings etc. The club made a loss this year etc so hell need more on top of the money to buy the club.
Tbh, with someone like Ek I’d be hoping more for visionary leadership, innovation and smart appointments. Someone who actually knows how to run and grow a forward-thinking, high-performance business, and is more than just a rich investor who brings nothing else to the table. Someone who has more of a plan than just buying us and sitting on us until we accrue in value.

If we want a sugar daddy, I don’t think he’s our guy.

[Mac76]

I think that's what we'd get, got to be better than a yank who literally knows nothing about the game

[I am invisible]

I think that's what we'd get, got to be better than a yank who literally knows nothing about the game
If this guy is actually serious, and I’m not convinced it’s going anywhere yet, but if he is, then this won’t just be an emotional bid from a rich fan looking to save the club he loves - he’ll have seen an opportunity here and he’ll have a plan.

Given his background in streaming and subscription services, I would guess there’d be some kind of initial, Arsenal-only offering, with the longer-term aim being to persuade the Premier League to ditch Sky and launch its own subscription-based streaming service / app? Basically Disney+ for football. After all why settle for just a cut of all the revenue that English football draws when the clubs could have the lot?

[Letters]

I think that's what we'd get, got to be better than a yank who literally knows nothing about the game

Harsh on fakeyank :(

[Marc Overmars]

All you want from any owner is accountability and direction. With the likes of Abramovich and Mansour it is clear what the remit of everyone involved at the club is and standards very much have to be met.

I don’t think KSE give a flying fuck if we’re sat in mid table for the next decade, as long as we remain one of the most valuable clubs in the world and always have our foot in the door with the elite.

[I am invisible]

All you want from any owner is accountability and direction. With the likes of Abramovich and Mansour it is clear what the remit of everyone involved at the club is and standards very much have to be met.

I don’t think KSE give a flying fuck if we’re sat in mid table for the next decade, as long as we remain one of the most valuable clubs in the world and always have our foot in the door with the elite.
Simon Jordan nailed it the other day - running a highly successful club is expensive and running a failing club is expensive, but being average doesn’t really require you to do or spend anything. KSE seem to aim for that sweet spot with all of their clubs and franchises, and I suspect they’re actually quite happy with how the last decade has gone for them as Arsenal owners - the value of their shares has increased to over 2bn and they haven’t had to invest a penny of their own money on the team.

If we suddenly see them putting their hands in their pockets to fund a big summer, it won’t be because they suddenly care - it will be because we’re in danger of slipping into that ‘failing club’ territory that is going to cost them a lot more if they don’t halt the slide.

[WGC Goon]

Getting a bit fed up with Arteta and some of the players calling for unity between the fans and owners, Arteta even saying that we'd actually like the Kroenke's if we ever met them :sick:

Err, no we wouldn't Mikel and the fans aren't going to buddy up with Stan and Co so get on with what your meant to be doing, winning football matches :angry:

[Mac76]

it will be because we’re in danger of slipping into that ‘failing club’ territory that is going to cost them a lot more if they don’t halt the slide.

haven't you been watching - we're already there mate

but the idea they haven't invested in the team at all isn't true - what about Partey? Pepe? Auba's new contract? Willian? ( i know those last two may have been mistakes but they still cost money) - i don't like the Kroenkes and want them out but let's be fair, as far as i know those things weren't funded through player sales or not entirely

[WGC Goon]

haven't you been watching - we're already there mate

but the idea they haven't invested in the team at all isn't true - what about Partey? Pepe? Auba's new contract? Willian? ( i know those last two may have been mistakes but they still cost money) - i don't like the Kroenkes and want them out but let's be fair, as far as i know those things weren't funded through player sales or not entirely

This is the issue, THEY haven't invested a penny in the club. Are we meant to be grateful that they've allowed money that's largely come in from the fans and sponsorship to be spent on players? Apparently we have the biggest debt regarding unpaid transfer fees so are we now going to be dumbing down on transfers to deal with the debt?
The Kroenke's are letting our beloved club just tick over, they don't deserve any kind of credit whatsoever because they'll be happy to let us languish in midtable or worse.
#KroenkeOut

[Mac76]

This is the issue, THEY haven't invested a penny in the club. Are we meant to be grateful that they've allowed money that's largely come in from the fans and sponsorship to be spent on players? Apparently we have the biggest debt regarding unpaid transfer fees so are we now going to be dumbing down on transfers to deal with the debt?
The Kroenke's are letting our beloved club just tick over, they don't deserve any kind of credit whatsoever because they'll be happy to let us languish in midtable or worse.
#KroenkeOut

ok, I'll admit i don't know where all the money came from, so if that's true and they didn't actually put their hands in their pockets it underlines why they are just bloodsuckers and need to go

believe me i do want them out now

[I am invisible]

haven't you been watching - we're already there mate

but the idea they haven't invested in the team at all isn't true - what about Partey? Pepe? Auba's new contract? Willian? ( i know those last two may have been mistakes but they still cost money) - i don't like the Kroenkes and want them out but let's be fair, as far as i know those things weren't funded through player sales or not entirely
All the club’s money, mate - the most they’ve done is brought forward budget from future years to cover it.

