Arsenal CEO Ivan Gazidis On Extending Wenger’s Contract: “You Don’t Fire World Class Managers”

By The Editor
on 31st May 2017

Ivan Gazidis outlines reasons for Wenger’s contract extension…

https://youtu.be/JHDn6Iy82gw

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis ensured fans that sentiment was not a deciding factor when the club decided to extend Arsene Wenger’s contract.

The club announced Wenger’s contract extension, as expected on Wednesday, and have since been vehement in their message that winning the Premier League remains the ambition.

Many felt that winning the FA Cup was the right time for the board to make a transition away from Wenger, but it seems the boss has decided to stay on with little objection.

Gazidis wanted to make it clear that because they’ve gone against the public demand of getting rid of Wenger, it doesn’t make the club’s hierarchy less ambitious.

“All of this is driven towards the ambition of winning, as I’ve said winning, the Premier League,” Gazidis emphasised.

“The judgements are so black and white that often if you don’t fire your manager you’re seen as being unambitious, I think that’s ludicrous.

“You don’t fire good people. You don’t fire people who are world class. You don’t fire people who are driven to improve.”

I’m not too sure Gazidis even believes what he comes out with these days. While claiming that this contract wasn’t about sentiment, he contradicts himself immediately by stating that you don’t fire “good people” like Wenger.

Nobody is questioning his character, we absolutely question his competence.

If winning the Premier League is truly the club’s ambition, how do you trust a man who’s failed to win it in 14 attempts, and has only twice in those years finished second?

We’re coming off the back of a season of finishing fifth, 18 points behind champions Chelsea. It really doesn’t make sense.