Unfortunately, as fans we are like a blind man who stands in the street. He can feel the type of ground he is standing on. He knows what the weather is like. He is able to tell if the street is busy or quiet with people and road traffic, but he doesn’t know, and without his sight will never know the detail of his general impression of what is around him.
If there were five blind people in the street and you asked them what they knew of the street, I would think there replies would be more or less the same but each one would have his or her opinion as to what was really happening and each would be different.
As a blind fan this is my general understanding of how Arsenal has functioned and now functions.
Starting at the top like many clubs ‘The Board’ who in the past had little football knowledge. This shows when it comes to choosing a manager. Most clubs had this situation. Arsenal were a touch lucky because in its Chairman Sir Henry Norris, weary of the worst and losing money hand over fist, went out one day and came back with the best in the land, Herbert Chapman, and in doing so gave birth to a long, long held policy of the club. The Board appoint a manager and they leave the manager to manage.
All works well when success sweeps around the ground. The Board, like the fans, can sup their pints of happiness. But if the Board doesn’t know its football better than the fans when losing becomes the play of the game, the club is in trouble.
Back in the fifties this is exactly what happened to Arsenal. The was no Sir Henry Norris to bring home ‘the winner’. just a board hoping ‘Luck’ would find the right man.
In desperation they turned to the Physio who became what we know today as ‘Director of Football’ Two coaches came, and we reached the ‘heights’. Unfortunately, the second coach like the first one left and Bertie Mee (the Director of Football) couldn’t find a third of the same ability.
The Board were back in the centre of attention and ‘Hands on’ instead of their preferred ‘hands off’. For Bertie Mee it was third time unlucky, for the Board third time lucky for they opened their bedroom (sorry boardroom) door one morning and there was the answer to their dream. The man who gave us ‘One nil, to the Arsenal’
By this time the name ‘David Dein’ had been attached to the club and was attempting to drive Arsenal forward. He did.
How he came to the club is more or less for all to see the true details as to why he left is beyond our sight.
The Board (by this time an ageing Board) it would seem had no descendants to pass on their ownership of the Arsenal fame. What to do? Strange as it may seem there weren’t that many about willing to spend a pound or two and buy the club.
So, it was a choice of Rouble or Dollar?
They chose the man who promised to keep to the Arsenal Tradition of never ever interfering with the football side of the club.
So, he doesn’t.
For all we blind fans know, he wasn’t asked to promise that Arsenal were always fighting to be the best.
So, he doesn’t.
Did he promise the Board not to line his many pockets with Arsenal money? We don’t know!
So he does, or maybe so he doesn’t take money from the club? But if so, how much?
Like a blind person in the street we have some idea of what is happening at the club but we can’t see the detail and that is my frustration.
Snowden
Sorry to go OT, but… it’s match day! Our first pre-season game – yes a lot of youngsters, but they are the future, plus we’ll see the new kit! Only bummer is.. being shown on Premier Sports!!
Declan, are you going??
Morning sue do you think we will win glad the kids or playing because that’s all we got for the moment
Hi Thomas…it won’t be 8-0 like last season, that’s for sure!!
Be close, maybe just scrape a win??
Saka, Willock and the others aren’t playing, so they’ll be off to the good old U S of A with the 1st team – which will be good… hopefully we’ll see a lot more of them next season!!
Awesome need some football you’ll be able to watch on hes goal.com
Hi Sue, no can’t make it back to my old hometown today but it is on Arsenal.com from 2.55 pm today.
Looking forward to seeing how the young uns are progressing.
Why don’t we all just go through the Arsenal financials on the official club website and put to bed this notion Kroenke is siphoning money out of the club? I will admit having a disinterested Kroenke as our owner is not exactly a boost, but the real problem at this club was Gazidis and Wenger. We got rid of them, stopped the rot. Now getting back to the top where we truly belong will take time but am confident with or without Kroenke, this great club can be glorious again.. but first we must undo all the mistakes made by the previous regime.
Spot on! This is what some fans don’t seem to realise. Look how good Liverpool have been over the last 4/5 years, yet we have spent almost the same as them, and paid more in wages I think, and that was with Wenger/Gazidis missing out on hundreds of millions by letting players run down contracts, and giving out crazy contracts, etc. We missed out on around £200 million just on Ramsey, Ozil, and Sanchez, let alone the rest! We could have easily spent £300 million more than Liverpool over the last 4/5 years if it wasn’t for the previous regime.
Even with those two gone, it’s still going to take a long time to sort the mess out they left. Not one year as some fans think. I think we might have to wait another 2 years at least, to really clear the mess up, and see a new Arsenal.
Hi Snowden
But it is possible to study Satan Kroenke’s character and business methods in great detail. There are multiple US sites etc that really go into detail about how he operates and a whole lot more. We are only blind if we don’t investigate. As far as Kroenke is concerned we can be ignorant, if we choose, or can see him as clearly as 20/20 vision if we start to examine and study him. We are far from blind if we put our selves out a bit and study his big picture.
I hate to comment without first checking out my facts, but wasn’t there a story a few years back about Kroenke paying himself a million pounds through his KSE business? I think it was for “services to Arsenal” or something similar. Until we see a massive investment in the team, on a par with the top 6 teams, Arsenal will continue to flounder.
I have a question for the Arsenal fans who regularly attend matches and events:
How often does Silent Stan, attend matches/give interviews/state his ambitions/intentions for the club?
He’s only there a couple of times a season and doesn’t do interviews but then again nor does Abramavich and most other owners.
Roman Abramovich invested a small fortune in Chelsea especially on the field. He obviously loves Chelsea. Does Kroenke love Arsenal? I’ll answer that……..No! Portfolio owner…?
Snowden, I applaud your writing style and also the content of this fascinating article. There is so much more to add but perhaps you would care to add some more articles of your own, fleshing out your interesting comments. I would add, this is one of the very best articles on here for some considerable time. You have clearly been following our club for a considerable time, as I have too and many others. I would love to know more of your individual story and how and exactly when you became a Gooner etc.