Kieran Maguire: Josh Kroenke ‘just doesn’t get it’ after confession about Arsenal fans
It is no surprise that Arsenal supremo Josh Kroenke “doesn’t get” Arsenal fans as English sporting culture is “completely alien” to him.
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about KSE’s relationship with supporters.
As relayed by The Telegraph on Tuesday (15 February), Kroenke admitted in a recent interview that he finds it “hard to truly” relate to fans.
The 41-year-old, who is the son of Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke, has been the public face of the ownership regime in recent times.
The Kroenke family have had enormous success in North American sports, with the KSE-owned LA Rams recently crowned Super Bowl champions.
But English sport is poles apart from its counterpart across the pond, insists Maguire.
“If we look at the NFL and other American franchises, they are seen as portable,” he told Football Insider‘s Adam Williams.
“If the club isn’t performing well in one city, it can be picked up and moved hundreds of miles to another city.
“That’s completely alien to football in both England and Europe. There are several of these cultural differences that he just doesn’t get.
“Clubs have a huge heritage in terms of culture and identity with individual towns and cities.
“There’s a far more relaxed attitude to clubs, which are seen as investment and revenue vehicles in the US rather than as part of the fabric of the area.”
Thousands of Arsenal fans staged protests against the owners in the wake of the Super League plot in April last year.
KSE have been involved with Arsenal since 2007 and have owned 100 per cent of the club since 2018.
In other news, Kevin Campbell suggests Armando Broja could force Arsenal move as he “fits into the model right now”.