Arsenal, Premier League

Gazidis Prepares For Grilling From Arsenal Fans

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis is due to meet with around 300 Arsenal Supporters’ Trust (AST) members at Emirates Stadium this week and it looks like from the questions submitted by AST members, that Gazidis will be on the hot seat.

According to the AST web site, Arsenal and Gazidis have agreed to cover the following topics:

  • The club’s footballing expectations for this coming season, 2012/2013, and whether qualifying for the Champions League is the extent of the club’s ambitions
  •  The new Elite Player Performance Plans being introduced and what this will mean for youth development at Arsenal
  •  The future of the Arsenal Fanshare scheme and club support to promote continued plurality in the ownership through supporter shareholders
  •  What progress Ivan Gazidis feels has been made in his first three years at the club and an update on the club’s five year strategic plan
  • What lessons have been learned from last summer’s transfer window to make sure things go more smoothly and successfully this year, and the position regarding Robin van Persie
  • How the club will drive commercial income aggressively in the short term given the long-terms tie-ins on stadium naming, kit rights and shirt sponsorship and the need for more tertiary and overseas deals
  • The club’s view of Financial Fair Play regulations and what plans we have should they have little impact
  • Given that Arsenal now has two billionaire investors owning over 96% of the club, is there a case for them investing funds to put us on a competitive footing before FFP starts to bite?
  • Arsène Wenger’s statement that he does not intend to do much business in the transfer market this summer and a feeling from many AST members that the team needs further strengthening. Can the Board reassure supporters that there are funds to invest?
  • The club’s wage structure and whether it is hindering Arsenal’s chances of success by not being spent efficiently
  • How many more shares Red & White holdings need to obtain before they have access to the full accounts and why won’t the Arsenal Board at the very least engage in dialogue with Mr Usmanov and Red and White Holdings?

If you could ask Ivan Gazidis any Arsenal related question, what would it be?