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Martin Keown on Arsenal’s Americanisation: Arsene Wenger will make key signings

Written by Jeffrey on April 13, 2011 – 4:45

Arsenal Interactive - Player RatingsMartin Keown

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown branded the move by Stan Kroenke to increase his shareholding in Arsenal to more than 62% as a shame as the Club is now longer owned by a small group of people, all on the same wavelength.

Speaking to BBC, the 44-year old explained that the move was inevitable and only the future will tell whether the American is the right person for the Club as he stressed the important for the Gunners to impose themselves both on and off the pitch.

Believing that manager Arsene Wenger will welcome any extra cash available for transfers, the ex-centre back concluded by saying that he is convinced the Frenchman will make new signings during the summer transfer window as after years working with the same players he now knows what the team needs.

On Stan Kroenke’s takeover, Keown said:

[A foreign owner] is a shame, really, I must say. It’s been the Peter Hill-Wood family for many years now, the Bracewell-Smith and of course Danny Fiszman and in later years David Dein.

That’s been nice, just a small group of people essentially with the same belief, the same ideals, now of course it’s going to change, it’s going to go to one particular person.

[Stan Kroenke] is an expert buyer of sports businesses and we have to see that only the future will tell us really whether or not Arsenal made the right decision.

There are a lot of American people around the Club, they are very good at business, very good in sport [but] what Arsenal need to do is to be the best off the pitch and the best on it.

They used to call Arsenal the bank of England, didn’t they, but certainly it’s not now the bank of England, it’s the American bank. I think it’s a shame that we’ve really lost one big Club in English game but it was inevitable, it’s how really the Club respond from this.

I’m sure Arsene Wenger will make key signings, he worked with the team for many years, he knows exactly what he needs for that team.

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  • Sandman says:

    I don’t think any of Stan K’s teams have ever won a championship which doesn’t go well for Arsenal. It’s good if he’s not here to make a profit but then again who spends this much $ to not make a profit? Too many bad business decisions already made in the move to the new stadium.

    If other clubs have profits they put it towards players. If arsenal have profits its not enough, because they want to show high net profits on the financials. They have NEVER in the last however many years spent funds from their ridiculous profits. All spending we did was from the sale of existing players. Pathetic and greedy.

    • Hunter says:

      Sandman do some research before you talk. Why do people insist on talking without looking up the facts? The Avalanche (hockey), The Rapids (football) and The Rams (American football) have all won championships.

    • Elkieno says:

      Haha ur a pathetic and greedy glory hunter! Yea do some research first then comment.
      Oh and what bad business decisions have Arsenal made? We are known for good ones not bad ones, but then again you do like to shoot your mouth off without doing research first.
      Don’t worry cos wen we win the league u can shoot ur unresearched mouth off to all the boys in the school yard.
      If we don’t then next year we will said paddy over and over again…
      Comon you Gunners!!!

      • Dave says:

        well said. the guy is a fool

  • Hunter says:

    Diaby has had 5 years. That;s plenty of time to show what you can do and he has been an epic failure. I wouldn’t mind throwing Koscielny into this group either because he isn’t good enough either.

    • embryo says:

      Kozzer not that good??!! agreed he will always make one mistake per game, but he’s been a rock during the last 3 months, without him we’d have imploded and be clinging on for 5th. what we really need is Steve Bould to be promoted to asst coach and let him take charge of the defense, we have the players, we need to drill them properly.

      • A.M says:

        Agreed Hunter. He has had 5 years, but atleast he offers something which is different in the midfield. If only he could be taught to utilise them, it would make a difference. The same cant be said about the rest, especially Denilson who practicallu offers NOTHING to the team. However, as I said, Diaby still has got lots to prove. I dont quite agree on Kos though. Yes he has he fair share of mistakes, but atleast he has been solid throughout. I would dread to imagine where we would be if he wasnt fit, but with that said, he still has lots to prove too. The same cant be said about the Squid, with all his so called experience, is a complete tool of a defender. So if you compare them both, Kos atleast requires a season more to prove himself. He has that knack for getting stuck in which Squid doesnt have.

      • Lauren says:

        I’m sorry ‘embryo’ but making one mistake per game does not – in any way – make koscielny a rock. One mistake is so decisive nowadays and i would have thought you’d realised this from the carling cup final, as it all went downhill from there.

