These jokers…

[McFlash]

I'm on Twitter too.

Lol, I don't do twitter or any other social media apart from Facebook. I'm 50 FFS, ain't nobody got no time for that.

I have a friend who knows a few people in and around the club, so while it's not "itk" he does hear the odd little snippet here and there and this was one of them.

 

[Gazza]

How many people are smart enough to earn the £Bns required to buy a football club but dumb enough to lose it all on buying a football club?

Have not done a field check by any measure. But again we are not talking about unicorns here. Just because you are framing your point of view with it either being A or B. I’m just noting the fact wealthy people do exist that are sports fans simple.

 

[braineclipse]

I heard the same, that Paratici wanted Frank gone in December but Vinai sided with Lange, who of course backed his mate.
Paratici gave an ultimatum that it was either him or Lange and we backed the wrong horse.

The jury is out still on Vinai, for me at least but the quicker we get rid of Lange the better.
He can't seem to build a squad and has all the personality of a potato.

Welcome

Obviously just rumours, but there being some conflict behind the scenes culminating in Paratici packing his bags certainly makes sense.

Us going for a very much Paratici style interim manager in Tudor certainly does make for some further interesting speculation.

But we should also be careful about putting too much stock in what hasn't been confirmed.

 

[Jurgen the German]

Have not done a field check by any measure. But again we are not talking about unicorns here. Just because you are framing your point of view with it either being A or B. I’m just noting the fact wealthy people do exist that are sports fans simple.

I think he’s just trying to make it seem like it’s either Levy or a sugar daddy type or Saudi. I’d rather any of those than Levy provided we’re run responsibly.

 

[scaramanga]

They need to get some proper football people in first because I'm not at all convinced on Vinai and Lange.

brick, if the kids hadn't butted in we'd have ended up getting relegated with Frank because Lange wasn't going to fire him and for some reason, Vinai backed Lange

If the kids hadn't butted in in the first place, Levy would still have been pulling the strings and we wouldn't be in that situation.

 

[scaramanga]

Have not done a field check by any measure. But again we are not talking about unicorns here. Just because you are framing your point of view with it either being A or B. I’m just noting the fact wealthy people do exist that are sports fans simple.

But that's not the criteria that matter.

Levy is wealthy and a sports fan. City's owners are massively successful and showed no interest whatsoever in sport until they wanted to sportswash their country's ills.

What matters is that they're very rich and very competent (to the point that they're more competent than the thousands of other very rich people who want to succeed in football).

 

[Gazza]

But that's not the criteria that matter.

Levy is wealthy and a sports fan. City's owners are massively successful and showed no interest whatsoever in sport until they wanted to sportswash their country's ills.

What matters is that they're very rich and very competent (to the point that they're more competent than the thousands of other very rich people who want to succeed in football).

Ok I concede only Arabs and levy exist.

 

[Jurgen the German]

But that's not the criteria that matter.

Levy is wealthy and a sports fan. City's owners are massively successful and showed no interest whatsoever in sport until they wanted to sportswash their country's ills.

What matters is that they're very rich and very competent (to the point that they're more competent than the thousands of other very rich people who want to succeed in football).

Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool don’t have owners that are sportswashing.

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

Not the only alternative. Some are sports fans/ people that have made it. Not many but an alternative does exist instead believe it or not.

They do but generally they are the ones who end up making terrible decisions that they didn't make in their business lives and throw money into black holes through passion.

There are really only a few viable options for a club like us, because of the value - ARABS, American Investment Company or the Chinese I suppose

 

[McFlash]

If the kids hadn't butted in in the first place, Levy would still have been pulling the strings and we wouldn't be in that situation.

Wel, we don't know that really because Levy did hire Frank in the first place, so maybe he would have trusted Vinai and Lange.
And also, I wouldn't have much faith in Levy appointing a suitable replacements because we've lucked into the most successful managers under him.
Jol was an Arnesen pick but Levy wanted the bigger name in Santini, who quit after 6 months.
We wanted Van Gaal over Poch and Redknapp was a panic replacement made in desperation.

