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Billionaire Russian shareholder Alisher Usmanov has hit out at Arsenal‘s board, claiming their lack of spending and ineffective ability to hold on to their players has meant the London side have become nothing but a feeder team for their rivals.
Speaking in an interview with French paper L’Equipe, Usmanov, who owns close to 30% of the club, hit out at the way the club has been run under majority shareholder, Stan Kroenke, even claiming that Arsenal legend Thierry Henry wanted him to take over at the club.
“I like many footballers and I’m in contact with some of them. Perhaps my favourite of the last 10, 15 years is Thierry Henry. He’s pushing me to buy all of Arsenal’s shares, but I cannot predict the future,” he said.
He went on to appreciate the crucial role Arsene Wenger has played at the club, even indicating he was being unfairly targeted by fans over Arsenal’s lack of success, and choosing to point fingers at the Board instead.
“The greatest achievement of Arsène Wenger is to have created two teams: the one that now plays for our rivals and the one that is trying to be among the best in the Premier League,” Usmanov said. “That’s why I say it’s not enough to merely flatter the coach, but to give him the possibility to buy the best players, superstars. But not just stars, but those chosen by Wenger.
“For me, he’s one of the best coaches in the world, but it’s not easy for him. I think he deserves that players are brought in at Arsenal when they’re needed. The best players, and not being satisfied with selling our best players to our rivals.”
“If that happens, we can ask everything of him. But, today, he’s sacrificed. Because of the policy and we’re all to blame. Everything’s in Mr Kroenke’s hands and I hope he succeeds, even if he doesn’t go along with my ideas.”
Usmanov also hit out at the way profits were distributed among shareholders while players with contract disputes were allowed to leave.
He said, “It’s unthinkable that the shareholders get well paid while, for small clauses in contracts, we lose key players like Robin van Persie, Mathieu Flamini or Patrick Vieira. We should have increased their salaries when they started to be courted, started to look elsewhere. I don’t know why we didn’t propose that to them.”
Usmanov did not stop there, saying he had been portrayed in a negative manner by some of the other shareholders to prevent a takeover of the club.
“When I had the chance to buy some shares and become one of the main shareholders in the club, I didn’t hesitate for a second. I was even ready to take total control. That wasn’t possible because certain people preferred to make a profit and create, using me, an outside enemy. I remain portrayed as a pirate, an enemy. They have won that game.”