We’re not quite on the failing level yet as a business - after we cut the next round of duds from the wage bill in the summer we’ll be quite comfortable as a mid-table side. What they’re going to be really keen to avoid, though, is sliding even further into relegation territory - a little strategic investment now would make sure that PL income doesn’t come under threat, but it won’t have anything to do with wanting us to compete on a sporting level. I honestly don’t think they could care less about that.

[I am invisible]

I’ll say this for them - they did restructure / secure our debt last year, and that will be helpful to the club. But, again, I’m sure their primary concern there was protecting their investment - any sporting benefit will be a happy coincidence.

[I am invisible]

For the record, I don’t actually care if they keep their distance and leave us to self-finance - I just want them to appoint some decent people to run the club before they disappear.

[Mac76]

Getting a bit fed up with Arteta and some of the players calling for unity between the fans and owners, Arteta even saying that we'd actually like the Kroenke's if we ever met them :sick:

Err, no we wouldn't Mikel and the fans aren't going to buddy up with Stan and Co so get on with what your meant to be doing, winning football matches :angry:

To go back to this, totally agree, Arteta's not being very bright attaching himself so firmly to the Kroenkes - if Ek does buy the club it will add to the chances of him getting the boot :wave:

[selassie]

To go back to this, totally agree, Arteta's not being very bright attaching himself so firmly to the Kroenkes - if Ek does buy the club it will add to the chances of him getting the boot :wave:

If EK succeeds / is successful with this takeover (pigs might fly), then Arteta, Edu & Vinai should be first out the door if we truly have ambitions from a sporting perspective to be successful. They are all novices and absolutely should not be part of any roadmap to make us successful again. There I said it!

[IBK]

All the club’s money, mate - the most they’ve done is brought forward budget from future years to cover it.

We’re not quite on the failing level yet as a business - after we cut the next round of duds from the wage bill in the summer we’ll be quite comfortable as a mid-table side. What they’re going to be really keen to avoid, though, is sliding even further into relegation territory - a little strategic investment now would make sure that PL income doesn’t come under threat, but it won’t have anything to do with wanting us to compete on a sporting level. I honestly don’t think they could care less about that.

:gp: - and your previous one. I tend to think that some investment in players is necessary to preserve our investment value. This is why quite big money has been spend already. If it were otherwise, we would not have spent the sums we have done on player transfers and wages. People like Kroenke play the long game. Football is still the wild west compared to US sports and there remain opportunities to monetise this, despite the failure of the ESL. I think the Kroenkes will understand that we will be clinging on to our 'big club' status if the club is run down.

[I am invisible]

:gp: - and your previous one. I tend to think that some investment in players is necessary to preserve our investment value. This is why quite big money has been spend already. If it were otherwise, we would not have spent the sums we have done on player transfers and wages. People like Kroenke play the long game. Football is still the wild west compared to US sports and there remain opportunities to monetise this, despite the failure of the ESL. I think the Kroenkes will understand that we will be clinging on to our 'big club' status if the club is run down.
Agreed. I’m sure KSE are happy for us to spend as much as we like and be as successful as we can be, as long as they don’t have to fund it. They’re only going to put their hands in their pockets if the value of their shares start tanking and their investment comes under threat.

For the record, I’m still very much pro self-sustaining, and I don’t want their money - my biggest gripes with them are the lack of vision and standards they’ve set and the people they keep leaving in charge. So far we’ve had Wenger being left to do everything by himself, followed by Gazidis, a crook, and now 3 interns?!

Opportunities-wise, I think you’re right - there’s plenty there to exploit, but they’ve been too focussed on this ESL business to see it. Streaming feels like it’s going to be the big one - the PL clubs just need to realise that Sky needs them a lot more than they need Sky now.

[I am invisible]

I tell you what else I’ve really been stewing on with KSE... a couple of weeks ago in Prague we had an absolute golden opportunity just land in our lap - a once-in-a-generation, iconic moment [Lacazette facing down the Slavia team before we absolutely battered them on their own patch], that anyone who knew what they were doing could have harnessed and leveraged the shit out of to push our brand, establish us as a kind of moral compass for a corrupt sport, and attract a new generation of fans and a legion of new sponsors and partners. If anything was ever a ‘victory through harmony’ moment, it was that.

