Is Stan the Man For Arsenal?
So the Goonerverse is alive with the news that Enos Stanley Kroneke (KRON-key) is set to become the majority owner of Arsenal after buying out the shares of the ailing Danny Fiszman and the for sale (for a while) shares of Lady Bracewell-Smith.
It was the deteriorating health of Fiszman – a man beloved by Arsenal fans that prompted the haste at which this was done. Fiszman’s sons have no desire to have a life in Football so unlike Peter Hill-Wood and Bracewell-Smith there was no legacy to take over his shares. Which left them open for purchase possibly by Alisher Usmanov, the Russian tycoon noone at Arsenal wants around.
So with all haste this developed. But the real question is this – is this a good move for Arsenal? Is a move away from the shared ownership group to one of a single man the best direction. Frankly my opinion varies day to day. The problem is – it is really to early to gauge what impact Stan’s running the club will have.
We can try and go off what we know of Stan. His company KES is majority owner of the St. Louis Rams and he is also owner of the MLS Colorado Rapids, Colorado Avalanche and the Denver Nuggets. Mark Kizzla of the Denver Post once said this about Stan in relationship to his ownership style
. . . and simply appearing to be cheap (Stan Kroenke’s Avalanche and Nuggets). Isn’t it fair to question whether Kroenke is simply spread too thin in terms of interest with all the teams he has ownership of?
It seems like a fair question. If he has ownership in all these companies and if he is an active owner – where does his attention lie? He seems to have little interest in beefing up the ailing Rams. TheAvalanche Yo-Yo from bottom of their Western conference to around 6th place every other year. The Nuggets always look dangerous but never do too much. The only real winner he has is the Colorado Rapids.
People are praising Stan for his influence in bringing Ivan Gazidis to the club. I have a fundamental problem with that – I think Ivan is part of the problem at the club. He does not provide the necessary leadership the club needs to move beyond its current station – also rans. We are a great team who needs a great executive and Ivan Gazidis is not it. If that’s Stan’s influence i wonder.
Fans are also on about Stan’s statement he does not intend to purchase the additional shares through leveraged debt ala Hicks and Gillette and the Glazers at United. Right now that seems pretty good but as the Guardian today suggests there is no gurantee that this will stay that way. There is nothing in the plan to say pay back KES through leveraged debt at a later time. The only thing that would prohibit him from doing so would be if Usmanov does not sell his shares. If Usmanov doesn’t sell than Stan would basically be in charge of the day to day but large wholescale decisions would have to be made with the remaining share holder – i.e., Usmanov.
All in all it is an exciting development and does allow us all to speculate what may be. For us over in the states it brings hope that the Arsenal will be coming over to our shores for a summer tour at some point. There is nothing more dreadful than hearing that United are coming back for the summer. Having Arsenal on our shores would certainly open the doors to possibly thousands to millions more fans. That sound of cha ching is music to Arsenal’s ears.
But overall I don’t expect much to change. after many protestations, Peter hill-Wood and Danny Fiszman’s relented to his being on the board. In time it seems they found someone kindered to their own mindset of how the club should be run. It made sense then when Usmanov made his move that Kroneke was given a seat on the board as opposed to the Russian.
I don’t think the board would’ve allowed him a seat on the board if it didn’t in some way think he was going to carry on the traditions of prudence at the club. That being said of course, much like the debt issue, once in charge Kroneke is free to do as he pleases – to an extent. There is the issue of Usmanov still out there.
Additionally, Stan seems to be getting kind treatment from Fan groups especially the Arsenal Supporters Trust who were invited to meet with Stan in Colorado. In their letter back to Stan they said they were encouraged by statements to honour the traditions of the club.Since their interet is the fans – and rightly so though – the AST supports ownership of not one person but of a group (at least it seems that way).
So there is enough good will right now and any negatives are muted by the fact that there could finally be a silverlining in the leadership make up of the club.There are even reports of David Dein returning to Arsenal. Thought I think that’s unlikely. Even though Dein was responsible for introducing the board to Stan, David Dein is now part of Red & White Holdings – the group headed by Alisher Usmanov. Either way the prospect of Wenger’s foil back at the club is a promising detail we shall all have to watch.
