Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood has been interviewed for the Evening Standard, and as usual has made some comments that show how out of touch he and the board are.
Here are some of the highlights from the interview:
On expectations for this season
“We have a pretty good chance of challenging for the Premiership,” PHW said. “I don’t see why we cannot win it this year.”
Not winning a trophy for seven years
“It is not a worry to the board that we haven’t won a trophy since 2005,” he said. “It would be lovely to win but it’s not that easy. Liverpool haven’t won the title for 20-odd years. We’re very ambitious and want to win but, if you don’t have billions of petro-dollars to throw around, you’re going to have to do it some other way. That’s what we’re trying to do — with skilful selection of players. As for Walcott, he did not accept our offer so nothing is happening.”
The transfer market
“Arsene has money to spend but there’s a limit. We can’t spend £50m on one player.
“At a certain level, we can’t compete. I don’t think Stan Kroenke [the American owner] is going to put the sort of dollars in that [Roman] Abramovich or Sheikh Mansour are putting into Chelsea or Manchester City. That’s not the way he thinks clubs should be run.
“Luckily, Arsene understands that. He got an economics degree from Strasbourg University so he’s certainly no fool. He knows how a club should be run. That annoys a lot of people but clubs have to be sustainable. We’re not going to go bankrupt in the way one or two other well known clubs have.
“The Glasgow Rangers example is something we’ve all got to guard against. They spent far more money than they could afford. We’re ambitious enough but we’re not going to end in the same plight as Rangers. That is a fact of life. So my advice is don’t get miserable about it.”
On disgruntled Arsenal fans who chanted ‘You don’t know what you’re doing’.
Hill-Wood could not hide his contempt for such behaviour: “What those fans shouted did not influence me one little bit. I was disgusted to hear them because Arsene’s been absolutely outstanding. He is still outstanding.”
On whether Arsenal and Arsene Wenger miss David Dein
“I don’t think David Dein’s departure has impacted on Arsene at all,” he said. “Arsene has a very good relationship with Ivan [Gazidis] and it’s very businesslike. He and Arsene get on very well.”
On whether Arsenal’s second largest shareholder Alisher Usmanov should be on the Arsenal board
“It’s not entirely in my hands. I don’t think Stan Kroenke wants anybody else on the board. I have met Usmanov but I don’t think he would fit in, that’s all.”
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
“We’re very ambitious and want to win but,”
We know this, but you can’t make good profit if you try to win something. Anyway you told facts and not tried to cheat us. Thanks for that.
But please don’t say Arsenal is ambitions. Arsenal is ambitions to get CL birth to make more profit. That we know.
“Arsene has money to spend but there’s a limit. We can’t spend £50m on one player.”
Arsene has money to spend. Really ??? Then where is that?
Or you mean Arsene has money to half of the money from player sale to spend?
Hey Mr. Peter Hill-Wood, We are not asking big money to spend how MCity is doing. You can spend some money OR you can spend money you get from player sale every year. If you are ready to spend some small amount money, the trophy will come to Arsenal shelf.
But really i think, you just want to make profit. Yes in that aspect you are ambitious.
“Arsenal is ambitioUs,” “Arsenal is ambitioUs to get [to] CL” – and what do you mean by “birth”?
“You can’t make good profit if you try to win something” – it’s kinds funny, you know, we’ve been runners-up several times over the past few years, I can’t think of a better position to compete for a title.
Again, as usual, people talk of Arsenal as if it was a private company, owned by a bunch of fatheads called “the Board.” It’s not. It’s a listed stock company with a number of shareholders, subject to oversight and all. Anyone who thinks the money Arsenal earn from transfers is siphoned straight into anyone’s back pocket, is ignorant.
That man oozes out words from his back side! He’s too demented for that privledged position in the club. We do n’t respect his opinion so he should keep his mouth shut!! What an annoying character!!!
What a load of rubbish. Were not asking to spend money like man city. Were just asking to replace a good player with another good player. Is that so difficult. The sheer insult they give to usmanov is disgusting. Stan kroenke does not want invest. He wants to bleed us fans dry. We have the most expensive tickets and there’s no justifying that price because we don’t win any thing . They do not understand the long term effect of not winning means. We will not be able to get as much sponsoring as the champions because nobody wants to see losers also when children grow up our possible future fansaround the world who will they see and want to support? By not competing we will be damaging our future for short term gains .Stan kroenke does not care about Arsenal he’s never there and does not have the same Passion as usmanov . It’s quite clear and really sad for arsenal because we should have someone who loves the club !!!
Good to see fans(more needed) beginning to understand that these types of american owners(see liverpool) are not interested in winning anything. They will slowly bleed the club over time whilst many fans applaud financial austerity as if they thought of it themselves. Keep away from the emirates until usmanov becomes majority owner.
