Takeover, Fake Dollar Bills – should we care?

For Sale?
By Simon68
April 26 2007

The Arsenal blogs, boards, sites, pubs etc have been, still are full of the talk about Dein and Kroenke, the Board's stance about a takeover now or next year or whenever; and of course Arsene Wenger's position in all this. Simon68 weighs up the issues for Arsenal Times:

 Speculation, speculation

Obviously most of it is speculation. Speculation about what has really gone on over the past few weeks. Speculation about Dein's role and his intentions. Speculation about Kroenke. Speculation about what the Arsenal Board will do in the future. Some say a sell-out is inevitable. Some say not. Speculation about PHW's comments about "their sort" not being wanted.

And so on and so forth.

Although it is relevant and important to all Gooners what the main parties involved propose to do, I feel that we are all missing the major point.

We as Gooners have spent the last three years, quite rightly, shrugging our shoulders or looking down our noses, at Chelsea's success because it has been bought, not earned. From a position where the liquidators were almost at their door. We have looked at Liverpool, £90m in debt, hawking themselves around the world to the highest bidder.

 

Having seen Manchester Utd almost tearing themselves apart, and now facing huge debt which only sustained success (and 14% ticket increases. Ed) can pay for. We have laughed at Newcastle directors treating their fans like idiots. We have seen a Chairman (now ex) of Britain's biggest club, noted mainly for his greed and his liking for looking under the occupied cubicles in ladies' toilets. We have seen the odious Kenyon at work at Chelsea. Say no more.

And through all this and for years before, Arsenal have gone about their business in a quiet, non-demonstrative way. No scandal, no front page headlines. Our Board has overseen the remarkably difficult, some would say miraculous, achievement of building a brand new stadium 5 minutes away from our old home. On budget and before the due date, having found £100m towards the cost as well.

All this has been achieved through hard work and sacrifice, with dignity in the face of opposition and criticism. We have watched the others spend tens of millions on players, good and bad, while we have spent a comparative pittance, having to balance the books. We have used mainly players brought up the Arsenal way. Playing great football, winning trophies and reaching finals.

We have always done things the right way. We have a deserved reputation for being a bit different. If people want to say stuffy or elitist that's up to them. I think they're wrong. Many non-Gooners have said we are the best run club in the country. It's been said on this board that, ironically, Liverpool directors always love coming down to Arsenal because we are a "proper" football club.

Do we want to lose all that has been worked for by embracing a single owner, American or otherwise? Do we want to be just another part of someone's sporting portfolio? Or someone's way to earning an even bigger fortune with little risk? Do we want to have Chelsea, Liverpool & Man Utd supporters waving fake dollar bills at us because we have joined that herd of clubs in order 'not to be left behind', whatever that means?

And for what? Who says we will be any more successful under new ownership than I know we will be with what we currently have?
In my opinion the major points to come out of the events of the past week are these:

Do we want to stop being The Arsenal?

And would success achieved through stuffing our team full of £25m players feel like success?

To me it would feel like failure.

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