Arsenal AGM 2017

[Makingtrax]

Well, the AGM meeting on Thursday should be interesting

"The Arsenal Supporters' Trust will vote against the resolutions at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday to re-appoint Sir Chips Keswick and Josh Kroenke to the Board of Directors.

A somewhat symbolic move, given the AST's tiny percentage shareholding, but it is the first time they have called openly for a vote against resolutions in the meeting.

 

[Toast]

Well, the AGM meeting on Thursday should be interesting

"The Arsenal Supporters' Trust will vote against the resolutions at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Thursday to re-appoint Sir Chips Keswick and Josh Kroenke to the Board of Directors.

A somewhat symbolic move, given the AST's tiny percentage shareholding, but it is the first time they have called openly for a vote against resolutions in the meeting.

Their reasoning:

"The reason for this course of action is to demonstrate dissatisfaction at the current ownership and governance arrangements at the Arsenal Football Club.

In particular we feel that the present directors are not acting with sufficient independence, nor representing the interests of the small shareholders, or the future custodianship of the Club.

In 2013 the Arsenal Supporters' Trust commissioned an independent review of corporate governance at Arsenal. This report, and the failings it identified, have been well-publicised.

In particular it identified an ageing board lacking in diversity without the breadth of skills required to run a modern professional football club. All of the non-executive directors have been in office for far too long and are not regarded as independent under the corporate governance code. There is therefore no independence from the controlling shareholder, no one free of conflict of interest, and not enough diversity on the board or people with relevant professional skills, such as football expertise.

Our action and vote is a statement that we believe significant corporate governance change is needed. Whatever the outcome of Thursday's AGM we call upon the directors at Arsenal to address these significant corporate governance failings."

 

[Tosker]

good piece here on the mechanics of the AGM

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/10/25/arsenal-agm-will-happen-key-questions-need-answering/

 

[Makingtrax]

good piece here on the mechanics of the AGM

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/10/25/arsenal-agm-will-happen-key-questions-need-answering/

All those key questions below seem valid to me, particularly point 3, accept the first one. Moving to the Emirates was never going to take Arsenal to a new level.

That new level would be gaining a lot more money to be able to properly challenge the big three at home and the top clubs in Europe. The stadium doesn't bring you that sort of money. The footballing landscape has changed.

The key questions

• When Arsenal moved to the Emirates, the plan was to take the club to a new level but, if anything, the team look further from winning the Premier League. With this in mind, why did that strategy not work and are you still pursuing the same model of self-sustainability?
• What did Gazidis mean when he talked about a summer “catalyst for change” and how was this delivered upon?
• Arsenal ended up turning a profit in transfer sales this summer. How do you expect to bridge the gap and compete with the two Manchester clubs and Chelsea by doing this?
• Does the financial impact of not qualifying for the Champions League mean that Arsenal would again have to make a profit on transfers? By selling players like Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Arsenal made a profit on transfers in the summer

• Why are so many players near the end of their contracts and how can we improve our renegotiation record?
• How can the manager describe the contract situations of Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Özil as 'ideal'?
• How do you decide what areas of the squad were the transfer priority and did you look at reinforcing central midfield?

 

[Makingtrax]

Their reasoning:

"The reason for this course of action is to demonstrate dissatisfaction at the current ownership and governance arrangements at the Arsenal Football Club.

In particular we feel that the present directors are not acting with sufficient independence, nor representing the interests of the small shareholders, or the future custodianship of the Club.

In 2013 the Arsenal Supporters' Trust commissioned an independent review of corporate governance at Arsenal. This report, and the failings it identified, have been well-publicised.

In particular it identified an ageing board lacking in diversity without the breadth of skills required to run a modern professional football club. All of the non-executive directors have been in office for far too long and are not regarded as independent under the corporate governance code. There is therefore no independence from the controlling shareholder, no one free of conflict of interest, and not enough diversity on the board or people with relevant professional skills, such as football expertise.

Our action and vote is a statement that we believe significant corporate governance change is needed. Whatever the outcome of Thursday's AGM we call upon the directors at Arsenal to address these significant corporate governance failings."

Stan's comments about 3 FACups in 4 years being 'pretty darn good', supports my theory that the club are happy with top 4 and FACups, despite what Gazidis says.

 

[Mark Tobias]

Stan's comments about 3 FACups in 4 years being 'pretty darn good', supports my theory that the club are happy with top 4 and FACups, despite what Gazidis says.

Your theory?

 

[Makingtrax]

Your theory?

Yeah, @Toast put forward a good argument that the board are targeting 85 points, to win.

 

[Mark Tobias]

Yeah, @Toast put forward a good argument that the board are targeting 85 points, to win.

Yeah, I got that. I'm just a bit confused as to why you are claiming that a target of finishing 4th and an FA cup is your theory. We've been saying that for years on here. The "fourth cup trophy" phrase ring any bells? It is also what people mean when they say we have 'settled for medicority'. I can assure you it isn't your theory. You may have mentioned it to strengthen your points and highlight certain things but you were definitely not the first poster to bring this to light.

