Arsenal director Josh Kroenke has admitted he finds it 'hard to truly relate' to the club's fan base, admitting their level of support is 'way deeper' than fandom in the United States.
Kroenke has served as a director of the Premier League giants since December 2013 under father Stan Kroenke's divisive ownership.
The 74-year-old American took a 9.9 per cent stake in Arsenal back in 2007 and slowly increased his shareholding until it reached 62.89 per cent in April 2011.
The American family then assumed full control of the club in 2018 after Alisher Usmanov accepted his bid to buy him out of his remaining shares for £550m.
Arsenal fans have lamented their control over the club though, hitting out at a lack of investment and determination to return the club to the summit of the domestic and European game.
Those thoughts were strengthened by the site of the Kroenkes celebrating on Sunday as their NFL franchise, the Los Angeles Rams, won the Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Arsenal have not competed in the Champions League since 2016-17 and have not won the Premier League title since 2004.
And Kroenke has now done little to enhance his connection to the club's fans by admitting he struggles to understand just how passionate the fans are.
Kroenke told Road Trippin': 'I think that one of the messages that I said to our supporters and I do listen to our supporters over there. I listen to our fans here [in America] with our teams but the level of passion that is involved in European football, and support that goes into these clubs – I don't wanna say it's deeper than anything we have over here – but it's way deeper than anything we have over here.
'It's hard to truly relate as an American or a foreigner heading into the UK the passion that really goes on from the people that support these clubs.'
The Kroenke family were forced to reiterate their commitment to Arsenal back in April 2021 and insisted they 'are not selling any stake' amid interest from Spotify founder Daniel Ek.
The Americans faced backlash from fans and even protests outside the Emirates Stadium over their involvement in the doomed European Super League.
Arsenal were one of 12 founder clubs of the controversial breakaway competition but withdrew just 48 hours later amid fierce backlash.
Kroenke admitted that the decision to sign up to the controversial competition was wrong but believes it's made his bond with fans 'closer'.
'I think that whether or not they fully understood the concept of what we're trying to do, it didn't matter,' said Kroenke.
'They didn't want the change. That was the only thing that mattered that we were going to make changes to the system they love. I understood that.
'I think part of being a good leader is making unpopular decisions on behalf of the group and part of being a good leader is listening to the group and understanding when to back off.
'That's what we did. Once we had a full understanding of what was going on – very quickly – the right thing to do as a leader was to get out of the process.
'I'm encouraged by the whole process because it's brought me and our whole staff closer to our supporters than ever before.
'I really enjoy sitting down and talking with our fans about sports because whether we see it through the same lens we all want the same thing and that's to win.'
Nesinoprtz
1
You will never understand Arsenal or the fans. The best thing for you would be to sell the club to an owner/s that genuinely care about the club. Arsenal is just a pet project to you. You think you've come closer to the fans, wishful thinking on your part, as the only sure way to do that would be to give them a club that wins wherever they go, but you won't do that because you're only real concern is your LA Rams and what goes on in the US. And the fans here don't give a s--t about LA Rams or what goes on with them in the US. So now you'll probably understand they you and the fans of Arsenal are literally worlds apart. You're destroying Arsenal 💔 so please sell and go do what you do in the US with your LA Rams.
Gunners4ever❤
0
so y go trying to sign players who don't want to come and play for arsenal, we all know juve have a great pulling power in seria a because they won like 8,9 league titles of the 2010 decade alone. arsenal should go for other league players like haaland.
Well we rated his ability and thought he could improve us so we tried to get him. Since he didn't want to join us, we let it go. Yes, we should look for alternatives now.
pazimopsz
0
why can't you and your father nose out from our Club and go back to fuckin America? Tired.
assasink16
2
We submitted another bid after that, which was somewhere around what Juventus ultimately paid for Vlahović, but he didn't want to join us.
so y go trying to sign players who don't want to come and play for arsenal, we all know juve have a great pulling power in seria a because they won like 8,9 league titles of the 2010 decade alone. arsenal should go for other league players like haaland.
Gunners4ever❤
0
he talks about investment y didn't they go all out for vlahovic instead just putting in bids for the sake of doing 50M+torriera wtf, how did arsenal think Fiorentina would accept such bid when there are other clubs who would pay upto 80M in cash. arsenal always miss out on players and wonder y they can't compete against the big European teams.
We submitted another bid after that, which was somewhere around what Juventus ultimately paid for Vlahović, but he didn't want to join us.
yiwanz
2
F***k kroeken with little experience manager and low rate players, how can they win races! Continue talking about deeper yet club is getting worse, can you see how Man city, Chelsea, Liverpool and Spurs how they are doing, nonsense#
voselmnosu
0
As Arsenal fans we want results not talk and we can achieve that only if club brings in world class players in all the departments getting good esperience strikers and two gaulity midfielders to boost the young talents the team has
Recons
1
he is still the worst thing that happened to arsenal nd he should sell the club. who gives a shut what they say. they have been talking nd doing nothing for years!
Please define nothing!
Leabimtz
0
sell up and get gone and give us someone who really cares about Arsenal.FC
Nohabiortz
0
Mr josh is taking too long
Voubmpsuy
0
What do you know about transfers besides what you read in newspapers? How much was the agent asking for transfer fees? Just cause another club did it, dont mean Arsenal should have !
he is still the worst thing that happened to arsenal nd he should sell the club. who gives a shut what they say. they have been talking nd doing nothing for years!
Jasiknpuyz
0
he talks about investment y didn't they go all out for vlahovic instead just putting in bids for the sake of doing 50M+torriera wtf, how did arsenal think Fiorentina would accept such bid when there are other clubs who would pay upto 80M in cash. arsenal always miss out on players and wonder y they can't compete against the big European teams.
Did you really follow transfer sha
goonersgun
1
just like his father they don't care about Arsenal Football Club useless kronekes
Voubmpsuy
3
these Kroenkes are the worst kind of pest there is. what fans have they gotten closer to? kmt these bastards ruined arsenal! nd I'll never respect or accept them. get out of our club u pigs
Recons
0
he talks about investment y didn't they go all out for vlahovic instead just putting in bids for the sake of doing 50M+torriera wtf, how did arsenal think Fiorentina would accept such bid when there are other clubs who would pay upto 80M in cash. arsenal always miss out on players and wonder y they can't compete against the big European teams.
What do you know about transfers besides what you read in newspapers? How much was the agent asking for transfer fees? Just cause another club did it, dont mean Arsenal should have !
Landiefreak
1
Arsenal was trapped in Catch 22 situation … He doesn’t let go the ownership and doesn’t do nothing to strengthen Arsenal squad … a cheap stake billionaire 😬
Recons
1
Its understandable, but he will get there
Landiefreak
1
Whoever listens to this guy is wasting his ears. Talk alone.
Yes … its wasting your valuable time
GAmuzu
2
Whoever listens to this guy is wasting his ears. Talk alone.
hesdilmps
1
hello🥑🥑🥑🥑😎🌏 first one q [50percent][5percent]
assasink16
2
he talks about investment y didn't they go all out for vlahovic instead just putting in bids for the sake of doing 50M+torriera wtf, how did arsenal think Fiorentina would accept such bid when there are other clubs who would pay upto 80M in cash. arsenal always miss out on players and wonder y they can't compete against the big European teams.
nuaaceimz
4
talk is cheap