Arsenal's Kroenke: I won't break bank for silverware

Stan Kroenke has warned he will not “throw money against the wall” to end Arsenal's trophy drought.

US tycoon Kroenke claimed that Manchester United fans should be happy with the Glazers and the way they have brought success to Old Trafford.

Billionaire Kroenke, who has spent £450m on becoming Arsenal’s majority shareholder, also says it is a bigger achievement to win trophies without breaking the bank and promised they will stick to their “self sustaining” model.

Arsenal shareholders voiced their concerns at the club’s AGM last week about being able to compete with the likes of Manchester City on transfers and contracts but Kroenke believes Arsene Wenger can defy the odds.

Kroenke said: “Would I rather be successful spending less or spending more? What’s the question! Anybody who is a sportsman would rather compete on the basis of intellect and cleverness rather than being able to throw money against the wall.

“Anyone can go and buy a player, but it takes a lot more to identify that player, develop that player and position him.

“It does work sometimes so I understand what you are getting at. You look at Arsene as a good example. He has been here 15 years and you look at what the club had as assets and revenues it’s fantastic the growth that has occurred.

“For the long term stability and an approach to excellence, I think that’s unsurpassed really. That’s my view.

“What was so tough about the Glazers’ situation? OK guys, let’s talk about it. But they won. And they have increased revenues by a huge amount.

“If I was a fan of that club. I would still be there and go: ‘Wow’. Because how could you do it any better? That’s what I would say.

“I don’t know as a fan, how could you do it much better? They have increased massively. Some of their players have taken money out and maybe they haven’t performed.

“We have a whole different philosophy I think in the States, maybe, but I think it’s time for everybody to think a little bit and maybe I am saying too much but I think they ought to think a little bit about who invests in these clubs.

“Jerry Buss (LA Lakers owner) takes money out of his club. A lot of owners in the US do. No-one ever says anything about it. What’s it about in fairness - did the Lakers win anything? Well, yeah. They did. How big’s their revenue? Pretty darn good.”

The Glazers plunged United into debt when they took over, and fans are still protesting and ticket prices have gone through the roof.

Kroenke did not put any debt on Arsenal to finance his purchase and has insisted he has never taken money out of his sports ventures.

Instead, he believes that Wenger can buck the trend and bring success without the sort of outlay that City, United and Chelsea have made in recent seasons.

Kroenke went to great lengths to express his faith in Wenger as an “unbelievable manager” and it does seem that they are comfortable bed fellows with a conservative attitude to spending.

But Kroenke says when it comes to the biggest worry of all Arsenal fans - as to whether Robin van Persie will stay - he believes they can succeed where they failed on keeping Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri.

“I think you know that one of the players who departed had nothing to do with money,” said Kroenke. “There was a specific personal circumstance that happened. Maybe I am saying too much. That has nothing to do with money.

“The other player departed for money. Well then, you get into an evaluation. That’s where being smart and not being smart comes in.

“You’ve got one year left on a players’ contract. You’ve got a large sum of money being offered. That’s how I would see the evaluation.

“I think Robin van Persie is a great player, I think he’s doing a great job, he’s captain of the club. Arsene said the other day: ‘can we succeed if we are not together? Absolutely not.’

“I think that Robin van Persie gets that and I think he has shown real leadership. I have watched him and had a chance to chat with him. I think he has done a great job of that.

“But I think asking me to talk about Robin van Persie at this stage is not fair to Robin van Persie and is not fair to Arsene and Ivan. They are the guys who know the particulars of that situation.”

Kroenke, spoke at the training ground after addressing the players and congratulating them on their win at Chelsea, also smiled at the familiar ‘Silent Stan’ nickname.

Property tycoon Kroenke, who also owns NBA side Denver Nuggets, MLS club Colorado Rapids and NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, added: “I was perhaps bemused. We are busy, we do have a lot of obligations.

“Sometimes I think if we engage too much, its a matter of who did you engage with, were you fair to people, how much time do you have to give to them. We have very capable people like Ivan (Gazidis) and Arsene.

“We have lots of very capable people - they wouldn’t be involved if I didn’t have lots of confidence in them. I think it’s more about that.”

He's not Silent Stan any more! (full transcript of 40-min interview)  

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