Abandon ship! The captain has left the building. by Konstantin Mitov
Mighty good morning people! The elephant in the room finally dropped it’s cover and Ivan Gazidis will be leaving Arsenal to take control of AC Milan. The man who finally took over the club from the hands of Arsene leaves the moment more money arrived on the table.
I can understand that, we all change jobs. I’m changing mine right now, because of more money and the promise of a better tomorrow, but the reason Ivan leaves with a pinch of salt is the fact, that this is his project. He hired Raul, Sven and ultimately Emery. Now he leaves, before the projects even see THEIR first milestone.
We will not be appointing a new CEO right now and I can understand that for now. If hypothetically I was the new CEO I’d like to know that if I’m going down in flames, it will be with my own ideas. Ivan was given the chance to implement his own vision. One where the manager is not an all-powerful entity and so we hired a bunch of people, some of whom now rise up to the top of the hierarchy much sooner than expected.
Ultimately Ivan’s close to 10 year reign here should be judged on the success he brought to the club. The FA cups we won are just not enough for the potential this club has, with the amount of fans it has and the infrastructure in place. He failed to convince the Kroenkes that Wenger wasn’t cutting it anymore before we lost our CL spot. There was an actual time when the club needed 2 or 3 signings and a good manager to compete with Europe’s elite, but we missed it.
Remember Ivan said that we looked and couldn’t find better than Wenger, so although I won’t be missing him too much, it’s disappointing that everybody abandons ship. Which person will take responsibility if results don’t turn around? Stan K? We’re taking a new approach with a duo in charge having Raul Sanllehi as head of football and Vinai Venkatesham as a managing director.
Although Raul has overseen some of the greatest success of Barcelona, Arsenal is a whole different challenge, with a lot of obstacles in the way. Will he be able to take the challenge? Does he even speak the language? Then we have our former chief commercial officer, moving to the top of the food chain as well.
Looking at him, our kit deals haven’t been the best, although the Adidas one will be an improvement. Our sponsorship deals are also not the brightest ones, so it remains to be seen how this duo will work, considering one just recently joined the club and the other is not related to the footballing side at all.
This club is in a great mess. Arsene, Usmanov and now Ivan is leaving. This leaves the Kroenkes in absolute power. People who have taken over Arsenal for it’s financial potential, which can be even bigger than it is now, but they have no understanding of the traditions of our club, nor the sport it’s in. Worse, they aren’t even interested. It’s all about the money.
These structural changes affect the players no doubt. And our players aren’t known to have the greatest of mental strength. We’re not Chelsea, where the players drop their guns whenever they don’t like the manager and then rise back to be title contenders. Our mentality for the past decade has been one of averageness. The nearly men. We need a major rebuilding plan and the architect just left. But as ironically as it is, it’s not the greatest loss.
Whether the new people will do a better job is a major uncertainty. It’s not like we’re doing great on the pitch either. Despite striking some wins in a row, we’ve only beaten West Ham, Newcastle and Cardiff. Not the greatest bunch with all my respect. We have a manager who continuously tries to play Cech as a sweeper keeper when it clearly doesn’t work. We keep Torreira on the bench only to introduce him at half time to change the dynamics of the game, and we’re keeping faith in players like Bellerin and Mustafi who continue to make mistakes.
I hope that lessons will be learned. A lot of people (including myself) asked for change. For Wenger and Gazidis to be gone and they are. We’ll see where it goes from here. Right now we need to focus on improving the performances and delivering the results. If we keep getting the points, there will be less focus on what happens at the board level.
Konstantin.
I’m disappointed if I am honest.After years of seemingly accepting Wenger was bulletproof Gazidis eventually answered the prayers of the very vast majority of Arsenalfans and got the decrepit old man out.He had his back room staff in place and a new Manager that we hope will be successful but at least we have change.Why go to aClub in decline playing in a League nobody watches (because they stay at home and watch the Premiereship.
