I don't really understand the split on the board as I assume we all want the same thing

[devongunner]

To win.

Until we moved AW was perfect for both the Fans and the Board.

He was successful, bought well and sold better and balanced the books while delivering titles and cups.

Then the move came, purse strings tightened and MORE importantly the game changed.
Wealthy benefactors came in, Abramovich, Glazers, Mansour who didn't need to balance the budget and rely on CL for money to pay for a new stadium. But still he maintained the financial model while delivering the best results he could ie CL ( it could be argued that he got it wrong for the fans with his cup policies). So last 8 seasons pleased the board but left the fans frustrated. As well by that time everyone had cottoned on to the way AW bought abroad with cheap signings who turned out to be fantastic, hence partly his inability to make brilliant teams.
BUT he has signed some good youngsters and kept them all on longer contracts, Gibbs, Walcott, Ox, Ramsey, Jenkinson, Wilshere, as well as buying a couple of gems relatively cheap, Cazorl, Kos, Vermaelen (initially) Mertesacker.

Now the stadium has been paid, he can compete with others but it is a whole head change for him, the cheap decent foreigners have every club in the PL after them and the price has changed accordingly. So this season he has to get it right with or
without signings.

On another note why this desire to say that only a sustainable financial model is right. I don't care whose money we spend, sheikh or oligarch if that is what it takes. Why is it a badge of pride to say we wont spend money to compete with the rest. Its not my money so I don't care. Eventually even Kroenke will understand that if they don't win, new support will not follow, good players cheap or not wont come and his investment will depreciate.

In theory AW is in the place he was when he was successful before. Stadium paid and money to spend. Lets now see if he can cut it because success on the field is now the ONLY measure.

If he doesn't he is not then the manager he once was. If he does great and give him another ten years

[LadyG -keeping the spirit of the unbeatables alive]

Compartmentalised.

All this pro/anti Wenger nonsense gets on my nerves, I'm a gooner, I was there pre and will be there post Wenger. That's fact.

I can see and respect what he gave us as supporters and what he did for the club, I can also see the problems. I don't believe in just following the herd like some posters (herd also including the propaganda spouted in the media as well) especially when I don't have all the facts.

Also don't believe in being abusive and derogatory about the manager because things aren't going the way I want them to, when I want them to. Or because I'm getting scared because another team has got or is doing something I want.

[Ashberto]

that wanted Wenger out in around 2000-2001.

When you say "I don't care whose money we spend" I presume you don't have a problem with buying glory that is bankrolled by gangsters and dictators, and if you're cool with that then that's up to you. You might understand however that others think this is not a good thing.

There is another concern though, which is that a benefactor who pumps endless money in might want it back, and there is no reason to assume that the financial football bubble which has grown to embrace the bizzare concept of £90-100m footballers can be sustained forever, particularly given the unstable state of the world economy and finance.

[LadyG -keeping the spirit of the unbeatables alive]

[devongunner]

The Birmingham bloke for instance. I don't think you can describe Mansour as that or Abramovich who seems to be well respected in his own country these days albeit the fortune began in the dark days of the USSR. Glazers?

Of course history shows that a lot of the great and now highly respectable fortunes including our own royal family began as Privateers , asset strippers and the like.

Anyway I just want us to win stuff. If we are the only team left how exciting will it be that we then can buy anyone?

On the other hand which benefactor spending his millions would you accept? or are you saying a sustainable model is all you will accept?

[Ashberto]

men like Abramovich and Usmanov it's difficult to see how this could have happened honestly. Did they save up for it from their paper round? City's Abu Dhabi is a dictatorship.

I would love us to be able to compete on the basis of our own resources - although whether that can be possible I don't know. I like the idea of a well-run club with a good manager, and trying to play good football being successful. If that is ultimately impossible the so be it.

[devongunner]

manufacturing business in the old USSR, then leveraged it with western money into the empire it has become. I am sure as with all emerging markets there were many grey areas. But I hear where you are coming from and the only reason I don't want what you want is because it will only benefit Kroenke. These clubs were always about the fans and no longer is that the case.

Whatever you may think of the Glazers at least when they leveraged the business to help themselves they still made millions available for big purchases.

[Ashberto]

The Kronkster could still do that to us - hand us the bill for his own takeover. http://www.awimb.com/images/smiley_icons/ohwell.gif