Quote Originally Posted by Niall_Quinn View Post
That's a fair and reasonable assessment which stands a chance of being right in the real world, unlike all this "madman" and "megalomaniac" BS. So if Wenger goes how much will really change? It's inevitable the new coach would have a lot less influence over the board, and if we accept the board is partially to blame for our problems then the upshot of Wenger's removal is what? The cancer will still exist at the heart of the club. I've started to review Wenger's comments this summer from a perspective other than, "Wenger Out!", and I think he's talking to us in the only way he can given undoubted constraints. Now I might be delusional myself but I'm going with my gut instinct and in the end I'm not for the board, I'm not for Wenger, I'm for the club - Arsenal. And it's my belief we have some seriously bad'uns in the boardroom now. Toffs who have already cashed in and shouldn't even be there plus an absent owner who knows fuck all about the club and wouldn't have invested at all if his intention wasn't to get back more than he's put in. Wenger's got much to answer for too, no doubt, but I'd trust him over these Etonian fucks and the American any day.
There is a flip side to this. What if the board have been taken in by Wenger's 'monorail' song and dance?

With his appointment, the infrastructure of the club has totally changed. They've taken risks with huge investments off the back of this one guy. They've put all their eggs in one basket and set out a long term plan that would take years to fulfil. Like the fans, like the players, they could have been sold a dream by Wenger and Dein. But as the years have passed, we've seen the players lose faith, now the fans are losing it, when will the board start to wobble? It will take them a long time to cut their ties with Wenger and they need him more than he needs them.

They can't screw him around and treat him like an idiot. If he walks and they're screwed. They know very little about football and depend heavily on Wenger's insight and knowledge. They screwed Dein over and lumped more of the responsibility on to Wenger. What do they know about the value of a player or wages? They can't even negotiate good sponsorship deals. It's probably why guys like Gazidis and Stan have been drafted in. They need more people that can help steer this ship and actually know what to do when Wenger is gone. If they sack him or rock the boat then they are screwed. Or so they think.

The board are just as incompetent. I don't think they've jumped on board to bleed the club dry and make a fast getaway. Some may be jumping ship now, but I wouldn't say it was the original plan. I just think they put too much trust in Wenger and as long as we're still competitive, they won't sack him. Well, the old board wouldn't. But, you do have a point. It is a serious worry to see what happens when Wenger is gone and silent Stan sitting in charge. But....Stan is a Sports man and owns Franchises in the good old USA. We can take comfort in that.