Josh Kroenke speaks on naming Freddie Ljungberg as the new Arsenal manager and sends message to club’s fans
Arsenal’s non-executive director Josh Kroenke has been speaking to the club about the recent developments around the Emirates and he had a few things to say to Freddie Ljungberg and the players.
Arsenal have had to deal with a number of on-field and off-field issues recently the most high-profile of which was the recent sacking of Unai Emery and the temporary appointment of Freddie Ljungberg as their new manager.
He spoke to the club’s official website on a number of issues that he was asked to speak about.
On naming Freddie Ljungberg as the new manager, he said via Arsenal.com:
“First and foremost Freddie has Arsenal DNA. Obviously he was a player here for a number of years, the supporters know him very well and he’s worked diligently behind the scenes for the past several years, including the last year and a half or so with Arsenal again.
“So it’s been great to have him around, he knows the club’s DNA and we feel he is the right person in the moment to take the club forward.”
He also had a message to Ljungberg and the Arsenal squad:
My message to Freddie and the players was let’s get back to basics and most importantly let’s get back to having some fun.
“I think footballers are at their best when I see smiles on their faces and going out there and winning matches. That’s a winning formula to me.”
If Arsenal can win their game against Norwich, that would be the perfect start for Ljungberg and perhaps the team can get the fans back behind them again.
If that does not happen then the full focus of the fans will be on the board. They are the ones that made the decision to hire Emery. They are the ones that took too long to fire him.
I don’t know what others think, bit personally I think Josh is trying a lot to make things work in this club.
I was glad to see him at the training ground having heart to heart talks with the players and Freddie.
Slowly he’s earning my trust.
He’s been trying to relate with the fans, and he’s putting a lot into correcting stuffs.
Seems like a guy trying hard to me
It is an encouraging sign. Let’s hope it’s not just a cynical flag-waving exercise to keep the fans onside.
Eddie I hope you are right and do see distinct effort, esp when compared to his hopeless, couldn’t care less, father. But you need to be around the club constantly, even daily as Dein was. You cannot hope to run a club our size while living, mostly, on a different continent. BUT MORE THAN THAT, YOU NEED TO BE A MAN WHOSE HEART IS IN THE CLUB. Abramovitch IS a true Chelsea fan, despite his resident problems and even he has trouble by living abroad.
Good intentions can only take you so far Eddie. You need personal passion for anything you truly love if it is ever to have a hope of real success. There are parallels in families; if you don’t truly love your wife/ partner or vice versa, it has not a hope in hell of lasting long term. Passion is passion and business is business but you need BOTH to be a true success. Josh is, lets face facts, his fathers son and that says it ALL to me, at least.
Jon Josh so far is clearly he’s nothing like his father.
While his father was in charge, did you ever see him respond to fans or bother interacting with fans?
Soon as Josh became in charge stuffs are changing, he interacts with the fans more, he sticks to his words, so far he’s doing his best. Thing is I don’t expect him to turn A Dein or Abrahamovic overnight that’s why I said I love the fact he’s doing something
Yes “something” is true. We may disagree about what substance that “something” contains though Eddie. Fine words are a start and I agree on that. Apart from which, being a far younger man he is bound to sound more in touch than his 70 year old totally absent and silent father. But merely saying the right things but without true action ( and that lack of true action because you and your absent Dad care more for money than the club and its fans) is next to useless. Worse in some respects because it fools some fans that you really care. Just like Gazidis, the con man supreme , fooled some fans with his constant lies and deceptions. I repeat Eddie, I was not born yesterday and have been around lifes block many times. I need action, not words, to convince me And there are countless thousands like me, many of them far younger but still worldly wise. I repeat, I HOPE I AM WRONG. IT IS JUST THAT I DON’T BELIEVE I WILL BE , SADLY!
I would have to agree!
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I love how Josh Kroenke talks about ‘Arsenal DNA’.
The Kroenke’s have no idea about Arsenal DNA and the history of the club, you can hear it when they speak. They have no idea! This is just a business venture for them.
Sadly, I agree. It is easy to learn the business of saying the right things but UNLESS you have REAL PASSION, it is just language and betrays your lack of real care, save for its investment value. I think Josh is a Kroenke and money worshipper to his core and am not fooled by clever, tricky, designed to fool(Gazidis style), mere language. I was not born yesterday and nor were most of use. Some were it seems, metaphorically speaking.
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What would you have loved to hear him say?
I don’t even know what Arsenal DNA is, and I don’t care about it that much. All I care about is the players, coaches, and everyone at the club giving it their best every time.
Give Josh some slack, he can’t make everyone happy
“Say”? I want him to DO things, not merely SAY them. Action ,makes things happen. Talk merely fools the non worldly wise that you will do something. Words without action NEVER fool me nor many, many other clued up folk either.
PR stunt….