Wenger – My job is to keep the shareholders happy!
I have spent the summer listening to Arsenal fans saying that Arsene Wenger should be spending some of the massive profits he has made from selling players to improve the Arsenal squad. They intimated that if he spent even half of the profits made, Arsenal would be able to compete with the Chelsea and Man Utds of this world.
I have agreed with some critics (like Andrei Arshavin) that Arsenal were always just two top-class players away from being world-beaters, so I was just a little upset that Wenger didn’t try to buy just one superstar with the massive profits made in the last few years,
But today Wenger made it clear (as he has in the past) that he is very interested in making the club successful as a business, rather than making an unbeatable team.
Before I always put this down to his faith in hs youngsters, but now I have read this I’m beginning to think that the money side is more important than trophies to the Professor.
He said (and this is a quote from the official Arsenal website, so there is no doubt about it’s authenticity): “I consider myself here as an employee that has to give absolutely everything to do well for this Club. I am not to have an opinion about who owns the Club or who are the shareholders. My job is to do well and to keep these people happy and that’s why I will never have an opinion on who should own the Club.
“It is important that I always remember that my job is to do well for the Club and the shareholders, but not to have an input on who is the owner of the Club – as long as I can work with the freedom I want.”
That statement has actually pissed me off!
Nicklas Bendtner’s sexy Baroness!
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U fool u take Things out of contest when he says the club he means the fan .He was talking about how he perfoms his best @ his job regerdless whose his boss .admin ur tryn my pataince now .stop criticising AW any chance u get .
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You’re an idiot. You’ve completely misrepresented what he said.
(NO I haven’t, I have copied EXACTLY what he said. How can you misrepreent his ACTUAL WORDS written on the OFFICIAL Arsenal website? – ADMIN)
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fool u are mis interpreting the guy… its idiots like you that give the press man something to talk about… yes you quote him right but re read the flipping quotes for goodness sake and probably even find out the questions asked… i don’t care if you delete my comment but at least i will be sure you have read it…
(Read the quotes lol Of course i did. This is what he actually SAID. Read them yourself! You might not like what he said, but he DID say them! – ADMIN)
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Ur a bit naive if u made that statement piss u off….
(You don’t like it? Well piss off yourself! – ADMIN)
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You are anti Arsenal you total fool. This is the last time I give you any more of my time, this site is a waste of time.
(Byeeeeeee! ADMIN!)
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It’s not the content, it’s the meaning you have attached to it.
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i dont think you are an arsenal fan. do you even know what the word fan means? just sit back and enjoy what you have idiot?
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Wenger’s job is to keep the board members happy, no matter what the faens do, wenger won’t have his job anymore if the board doesnt like it anymore. Its common sense. Also I think the board like the team to win things, knowing well that no money will come in if the fans are not happy. So keeping the board happy is a good thing for wenger, the owners and the fans.
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http://www.arsenal.com/news/news-archive/wenger-i-ll-never-speak-out-on-ownership
The author has taken quotes from this article about ownership and turned it into an attack piece on Wenger. The message Wenger puts out is clear- It’s not his business who owns the club as long as he is given freedom to do his job. How the author has turned this into Wenger just want profit for the shareholders is beyond me. Even if he was doing so, the shareholders do not take dividends and so rely on long term growth to make profit. Long term growth depends on success on the pitch.
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I honestly don’t see how you are interpreting those comments as the reason he won’t spend money.
Wenger is an astute manager and idealist…. The choice to not spend is his and his only.
He operates without interference and that is why he loves the job and the club. That’s also why he has chosen to stay rather then go to Real Madrid every year they ask him.
If Arsenal fail to challenge and fall out of the top 4…. The shareholders are not going to thank him for it as their investment will be devalued.
You are looking between the lines for a reason why Arsene doesn’t spend the money, when he states every week….He believes in the squad !
Sorry Admin…..
