Stan Kroenke on "Wenger Out"

It can be easy to think of Arsenal fans as always being up in arms (excuse the pun) about one thing or another, but the latest chants of #WengerOut are for very valid reasons. 

 

Last season was a historically bad one. For the first time in decades, Arsenal did not qualify for the Champions League. A considerable portion of fans were, and still are, very vocal about their desire for the club to finally offload the longtime manager.

 

Despite all the public outcry, Wenger has remained with the club. Rather than being dismissed, Arsenal agreed to signed Arsene Wenger to a two year contract extension. At the time, the strange move could have been perceived as a slap in the face to Arsenal's dedicated, unsatisfied fans, but there is a method to the madness.

 

Stan Kroenke, the owner of Arsenal and a host of other thriving sports organizations, has recently explained his reasoning for giving Wenger two more years.

 

 

Kroenke was adamant that he does not want Arsenal to join the bandwagon of Premier League clubs that are changing managers at every sign of trouble. Whether or not there are valid reasons for firing one manager, the crippling consequences of hiring a new manager remain the same.

 

It takes time for the team to adjust to a new boss, a new playing style, new expectations, and the new training staff members that often come along with a new manager.

 

Unfortunately, there is no break provided to give teams time to make these adjustments. The season rolls along, and, even in situations where a new manager is an ultimately positive choice, there is still an interim period where points are subject to be lost. That was a risk Kroenke wasn’t willing to take.

 

On the other side of the coin, fans might not see it so clearly. To a fan that’s been dealing with a manager who is the scape goat for the club’s copious woes for so many years, the risk of a rocky transition can seem far better than the sure disappointment to come from someone who has already proven to be undesirable.

 

Kroenke is very confident in Wenger. He has noted that Wenger seems more focused now than ever. Before awarding Wenger with another contract, Kroenke and his business associates gave Wenger time for serious consideration of his future with the club. Is it for the best?