Kroenke fights back amid open warfare at Arsenal
Owner and his son insist that they want what's best for the Gunners, as fans call for change
The son of Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke has spoken of the family’s commitment to the club in the face of growing concern among fans that the American owners are mismanaging the Gunners.
On Monday an open letter from 14 supporters groups was published, in which Arsenal fans told Kroenke they felt marginalised and demanded that the US billionaire reinvigorate the club. “As Arsenal fans we have watched with frustration as the team’s football performances have declined over the past decade,” ran the letter. “When Stan Kroenke began buying Arsenal shares the club had just competed in a first Champions League final. Twelve years on, Arsenal are about to play in the Europa League for the third year running.”
In response, Josh Kroenke has issued a statement in which he said: “While we understand, appreciate, and agree with concerns about our club failing to achieve our goal of qualifying for the 2019-20 Champions League, we respectfully disagree it is at a crossroads and things need to change because so much change has already occurred.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Claiming that recent appointments such as Raul Sanllehi as Head of Football and Edu as technical director represent the start of a “modern infrastructure, designed to move us forward”, Kroenke asked the fans for patience.
“This will take time to play out,” he said. “For us, the most important thing to achieve was not simply change for the sake of it, but to ensure we put the right people in the right roles to work together in a positive environment to achieve our stated goal of winning silverware both domestically and in Europe.”
Meanwhile, in an interview with The Sun, Kroenke launched a passioned defence of his family’s involvement in Arsenal. “It absolutely hurts when the fans question my passion,” he said. “Of course it’s hard to take and it does hit you when [you] wake up at four in the morning to read a letter like this. But I’m not in this business to make friends. I’m in it to win while respecting the values and traditions of Arsenal Football Club. The fans have every right to their opinion, but whether that’s good or bad we’re going to do the same thing to continue working hard for the club.”
Paying lip service to the club’s “values” and “traditions” are unlikely to placate Arsenal fans, who see a side in decline. As the open letter highlighted, not only are they losers on the pitch but off it there is a “lack of strategy” in the transfer policy and the Emirates has become a “soulless place” – a damning indictment of how Arsenal’s fortunes have declined in the last decade.
An online petition calling for “meaningful action” from the Kroenkes to arrest the club’s decline was launched to coincide with the open letter. By Wednesday morning it had nearly 95,000 signatures.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Geoff Capes obituary: shot-putter who became the World’s Strongest Man
In the Spotlight The 'mighty figure' was a two-time Commonwealth Champion and world-record holder
By The Week UK Published
-
Israel attacks Iran: a 'limited' retaliation
Talking Point Iran's humiliated leaders must decide how to respond to Netanyahu's measured strike
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: November 2, 2024
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
The Premier League's spending cap: levelling the playing field?
Talking Point Top clubs oppose plans to link spending to income of lowest-earning club, but rule could prevent success gap from widening
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is a new English football regulator an own goal for the game?
Talking Point PM hails 'historic moment for football fans' but West Ham owner warns it could 'ruin' Premier League
By The Week UK Published
-
English football and the etiquette of leaving the stadium early
Talking Point The belief that 'true fans stay to the end' does not always apply
By The Week UK Published
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
By Mike Starling Published
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
By The Week Staff Published
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
By Mike Starling Last updated
-
Antonio Conte leaves Tottenham after ‘extraordinary’ rant at players
feature After another year without a trophy, Spurs are now searching for a new manager
By The Week Staff Published
-
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’
feature Anfield’s ‘new front three’ were on fire in the humbling of their bitter rivals
By Mike Starling Published