Well Ivan thank you for getting rid of Wenger.Now Just F**K OFF
Make you right Phil, Wasn’t he the guy that said “now the Emirates is paid for we’ll be able to compete with the big boys”, that showed you how much he really knew about Arsenal. Good riddance.
Kenny I’m disappointed in Gazidis.Just when he had it all in front of him to try and move the Club onwards and he does a runner on us.I For one believed his intentions and promises.He brought in HIS back room team to back up HIS Catylis For Change and then sell out to Milan for more money.OR.Does he know that Kronke will never open the purse strings to get us competing again?Sven M can’t be expected to pull a Dembele or Aubamayang out of the hat every time.Its investment in Top Talent that will move us upwards.£200m will get us 3 or 4 top players and realistically we need that every season for at least two or three years just to keep up with what’s in front of us.Did Gazidis finally realise this level of investment will never be forthcoming?
that is what the fans always wanted…to be the next city or psg….owners that constantly keep spending millions….
if fans want it this way..its better to start protesting instead of complaining…
I’m hardly complaining-just saying how it is.There isn’t a supporter of any Club that wishes we had the cash that Citeh and PSG have But we need to be realistic that this will not happen.
So answer me this-Let’s say Arsenal finish Eighth this Season.Knocked out of Europe early and both domestic cups.I don’t believe this is what will happen but let’s pretend it does.What Does Kronke do then?You will never get the Top Players to sign for a Club that’s not in Europe.Our Revenue is affected by lack of Merchandise sales.We would lose out on Commercial Revenue.Will you expect Kronke to do something?The value of his investment will be falling by the minute so something has to happen.
Kronke was the one who bought a seat at the Big Table.To stay there means investment.I trust the Management Team and Backroom Boys to keep us competitive but every Club who finished above us will strengthen (with the exception of those Pikeys who are Skint and now know what we went through).Not too many of our players will have Re-Sale value so there will not be much coming in that way.So what does Kronke do?Chelsea United and City will always outspend us.5pur2 will soon realise they should never have built their Toilet Bowl Stadium as they will be playing to half empty seats.
This leaves us.Do we settle for FIFTH place or do we have a go?Liverpool have sold well and bought well.They had a plan to improve and it’s definitely working.If our plan is to rely on Sven M to hopefully find us the next young team for the cost of a packet of peanuts then we are likely to find ourselves in an abyss that then becomes even harder to get out of.We don’t want to be there just to make up the numbers do we?I now hope Josh Kronke takes control and is at EVERY game.He will soon realise that be getting his old man to spend a few bob actually helps him.
As Kenny Rolfe says Ivan Gazidis told the “big lie” that once Arsenal paid for the Emirates, Arsenal could compete with the “big boys” and “rich kids” of the UK and Europe and could buy virtually any player available.
At least the “Trinity” of Raul, Sven and Unai left behind give some hope for the future, notwithstanding the private ownership issue with Stan Kroenke.
I’m not even bothered. No Seriously – Gazidis has done very little over the last 10 years and for the club, this is a welcomed change. The commercial aspect will be separated from the footballing aspect of the club and Sanllehi and Venkatesham will rip it up for sure. This now feels like a new era and I finally feel more positive. Sanllehi has a good enough understanding of what it takes to make a successful club on and off the pitch so I feel he will do a far better job. #COYG!!!
We already seen a difference in getting deals done quickly the moment Raul arrived, he done Gazidas job for him. We seen Gazidas and sometimes Wenger traveling to get deals done but they’d make a mess of it, along with Dick Law. Dein was good at that stuff as well as everything else he had on his plate, Gazidas was not. Raul already is a better choice if you ask me. Other than English, Spanish would be the most spoken language in European football with allot of S Americans speaking it too.
Good points mate.