Levy's constant chopping and changing between managers and styles is a big part of the reason our squad has been so disjointed and unbalanced for so many years.
Levy did a lot of good for our club but football decisions wasn't his strong point.
He tinkled off the legend that was Pleat, the one proper footballing man who had his ear and funnily enough now seems to be advising the kids.

But with that said, after the Gattuso "incident", I'm not sure I trust Fab's managerial judgement either.

 

[McFlash]

Arsenal, Chelsea or Liverpool don’t have owners that are sportswashing.

Arsenal and Liverpool don't but I wouldn't include Chelsea in any measure of good ownership.
They started out with Bates nearly ruining them, got taken over by a Russian criminal who used them as a laundry for his dirty money and are now basically a corrupt player trading company and a chunk of their money comes indirectly from the Arab states.

 

[Gazza]

They do but generally they are the ones who end up making terrible decisions that they didn't make in their business lives and throw money into black holes through passion.

There are really only a few viable options for a club like us, because of the value - ARABS, American Investment Company or the Chinese I suppose

And probably many more outside our school of knowledge

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

And probably many more outside our school of knowledge

You could be right, but anyone with that level of spare cash is usually a known entity, not saying its impossible but 4bn spare narrows down the individual sports loving owner pool significantly

There are only 15 people in the world worth over 15bn, that narrows down the independent owner route significantly

 

[Jurgen the German]

Arsenal and Liverpool don't but I wouldn't include Chelsea in any measure of good ownership.
They started out with Bates nearly ruining them, got taken over by a Russian criminal who used them as a laundry for his dirty money and are now basically a corrupt player trading company and a chunk of their money comes indirectly from the Arab states.

Abramovich was dodgy as fudge, no argument there, but he’s not there anymore. Boehly seems legit from what I know about him. He’s ploughed money into that club. Now you could argue with how they’ve spent the money and they have signed too many players but it’s definitely not a lack of ambition that has held them back.

 

[McFlash]

Abramovich was dodgy as fudge, no argument there, but he’s not there anymore. Boehly seems legit from what I know about him. He’s ploughed money into that club. Now you could argue with how they’ve spent the money and they have signed too many players but it’s definitely not a lack of ambition that has held them back.

Boehly is just the current puppet at that club, the money and the power isn't coming from him.
There's Saudi money heavily invested into Clearlake and by default BlueCo.
It's bent as fudge and muddy as hell.
The Saudi pif failed in an attempt to own Chelsea but yet a company that they are heavily invested in did eventually gain ownership and I'd bet my bottom dollar that it's the Saudis that are actually running the show.
As we've seen with Emirates Marketing Project, Arab powers will do everything and anything to circumnavigate the rules, the Saudis are using Saudi Sportswashing Machine as a shield and cover, while subversively investing and driving Chelsea.

Multi-club ownership and buying and selling players between clubs and the Saudi league, all to dodge psr.
Clearlake are an investment company like Enic but even more shady imo.

 

[braineclipse]

Wel, we don't know that really because Levy did hire Frank in the first place, so maybe he would have trusted Vinai and Lange.
And also, I wouldn't have much faith in Levy appointing a suitable replacements because we've lucked into the most successful managers under him.
Jol was an Arnesen pick but Levy wanted the bigger name in Santini, who quit after 6 months.
We wanted Van Gaal over Poch and Redknapp was a panic replacement made in desperation.

Levy's constant chopping and changing between managers and styles is a big part of the reason our squad has been so disjointed and unbalanced for so many years.
Levy did a lot of good for our club but football decisions wasn't his strong point.
He tinkled off the legend that was Pleat, the one proper footballing man who had his ear and funnily enough now seems to be advising the kids.

But with that said, after the Gattuso "incident", I'm not sure I trust Fab's managerial judgement either.