        • Dave says:

          @(glory)HUNTER – seriously cut the guy some slack.he has been playing really well in his 1st season, you and chris both seem to think he was the worst ever against blackpool but he made so many blocks and interceptions his mistake wasn’t even punished because it wasn’t given a penalty, the errors and there were at least 3 bad ones from squilla were over looked again. you defend all these other defenders in the league vidic, terry, even luiz who has had a couple decent games but is still making glaring mistakes. Vidic gave away a pen against west ham, they conceded 2 that day and another two the next.

          open your eye hunter. the guy earlier said it perfectly “you’re a pathetic and greedy glory HUNTER” you don’t research nothing and all your opinions are one sided because you have made your mind up about certain players and they can do nothing to change that. You are a pathetic fair weather supporter who simply wants a team run by tycoons so it will be just like championship manager is real life.

          get over yourself fool and stop ruining supporting OUR club

          • Hunter says:

            You obviously can’t read well, you might want ot go back up and re-read the things you just listed because you got them completely wrong.

            There are lots of things a player can do to change my mind about them. The biggest is to put in a performance without a giant mental lapse every game that costs us a goal or points. So far Koscielny (nor Denilson, Diaby, Bendtner) can’t do that so in my book he is not good enough. Do the job on the pitch and I have no problem. Just look at Eboue, he went through a nightmare period but came out the other side stronger and more useful to the team. If your idea of a great defender is one who costs points and goals then I guess we will have to agree to disagree. There is no reason why every can’t have an opinion without being attacked by some uneducated buffoon who can’t comprehend properly.

            • Dave says:

              then why not be happy then. he has done that countless occassions!

              you’re so boring and predictable. shuffle off would you

              • Hunter says:

                If you don’t like it stop reading and commenting on my posts. There is no need to attack someone because they don’t agree with you. It shows your lack of education and civility. Only those with small minds attack others for not sharing their same point of view. That is the type of mentality that extremists are bred from.

                • A.M says:

                  Just ignore him Hunter. Its blokes like this who merely just attacks people and the high and mighty Chris does nothing about it, but bans anyone else who replies. Classic hypocrite

  • Evo In Oz says:

    Chamakh to go, he just arrived didnt he???!

    wasnt he our top scorer in the first half of the season before RVP arrived back to full fitness?

    i think he was burnt out after the first half of the season as he carried the full striking workload.

    he has to stay. the rest definitely need to be cut!

    • pdxArsenal says:

      there is strong interest from German Bremen for Bendner and there was for Denilson (not sure if they still want him) so it begin to sort out.

      • Elkieno says:

        Who the he’ll would want denilson? I remember when he would score and then do the goal celebration of shaking his head while shooting guns (hands shaped as guns)
        Nasri loved it and once I saw him motion to denilson to do it after scoring.
        Those must have been happier times for him.
        Anyway we can beat utd to the title if we just win our games and hope they stumble which they wil with fixture congestion. Comon city!!!!

    • Ellidinho says:

      Its people like you who kill our players with negative suggestions like above! Are you Arsenal fans?? And can you even kick a ball? Give Denilson and co a break!!!!

  • Mark says:

    seems like pure anti-american sentiment to me. I’m not forming my judgement about this takeover yet. and if anything, he deserves the benefit of the doubt given his history with the club and successful professional sports clubs in general, and Wenger’s confidence in the man.

    however, i would like the fans and clubman like Keown to continue to question his intentions and put pressure on him to make a public statement to the ARsenal supporters about what his intentions are. the last thing the club needs right now is instability due to this takeover. our entire focus must be on matches, starting with Liverpool.

    • Elkieno says:

      Problem is by the time we agree that it was a bad takeover, it will be too late.
      That’s how it is I suppose.

      • Hunter says:

        So instead of waiting to see what happens you just go on the attack right away?

  • Ebenezer F. says:

    Kroenke taken over is a good news,gunners needs disposing those players who could not proof themselves.we need another good finisher like RVP and more exprience players to boost up our young ones.

  • Aussie Jack says:

    Kroenke makes money out of sport and there`s nothing wrong with that, so do the players and officials, lots of it. Money in itself is not a dirty word it`s only when it`s used to manipulate.

    Hopefully Kroenke will quietly make his presence felt and leave the running of the show to Wenger and co..