Gazidis kept on saying how we had enough money to compete yet somehow that money never showed! I think he was being subotaged by the system. Maybe the 50M given in this window proved to him that even with Wenger (one of the contributors of arsenal’s lack of growth) gone, it would still be difficult to achieve growth. I don’t blame him, he did us well and left a “strong” team incharge, unlike you know who who left an impotent mediocre team
you forgot to add “unbalanced”
Konstantin stop your negativity pal.Let’s Emry at least have a year in charge we will see then. Agree about Kroenke though.He has to SPEND.
pires, old pal, Konstantin is just being realistic and truthful, not negative. The truth is that right now the actual business people in charge – not the football people- have not the slightest real interest in glory for our club. THAT is realism, not negativity. There is a key difference, as being realistic means you speak the truth, not a dream fable merely in your own mind. Realistic fans help the club, while fable dreamers set us back by ignoring reality and pretending things are not as they really are. Realism is also maturity. Dreamers are comparative children.
Who knows reasons (plural) Gazidis left. Perhaps he knew he wouldn’t have power he thought he would, or would have same financial restrictions Wenger had.
Now that Stan Kronke has total power, merely look at his other teams. I guess Josh Kronke will soon be on his way to London to “oversee” the club.
New kit deal plus player sales will be our new transfer kitty each year, and top 4 is primary goal.
Kronke said he didn’t get involved to win titles, and we have seen for a decade he’s unwilling to spend and compete for the title.
What remains to be seen is if he is even willing to spend to compete for 4th place. I think he has done everything to avoid spending top money for top players.
1. Got best scout Sven to find gems cheap
2. Got Raul, argueable the best
3. Coach Emery who won Europa 3 times to backdoor way into Champions League.
I don’t mean to slight the 3 individuals above, just my opinion based on his ownership style at Arsenal and his other franchises.
How long before we start selling off our top players again? Stan is a mug, and already said they aren’t selling the club, err piggy bank.
Goodbye transparency, goodbye supporters meetings, and goodbye to ambitious ownership.
Hopefully board gets the cold shoulder fans have gotten, it’s what they deserve.
Sorry for the negativity, but I’ve seen Kronke over here for nearly 20 years, and it ain’t magic reading the tea leaves.
I’ll eat my hat if we win the title in the next decade.
Durand, as you continue to point out and I support, Stan Kroenke’s history in sporting team ownership in the USA and for the last 10 years as the major shareholder at Arsenal FC, do not make one confident of future successful onfield performance.
Durand, I have already made two licorice hats!
Durand Your post tells the truth. If that is being negative, which I don’t believe , then it just goes to show how some fans prefer living in a fools paradise and pretending all is fine and that we will win every time. REALISM TELLS IT LIKE IT IT, WARTS AND ALL. THAT WAY, WE GET THE TRUTH AND BEFORE ANY TEAM CAN EVER IMPROVE, WE HAVE TO KNOW EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE. Not where fable dreamers would like us to be and as if realists too would not want to win every game, which of course we do. But we realists start from where we actually are, not from where fable dreamers dreams stupidly fool them we are. Truth is realsim and helps our club. Dreamers live in fantasy land and harm our club. It needs saying, though clearly NOT to you.
Jon Fox I appreciate you seeing the situation as I do. If one sheds the rose tinted glasses and truly looks at the situation as it is, rather than how we would like to see it, then realism sets in.
Kronke runs a BUSINESS; not a club or a team. One only has the evidence on hand to go by. His decade in charge of Arsenal, and his decades in charge of other sports franchises.
Nothing he has done has shown either ambition or love of his “holdings.” His statement about not in it for titles should open everyone’s eyes to the true and “realistic” state of our club.
I stand with you sir on realism, rather than bury my head in the sand and pretend titles are around the corner with him in charge.
I would argue we are realists not negative, and negative comments will not sway or deter me.
