Alisher Usmanov interview with CNBC

 
20 December 2012

Alisher Usmanov this morning launched an attack on the Arsenal board, claiming Arsene Wenger has not "had enough support to provide his conceptions of his game in Arsenal from the board, either for transfers or for keeping players." Here is the full transcript of his interview on CNBC's Squawk Box.

CNBC’s anchor, Geoff Cutmore (GC): Moving onto Arsenal. You have 30 percent stake but not on the board - do you need to be more aggressive? Why don’t you sell or force the pace and get yourself on the board?

Alisher Usmanov (AU): Well for me as a human being, as a man, this is a difficult painful question. When we bought the Arsenal shares this was not just an investment. Although economically Arsenal is still very attractive, we invested in one of the best clubs, one of the best organised clubs. A club that a good strategy, stadium, good manager, one of the best teams. That’s why we invested. But as to the second part of your question, well I have to say that it is indeed very hard to understand and it rankles me that the current board doesn’t want a person who is a 30% investor to be on that board. We just don’t understand that strategy. Even though I have to tell you I don’t want to be a member of the board as it is now. It is strange; it’s a very strange situation that they do not want the biggest investor on the board. But as I said I am not asking for it. So I want to take this opportunity to reaffirm to help the team we would be ready to buy more shares, buy control, buy all shares. That is to say we are ready to do all that we can to help the company in order to consider any form of cooperation or ownership with the team.

GC: Any chance of that happening next year?

AU: I don’t think. It is very unpredictable. I don’t know.

GC: Arsene Wenger does not want you on the board but you support Wenger?

AU: First of all I do not hear about Arsene Wenger directly against me on the board and I am surprised if it likes this. Always I tell Mr Wenger is one of the best coaches in the world and football manager. But I openly will tell he had many, many difficulties. Of course today less, but before during the last five years he doesn’t have enough support to provide his conceptions of his game in Arsenal from the board. With source for transfers, for keeping players etcetera. That’s my view.

GC: He’s lets some great players go. It’s a tragedy when you let someone of Robin van Persie skill walk out of the door – were those the right decisions?

AU: This decision Mr Wenger also have mistake. If I’m and his players, I stay for a few years. But he explained that they want to go and win a trophy.

GC: What about other players that Arsenal could have signed, like Hazard, who went to Chelsea? Again that’s another mistake isn’t it?

AU: I never interfere in activity for which I am not responsible. This question is for Wenger.

GC: Imagine that you have the controlling stake and you are able to help finance the club in a more full some way? What would Arsenal be like if you ran it?

AU: In this case I need to demonstrate I’m asleep because it is my dream! In my dreams! I never ever give instructions to chief executive of my plans. I only ask you need my help or not. Second if I have big stake in Arsenal, of course I have my opinion about what our team must do. For example in commercial side I think there are also many questions about effectivity of today commercial management of Arsenal. But we will see, we will wait. Maybe when I wake up someday I have this Arsenal club!

GC: Would you compete against the Manchester clubs to outbid them for players? Would you buy Messi for 100 pounds million?

AU: For Messi! Any club would play any money for Messi! Now particularly today. But you cannot pay enormous price, nor unrealistic price. You need to give this to the hand of professional people like Wenger or his successors.

GC: But would be prepared to use some of your… ..18 billion?

AU: The trend of this business, like we speak about super cycle, now cycle of big money, tomorrow maybe the destination changes in football.

GC: So you think transfer fees are going to go down?

AU: Everything has a limit and afterwards it comes down. Everything has a cycle for development and trend.

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