Wenger defensive at AGM as Bring Back Dein rebellion breaks
Only one way to find out
By Boris Mellor
October 27 2011
As hard as the organisers had tried to turn the AGM into a rally of appreciation for themselves the disgruntlement broke through. It was stage managed with barely over half a dozen questions allowed, and then the intended rubber stamping of the coronation of King Kroenke and his court jester Peter Hill Wood.A bust was unveiled of Ken Friar and one shareholder quipped “I was hoping that there was a quality centre half under the veil”.
Gazides told us that a football club is more than football, which is fortunate as that side of things hasn’t gone that spectacularly well for the last 6 years.
Silent Stan speaks and says nothing
Stan was puzzled as to why we wanted to hear him speak, and having heard him speak so am I. He had become interested in Arsenal, but didn’t really explain why, though he claimed it was due to the clubs great management. I assume that is code for he had spotted a good investment opportunity. He was happy to be here and happy how the club was run. At no time did he give a vision of how he expected the club to achieve on the field success. The only strategy he had to offer was that he was backing Wenger.
The guy clearly doesn’t have a clue as to what Premiership club fans expect
Peter Hill Wood keeps his foot in his mouth
I suppose, to be fair, PHW had the worst job of all, having to defend the club’s football and commercial success, or the lack of it. Asked if Tom Fox justified his bonus he was insistent that he was. Asked wasn’t it the case that the directors were only there due to the patronage of Kroenke how would they best defend the interests of the club; he replied that they had a legal duty to protect the interests of the club, this was greeted with derision.
Hill Wood’s eulogy for Ken Friar received an ovation from the AGM, but two shareholders voted against him staying on the board. Two also voted against Kroenke and someone heckled, “Stan you are still there”.
Asked if the board would reduce season ticket prices if the club failed to qualify for CL, Hill Wood rambled on about having brought in 9 new players and would strengthen squad as necessary, but once again he didn’t actually answer the question. He wasn’t prepared to consider it.
Stand Down and Bring Back Dein
A shareholder got up and asked Hill Wood to stand down and to bring back Dein. This got a large round of applause, Hill Wood was clearly shaken by this and began to bluster, Silent Stan came to his rescue, but all he could come out with was that we are all fans. Someone heckled “put your money where your mouth is”. Well we are all fans, but I don’t think Stan is.
AST and Fanshare
The chairman was asked was the board prepared to issue more shares, this would help Fan Share and could raise money for the club whilst it waited for commercial revenue to rise. Hill Wood rejected this option but said the club would consider ways of making shares available to Fan Share.
Red and White Holdings
A request that Red and White be given a seat on the board got a wide round of applause. Hill Wood insisted that couldn’t happen because they would have to change the constitution. Asked to change the constitution he replied they were happy with it as it was.
Arsene Needs Support
It was denied that Arsene has too great a burden to bear, that he worked closely with Gazides and the board and got all the support he needed.
Season Ticket churn and queues
PHW refused to say how many had given up season tickets, but said it was not that many, he claimed that many thousands are still on waiting list. In a discussion over lunch one AST member told me he knew one person who had been over 13,000th in queue and had got a ticket this season. In my row not one person renewed their ticket, true if you suffer vertigo it’s not an attractive seat.
Wenger Speaks but no Q and A
It had fallen to Hill Wood to take the can for the shareholders disgruntlement, as Arsene spoke but did not take questions.
He was the most polemical I have ever heard him, he started off with his usual claim that last season had been such a near miss, with no explanation as to why everything after mid February was so poor. He described it as a “good season performance”. To stay at the top, top level we would have to stay united. That did not mean he was not to be criticised, or the board - he accepted that, but we have to show to the outside we are united. If you are not, then you have no chance.
He believed, the values we defend are highly defendable and he could see a lot of fear and discontent amongst us – and he understood that because we live in a world where we fight with people who have extremely high resources.
He argued “We can compete by trying to be intelligent and to be united, because football is very difficult to be consistent and we have been more consistent than anybody in the world in the last 15 years."
Did Wenger let cat out of bag?
Strangest of all, in this very defensive speech, he seemed to imply, by default, that last year’s players lacked fight when he insisted he didn’t know where we would finish this season; but that these players (ie his new squad) will fight. People would realise that his players had the right attitude and spirit for a fight. To my mind that suggested that last year’s players (apart from a minority) didn’t fight, and I have no difficulty agreeing with that. However, I doubt if it was his intention to imply that, but had made a Freudian slip.
He received a storming round of applause. Clearly those attending blamed the board not Wenger, but Wenger won’t be able to depend on whipping boys for ever because after today’s awful performance he shouldn’t depend on Hill Wood to still be around next year. As for Gazides he seems too smart to be anyone’s whipping boy.
In spite of all the stage management the message that fans and independent shareholders are not happy was put over loud and clear.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:10:31:23:09:48 by Padre Pio.
Confirmation Arsenal FC is on the slide and needs at least 2 seasons of rebuilding...that is, as if rest of the chasing Pack will standstill and will not overtake Arsenal FC..like Abu Dhabi, Liverpool's revival, S*CUMS drawing level with us with a squad more experienced than Arsenal's..adn teasm feared Arsenal no more.