    Wenger will spend but forty million doesn`t buy a lot these days so I think his 10K thinking may be extended to 12K or even 15K thinking, but no more. There will of course be more pressure on him to get sustained results but I`m sure he can more than handle that.

    He`ll get lots of advice from all of us this summer I`m quite sure. If he buys more than three I`d be surprised.

  • arzenal says:

    I heard that he nevers puts any of his teams into debt and shares a simmilar philosophy to Wenger so guys dont expect much change and major signings..Yet

    I also know he owns colorado rapids who won the mls 2 season ago or something and are like 3rd best in america i think.

  • Alious says:

    We need to be focus on our remaining match must especially,game against liverpool,man utd and a game in hand with spur then after dat we can now discuss abt transfer window.in wenger we trust.up gunners’blood of london’…

  • realistic tony says:

    im cautiously optimistic about kroenke…..hill wood is no mug when it comes to analysing fellow boardmembers. In fact Hill wood appeared to be relatively hostile to the introduction of kroenke to the board many years back.That indicates that hill wood has continually vetted kroenke and for him to give him his approval for the takeover says more than enough for me that we are in safe hands.
    In fact if he has been “schooled” in the current arsenal philosophy then we shouldnt expect much money available for transfers. Add to the fact that Wenger appears to be strangely averse (and proven as foolhardy) to spending big on quality players then i expect there will be no dramatic changes in personnel this summer.
    So this takeover, in reality, wont affect much at all.
    But we live in hope.

    • Norfolk Gooner says:

      I hope I’m wrong but I have the feeling nothing will change. While I don’t want us to spend with the excess of a Man City it would have been nice to have had the funds to buy a new goalkeeper and centre-half back in January – that would probably have won us the title. However, I don’t see Kroenke giving us transfer funds; the board only sold to him because they wanted to avoid an Usmanov takeover. And since Usmanov is richer than Abramovich I’m pretty sure he would have been more willing to fund the transfers we badly need.

  • Charlie says:

    If i was Kroenke i’d see an opportunity for money spent reeping immediate diviends with Arsenal. In America they have wage caps and the draft system. It is designed to be much more even. Here he can actually make a real profit by spending money and i hope he sees that Arsenal is not another Chelsea or Man City and rather it is a club that requires massive investment in perhaps 2 or 3 players to make it the best team in the country.

    • Ellidinho says:

      Well said Charlie!!!

    • Hunter says:

      That’s what I was getting at earlier but some people immediately claim you want to be like Chelsea or Man City just because you say we need to spend a little.

  • Peter kipkoech says:

    I think daz the 1st step 2 reduce cup drought.massive exit and fabulous sighnings

  • tochi says:

    @ A.M did you include Clichy in your list? why? also squid should be kept. you will hardly find a decent defender willing to be 4th choice (rem verminator is returning next season). the no hopers we really need out are Aluminium, Sadly Rocisky, denilson and the best striker in the world…. u know who.

    • A.M says:

      Well as much as I love Clichy’s drive and spirit for the club, its hard to ignore the fact he has regressed recently in terms on his ability. And it takes a lot of me to say he has been a weak link in our back 4 this season in terms of defending. We dont really know the Verm situation fully yet mate, he has been out a whole season, so we can only HOPE he comes back to his best, but its still a risk

  • cd says:

    i can see Wenger eye on parker, benzema,neymar,stekelenburg,metersacker and gourcuff…
    while denilson,rosicky,bendtner,almunia and diaby need to go…(i hope a.song to stay,because he sometime a very fine offensive player)

  • Denilson, Rosicky, Arshavin, Squillaci, Almunia and Chamakh out. We have enough midfielders, but we could buy new CB and Winger. We have 3 Great strikers Vela, Van Persie and Bendtner(i know “great” but 2 hat-tricks for Arsenal and best header of the ball).

    • Hunter says:

      If Arsene would give Vela a fair chance I think he would be the best of the lot as a pure striker.

  • s j little says:

    Its a shame Arsenals traditions are now nearly over unless the fans kick up enough to scare this yank off! About time FA and Govt acted to protect domestic football. You know whats coming Arsenal v Real Madrid in dubai when all these “expl;oitors ” get together after they,ve taken over the premier league!