Admittedly, I am interested in this development and I can see the positives. I also see some negatives that make me want to hold judgement on this. Really, I probably won’t know my true feelings on it until I start to see some ripple effects of his stewardship of the club. And that’s all it is – he is a steward of the club on behalf of the fans. Arsenal fans are well entrenched in the wall of the Emirates and were at Highbury – hopefully Stan respects that and gives the fans what they want – a return to the glory years.
By the way – we won on Sunday – Arsenal 3 Blackpool 1.
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The news of Danny Fiszman’s death underlines the importance of his shares being sold quickly. Reports had mentioned decline of his health but I didn’t realize that meant just 2 days in between his shares being sold and his passing. So in a sense Arsenal was his last order of business.
You know this sums up everything I think about the Stan deal. Especially in light of some people saying this is some sort of revolution. It comes from Football365:
“The emergence of Stan Kroenke as Arsenal’s prospective new owner has been welcomed by many. Indeed, The Times praised his management of his various American ‘sports franchises’ and an Arsenal statement referred to his “proven track record of successful long-term investment in sport”.
And it seems that Kroenke and Arsenal could well be a perfect fit. After all, his Denver Nuggets basketball team have never won the NBA, his Colorado Avalanche ice hockey team last won the Stanley Cup in 2001, while his St Louis Rams silly rugby team last won the Super Bowl in 1999. Sure, the Colorado Rapids did win the MLS Cup last season, but they only finished fifth in their ‘Conference’, which we think is American for ‘division’.
Still, he has apparently run all those teams with careful financial prudence. Revolution is in the air.”
@DaAdminGooner,
Luckily we’ll find out soon enough.
@Fred, I’ll be glad we take our chances with someone NEW.
and I still say its LIKELY Arsenal are playing in the US either this Summer or next.
This is the type of comment that makes my blood boil.
Denilshit is at it AGAIN ….
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Denilson-says-Chelsea-target-Willian-would-be-perfect-for-Arsenal-article722619.html
He is “recommending” a player for Arsenal !!!!!!!!!
The “best” part is when he says (about Willian):
— “Willian will be perfect for Arsenal. I know him well from the Brazil team and he has a real winning mentality”.
The sheer irony of Denilshit talking about “real winning mentality” or the audacity of a twerp like him to “recommend” a player should not obscure the fact the guy is plain faced LYING by claiming “he knows him well from the Brazil team”!
Hahahahahaha!!!
@Fred,
Has anyone heard J.S. Park (or ANY Man U player) talk about “MENTAL STRENGTH” or some other garbage in the press.
Yet, in the CRUNCH, against a solid opponent, in a CL QF, you have the players digging in deep and getting it done. Arsenal would have completely folded after that Drogba goal yesterday.
I fully expect a host of Wenger players to come out to talk about their “mental strength” before the Liverpool game!
Alas the ONLY people who talk about it are those who dont have it.
@Fred,
Denilson is hardly one to identify talent for Arsenal. He should worry about his crap performances and where he is getting his next meal from when the season ends.
I really don’t like him.
If you read his whole statement he went on to say they played together on the Junior Brazilian team.
That still doesn’t mean he is no longer Denilshit. But give him a break.
@Caribkid,
No where in the article did he say “junior”. Also, Denilson never played on the same team with Willian in the brief time he was in the youth teams.
I don’t give him a break, because as a disastrous player he has absolutely NO RIGHT to be speaking about such matters. His comment just shows he is completly oblivious to how useless he really is – and that is a shame. I have also found his comments to correlate strongly with Arsenal losses in subsequent games.
He is totally happy being in the top 2 percentile of salary earners in Brazil. He doesn’t have to play another game as long as he get’s paid for the next 4 years.
After that he can go back to Brazil, play for a local club team, start a charity and be a regional hero.
In the meantime, no other club will pay him the kind of wages he earns. Thus Fred, he will be around for sometime to come. Why do you think Gavin Hoyte is still on our books although he has not played a game for us in over 3 years. Salary “equality” at work as per the Professor.