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Arsene wanting to do well for the club pisses you off so much you want to let the world know? Good work mate
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TRY TO ENCOURAGE THE SQUAD YOU HAVE RATHER THAN KILL IT. SO HE SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT C RONALDO FOR £80 MILLION POUNDS RIGHT?
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Wenger needs to learn the principle of speculating to accumulate. He should have gone out and spent £12-15m on a new goalie, simple. Anyone who says that when the summer transfer window opened, if Wenger had made a bid of £15m for Joe Hart it would have been rejected would be naive. Instead he waited all summer and made a pathetic attempt to sign a never-has-been from Fulham in the last few days.
We’ll get our top four finish, sure, but in April when we play Chelsea or United in the Quarter-Finals of the Champs League, Almunia has another howler and we get spanked… I wonder whether the shareholders would really be happy that Wenger didn’t splash the cash.
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dude honestly work on your reading skills, this statement is clearly concerning ownership of the club and he just says that he has no say in it , if you dont understand that i pity you, i just hope english is not your native language
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Wenger is a unique manager. Our best since Herbert Chapman. And we’re not just lucky to have him. What he’s done already and what he’ll lay the basis for – will ensure this period will be a reference point for all future football historians. Even if we win nothing more under him, though we obviously will, he will have made Arsenal into the first 21st century club – and one that will serve as a model for many others to follow.
You obviously don’t understand this.
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wow, normally you’re above this kind of stuff… sad to see you stoop to this
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I read every article in here everyday n have done for god knows how long n I’ve gotta say that I can’t see y most of u guys are pissed at him? For one he can’t always get it right. I think he has git it abit wrong in this case but also abit right aswell. Aw is trying to make the club profits but is also tryin to do the best for the club, I do think profit making should be left to the board though.
I for one worry about when AW leaves, what man can replace him n still let the arsenal play the proper beautiful game?!
How can u question the admins devotion to the club when he posts 4 stories a day everyday?!
Anyway, keep up the good work admin!
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Mr Wenger,very shrewed, he wants to keep his job, even his job is not safe when your dealing with whealer dealers, we have now a very large squad, wages kept to a limit new training ground, a new stadium, top players want to play the Arsenal way, but we cant afford them. Wenger buys good players cheap usualy makes them better and makes money when he sells them, make no mistakes if the offer for Cesc had been to the liking of the great man we would have lost him, footballs a buisness, we want to win every trophy and rub it in our opponents faces, only natural for us, but them, they want a sucessfull buisnes which by Christ they have.
To owners trophys are not the be and end off,your bums on seats are
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Wenger runs for pure profit over pure football success. FACT! didn’t any of you read my articles! he is already making his excuses!!!! good article admin as the english wenger used is self explanatory! get over it you biased hipporcrits who slate the article! go support your LOCAL clubs and shut up!!!
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Why are people obsessing over trophies they will never see or touch, or win for themselves -
People are so shallow in football; the trophy is only their for THE PLAYERS and the manager to lift and say they won. FANS DO NOT WIN TROPHIES we just watch the games and cheer them on from the stands.
People who lust for trophies at the expense of solidity at club level and decent staff / ethics in the way they operate as a business …. these people are naive to think winning a trophy will make them happy. They are the type of people who are never happy unless everybody else is sad.
Think about why that is….
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quality of football goin down cos its more viewd from a business point than play/ but thats due to the time and nature. big money spending on wage and transfer can insecure a team, where as back in the days not big amount was spent
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sensei mate you watched a game plyed so well but you don’t win, ur sayin ur happy with that. NAH MATE BE I’LL CHEESED OFF
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PLAYING IN THE LEAGUE FOR THE CUP MATE NOT FANCY FOOTBALL
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Is it really that hard to understand what AW said? He has admitted that he has to keep the shareholders’ happy. This is accomplished by looking after their interests and continuing to post profits year after year, which will increase their price per share. I am sure AW was really good at this to warrant a new improved 3 year contract despite 5 trophyless seasons.