 

[Toast]

Stan's comments about 3 FACups in 4 years being 'pretty darn good', supports my theory that the club are happy with top 4 and FACups, despite what Gazidis says.

That statement is from Josh Kroenke, not Stan.*

It does nothing to disprove the notion that the club are aiming to win league and even the Champions League. In fact, here's a statement from Stan Kroenke showing that he thinks Wenger is the right man to achieve exactly that. If anything, the Josh Kroenke quote supports my theory that the board was, and probably is, divided on Wenger.

“Our ambition is to win the Premier League and other major trophies in Europe," declared Kroenke.

"It’s what the fans, players, staff, manager and board expect and we won’t rest until that is achieved.

"Arsène is the best person to help us make that happen. He has a fantastic track record and has our full backing.”

You're clutching at straws now.

*Full quote:

Arsenal director Josh Kroenke, Stan's son, added: “I think it speaks volumes as to who Arsène is as a manager.“Obviously there was some adversity the club was facing at different points.

“But, coming down the stretch, when there was an extreme amount of adversity from an external standpoint, on the players, on the club, on Arsène, the group came together and really rallied down the stretch not only for themselves but for Arsène.

“I think three out of four FA Cups is pretty darn good.”

 

[Makingtrax]

Yeah, I got that. I'm just a bit confused as to why you are claiming that a target of finishing 4th and an FA cup is your theory. We've been saying that for years on here. The "fourth cup trophy" phrase ring any bells? It is also what people mean when they say we have 'settled for medicority'. I can assure you it isn't your theory. You may have mentioned it to strengthen your points and highlight certain things but you were definitely not the first poster to bring this to light.

Fully aware of what people have been saying on here, but I was responding to @Toast about our recent discussion and you've taken it out of context.

But now that Abramovic, Mansour and even Moshiri are throwing ever more millions at the title challenge, even people on here are realising that top 4 is somewhat harder than people realised. Moyes, LVG and Koeman certainly would agree with that, and Mourinho over the last couple of years, and Ranieri who couldn't manage a second year even, and Klopp who came 8th, 4th by one point and is currently down in 9th.

Wenger making it from day 1 for 20 years is remarkable, whatever people mock about 'settling for mediocrity'.

 

[Mark Tobias]

Fully aware of what people have been saying on here, but I was responding to @Toast about our recent discussion and you've taken it out of context.

But now that Abramovic, Mansour and even Moshiri are throwing ever more millions at the title challenge, even people on here are realising that top 4 is somewhat harder than people realised. Moyes, LVG and Koeman certainly would agree with that, and Mourinho over the last couple of years, and Ranieri who couldn't manage a second year even, and Klopp who came 8th, 4th by one point and is currently down in 9th.

Wenger making it from day 1 for 20 years is remarkable, whatever people mock about 'settling for mediocrity'.

Okay sorry, I did misread what you meant there.

 

[Makingtrax]

That statement is from Josh Kroenke, not Stan.*

It does nothing to disprove the notion that the club are aiming to win league and even the Champions League. In fact, here's a statement from Stan Kroenke showing that he thinks Wenger is the right man to achieve exactly that. If anything, the Josh Kroenke quote supports my theory that the board was, and probably is, divided on Wenger.

“Our ambition is to win the Premier League and other major trophies in Europe," declared Kroenke.

"It’s what the fans, players, staff, manager and board expect and we won’t rest until that is achieved.

"Arsène is the best person to help us make that happen. He has a fantastic track record and has our full backing.”

You're clutching at straws now.

*Full quote:

If you are right, they're certainly not going to achieve it until they address bullet point number 3 at least from the Telegraph article I posted above, outlining the key questions that the Supporters Trust want answering.

 

[Mark Tobias]

If you are right, they're certainly not going to achieve it until they address bullet point number 3 at least from the Telegraph article I posted above, outlining the key questions that the Supporters Trust want answering.

But what do you mean 'If you are right'. He's posted facts here trax...

 

[Makingtrax]

But what do you mean 'If you are right'. He's posted facts here trax...

Yes he has, and I respect that. But deep down I still agree with most of the posters on here (as you claimed) who think the board is making the right noises but doing nothing about it.

And possibly the main reason for this is that Kroenke is not putting his own money in and getting a very good return in terms of share prices and trophies at least. Moshiri on the other hand put in £150m from his own pocket this year and then watched Everton go down to the relegation zone. No wonder he was p*ssed and sacked Koeman.

 

[Tosker]

I'm probably wrong, but I do think perhaps Josh is more likely to steer us back to glory than his Dad - probably because the younger generation of Americans are more aware of the global impact of football, and ready to support a PL club

if he dropped some or all of his US sport interests and threw in his lot with us there could be better times ahead

 

[A_G]

(Should be £2.6m, not £26m)

 

[A_G]

 

[A_G]

 

[Toast]

 

[kraphtous]

These guys (including Arsène) have no shame, it’s clear the majority of fans and shareholders want them out but they keep giving themselves a pay raise despite massive failures. Overall pretty disgusting.