Stan Kroenke’s Rams have just played in the Superbowl final. If Arsenal were to qualify for the Champions League, it would be a progressive year for the American – which is a scary thought. While he’s deemed a success in his homeland him thinking he’s making progress in sports is the opposite to what most Gooners want.
At a time when fan groups are discussing how to get our owner to show more ambition, him sitting across the Atlantic thinking his business model is working would be bad news for our future. Losing in a final is fine for the Rams, unlike us, he’s actually put his own money into that franchise.
Arsenal finishing in the top 4 or winning the Europa League could be the equivalent of feeding a monster. Why would he think about releasing more funds, if after a season of criticism he ends up with the added revenue that comes with being in Europe’s elite competition? He’s hardly going to insist next January to not simply loan players if in his own mind his action plan works. So, I’m fairly torn.
The football fan in me wants us to lift the Europa League and or finish in the top 4. My head says, though, it will just make it harder to make our owner reconsider the direction he’s taken us in. The bigger profit he makes, the longer we stagnate. It’s not like Champions League money will change the budget, for the majority of his tenure he witnessed Champions League nights, yet that income went straight into the bank.
We have a month coming up which could shape which way our campaign goes but is success just making us richer and therefore bad for our future? It is clear we have become a club who don’t need success to make millions, the TV deal alone means Mr Kroenke hasn’t panicked after us finishing 6th last season. Only by being hurt in the wallet will he consider selling his shares.
So, being in the Champions League is good for him, but will it change anything for us fans?
Dan Smith