@Caribkid,
Sadly true.
And not top 2% in the Brazil. Top 2% in the entire WORLD!
There are only a little over a 100 players earning more than the likes of Denilson and the vast majority play for Arsenal, Chelsea, Man U, Man City, Barca, Madrid, Milan, Inter.
With Liverpool, Bayern, Roma, Juve sharing probably less than 10 of those.
Only 2 players in Germany, Robben and Ribery earn Denilson’s 60kpw. Absolutely no other players in Europe or the rest of the world earns that much outside the above named. A lot of people are shocked when they hear this.
So yeah, Denilson will be very hard to budge.
@Caribkid, which is why I think someone should take into account the financial losses incured by Arsenal for paying constantly injured and under performing players. It is easy to look at transfer fees as a measure for financial balancing but Arsenal have not gotten true value for what they have paid for the current crop. You would think someone with a degree in economics would recognize this but an ego gets in the way. Someone in the board should have been concerned but turned away. Maybe a new owner would look at the books carefully and might wonder who is Amaury Bischoff? :)
1) We could easily lose or draw to Liverpool this weekend. If we play them the way we played against Blackpool last week we will definitely be shedding tears after the game as we drop out of contention for the last remaining title.
2) Arsenal will easily make at least 10M off a US tour. Can’t see the Board denying that. We will definitely play the Rapids and most likely the Red Bulls.
3) One good thing about Kroenke is that he brought in an Australian trainer for the Nuggets who reduced injuries by over 60% the past 3 years. Basketball musculature is very similar to Football and we may be able to import their techniques which includes no heavy weights, high resistance stretching, fat in the diet for energy and stamina, and reduced exercise loads during the season to rest muscles.
@Caribkid
Agree with all three points, though I’m more positive about the most pressing one, (getting three points vs Liverpool)…..
‘Pool do look reinvigorated with Daglish at the helm and Suarez, Carroll, Meireles and even Kuyt have enough quality to trouble a City team that seems to feel secure with its league position. Losing Tevez and letting the big guy with the pony tail score from distance (on the same play) sucked the air out of the MNF (Monday Night Football) and made me miss Dandy Don (Meredith) singing "Turn out the Lights (the Party’s Over)”….
However, Liverpool should likewise be buoyed by their prospects for next season and how they’ve secured Europa football after plumbing the depths earlier in the year. We have to hope that Sneezy and Djourou are truly fit and that their size (and ability) will nullify the threat of Carroll. Hopefully our other defenders can limit Suarez and Meireles (and the rest) given more solidity in the center. Though ‘Pool looked good against City, they really do miss the speed of thought and play that a healthy Steven Gerrard provided in years past. And their defense (untested by City) is poor. Going forward we looked better with the likes of Cesc (finally almost healthy?), RVP, Theo, Nasri and Diaby (frustration harnessed by Cesc on the pitch, RVP in the dressing room). I’d be surprised to see Andrey starting, but maybe he has psychological value against the Scouse….
Many pundits argue that boardroom activities mean nothing to the players but I think (hope) that’s wrong, at least in this case. I expect a re-invigorated home support and our (fat-cat) players feeling a hair more pressure to show that they deserve their contracts under the watchful eyes (and ‘stache) of the Silent One. I’m probably grasping at straws (of hope–as is my wont) but I’d say we NEED a dominant performance (and result) in front of the “highest paying home support in all of Europe” given that United will be our next guests….
At the very least, fingers crossed…..
Our major problem is at DM. Wilshre, Ramsey, Denilshit and Diaby have yet to prove they either understand the position or have the physical requirements.
The movement of Kuyt, Suarez, Meireles and Carrol will cause severe problems without an anchoring DM.
@Caribkid, Sorry, but I don’t go in for calling any of our players (or the manager, or the fans) bad names….Clever acronyms, perhaps….