"People would realise that his players had the right attitude and spirit for a fight."
Meaning, what made yous o cocksured that same set of 2010/11 players in Chamakh, Walcott, Rosicky, Arshavin, Song, Sagna and DJourou will fight and had that fighting spirit as demonstated in 8-2 OT Rout?
How can you said "right attitude and spirit for a fight" in those dreadful results with all those elements you claimed were missing?
- 0-2 at Emirates
- 4-3 at Ewood Park
- 8-2 at OT
- 2-1 at WHL?
Did the team had "right attitude and spirit for a fight" then?
Or this Saturday at Stamford Bridge?
Yes, he still refused to expalin why he as a manager allowed the team to rot away from February 2011 till today.
The supporters that are upset and unsatisfied should still keep doing what they are doing...the board is well aware of the situation and knows that the only thing that can qwell it is success on the pitch...so more pressure on Wenger than ever before
The bad mood surrounding Arsenal at the moment is not good for business especially since for years we've been seen as a happy well run club...but unless we have failure on the pitch, I don't see too much
Failure on the pitch + upset fans = change
[arsenalsigs.blogspot.com]
In that time ManU have won about 8 PL titles & 2 Cls - I'd say that was more consistent.
IMO, by saying that plus his previous comment about the squad being his best ever, just shows total contempt for the supporters.
He knows he's talking sh.ite, we know he's talking sh.!te, and he knows we know - yet to say these things anyway means he's laughing in our faces. To put it bluntly, at times he acts like a complete c.unt.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
*Signing Ozil is a signing Bergkamp type moment for Arsenal. It changes things utterly.*
Only a dozen voted. Most just didn't vote
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:10:27:22:03:24 by Padre Pio.
The Road ot Perdition is always paved with Good Intentions.
Quote:Much ado about nothing. So no real issues were allowed to be raised or answered. Seems silly on their part as you must be blind deaf and dumb not to realise the discontent around the emirates, and this strategy will only serve to intensify it.
Zainy, remember I was telling you on another thread that this is most bizzare situation one had ever seen..there are so many things one could see and question about but well there isn't anyone to answer..hmmm..everyone is moaning including those who are attending the AGM?
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Quote:Is that the only thing that made sense to you padre, the only thing worth reporting, the negative side of things? How lucky are we to be reported to through the eye of a moaner.
Isn't Nigeria a member of UN security council?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011:10:28:10:57:43 by SandyB.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Quote:De Times
Is that the only thing that made sense to you padre, the only thing worth reporting, the negative side of things? How lucky are we to be reported to through the eye of a moaner.
Guess if you are a Brown Shirt you will say Adolf Hitler is the most misunderstood leader in the world and moaners like me should not see the negative sides of him, but instead report on the positives of what he did for 1930s Germany.
It says Wenger got storming applause, that Hill Wood and Kroenke were elected with only two votes against, that the club would try to find funds for AST. I quote large chunks from Wenger.
But I cant avoid writing up that shareholders were hostile to the board, thats a fact and just about every report notes that.
Why do you think shareholders are unhappy de Times? Is it because they are moaners? Is it genetic? Why have they started moaning now?
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Most corporate AGMs generally are. You dont get much negativity during board presentations to their shareholders. Ever wondered why?
The entire thing appears stage managed and heavily scripted from start to finish - even, yes EVEN Wengers simpering 'oh im so sad' speech.
Its why Gazidis felt compelled to mention the performance of the Arsenal womens team about 1 minute into his speech and appeared to suggest that the purchase of Arteta was carefully calculated to get some age and experience into the team (Fabregas and Nasri a bit young, you see)
The questions were hand picked, as Hill Wood, using the Queens voice for the day, patiently explained, to ensure the event ran smoothly. YEs, of course.
When my mate gatecrashed to the Shell AGM a few years back, and shouted out some awkward questions about their environmental record, he got beaten up by their security.
He was spoiling the positivity you see.
And tell me what it is you want Stan Kroenke to say?
And then tell me what it is that Dein would have made such a huge difference about had he been an Arsenal board member again.
And then tell me why we should welcome Dein back? The person who introduced the very man, Kroenke, people seem to be upset about. Sold his shares at a profit of in excess of £80m when people accuse other Board members of profiteering at supporters expense. Introduced a man to Arsenal who spent several years in jail and has made his fortune in the same questionable way as Abramovich. Went behind the Board's back to try to engineer a situation where he had effective total control over the Club. And also allowed the likes of Edu, Flamini and Wiltord to leave as free agents. Has a son who seems intent on lining his pockets by engineering moves away from Arsenal for all of our players he represents. I wonder is it just coincidence that Darren Dein happens to represent current Arsenal or now ex-Arsenal players?
I've heard a lot of whinging, moaning and bluster from all these people who want change, but I haven't heard what it is they think can change and why.
A lot of it sounds like moaning for moanings sake. I've heard several (neutral) people describe Arsene Wenger's speech as a rallying cry and not the defensive diatribe portrayed here.