But instead what did we do? We tried to stage a coup and stabbed the rest of the footballing world in the back in the middle of a pandemic. And fucked it up! And now the moment is gone, our name, our brand and our reputation are in tatters, and we can never claim that we stand for anything ever again with a straight face - not without making it look like a cheap PR stunt. Nice one Stan and Josh, you incompetent pricks...

[WMUG]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56972776

Not quite sure what to make of this, they're being very vague with the detials, but it seems like a step in the right direction.

[Ollie the Optimist]

L’equipe reporting that Wenger is joining the EK bid alongside Henry, Bergkamp etc.

The big man returning to save the club.

Arsene FC :bow:

[Letters]

:lol:

Wenger :bow:

[I am invisible]

Bid rejected. Kroenkes “don’t need the money.” Ek’s basically left it at that.

No big surprise there - the whole thing always sounded a bit half-baked and fantastical.

[Mac76]

Bid rejected. Kroenkes “don’t need the money.” Ek’s basically left it at that.

No big surprise there - the whole thing always sounded a bit half-baked and fantastical.

:ilt:

[I am invisible]

:ilt:
It sticks in the craw to say it, but we’re probably going to have to find common ground with KSE if we want to move forward - I just don’t see there being a billionaire white knight out there for us.

[Mac76]

It sticks in the craw to say it, but we’re probably going to have to find common ground with KSE if we want to move forward - I just don’t see there being a billionaire white knight out there for us.

There is, but he just got turned down...

[I am invisible]

There is, but he just got turned down...
Not much of a rescue then, is it? I just don’t see anyone ‘saving’ us from KSE - we’re basically just waiting for Stan to either get bored or die. No one’s forcing him out.

[WGC Goon]

Not much of a rescue then, is it? I just don’t see anyone ‘saving’ us from KSE - we’re basically just waiting for Stan to either get bored or die. No one’s forcing him out.

Everyone has their price, even the Kroenke's. It does seem that someone will have to stump up something way over the club's actual current market value though, maybe £3bn?

[Niall_Quinn]

Maybe shitweasel can't sell. Maybe the club has been spread across a hundred other deals as collateral. The scumbag wants Arsenal for a reason, but it's clearly not a football reason.

[I am invisible]

Everyone has their price, even the Kroenke's. It does seem that someone will have to stump up something way over the club's actual current market value though, maybe £3bn?

Well whatever that price is, it sounds like it's too rich for Ek's blood - he's basically left it as a "call me if you change your mind."

I guess my point is that I see two choices for us: we either sit around waiting to win the billionaire lottery, which may or may not ever happen; or we try and find a way to point KSE in the right direction and spark them into action, even if it's just a one-off push to get the self-sustaining model set up properly. As option 2 doesn't preclude option 1, I say we focus on that.

[Mac76]

it needs the fans to keep protesting and getting on the Kroenke's back to the point where they decide it's more trouble than it's worth - and fans will be back next season :threaten:

[I am invisible]

it needs the fans to keep protesting and getting on the Kroenke's back to the point where they decide it's more trouble than it's worth - and fans will be back next season :threaten:
It’s no trouble for Stan, mate - he doesn’t do anything so it’s literally no trouble at all.

We’re talking about a guy who lives on a billion acre ranch in the middle of nowhere in the States - all he has to do is change the channel and all the noise goes away.

[Bumble]

why anyone would pay 2 or 3bn for us is insane anyway. football clubs aren't there to make a profit. most of the vast sums of money go to players and agents.

will a fan protest make much difference... not really when you consider he lives in the states anyway so hardly even sees it first hand. perhaps relegation something that would lead to a significant loss in value of the asset.

[WGC Goon]

why anyone would pay 2 or 3bn for us is insane anyway. football clubs aren't there to make a profit. most of the vast sums of money go to players and agents.

will a fan protest make much difference... not really when you consider he lives in the states anyway so hardly even sees it first hand. perhaps relegation something that would lead to a significant loss in value of the asset.

Why do you think Abramovich and the Arabs bought Chelsea and City? Because they've got to spend their money on something, right? Football clubs are just a hobby or pastime to them, nothing else.

[IBK]

Why do you think Abramovich and the Arabs bought Chelsea and City? Because they've got to spend their money on something, right? Football clubs are just a hobby or pastime to them, nothing else.

...its because they want to buy respectablility and prestige

[Mac76]

...its because they want to buy respectablility and prestige

so why wouldn't someone buy Arsenal to do that?

oh... :(

[IBK]

so why wouldn't someone buy Arsenal to do that?

oh... :(

...well Chelsea and Citeh weren't exactly the epitome of success when they were taken over by ther current owners. Arsenal actually tick all the boxes. Prestigious city; popular worldwide (more so than Citeh or Chelsea); great history and tradition. In fact the only real stubling block is that we are too expensive because of that.