From what I have seen, I really don’t think the term “defensive midfielder” is in the lexicon at AFB, at least not in the classic, Gilberto, Yaya Toure way (Song or Diaby, physically at least, however, maybe could fit that mold). Instead we look to small skiilled players who are there to provide outlets (offense/possession IS defense) but not score goals and maybe have a strong foot (for longer passes and FKs)–I’m thinking of Xabi Alonso or Claude Makelele. In this mold, perhaps we have young Jack who maybe can surpass what Flamini gave us….Denilson, for me at least, lacks the physicality (defending/tackling skills) and intelligence. Whatever offensive skills he does possess are getting further muted the longer he plays for us. Frankly, I think (hope) he will be gone over the summer (to appease the rabble, and pronounce the glory of the new owner? maybe?….) Ramsey, more of an AM–i.e. more likely to score but prone to giveaways, unfortunately, will have to work his way back into the squad next season via cup matches and occasional outings against lesser teams.
So, indeed it is a weak spot, but hopefully we can (like we did in our best home match of the year, vs Chelsea) “defend from the front” and outscore Liverpool….
In team news both Szczesny and Djourou are practicing with the squad this week. Both could be part of the team from Sunday’s match against Liverpool.
And I wouldn’t be lying if I didn’t say after watching them against City – they worry me.
@DaAdminGooner,
So wait… they do worry you right? (The double-negative is throwing me off.)
@ChicagoGooner,
everyone is a critic or an editor – – – lol-
Yes I cannot deny the King Kenny effect on Pool. Though they still strike me as being inconsistent – one week they look like World Beaters the next – not so much. Frankly, I think the top 4 will be restored to its rightful pecking order next season.
@DaAdminGooner,
“Frankly, I think the top 4 will be restored to its rightful pecking order next season.”
Agreed.
Parity!!
:-D
@DaAdminGooner, I am just glad this game is not at Anfield.
@Sachin,
Me too
and the ARSENAL SUPPORTERS TRUST won’t be selling their shares… and keeping a stake in the club.
LOVE IT.
I am sure Wenger can’t wait to face some additional questioning of his team and his performance after the season.
:) :yes:
If there is one thing we know about Kroenke, is that he is fiscally very responsible and astute. None of his sporting collections are unprofitable.
And yes, he is a self made man through real estate even before marrying into the Walton’s billions.
His other trademark seems to be an ostensible lack of intrusion into the every day “sporting” operations of his ventures. Instead, he appoints those who he deems fit to run the operational side of things as long as they conform to his fiscal standards.
I don’t see much changing in the short term at Arsenal, but at some point in the near future Arsene has to produce or be sent to the pastures. Unlike US sporting franchises, the EPL has no revenue sharing, anti-trust exemptions or owner monopolization and therefore financial success is bred by winning, and winning only.
Just don’t see Kroenke allowing Arsene to devalue his brand or he will be left with a 1/2 billion $ loss down the road. I expect changes to be very slow as long as we continue to be moderately successful by finishing in the top 4 and CL final 16. We probably will see a closer relationship to the Rapids and I expect us to do US tours in the summers and host “American” events at the Emirates.
I also expect to see more Arsenal coverage in the US through his regional Televison and Internet sport’s stations.
Looking on it in reality, he can’t be any worse than the current Board in terms of pomposity and fan alienation , so any changes should be positive.
@Caribkid, well said CK. Your words echo my feelings about this as well. Not sure what any American tour games would mean for the injury situation but someone has to implement some change in training/fitness sessions. If I am not mistaken, both LF and MA got injured in warm-up? Two goalies getting injured in warm-up is not bad luck. In Fab’s case, it was a powerful shot and not sure about Almunia’s cause.
@Sachin,
The funny – sort of – thing about Fabianski’s injury the shot he took was from Szczesny.
@DaAdminGooner,
To me that’s not sort of funny, it’s very funny! I did not know that!
@ChicagoGooner,
And its true!!! Szczesny was apologizing up and down in the press and on twitter.
I laughed my ass off.
As for Manny’s injury – I was chatting with the Communications Director from AST (dropping names here) and he thinks and I agree that Manny tends to get injured when he suffers a crisis of confidence. So when his confidence is low he often gets injured – and thats not a wink wink kind of injury – for whatever reason when his confidence goes he goes. make sense?
