Arsenal Legend: Ivan Gazidis Should Resign After Being Undermined

By The Editor
on 31st August 2017

Ian Wright feels Ivan Gazidis’ authority has long been compromised…

Arsenal legend Ian Wright claimed that chief executive Ivan Gazidis should’ve resigned after Arsene Wenger extended his contract with little restrictions, thus undermining his position.

Rumours were rife that there was a boardroom battle between Gazidis and Wenger, with both figures fighting for the approval of majority owner Stan Kroenke.

After winning the FA Cup, reports suggested that Wenger and Kroenke entered their own personal meeting in which the boss decided he’d stay.

That decision was then relayed to the rest of the board and Wenger was once again king, with Kroenke flying back across the pond to his – where he’ll remain before the AGM in October.

“We’ve got an owner, who you don’t know when he’s going to be in an around the place,” Wrighty said on Sky Sports’ debate show.

“He literally came in last season, undermined Gazidis – obviously there’s a power struggle: Gazidis and Arsene Wenger.

“He (Gazidis) wanted a director of football, Arsene Wenger poo-pooed that idea. He actually belittled it, by saying: ‘what’s he going to do, the director of football, direct them to where the training pitch is’,” Wright added.

“He’s still there after being undermined like that. What’s he doing there now? If he’s got anything about him, he’d say: ‘you know something, I might as well resign now’.”

Gazidis infamously claimed that our poor end to the season would be a “catalyst for change” during a fan’s forum in April, yet we’ve seen very little change.

Wenger has halted the idea of a sporting director or changes to his backroom staff, with all his previous team retaining their positions.