Oh yeah? So tell me, my boy, how much did Kroenke “bleed” from Arsenal? Can’t you think of any other kind of expenditure than private? I’m sorry for you and for all the companies you might own in the future. You’ll probably bleed them to death yourself…
Ah, and “Usmanov’s passion” sounds kind of filthy.
why compare us to liverpool not winning a the league in 20 years why not compare us to utd or chelsea and trying to compete with the top four and try and win the #$##ing thing
Wake up, we’ve been the top 4 all the time since 1997. We’ve been in the running for the EPL several times since 2005. “Why compare us to Liverpool” indeed.
This comments clearly show that arsenal board are not moved all about the trophyless condition of the team. They just want to be counted among premiership teams every season. The board must understand that trophies are what makes fans cheer up. We can’t be paying ticket fee every season without anything to celebrate while some idiot called board members thinking only of their selfish intrest.
Hill wood is hiding in the reality as long as Afc makes profit then everything is gud. Only a take over can turn around asume wenger goes to Madrid then be guaranteed he will every cup since he will have money with no limit.
we don’t want you to spend like City or chelski. We simply want you to spend the player sale money on replacement. Of course what you greedy old c….only knows is how to line up pockets for Kroonke.
I guess he is absolutely right in that the club can not substitute immediate glory as some fans canvass for sustainable future. Even spending as some clubs do will not guarantee winning laurels. Whoever loves this club will stand by its youth development which will eventually guarantee success a la Barcelona
barca doesn’t spend??
A lot of people somehow are hypnotised by Barca and completely oblivious to the fact that Barca is one of the highest spenders. These people are so lazy to just Google “Barcelona spending”.
Question: How much did Barca spend on Ibrahimovic?
Wow… as I return from my crappy paid job to review the latest Gunners gossip I am perplexed at how some ediotic people become so successful. I mean how the f**k is Peter Hillwood a success and f**king chairmain of a premier league team? After the sentence ‘I don’t see why we cannot win it this year’, the journalist should have punched glasses into his eyes for wasting his time. PHW – you have not put in a place to challenge for titles – even my 7yr old nephew sees that. Real fans have never asked you to spend 50 mil on a player… but the simple of players like Scott Parker, Gary Cahill – players who were all less than 10mil and premiership tested who 3yrs agoWow… as I return from my crappy paid job to review the latest Gunners gossip I am perplexed at how some ediotic people become so successful. I mean how the f**k is Peter Hillwood a success and f**king chairmain of a premier league team? After the sentence ‘I don’t see why we cannot it this year’, the journalist should have punched glasses into his eyes for wasting his time. PHW – you have not put in a place to challenge for titles – even my 7yr old nephew sees that. Real fans have never asked you to spend 50 mil on a player… but the simple of players like Scott Parker, Gary Cahill – players who were all less than 10mil and premiership tested who 3yrs ago would have propelled us further up the league. We didn’t say you don’t spend at all – just never enough and never replacing the best players sold. We didn’t say don’t sell – just don’t sell the best players and keep the shit ones or only replace them with a spotty teenager. I am actually so pissed I can’t be bother to comment futher on what a fuckerie this man is. would have propelled us further up the league. We didn’t say you don’t spend at all – just never enough and never replacing the best players sold. We didn’t say don’t sell – just don’t sell the best players and keep the shit ones or only replace them with a spotty teenager and expect the fans who pay the highest for tickets to understand. I am actually so pissed I can’t be bother to comment futher on what a fuckerie this man is. And who the f**k in recent times wants to be compared to Liverpool or rangers? But I do forget Liverpool won the champions league and rangers numerous spl titles.
Honestly, check your data.
You say we didn’t take Parker or Cahill. True, but guess what? We got Arteta and Mertesacker. As much as you may hate Wenger’s Arsenal, I’d advise you to look at their statistical record again and then come back and tell me Parker and Cahill would have done better.
As usual, the call is: let’s overlook all the conditions in which the club operates and treat it as an isolated entity. There’s no debts, no costs, no limits to Arsenal expenditure, no reasons for Wenger not to buy 10 players for the same position, no reasons why he can’t just go and shoot the players he doesn’t need anymore… This isn’t fantasy land, man, wizen up.
Love the “always” and “never” by he way. So, so true. You never wash yourself and Wenger always lies.
Sorry that last comment went a bit weird!
it’s alright mate, msg understood.
peter hill wood head must have been hit by mallet because my nine years always says that stan is Glazer(man.u owner)family.stan hate arsenal with a passion.Do you think it is true? both are an American.
This man reasons from his anus. During this same period he referred to, Liverpool won the champions league and the carling cup. What has arsenal won? He is certainly in football to make money, and not the Competitiveness of it, which demands investment on quality players.