    • Dave says:

      exactly! everyone seems so happy with a takeover because their little dream of having a club that throws money around like crazy with selfish mercinaries coming and going ala city and chavs might come true. Its not gonna sorry friends, at best nothing will change and wenger may have an extra 10-20mill in the city…at very best but this could also go pair shaped quick…dont forget liverpool and manure owners too quick! he may run a tight ship but money is the most important thing to this guy hence why he is a billionaire, the club and the supports and a distant 2nd and 3rd respectively!!

      • Chris says:

        at best nothing will change and wenger may have an extra 10-20mill in the city

        Which is basically what every Arsenal fan has been asking for in the last two to three years. Anything wrong in that? Also, with your “happy with a takeover because their little dream of having a club that throws money around like crazy” statement you picked 1% of the fans of the club, no idea why some people are so obsessed with that 1%.

        • Dave says:

          i said at very best, not likely though probs 25mill max to spend and wenger will do a good job with it

          seems a lot of that 1% are on this and the other blogs around then

          • Chris says:

            It’s impossible for me to read all the comments posted here but I can guarantee that the number of those who want the Club to spend 300m is very, very, very low.

            • Hunter says:

              It seems to me that most (and I include myself) just want Arsene to address weaknesses when they arise. If he had 40 million to spend in the summer there was no reason we should start the season with Almunia still our starting goalkeeper and two completely untested and 1 extremely inexperienced CB. I won’t even get into the whole Denilson situation as a backup for Song but that was another issue.

              Making decisions like not coughing up an extra 500k for Schwarzer are the kinds of decisions that most of us do not want to see ever again. Most experts will tell you that a goalkeeper can save you 8-10 points a season. Guess where we would be if we had that extra 8 points. Just look at how many time Van Der Sar has saved United and allowed them to pull out wins that they didn’t deserve. These kinds of things won’t cost us 300 million, they are easy to fix but Arsene is too stubborn to make the proper changes.

              • Dave says:

                look how many times sczchezney saved our ass with miraculous saves?

                he made one mistake in the final, massive bummer! we all wanted to win that. but it didn’t happen, you dont then drill the players you get behind them, drag them up for the next game.

                you truely are a wonder hunter. Do you ever smile?sczchezney has shown he is big and can bounce back can you?

                if we had the extra cash like city and a stupid manager who buy the hot property of the moment then hunter we would be where they are clinging onto 4th. Or go spend 50mil on a striker surely that would guarantee goals, go ask chelsea if it does.

                and John well said below, although i think clichy has been pretty dam good this season, yeah he isn’t the worlds best defensive LB but he sure offers a lot going forward and he usually only makes 1 defensive slip up, we just got to hope it doesn’t cost us. But there are not too many LB world wide at his level.

                • Hunter says:

                  We had Almunia start the season and then Fabianski until he was injured. Wojo only got a chance because he was the only healthy one we had left. I think Wojo is great but the other two are not so that leaves us with 1 capable keeper and two that simply are not very good.

                  Since when is Mark Schwarzer the “hot property” of the moment? He was the ideal solution to the problem we faced and Arsene did nothing. I’m sorry but no matter how you try and spin the facts it was an awful decision and those early season points we lost are now coming back to haunt us.

                  Stick to the facts and read what people write instead of making up fantasy facts or interpreting things because clearly you are not very good at it.

                  • Dave says:

                    he is not, i didn’t say that. I was referring to Mancini buying players like balotelli, Dzeko; a waste (and why not add torres for a cool 50mil). did you say something about sticking the facts and what people right. oh you are funny! at least 95% of wenger’s transfers end up being positive. We all know you are on the board of the sack wenger club.

                    Well its been a great afternoon of blogging, doesn’t happen often but nothing beats it some days better do something with the evening though, thanks chris seems that 1% is live and kicking in good old (glory) HUNTER

                    And dear hunter keep up the absolute rubbish you churn out day after day, because your silly little comments make us realise that there is always someone worse off than us

                    To the gooners. big match against liverpool can’t wait I think if the midfield comes out and plays in same fashion as against blackpool we’ll take ‘em 2-0 goals to cesc and Koscienly, why not! just for you hunter

                    • Hunter says:

                      If you weren’t saying Scharzer was a “hot property” then you were just making something up that I didn’t even refer to.