@DaAdminGooner, I was thinking the same thing but what was throwing me off was this time the injury was just before kick-off. Normally it happens a few days before a game. Maybe Jens whispered something in his ear. If MA’s confidence is low, I cannot see his nemesis sweet talk some words of encouragment :)
@DaAdminGooner, which is why I wondered if Jens took a hard shot at Almunia but I could not find any reference to that.
@Sachin,
Jens did take a hard shot – he said “Boo”
A massively EPIC showdown is upon us in Spain. Barca and Real will play each other 4 times in a mere 18 days. Do we cheer for the diving, whining, player-stealing team that always has our number, or do we cheer for their opponents who are dislikable enough in their own ways (including strong ties to Chelsea and Man U)? Either way, it should be fun:
April 16: League (supposedly streaming free on ESPN3)
April 20: Cup final
April 27/May 3: CL semi-final
@ChicagoGooner,
What kind of mental damage would it do to Real Madrid if they loose all 4? Which is not inconcievalble.
I have a soft spot for Real Madrid, they were afterall the first of the sugar daddy clubs.
@ChicagoGooner, Yeah I mentioned this in the previous thread and thought it would be fun to see which egos get bruised.
@ChicagoGooner, how can “Arsenal fans” not support Barcelona’s “beautiful game”?
We have folks on here that don’t care about WINNING, as long as we are entertaining. Nobody is more “entertaining” than Barcelona.
Seeing I have a wager with the Fabulous Fred on Barcelona’s success this season… I will certainly be cheering for Cesc’s next team!
:)
I agree that it is best to hold off judgment till we see what type of change- if any- Stan brings. But the fact remains, his arrival means the POSSIBILITY of change, and I think that alone is reason to be excited, since there used to be no realistic hope for change.
Regarding Stan overall, I hope his interests aren’t spread too thin. In addition to the ones you mentioned above DAG (teams in NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS) he also owns a professional lacrosse team in Colorado. All that on top of Arsenal. Furthermore, does anyone know if he is a self-made man, in terms of money? He definitely married into some SERIOUS money (his wife is of the Walton clan, who together have a net worth which dwarfs that of Bill Gates). But he might have had some even before that, even if not as much. I think he was in real estate.
Oh, and regarding his last name, I’ve seen it spelled Kroenke, Kroneke, and Kronke, but if Wikipedia is anything to go by, the first one is correct.
As for the Man City debate below, I agree with the sentiment that they are a very talented group who are less than the sum of their parts… for now. But unfortunately, it looks like they will qualify for the CL this year. And it’s only been two seasons since they were bought out. If the ownership could take Man City from the lower half of the table to the CL in two seasons- how long will it really be before they win the leage? 2 more? 5? I don’t know- but I think it is a question of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’. Maybe they won’t have the same coach, they definitely won’t have all the same players, but they will have the same owners, and I think it will happen eventually… unfortunately.
Not sure what will happen with Stan at the helm…
maybe not much, but MAYBE something will.
There is MORE of a chance for a change at the club with a new owner, than with the “status quo” specialists that were in charge.
I DO believe Stan will want & expect the Arsenal to train and play pre-season matches in Colorado… and since he owns the team, he can make the rules.
This COULD provoke Wenger… it will be interesting to see.
Can’t get much worse than it currently is… here’s hoping change occurs… change can be good… status quo can SUCK…
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kronke likes the way the club is run so he’s unlikely to make many drastic changes. i don’t believe the club needs drastic changes to find success again. we don’t need to reinvent the wheel. just need a little air in the tires.
and yes, we did win yesterday on the road against a game blackpool. while fabregas made passes tom brady would be proud of, motm honors have to go to either van persie or diaby.
also, liverpool handed city a proper beating today. it was at anfield but city have spent big money on players and would have expected better. frankly, i only fancy hart, tevez, yaya toure, and dejong with adam johnson getting a special mention. they can keep the rest of that lot; especially for that money. yaya toure is really good.
@joshuad,
DeJong is a beast – but I’d love him if he were our beast.
I really think for the most part City are the biggest collection of good individual talents who will never be the sum of their parts. They may well get into the Champion’s League but good teams give them beatings on a regular basis.