@ Common Sensei
Trophies are a symbol of pride and success to the fans.
If your country won the world cup, I am sure yr a** would be on the streets celebrating. Don’t tell me that you wouldn’t want your country to win the world cup? Whether you like it or not, there is a trophy for winning it so just embrace it – if you really are that clueless about it’s symbolism!
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@ Adam Kemp
Arsenal is my local club….and if it wasn’t so f@cling what !
Is there one manager out there that doesn’t try to please his chairman or board !
No…there isn’t one. Wenger is stating the obvious !
The Arsenal boards target is a good cup run and finish in the top 4….
That gives Wenger the scope do what he wants and that is exactly what he is doing.
He is determined to prove everyone doubted wrong and show that you do not need buy expensive players to win the league. I wish he would buy a couple, but know he won’t.
It is Arsene decision to not buy more players….not the board.
The board have said repeatedly that there is money available, Arsene has said theres money available. Arsene will have to live and die by his decisions, but this season I can’t see how the board can be blamed for Arsene not spending.
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Arsenal are a top four business plan, spending just enough to make a cl place; boring, boring… Yet, many supporters are pleased enough with this and continue to hand over their dosh to the club.
Our principal shareholders are wealthy indeed, and it is of foremost importance that that wealth is looked after.
Not sure how some of the players view this arrangement however.
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Very surprised by this post given…
1. Wenger has said his job was “to do well for the Club and the shareholders” so he wants to do what is best for the Club (team and fans = football) and the owners(=business) If that statement makes you annoyed and angry then you obviously dont see the “club” and the “fans” as one entity and are downright difficult to please (or attempting to up the hit rate on your blog through just being controversial)
2. The teams is playing well and the new lads are all shining as are players like Walcott and Wilshere.
3. Goal keeper aside (and doesnt Manuel look so much better behind some decent defenders!), I would like some names you would bring in and who you would leave out of this teams by satisfying your desire to see some money spent.
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@Dennisbergkamp
You missed the point. With your attitude you would like Arsenal to emulate what Chelsea did when they won back to back titles under Mourinho?
You are basically saying you want Arsenal to be like Chelsea…*siiiiiigh* which is what I meant about making everybody sad to please yourself. Are you related to JT?
only kidding mate you are entitled to your opinion even if it does seem a bit backward to the Arsenal way.
@Gunnersfan
Look i don’t want to get into some idiotic online argument with a complete stranger who seems to know little about actual football; but for the record -
Look up ‘Pride’ and ‘Success’ in the dictionary. Then look up ‘Trophy’.
I learned Latin when I was young, and I know that the word Pride comes from the Latin word ‘prodis’ meaning VALIANT. The word success derives from the word they used meaning ‘Seeds’ (indicating some sort of organic growth).
Now surely you are smart enough to see that valiant ISN’T chasing a stupid trophy and sod your morals? And that REAL success has to be ORGANICALLY GROWN over time not just paid for upfront.
So the point in the trophy and the REASON we can have pride and joy in gaining one is not just because we won the league …. If we cheated in every game and won the trophy i’m sure your ilk would be the only ones cheering;
WINNING the trophy PROPERLY is the only thing that makes me want to celebrate it, and if that means doing a Chelsea then give me fancy football over trophies ANY FUCKING DAY OF THE WEEK.
One of these days Arsenal WILL win trophies properly and then all your lot moaning because we can’t be like our own fuckin’ worst enemy teams will be celebrating with us real supporters all the way!
So shut your whinging and get off your high horse-
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PS if my country ever manages to win the world cup again, I probably will cheer – but that is because England didn’t buy up Spains midfield, Brazils forward line, Switzerlands defence.
So that was a daft comparison anyway
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I’m actually getting bored of these blogs there are to many idiots who haven’t got a clue about football.
They seem to know enough about how to complain about a lack of trophies but when positive input is needed they fall silent.
if you don’t like Wenger then who should replace him???
if you don’t like Almunia then who would you get instead???
if you would rather win trophies than watch nice football, then why bother with Arsenal when Chelsea is just down the road?