                      I love how people like you call anyone who doesn’t agree with Wenger a glory hunter. He has done some excellent things for the club but this period we are in now could be much better if he would fix just a few simple things.

  • John says:

    Koscielny has been the most improved player in the last 3 months, I think we have only conceded 1 goal at home in the League since the begining of 2011. We do need another centre back because you do need 4 top class centre backs a sqaud defender and youth defender. Goalkeeping situation is solved because Casilles was Real Madrid number 1 at 19 or 20 and the polish lad will be top class (best young goalkeeper in the league for a while) and Fabianski will be a good number 2.

    Striker has to be top of the shopping list we need someone who is going to be fit for vast majority of the season and has potential to score 25-30 goals a season. Chamakh is probably a sqaud player that can do a job which is vital just look at Man Utd.

    Lansbury and Frimpong have to be promoted to the sqaud. Rosicky sadly has to go, Denilson has to be sold but not so sadly. New Left back has to be top of shopping list as well or promote Gibbs because Clichy I think he is becoming our biggest weakness because he is always caught playing players onside every game.

    • Chris says:

      Believe me John, defensively, Kieran is very very poor, ever worse than Gael so I fully agree with you that we need a new left-back. And if Gael doesn’t want to sit on the bench, as backup, then he can leave.

      • Hunter says:

        The reason Gibbs is so weak is because he is actually a wide midfielder being played as a left back and he hasn’t learned the position well enough yet. He might be good in 5 years but right now he is nowhere near good enough.

        • Kartik says:

          for how long you been watching football Hunter?? 2 days??

          • Hunter says:

            If you had actually followed Gibbs as a youth and reserve player you know defense is not his natural position, Yet another person making comments without having a clue what they are talking about.

  • s j little says:

    What makes Arsenal fans think this yank is going to put any money in. It seems to me they think Arsenal have got the money he has paid Fizman and Nina l He may yet put Arsenal into deeper hock and the later run off with success it might engender leaving Arsenal bankrupt. Anyway surely we hav,nt followed Arsenal for trophy winning? Why for the first 40 years I followed them they only won the League twice and the FA cup once apart from beating Charlton 8-1 in a Wartime Cup! Wenger for his all his stubborn ways is right any real fan would consider what Arsenal have achieved in recent years is excellant. A new stadium that has not crippled them. Remember why Arsenal were unable to succeed in these 40 years was because the war had meant no income coming in but bank interest had still to paid on the loan incurred building the best football stadium ever So no money was available for buying players even when under Geo Swindon a few big signing would have made them champions.. At present the future is or was financially excellant, but now we don,t know how Arsenal may be exploited! The Premier is 50% out of the hands of the FA if the foreign owners decide to go it alone and incorporate the likes of Real Madrid etc and play matches in dubai,Japan,etc think of the lolly wetting their appetite. Cant you see it. What else are they in for=beause they love football? WAKE UP before its too late badger your MP to wake up. No good relying on the FA they sold their soul cheaply to that Australian mogal and never protected the Association of all football clubs that elected them..

  • s j little says:

    Its interesting to see Gibbs mentioned as a wide midfielder. I think its silly that what are still basically wingers are called midfielders. Its as daft as the fact that centre halfs were not called centre backs when thats what they were. I don,t buy match programmes because they are no longer programmes at all! Just horrible glossy gaudy PR stuff. All you get is a long list of players with no idea what position they will be allocated. While I am at it, do real soccer fans want two teams coming out together and all these children in tow.. I remember the excitement of seeing your Captain appearing followed by our team! It was akin to waiting for the curtain to part at the theatre. Incidently I was shocked to hear Liam Brady on rte tonight say Professional footballers lost spirit when a goalkeeper made a mistake. Oh so we can go home then when that happens!

    • Hunter says:

      The problem is that in our setup we don’t have any wingers. If he had been playing in another system he would surely be a winger but because Arsene likes to allow the midfield the freedom to rotate in and out and switch positions I don’t think you can consider anyone in our squad a winger. We haven’t had a true winger since Marc Overmars was in the side.

  • charlie says:

    I must thank Ussmanov and AST for not selling out. With this timely decision we will not be under absolute ditatorial control. If iy was the other way around, ie, Usmanov who is carrying out the takeover offer, I am sure Silent Stan will sell out and keep the profits. Whew!!!!!!!!!!

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