Hear, Hear, with knobs on! We fellow realists must band together and convince the dreamers to come to our side. Both Realists and dreamers obviously want to do all we can for Arsenal ; on that we are, of course, as one. BUT dreamers are the clubs enemy and such as Kroenke can get away to a great extent with providing mediocrity PRECISELY because they KNOW the vast majority of fans, at all clubs, are dreamers and will always come back , again and again for more punishment, thus keeping those clubs from doing better, by NOT DEMANDING more investment. At the very least all clubs SHOULD be owned by owners who are actual fans of that club. It is noteworthy that ONLY WHEN tens of thousands of fans who had already paid , BUT stayed away regularly that FINALLY got the silent, absent owner to take long overdue action and sack WENGER( yes they dressed it up as a resignation, but we realists are not called realists for nothing. We KNOW HE WAS SACKED). Actions work; mere words without action are easily brushed aside. Finally, I urge all true realists not to be deterred by dreamers who confuse negativity with realism. They are opposites in fact, realists make those in charge take action; dreamers only keep on dreaming of that needed action. Realism is positive!!!
What a load of rubbish.
Snowden, what exactly do you find “a load of rubbish?”
I think personally, he left for money, power and the realisation that it was his backside now completely and utterly in the firing line.
He wasn’t strong enough mentally to stay and preside over the “house that Ivan built”, now it seems that another Kronkie might just fill the void.
If ever a man has shown his true colours, then Gazidis has done that with this decision. He has also misled the club, the manager, playersand the fans, so good riddance to someone who I never trusted.
This is one of those times Jon, when you and I DO agree on something and it will be very interesting to see what the Official Arsenal Statement comes out with.
Emery must be wondering just what he has let himself in for, especially as we were led to believe that he was the personal choice of Gazidis.
I think he is a strong enough individual, from what we have seen so far, to rise above all the shambolic mess this creates.
The ongoing saga continues to unravel and nothing suprises me anymore.
I just wonder if the Ramsey saga might now be resolved in a speedy way?
??
Ken, though YOU don’t need telling , for sure,on Gazidis we have ALWAYS BEEN in total agreement. He was always a snake; a career man and we now see the proof of this by him decamping to Milan for more money and power. David Dein could NEVER have done the same, as his heart and soul, unlike the snake’s, was always in our club. We are far better without Gazidis, so it is a step in the right direction, though by no means a cure all to our problems. As a realist, ALWAYS, I know better than to fool myself into believing that todays player generation are actual fans of whatever club they play for, (though a few will always be so) but to remain healthy it is vital that those who own clubs should be true supporters. CEO’s too! Seems to me that Liverpools American owners are now true fans of the club they are so actively re-powering. The proof is in the pudding.
Agree with every word you say, Konstantin
Look on the bright side Kon, spurs just lost to two late goals to Inter.
Gazidis leaving won’t harm us much and certainly not as much as the eff all he did for 9 years before being ordered to sack Wenger having been kissing his arse for all that time.
Was just about to point that out Spuds lose 3 in a row still half our fans think there miles ahead of us and we win 3 in a row and were still crap and before the doubters get the kick in it doesnt matter who your playing you can lose weather its inter or crawley makes no difference.
We are looking better as each game goes on and spuds are not which in all our books is great news.
To prove my point look at Napoils result against a team we played last year with reserves.
Sanhelli speaks fluent English. He studied in the states and worked with Nike for years
Gazidiz came in during the last
years of the Ferguson dynasty
the Abramovich era at Chelsea
and the Sheikh Mansour era at Man City.
The PL landscape changed so significantly that Gazidiz oversaw
the club’s transition from title contender to the 4th place sustainability model.
An owner who had no serious ambitions about winning the league
a manager who could not keep up with the title contenders
and a fan base who preferred to wallow in the fog of past glories.
8 years in the top 4 is a creditable record but a second year in the Europe league,
the sacking of the Manager, the clear out of deadwood players, Usmanov selling
meant the old guard were all leaving. The complete buy out by
the unpopular Kroenke was the last straw because Stans son Josh
is likely to become CEO or at least a major player.
Ivan like Wenger was probably pushed but has been given a dignified exit.
A new manager and a new player purchasing team signals a new era at the club.