…and Arsenal were runners-up for the Carling Cup twice and for the CL once during the selfsame period. How’s that for not competing?
Everyone who knows anything at all about how Arsenal is run knows that PHW receives only a small salary. If he’s in it for the money, why doesn’t he sanction Usmanov’s overtake? He’d be able to pocket some bribes and then to sanction a higher pay…
Use your brains, man, not PHW’s anus.
You’re as thick a sh*t. By paying off the loan quicker the share price goes up. It’s f*cking armchair supporters like yourself (who don’t spend a penny run your mouth off) that really wind fans up. Why don’t you crawl back to hole you came out of.
Dinasaur C*NT. We’re not spending any money as we’re making profits each year whilst being charged the highest season ticket prices in the world.
Queer, I thought most of the transfers in weren’t free…
Also “charging,” not “being charged” – unless you’re talking about yourself now.
OMG I think I need some chalk here. Clearly I am talking about net spend and selling our best players to make a profit. F*ck me you are slow.
Every time this man talks something very unpleasant to hear comes out of his mouth…I wish our fans in London would go on strike until our entire board steps down or at the very least this man!!!…Well Kroenke too!! Something to show how much we hate the way the club is being run. Being smart with the money that Arsenal makes is one thing, being greedy only for the well-being of their own pockets is a totally different matter.
Peter Hillwood trying another press stunt to divide Arsenal fans and make it look like people think there is a problem have a problem with Arsene Wenger and that there actually are people out there asking for 50m signings, I have never herd a single Arsenal fan request such nonsense.
Peter Hillwood (Kronkes lap dog) is not about the club spending beyond its means! Its about the clubs profits being invested in the team and to keep our best players and not vanishing into the pockets of a billionaire. Fuck you!
We have seen time and again what kind of players Arsene can get when he has money to spend and we have seen the type of players that sometimes end up getting bought when he is told to go for one of his less favoured choices. They’re not showing faith in the manager by demanding that he balances the books because they don’t think he could win trophies by spending a bit more and they are not showing the ambition that a club like Arsenal demands. It’s a viscious circle of underachievment because you don’t have success so you don’t bring in merchandising revenue which means you can spend less which means you still don’t get success. Their argument would make sense if it wasn’t for the fact that Arsene could definitely have made Arsenal a bigger, more successful club given the money that he needed to buy the players that he wanted. That would in turn lead to more revenue.
Yep asking a board member is going to give you a real insight. Sheesh. As with many other fans I appreciate we are’nt owned by a billionaire who wants to throw large wodges of cash about. However what is an insult to us ( and of course money in yr pocket you G$b Sh*te) is that the money made from selling players is not reinvested in players. its that simple. year after year we see players like Somg and RVP sold off ( thoise 2 for a combined 40 million) but dont see it reinvested So how about 40 million then? can we spend that one one player? If not why not? we made that on the sale of two players so why cant it be spent????? The fans want to know you greedy little piggy.
OK, so now I think I should look forward to a bunch of disgruntled Arsenal fans going out to burn Emirates Stadium to a cinder, murdering PHW and Kroenke (why not?) and forming a revolutionary governing body that would elect Usmanov as the new president.
Yeah, it sounds oh so right, but there’s just one little problem.
You’re pushing for a revolution just when Arsenal have grown the strongest from those past 7 years. We finally have a squad that is deep enough to ensure we won’t be caught out by injuries. We finally have a system that allows us to score without conceding. We again dropped players whose loyalties were elsewhere and bought new ones, just as good or with the potential to match our departures. We did this by spending £40m on new signings as well as earning £50m from sales. Mind you, the money was spent before it was earned – and most of the gains we had are going to make our budget only by next year. There was a lot of talk about Wenger having a £50m transfer budget this time around – he almost spent it all. Even if you subtract the usual Emirates debt fee from our earnings, it still leaves us with some £20m to spare – so it isn’t too far fetched to think of us preparing £30m for the next summer, or even this winter.
But most of all, Arsenal did a lot of good business. The only blemish is the sale of RVP to ManU – this shouldn’t have happened. The only shortcoming is that we haven’t secured proper backup for Giroud. The former was a result of RVP himself pushing for the deal and ManU being ready to pay the most for it. The latter – most likely – the effect of Mirallas’ decision to join a club where he could play regularly rather than one where he would be benched most of the time. By the end of the season, it’ll have become clear whether these constitute real or just potential problems.
We’ve just had one of the better transfer windows since Wenger signed. We hve a full-blown trophy-challenging squad. You can disregard PHW all you like, mock his senility, express your outrage at his pragmatism, etc., but that doesn’t change the fact that Arsenal is strong.
To Gazidis’ son, just stop it. This squad wins nothing, wenger/board have no ambition other than their own pockets. Seven years and counting – no change.