Josh Kroenke admits it's hard to 'truly relate' to Arsenal fans

Arsenal director Josh Kroenke has admitted he doesn't understand the club's supporters as well as those in American sports.

Gunners fans have been at odds with the club's ownership in recent times, aiming the brunt of their frustrations at owner Stan Kroenke. The Super League fiasco last year also did little to improve relations.

Speaking on the Road Trippin' podcast, Josh admitted it's hard for Americans to truly grasp the fandom and emotion that surrounds and encapsulates European football.

“I do listen to our supporters over there,” Kroenke said. “The level of passion that is involved in European football, and support that goes into these clubs - I don’t want to say it is way deeper than anything we have over here, but it is way deeper than anything we have over here.

“It is 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.”

He added: “Whether or not they fully understood the concept of what we were trying to do, it did not matter. They did not want the change. And that was the only thing that mattered, that we were going to make changes to the system they love.

“Part of leadership is understanding when you are wrong. We understood we were wrong, we got out of it. To be frank I am encouraged by the whole process because it has brought me and our staff closer to our supporters than ever before.”


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Source : 90min