Maybe one day a lot of you will wake up and wonder why it is you are moaning.
As for Dein I am no fan of his either, but his name drew forth huge cheers -= ask yourself why? People know the golden age ended when he left, now that might not have been the cause, and just a coincidence, but they make that link. Why because they see that Wenger has become more and more powerful since he left, that he has become more like a CEO than a manager. They believe, rightly or wrongly that Wenger has become stubborn and refuses advice. That Dein used to argue with him and persuade him to sign quality players.
Now its either ignorance or arrogance to imagine that the people complaining dont know what they want. They want an end to a strategy that has failed to win anything for seven years. They want an end to an inreasingly weakened squad.
They believe that self sustainability is a failing model, that it cannot deliver. Therefore they want the club to spend more on marquee players. How - by raising more share capital and increasing commercial revenue. The board refuses to raise more share capital and will not renegotiate what is now clearly an undervalued sponsorship deal, yes we all know it was front loaded, but at todays prices it is cr.ap.
They are sick and tired of hearing about the balance sheet, sick and tired of being abused by a now clearly ga ga old etonian. Instead they want the club to speculate to accumulate. That a successful team must generate the money, and not the other way around.
These people care about the club as much as anyone else, they dont want Usmanov in control, nor do they want Kroenke in control, they want a plural ownership where fans can have more say.
All you do Simom is slag off Usmanov, fair enough he is revolting, but whats the alternative Kroenke? A man who has made money through his alliance with Wal Mart, a company as dodgy as anything any of those that the Russians run.
Mistakes have been made, opportunities missed, prize players lost. This club will not be winning the league this year, and will struggle for 4th place, it could have been very different.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
what an oxymoron.
In Zen, we called it "The sound of one hand clapping...."
But to say Kroenke made his money from Walmart is untrue as is the comparison between them and people who make other people disappear when required as is alleged the oligarchs have done.
And whoever said Kroenke was a lilywhite capitalist? I don't think there's such a thing.
Also Dein went in 2007 which was 2 seasons after we won the FA Cup so it could be argued that he was a primary cause of the continued lack of trophies.
It's not ignorance or arrogance to imagine that the people complaining don't know what they want. We all want Arsenal to win every game, that's obvious I would have thought, although sometimes I think some don't. But what else and how?
And do we want Arsenal to speculate with money we don't have and risk doing a Leeds? Or do the same and hope we get bailed out a la Chelsea?
How's that for a start?
Lying and misleading about about what they actually did as well as its negative impact on Arsenal on the pitch all along might have done as well. It's pretty clear they did justy that. Remember how the new stadium wouldn't have any impact on how much money the manager had. True enough but they never once metioned what impact re-debveloping Highbury would have because they knew if they had supporters would not have backed that, and now they talk about the impact of the new stadium on our finances instead of that because they think they can get way with that claim.
"When we had to suffer the team is a lion because they suffer together." 4 July 2020 at Wolverhampton Wanderers
Arteta on his team's first away victory at a club above them in the Premiership since September 2015 at Leicester.
Quote:Padre Pio
Signs of mass disaffection 5 years ago, it was only cup wins that delayed rebellion
got that right. winning the fa cup back to back calmed the storm. but wenger bragged about us on the verge of winning it a 3rd time as a justification for the season and got knocked the week after. really want that guy out of the club so bad.
Can We Now Trust The Process 🤔🤷🏿♀️ or Should We Still Remain Cautious 🙇🏿♀️
Quote:eduardo
He who laughs last, laugh best!
Quote:Merlion96
That is folks!
Confirmation Arsenal FC is on the slide and needs at least 2 seasons of rebuilding...that is, as if rest of the chasing Pack will standstill and will not overtake Arsenal FC..like Abu Dhabi, Liverpool's revival, S*CUMS drawing level with us with a squad more experienced than Arsenal's..adn teasm feared Arsenal no more.
"People would realise that his players had the right attitude and spirit for a fight."
Meaning, what made yous o cocksured that same set of 2010/11 players in Chamakh, Walcott, Rosicky, Arshavin, Song, Sagna and DJourou will fight and had that fighting spirit as demonstated in 8-2 OT Rout?
How can you said "right attitude and spirit for a fight" in those dreadful results with all those elements you claimed were missing?
- 0-2 at Emirates
- 4-3 at Ewood Park
- 8-2 at OT
- 2-1 at WHL?
Did the team had "right attitude and spirit for a fight" then?
Or this Saturday at Stamford Bridge?
Yes, he still refused to expalin why he as a manager allowed the team to rot away from February 2011 till today.
- 0-2 home loss to WHU
- 0-2 away loss to CHelski
- 0-2 away loss to WBA
- 0-4 away loss to Saints
- 0-1 home loss to Chelski
- 2-3 away loss to ManU
- 1-2 home loss to Swansea
Groundhog Day since 2007/08, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2012/12, 2013/14 and now 2015/16 with the same set of players comprises cowardly pretty boys, gutless bottlers and handsome French poodles.