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Arsenal Owner Stan Kroenke Says Club's Board Is 'Very High' On Arsène Wenger

Arsenal Owner Stan Kroenke "has clearly indicated" a desire to keep Manager Arsène Wenger beyond the end of this season by describing the club’s board as "very high" on him and admitting that he will be an "extremely hard act to follow," according to Jeremy Wilson of the London TELEGRAPH. A framed montage of all the 210 players to have performed under Wenger was presented to the Arsenal manager at the start of Monday's AGM in recognition of his 20 years at the club. Kroenke noted the challenge that ManU has experienced in "replacing a similar figure" in Alex Ferguson. Kroenke: "You see it (at United), you bring up a comment like that. It's very hard. We are all very high on Arsène. We are at the top of the table right now. He's a great manager. He's been a wonderful influence on the club." Kroenke "had also paid a glowing tribute to Wenger’s work." He said, "One of the main reasons we got involved is the values and traditions of the club and no one has represented them better than Arsène" (TELEGRAPH, 10/24).

'FIRST-CLASS': REUTERS' Neil Robinson reported Arsenal defended a 40% increase in the bonus paid to CEO Ivan Gazidis, whose overall financial package is now £2.65M ($3.24M). The issue was raised at the club's annual general meeting on Monday, when Chair Chips Keswick said that Gazidis was doing a "first-class job" and deserved the $1.35M bonus despite Arsenal failing to win the Premier League since '04. Keswick: "The appraisal of Ivan's performance covers a very broad spectrum of objectives and does so over a longer timeframe than one season including appropriate financial targets but also assessment of our longer term progress and representation of our values." Gazidis is the second highest paid exec behind ManU Exec Vice-Chair Ed Woodward (REUTERS, 10/24).

FIGHTING CHANCE: In London, James Gheerbrant reported Wenger said that Arsenal is "better equipped than five years ago to compete for the Premier League" -- and believes that "as little as 82 points could be enough" to seal the title this season. Wenger: "I believe that the team has commitment, togetherness, unity, desire, hunger and we have a good chance to compete for the Premier League. The trend is set -- the championship will certainly be decided by between 82 and 86 points. That means we have to be really focused on details and keeping the energy inside the team at the top level" (LONDON TIMES, 10/24).

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