Cesc Fabregas says Stan Kroenke did something at Arsenal a few years ago that's really unheard of
Stan Kroenke has faced a lot of criticism since he became Arsenal’s owner.
The American came under a lot of stick early on for not investing enough in the squad, while his decision to include the club in the European Super League faced immense backlash as well.
Since then, however, Kroenke has got a lot right at Arsenal, and Cesc Fabregas has now highlighted one decision that has changed the club.
Cesc Fabregas hails Arsenal’s decision to stick with Mikel Arteta during the difficult times
Arsenal appointed Mikel Arteta when they were in turmoil.
The Gunners had parted ways with Unai Emery at the time after a disastrous start to his second season, and they were in the bottom half of the table.
Arteta won the FA Cup and Community Shield in his first year at the club, but he also oversaw two eighth-place finishes in the Premier League.
There were calls from many to sack the Spaniard, but the Kroenkes fully backed their manager, and they are now reaping the rewards.
Fabregas has now hailed Arsenal’s decision to keep Arteta and highlighted how such backing from owners is almost unheard of.
He said, as relayed by Connor Humm: “Amazing. Congratulations to the club in general, starting from seven or eight years ago when they first started with this project. Because what you watch and see in football every day, what Arsenal did, especially in the difficult moments – it doesn’t exist. It doesn’t exist!
“I told Edu (Gaspar), I told Andrea (Berta) when I came last year for the Champions League, congratulations to the whole club for the patience, for sticking together and sticking to the plan when, for three years in a row, correct me if I’m wrong, they finished eighth, eighth, eighth. The fourth year, nearly Champions League. It was a big disappointment. Tottenham came, you finished fifth.
“But you keep going because you have a plan, because you have an objective, you have a progression, you keep going forward.
“We lack this in football today. Every day you see: “Okay, lose three games, change the coach.” He was playing one style, now he’s playing another. At the end of the day, I don’t believe in this a lot.”
Mikel Arteta is on track to become an Arsenal legend
Arteta has completely changed the face of Arsenal.
The Spaniard has taken a club struggling to get into Europe and turned them into the champions of England and one of the best teams in the world.
Arteta has already made his way into Arsenal’s history books, and he could now cement his status there.
No Arsenal manager in history has retained the Premier League title, and the Champions League has never been won before either.
Arteta has the chance to do both in the upcoming campaign, and if he does, he will instantly become an Arsenal legend.