Wouldn't really trust any of them (Levy, Paratici, Lange, VV) to make the right managerial hire.

On Frank we don't really know who was calling the shots on that do we? With how long we waited to fire him I'm guessing hiring Frank at the very least wasn't done against the will of VV and Lange.

 

[McFlash]

Wouldn't really trust any of them (Levy, Paratici, Lange, VV) to make the right managerial hire.

On Frank we don't really know who was calling the shots on that do we? With how long we waited to fire him I'm guessing hiring Frank at the very least wasn't done against the will of VV and Lange.

Apparently we had a detailed list and came up with Frank as the best choice, which given how things went must mean that the list was asking all the wrong questions!
It been reported that Lange wanted Frank at Villa, so I'd guess he was the driving force behind it and Vinai wanted to back him, having only really had experience at Arsenal and sticking with Lego head and fluking it because of COVID and empty stadiums.
If the fans had been able to attend and voice their concern, I doubt Captain Scarlett would have survived this long because they didn't seem happy with him for a while.
With that being Vinai's only real experience, I suspect that he thinks that any manager who can talk a good game will eventually succeed if given time.

But yeah, they all seem a bit useless and the only thing Fab really had going for him was experience and a strong personality.
He shouldn't just be judged for his signings or managerial picks because he did a lot of good work behind the scenes in terms of trying to make the club more professional and improving the academy.

 

[Lemonade Money]

Apparently we had a detailed list and came up with Frank as the best choice, which given how things went must mean that the list was asking all the wrong questions!
It been reported that Lange wanted Frank at Villa, so I'd guess he was the driving force behind it and Vinai wanted to back him, having only really had experience at Arsenal and sticking with Lego head and fluking it because of COVID and empty stadiums.
If the fans had been able to attend and voice their concern, I doubt Captain Scarlett would have survived this long because they didn't seem happy with him for a while.
With that being Vinai's only real experience, I suspect that he thinks that any manager who can talk a good game will eventually succeed if given time.

But yeah, they all seem a bit useless and the only thing Fab really had going for him was experience and a strong personality.
He shouldn't just be judged for his signings or managerial picks because he did a lot of good work behind the scenes in terms of trying to make the club more professional and improving the academy.

Ange was Munn's man, Frank was Lange's. Jol was Arnesen's man, Paratici wanted Gattuso! Lange obviously sold Frank to the board. Based on that, I don't think he's fit to pick managers. If his youth buys are good, fair enough. I'd like to know who recommended Pochettino to Levy, and who recommended Redknapp.

 

[NoLimits01]

Ange was Munn's man, Frank was Lange's. Jol was Arnesen's man, Paratici wanted Gattuso! Lange obviously sold Frank to the board. Based on that, I don't think he's fit to pick managers. If his youth buys are good, fair enough. I'd like to know who recommended Pochettino to Levy, and who recommended Redknapp.

it would be hilarious if those two were actually Levy picks

 

[Lemonade Money]

Vinai Venkatesham’s legacy as Arsenal CEO (2020–2024) is defined by securing the appointment of Mikel Arteta, steering the club through the pandemic, and driving significant commercial growth that increased revenue from £340m to a record £615m. He was pivotal in modernising Arsenal's structure and boosting the women's team.
Key aspects of Venkatesham’s legacy include:

• Arteta Appointment: He signed off on and was a key figure in hiring Mikel Arteta in 2019, fundamentally shifting the club's sporting trajectory.
• Financial & Operational Growth: Under his leadership, the club saw revenue rise to £615m and EBITDA grow to £140m, representing a major financial turnaround.
• Crisis Management & Stability: He led Arsenal through the financial uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic and managed major structural changes.
• Women's Football Development: He provided strong support for the women’s team, raising its profile and investment.
• Cultural Shift: He is viewed as having helped restore stability and professionalism to the club's management, leaving on good terms in 2024 to join Tottenham Hotspur.

Venkatesham was appointed OBE in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to sport.