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Wenger is a smart man and he doesn’t say stuff directly… ARSENAL ROCKS!
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Thankyou Rash, yes they do…
Anybody who doesn’t want beautiful football and just wants results – Stamford bridge has an empty seat waiting for you
Meanwhile back on PLANET EARTH the rest of us proper fans are currently overjoyed at how well this season seems to be going, and how confident we are in the manager and squad
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@Dan – you seem to suggest that Man City would have sold Hart for 15 million? Unfortunately they wouldn’t have sold him to Arsenal for 150 million – they have no need for the money
Obviously Wenger works for the owners, just like any other employee of a company. It’s just like the manager of any business (Tescos, Lloyds Bank etc.) – they serve their customers but have to do what their owners want.
I do think there is a disconnect between Wenger’s vision and some fans; he thinks that football fans want to see attractive football and makes this his top priority rather than winning at all costs. I think getting 60,000 attendances week in week out goes some way towards proving him right
Finally, I think it can be a bit dangerous picking apart what Wenger says without considering the fact that he is not a native English speaker. Although I have great respect for his intelligence, his use of English can sometimes leave his meaning a bit uncertain.
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guys lets first understand wat our shareholders want. i believe most want flair football, a club that runs within its financial means (self sustainance)and of course to suceed by winning. Our shareholders though may need profits but its not their 1st choice.
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@ Common Sensei
You just screwed up with your own comments below mate:
“PS if my country ever manages to win the world cup again, I probably will cheer – but that is because England didn’t buy up Spains midfield, Brazils forward line, Switzerlands defence.”
Why don’t you go support another team than Arsenal you idiot!! If Arsenal does win a trophy this year, it will be with players bought from spain, france etc. So then you wouldn’t celebrate or what!?
Get a life mate. And you say “WINNING the trophy PROPERLY is the only thing that makes me want to celebrate it”. Hahahaha that is such nonsense. I don’t wish to discuss further with someone who thinks that trophies are meaningless in a competitive sport. Trophies are important for the players too and if they win it, we will continue to celebrate the success with them. If you don’t like it, too bad.
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good article. Trophies are definately so important in sports and clearly winning them is not AW’s priority.he’s so negligent about our emotions as fans.
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@sensi
sorry mate my point is that arsenal are not spurs or a team trying to be sucessful, we and man u been top team for last decade or so. chelski bought success with money. but we already was sucessful, but now have lost it a bit. so being one of the top teams, theres no problem adding one or two players and winning something. It is all about winning especially at arsenal as we can show how it ought to be played.
GR8 FOOTBALL WILL NATURAL WIN YOU TROPHIES BUT IF YOU DON’T WIN PLAYING GR8 FOOTBALLL THEN SOMETHING IS WRONG.
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Wenger made the comment you quoted when he was asked what he thought of the great new idea already in the news to get Arsenal club fans to own more Arsenal shares…to then go on to imply that the quote shows that Arsenal is more interested in making more money for shareholders at the expense of making the team stronger is out of context and argumentatively fraudulent.
Indeed, Wenger was asked specific questions that related to that and he made his opinion clear: that he weighed his purchase options against crowding out first team opportunities for his younger, home grown talents. The gaffer couldn’t have been clearer than that except you wanted him to knock it on you with a plank!!
Lastly, I just finished reading Le Grove who was very critical of Wenger’s performance in the just closed transfer window (as it is his right to be). However, today, he is honest to admit that not signing Ozil (whom he rooted for as a replacement for Cesc) for the benefit of seeing Wilshere blossom was a good decision on the part of Wenger. He then went on to mention the other youth guys knocking on the door: Ramsey (presently injured), JET and two others thus succinctly validating Wenger’s point of view.
Wake up man, and look more closely at the team you have and the blossoming potential under your blinkered glasses…
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