Sports
Stan Kroenke tells ‘wonderfully rabid’ fans: He’s about winning trophies and not money
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.”
Victor Osimhen has been named the 2023 African Footballer of the Year, cementing his status as one of the world’s top players.
Osimhen surpassed competition from Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi and Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah for the prestigious award.
The Super Eagles forward concluded a remarkable year in the imperial Moroccan city of Marakesh, ending Nigeria’s 24-year wait for Africa’s top individual prize, last won by legendary Kanu Nwankwo in 1999.
During the event, Osimhen expressed gratitude, acknowledging the impact of Nigerian legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who coached him at the U-17 level, and the support from fans and fellow players.
“It’s a dream come true for me. I want to thank everyone who has seen me through life’s journey, in achieving my dreams and goals. I appreciate Nigerians and Africa for their unwavering support and encouragement,” he said.
Osimhen recognised the influence of Emmanuel Adebayo, Solomon Kalu, and other African legends, expressing gratitude to his role model, Didier Drogba.
The award reflects Osimhen’s outstanding performances with Napoli, where he played a pivotal role in their Serie A title run, scoring 26 league goals and becoming the first African to win the top scorer award, breaking George Weah’s record in the Italian top-flight.”
Lionel Messi, the renowned Argentine football icon, clinched the coveted 2023 Ballon d’Or, setting a new record for the 2022 World Cup champion.
In a glamorous event held in Paris, Messi, who now plays for Inter Miami, received the prestigious award on Monday night. This achievement is widely seen as a well-deserved recognition for his pivotal role in guiding the Abiscelete to World Cup victory in the previous year.
Aged 36, Messi succeeded Karim Benzema as the recipient of this award, which acknowledges his exceptional performances during the last season when he inspired Argentina to triumph at the World Cup.
His remarkable displays in Qatar, where he led his nation to a historic victory, enabled him to surpass strong competition, notably from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Haaland secured the second spot in the final voting, with Mbappe finishing third and Kevin De Bruyne taking fourth place.
Messi, a former Barcelona superstar, left an indelible mark at the World Cup, scoring seven crucial goals. His exceptional performance led to him being named the tournament’s best player, especially after Argentina’s victory over France in the final.
While Messi’s World Cup heroics were undeniable, his final season with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) was relatively lackluster. Subsequently, he made a move to Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
His former PSG teammate, Mbappe, made a strong case for the Ballon d’Or with his outstanding World Cup performance, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals, including a memorable hat-trick in the final for France.
Norwegian striker Erling Haaland had a remarkable season, scoring an incredible 52 goals in 53 games for Manchester City. This stellar performance played a pivotal role in helping Pep Guardiola’s team secure a historic treble in the English Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.
Both Haaland and De Bruyne were nominated for the Ballon d’Or from their exceptional contributions to the success of Manchester City.
Juventus and France midfielder Paul Pogba’s ‘B’ sample has confirmed the presence of testosterone, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday.
The 30-year-old former Manchester United player, a World Cup winner in 2018, faces a ban of up to four years.
The original test by the Italian anti-doping agency (Nado) showed the presence of testosterone metabolites.
On Friday, Pogba learned that the analysis of his B sample, carried out on the previous day, had produced the same result.
The player’s entourage declined to comment.
Under the World Anti-Doping Code, Pogba is liable to a four-year suspension, which could be halved if he proves that he was not at fault.
The ban could even be limited to a few months if the use of the substance took place “out of competition and is not related to his level of performance”.
Pogba’s representatives said last month that the testosterone came from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor he consulted in the United States.
Testosterone promotes muscle development.
Contacted by AFP, Nado was unable to confirm this information “due to a decision by the Italian privacy authority”.
Pogba has seven days to submit his defence to Italy’s National Anti-Doping Tribunal, which will investigate his case and request a sanction, a process that could take several weeks.
In addition to the proceedings of the Italian sports justice system, a judicial investigation will be opened by the Turin public prosecutor’s office, as doping is a criminal offence in Italy.
Since the announcement of his positive test, Pogba has been unable to train with Juventus, the club to which he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.
The announcement came shortly before Juve coach Massimiliano Allegri’s press conference on the eve of the Turin derby against Torino, at which he simply said he was “sorry for Paul”.
Contacted by AFP, the club, which has also suspended payment of his estimated annual salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million dollars), did not respond.
Pogba started the season attempting to bounce back from string of injuries last season and from summer surgery.
His sample was reportedly taken at his club’s opening match of the Serie A season, a win at Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.
After the first sample tested positive on September 11, Pogba’s agent Rafaela Pimenta said she was “awaiting the second sample and cannot have an opinion before the results”.
“What is certain is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break a rule,” she added.
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