Arsenal’s new CEO has a legal background and some football experience. He has been approved by Wenger and will be working at Arsenal soon or Soon. This month, I think.
Apparently there’s a snag in his contract, one clause, and Mr X is playing hardball. I’m surprised that his identity has not leaked out by now.
As you know, MD Keith Edelman was Danny Fiszman’s man and he was sacked on May 1st.
The Arsenal board are elderly and pride themselves on being great strategists. They planned a £100 million profit from the sale of the flats at Highbury Square and that money would come in at the end of 2009. So 2010 would be a good time to sell the club. But the recession has changed that happy scenario.
Amazingly, Arsenal have been without a proper CEO for six months.
That’s unique and quite ridiculous. So much needs to be done but there has been nobody driving the business and that has turned me off far more than AW’s failure to sign the players he obviously needed.
Acting MD Ken Friar is 74 and has always been an administrator, a safe pair of hands, rather than a dynamic decision-maker.
Danny wanted a new guy who would work with Arsene rather than challenge him. That’s why the appointment has taken so long. Mr X knows he will be running Arsènal and he has probably been assured that the manager will stay well beyond 2011.
With a legal background, Mr X will be well-qualified to negotiate the sale of the club. Clearly, Arsenal is worth far more with Arsene in charge. Danny knows that and so does Arsene.
The sale of the club is likely to happen later rather than sooner. But in the whacky world of 21st century football, who knows ? We have no idea what will happen in 2009 or 2010.
For all we know, Danny could have already made the call :
“Amanda darling, let people know we’re for sale. But keep it quiet.”