回复：阿森纳常务董事埃德尔曼辞职离开董事会
ARSENAL are ready to make their new managing director the highest-paid executive in football. Director Danny Fiszman has ordered headhunters to scour the worlds of football, industry and media to find the “best person” for the job after Keith Edelman was forced out of his £1m-a-year post last week.
Early names in the frame include Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore, Birmingham City’s Karren Brady, London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton and former Pepsico chief Michael Glenn, a director of Leicester City. Although Arsenal have begun a tentative search for Edelman’s replacement, it is understood that they are willing to bide their time. Fiszman is looking for a person in the mould of Scudamore or David Gill, who can take some of the weight off the shoulders of manager Arsène Wenger on the football side.
Arsenal, who recorded a turnover of £200.8m in their last set of yearly accounts, are willing to exceed the £1m-plus salaries of Manchester United’s Gill and Chelsea’s Peter Kenyon. “Arsenal have the money. It’s all about finding the right person. That’s what Danny wants and it will be his appointment,” said a source close to the board.
Edelman was told by Fiszman he was no longer required because it was felt Arsenal needed a managing director who would “spend 30% of his time on football rather than 5%”. He is credited with securing the finance for the Emirates stadium and negotiating long-term commercial deals. However, it was felt among board members that the club “almost runs itself” on the business side and that the requirement is for a managing director who can offer greater support to Wenger. It was felt that Edelman, while a skilful business operator, was not enough of a football “obsessive” to take the club forward.
