Re: Merci Arsène
Posted: Thu Feb 28, 2019 1:28 pm
I think Wenger was fired because as Wenger frequently stated, he has honoured every contract that he has been given. I think you have over simplified the owner's position and underestimated the level of fan opinion - which most likely contributed to Kroenke waiting to let Wenger go. Here is why.
Kroenke always stated that Arsenal will continue to be run as it is, the self sustainable model would continue. some fans were not pleased by this, but some fans (I was one) was perfectly fine with it, I didn't want us to become Chelski. Kroenke let Wenger continue to run the club as he saw fit, I think Wenger's remit was simply to provide CL football. When English teams got 4 teams in the CL that task became a little easier for a while.
Now we move into the late 2000/early 2010, Wenger's magic has significantly dwindled but he still had massive support from the fans. Only the diehard Wenger Out people were calling for him to be replaced at that point but it was like one voice among hundreds. CL football was still being provided so there was no reason for Kroneke to do anything. Then the atmosphere gets more toxic, season to season more fans openly voiced they wanted Wenger to leave. By 2015 I think we saw banners and all sorts, there was infighting amongst the fans and it looked bad. At that point I think Kroenke was aware he needed to do something, but Wenger still had the support of the majority of the fans, it would've been a brave move - I feel - for Kroneke to let our best ever manager go, especially because we won an FA Cup, our first trophy in over a decade, hence him giving Wenger a contract extension.
At this point Gazidis tells the world we are no longer hamstrung by the stadium move and we can spend some money, but even after spending money we went backwards, Wenger's decisions became more and more bizarre. Fan fury reached fever pitch and by now the Wenger Out voices far outnumbered the Wenger Ins, in my opinion. At this point Kroenke knew he had to do something .. and he did.
I don't think Kroenke could've sacked him earlier because there were too many fans that were pro Wenger. I cannot find fault with Kroenke, we all hoped Wenger would do something once he had real money to spend (but he spunked it on Mustafi and Xhaka etc). We all hoped the FA Cup win would kick start us being competitive, but it didn't, we became worse.
Kroenke always stated that Arsenal will continue to be run as it is, the self sustainable model would continue. some fans were not pleased by this, but some fans (I was one) was perfectly fine with it, I didn't want us to become Chelski. Kroenke let Wenger continue to run the club as he saw fit, I think Wenger's remit was simply to provide CL football. When English teams got 4 teams in the CL that task became a little easier for a while.
Now we move into the late 2000/early 2010, Wenger's magic has significantly dwindled but he still had massive support from the fans. Only the diehard Wenger Out people were calling for him to be replaced at that point but it was like one voice among hundreds. CL football was still being provided so there was no reason for Kroneke to do anything. Then the atmosphere gets more toxic, season to season more fans openly voiced they wanted Wenger to leave. By 2015 I think we saw banners and all sorts, there was infighting amongst the fans and it looked bad. At that point I think Kroenke was aware he needed to do something, but Wenger still had the support of the majority of the fans, it would've been a brave move - I feel - for Kroneke to let our best ever manager go, especially because we won an FA Cup, our first trophy in over a decade, hence him giving Wenger a contract extension.
At this point Gazidis tells the world we are no longer hamstrung by the stadium move and we can spend some money, but even after spending money we went backwards, Wenger's decisions became more and more bizarre. Fan fury reached fever pitch and by now the Wenger Out voices far outnumbered the Wenger Ins, in my opinion. At this point Kroenke knew he had to do something .. and he did.
I don't think Kroenke could've sacked him earlier because there were too many fans that were pro Wenger. I cannot find fault with Kroenke, we all hoped Wenger would do something once he had real money to spend (but he spunked it on Mustafi and Xhaka etc). We all hoped the FA Cup win would kick start us being competitive, but it didn't, we became worse.