It's such an irony that at this stage many fans would prefer to be an oligarch/state plaything than continue under our current ownership :wacko:

Its a further irony that although we are a commercial investment, our invesor owner has no apparent interest in the team being a success.

[Mac76]

IKR, just joking, I agree we're a very good investment

tbh it chills me when i hear people say the Kroekes never sell any of their businesses - while there's always a first time, it makes me feel like we're really doomed...

i know you keep saying we have to hope they invest a bit more and get us on an upward curve, plus we have to hope Arteta's capable of learning fast, but he strikes me as stubborn and not the quickest to change his behaviour

[IBK]

IKR, just joking, I agree we're a very good investment

tbh it chills me when i hear people say the Kroekes never sell any of their businesses - while there's always a first time, it makes me feel like we're really doomed...

i know you keep saying we have to hope they invest a bit more and get us on an upward curve, plus we have to hope Arteta's capable of learning fast, but he strikes me as stubborn and not the quickest to change his behaviour

Oh I agree that the Kroenkes seem to be stubborn not to mention detached and uncommunicative. And I agree that the prospect of total stagnation under theur disinterested stewardship is a fightening prospect. In a strange way, it would be better if we had a poorer owner more dependent on our club succeeding.

Where I take issue is with the often repeated accusation that Arsenal does not spend money on players. It does. It also loses a lot of money on transfer fees and wages because of unwise business dealings. It would actually be good to have greater financial scrutiny at the club - as this might curb some of the excesses. This is an obvious business imperative. The worry at Arsenal is the complete lack of any apparent business oversight by an investor whose only desire is to sit on an apprecating asset.

There will come a point where our stock has fallen so low that the value of Kroenke's asset is significantly affected. If it takes this to alter the current status quo it will be a disaster because we will be screwed for years while the rest of the game moves on.

[Niall_Quinn]

I wonder. Do any of us know the structure and strength of the club's overseas marketing efforts, especially in Asia? Are these fans interested primarily in the results or the brand, the fashion, the names of the past?

I don't know. It could be there are many years of inertia ahead where vast foreign marketplaces can be milked and the domestic fans (legacy fans I think they call us) can be ignored or even phased out.

I wonder, does the football that happens on the pitch even matter that much anymore? Just one mediocre signing from China could be pretty lucrative for the likes of Kronke, though entirely useless for the football ambition of the club and the fans.

It would be interesting to find any research out there that details at least some of the plans the club has for exploiting marketplaces beyond London.

[Mac76]

Where I take issue is with the often repeated accusation that Arsenal does not spend money on players. It does. It also loses a lot of money on transfer fees and wages because of unwise business dealings.

yes you're right and i wasn't trying to imply otherwise though i can see it might have looked that way.

i say the same as you but others on here claim none of it is the Kroenkes money

either way i was saying they need to invest further although also we do need to sell a whole bunch of players:

Xhaka
Auba
Laca
Kola
AMN
Willian
Nketiah
Nelson (i say that slighly reluctantly but given Arteta won't play him it's for the best)
Guendouzi (which i still think is a shame)
Torreira
Bellerin

and probably a whole load more i can't remember right now...

[I am invisible]

IKR, just joking, I agree we're a very good investment

tbh it chills me when i hear people say the Kroekes never sell any of their businesses - while there's always a first time, it makes me feel like we're really doomed...

i know you keep saying we have to hope they invest a bit more and get us on an upward curve, plus we have to hope Arteta's capable of learning fast, but he strikes me as stubborn and not the quickest to change his behaviour
It’s not impossible - Ek and Dangote have both shown interest in recent years, even at our current value, so it could happen.

The issue for me is time: I don’t like the idea of sitting around with our thumbs up our arses, basically waiting for a lottery win. How long will it take for Kroenke to decide to sell? 6 months? A year? 10 years? What do we do in the meantime?

If it happens, then it will happen in its own time (and likely won’t have anything to do with our protests). Until then, I think we need to find ways to steer the current owners to improve things now. Ironically, as negligent and incompetent as KSE have been up to this point, they really wouldn’t have to do all that much to suddenly be seen as decent owners: make a couple of good appointments to run the club and establish vision, standards and accountability; ensure there’s appropriate oversight at board level; involve (or at least consult) the fans a bit more if they don’t know how a decision will be received; maybe a one-off cash injection to reset the team. Do that and they can pretty much fuck off into the background and let the club run itself.

[WMUG]

Another protest on Sunday before the Brighton game.

[Chippy]

Another protest on Sunday before the Brighton game.

You mean before the St Tottering Day decider! :partytime:

Who would have thought this possible when they (the Scum) had already won the league in December ;)