While the media laps up Arsenal’s last stand vs the dirty, money-grubbing greedy foreigners, there’s an important question that has to be asked.
Is the Arsenal board acting in Arsenal’s best interests?
Do Arsenal need Kroenke (or Kroenke-like investment) to compete with Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool?
Peter Hill-Wood spoke at length after Dein’s exit yesterday (Source: BBC).
On Stan Kroenke:
“Why don’t we want the American at our club? Call me old-fashioned, but we don’t need his money and we don’t want his sort.
Our objective is keep Arsenal English, but with a lot of foreign players.”
On foreign ownership of Premiership clubs:
“Americans are buying up chunks of the Premiership football clubs and not because of their love of football but because they see an opportunity to make money.
They know absolutely sweet FA about our football and we don’t want these type of people involved.”
FA = fuckall, I believe.
Hard words, but it’s good to see the shareholders and the board take such a principle-based stance against Kroenke.
The problem is, of course, that in applauding Hill-Wood we might lose track of the real discussion:
Do Arsenal need Kroenke-like investment? The floor is yours.
Update: Hill-Wood statement transcript on David Dein’s departure (Arsenal.com)
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