Ivan can hold his head up as he was a consistent CEO during challenging times.
Best of luck to him a loyal foot soldier.
Who can be the new inspiring face of Arsenal?
The invisible Stan? Josh? Unai? Ramsey?
Guendouzi 🙂
Gazidis? A” loyal foot soldier”? Loyalty to what or whom exactly , I would ask? How odd that two keen fans can perceive things so differently. To my mind, any “loyalty ” he ever showed was to his career, money, his own advancement and by sucking up to our avaricious and absent owner for so long , before, ONLY, those LOYAL season ticket holders, who finally could take no more of WENGER AND LACK OF PLAYER INVESTMENT STAYED AWAY, thus forcing Wengers long overdue exit. Gazidis is a snake and about as loyal as one; in others words, not at all. Goiod riddance to him! I will bet you we will never see GAZIDIS standing outside the ground with friends before kick off. But we DO see DAVID DEIN doing so, regularly. Now THAT is true loyalty!
Now the most important person at Arsenal is Sanllehi same tasks he carried out at Barcelona was to go out and get some good players asap and since we have a single owner single voice that’s great too – I am pretty sure we will have wonderful January transfer window to begin with towards next summer and next Arsenal board needs to go
A lot of it depends on Kroenke. It’s not like Gazidis didn’t want to spend cash.
Gazidis was pretty much on corporate side but when you talk about football and who to bring in or sell Sanllehi is your guy pretty close to Dein
?
And nobody denied what Sir Ken Friar did for the Club but him and his entire board members who are too old they need to go and I hope Kroenke see that too it’s been a waste of time and too much drama
Lets face it though – if you went into a job you had no experiecne of and were told there is this bufoon that messes up anything you do. You would say no.
Unless that was your foot in the door. Then all of a sudden Arsene is tolerable. All Gazidis did was get his foot in the door under a Wenger regime that fed off medicority. Can’t blame him for that. Wilshere has a phat contract off that while not contributing to his new team which js based on an Arsenal game that doesn’t mention the true facts of the outcome of that game. Ramsey will go somewhere else and get a King’s contract off being a Wenger discovery even though he is wack except for that one season.
Don’t believe me – Gervinho was not only considered a footballer but respected as one because Wenger got him. He flopped hard while they said they got a bargain. That is what Gazidis had to deal with. Not best for my club – NO. But props on the environmemt you had to work in….
Agree. There was definitely a lot of bafoonery going on behind the scenes that hindered Gazidis. But how long did he play up to Wenger? FAR too long when it was obvious ages ago Wenger was a direction going nowhere. Gazidis was part of the culture that led to our mediocrity. Yes, at the end he was part of the reason Wenger finally lost his power, but things were rotten way before we lost 10-2 to Bayern and Gazidis should’ve been putting more pressure on AW LONG before that. Good riddens he’s gone. Good luck Milan.
Because Wenger was Arsenal for a long time. For so long we were made to believe that our club didn’t exist without him. Yet it is not the case. For all that is said about our club – Emery is doing what Wenger couldn’t towards his last season which is win a game away from home. Emery lost two games to opposition which we would have anyway and that is the standard he us judged by because he as the mammoth task of unravelling whay Wenger did. We are no worse off than a club thag was being tipped for winning the league. We are no worse than a club thay didn’t ‘sign an outfield player’.
But some clubs don’t get a pass by go and collect a £200 for that. I am certainly no fan of Gazidis. But I do appreciate that this job that he did was never going to be a success. Just the same way that Emery is just another scapegoat in un-Arsenfying us. He won’t be the one that did it because the squad is too damaged but it is now a case of de-arsenifying this club and maybe it is a good thing Gazidis is gone because he never really got what he wanted but now Arsene is gone and we can move on from that whole situation.
I am afraid of the complete american influence happening to us now. Football matters wont be priority at this club that i can tell.
Wenger was first, Gazidis is second, Kronke should follow!