Stan Kroenke has told Arsenal’s “wonderfully rabid” fans: I am about winning trophies, not making money.
American tycoon Kroenke is strong and ambitious in his vision for the Gunners, and insists there are easier ways to rake in cash than owning a football club.
The 70-year-old has outlined his vision for the club to the Mirror as he promised:
* He will NEVER sell Arsenal — the Premier League giants will remain in his family for generations.
* They can win major trophies, including the Premier League and Champions League.
* Arsene Wenger is the best man for the job — and they regularly text each other.
* The thought of his Gunners lifting silverware is what drives him on.
Kroenke will face shareholders on Thursday at the club’s AGM, after a roller-coaster year when some fans turned on the ownership and the manager.
It is an issue which he addressed head-on in an exclusive interview with the Mirror, insisting the fan backlash was both good and bad last season.
“Sports fans are wonderful,” said Kroenke, who also owns professional American football, ice-hockey, basketball, Major League Soccer and lacrosse teams back home.
“The best thing is the rabid fans... the worst thing is the rabid fans.
“They are passionate about the club, they have the right to their opinions and the only part I worry about is how it affects the players and the coaching staff. It can have a bad effect on that group and that’s the last group you want it to have a bad effect upon.
“That’s how I look at it.
“They always have opinions, they are certainly entitled to them… I know there were some opinions about what we should do about Arsene. But we have always had a lot of respect for Arsene.”
Arsenal director Josh Kroenke, Stan's son, added: “We said jokingly that the best and worst part is the fans’ passion. From an ownership standpoint, the emotions that are involved — we as fans feel that range of emotions as well.”
Kroenke Snr then interjected, laughing: “We might feel the same way…!”
What came across very clearly in two hours spent in the company of the duo was their passion and love for the club and their determination to make Arsenal successful.
Stan chatted to Lee Dixon at Arsenal’s Carabao Cup win over Norwich, while Josh sat with Sol Campbell.
They enjoy being immersed in the traditions and history of the club. Both got emotional when talking about Wenger’s record-breaking seventh FA Cup win in May.
They throw open the doors to fans and shareholders each year at the club’s AGM.
It is the third time Stan Kroenke has spoken to Mirror Sport, while other owners of major clubs, such as Chelsea’s Roman Abramovich and the Glazers at Manchester United, have remained silent.
Kroenke, who owns a 67.1 per cent stake in Arsenal, has reiterated his commitment to the club and insisted he is simply not interested in selling.
Alisher Usmanov, who owns 30 per cent, made an offer in May. But there has not been any serious contact since.
Kroenke said: “There are a lot of easier ways, so many easier ways, to make money, I assure you! You guys talk about the downs, maybe that’s the nature of it, but if you’re just trying to make money there are a lot easier ways to do it.
“If you look at our history – just go look at our history. We get into these things to try to build them, to try to grow them. You don’t see us selling things. You just don’t. Go and check us. We are committed long-term.”
When pressed if they would ever consider selling the Gunners, Kroenke added: “No, absolutely not. That’s just not our model, not what we do. I’m at a stage in life where what good does that do?
“I love Arsenal, love being involved with Arsenal. There is no finer feeling that going out and winning, like we did with the FA Cup. There’s no finer feeling — wonderful, wonderful feeling.”
Josh added: “We're talking the day after the Los Angeles Rams (the NFL team the Kroenkes own) won, the terminology is always funny for me. In basketball, it’s the locker-room. Ice hockey is the dressing-room, it’s the same for football over here and there are few things as fun going down to a dressing-room and feeling that mood.
“Whether it’s the FA Cup or just a big win. The feeling is contagious and it makes you want to keep doing it.”
Stan interjected again: “There’s nothing else like it. That whole afternoon and evening, we talked about what happened on the pitch. That whole evening – how wonderful was that?
“Once you have that feeling, you want it again because there’s nothing else like that. You hear people say: ‘I’d do anything to have that again.’ Believe me, that’s how you feel. You really want that feeling again.
“Look, we want to be champions of everything. Premier League, Champions League – we want them all. When they list them on my phone, they list a third one, they list the FA Cup: Arsenal. Right there; that’s your list of champions.
“We shouldn’t sell that short. Do we want to win more? Absolutely. We want them. We have to do better but don’t sell short the FA Cup and Arsene’s record setting.
“His record of consistency through 20 years. We did fall out of the Champions League but with four more points than finishing second. It’s competitive and arguably more competitive."