Arsenal's Stadium Cost Arsene Wenger His Best Years, Says Alisher Usmanov

Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov believes the club's move to the Emirates Stadium and a lack of investments from the Gunners' shareholders at the time were responsible for the club's lack of trophies in the past decade, claiming it cost manager Arsene Wenger the best years of his career.

In an exclusive interview with CNN World Sport's Amanda Davies, he said, “Arsene Wenger has very, very difficult position when club shareholders don't want to put his money to construct new stadium.  And because of this, he lose his five years, maybe best of his career without trophy. In reality, 10 years.”

Here's the full interview:

Usmanov became involved with the Gunners in 2007, three years after the Emirates Stadium broke ground. He has been a vocal opponent of majority shareholder Stan Kroenke's prudent financial approach, as noted by Davies.

While the top clubs in the Premier League were adding star names to their squads, the Gunners took years to follow suit, deciding to be more conservative. Arsenal have only recently joined in the spending bonanza, adding the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez, who have found plenty of success in north London.

Back-to-back FA Cup trophies and a third-place finish in the Premier League have restored the fans' faith in Wenger, via the Daily Mirror's John Cross:

The two trophies came in the nick of time for Wenger, who has managed the Gunners since 1996. He guided the club to an unbeaten Premier League finish in 2003-04, one of the greatest feats in Premier League history, but he's failed to win the title since.

Uzmanov believes it's hardly his fault, however, given the means he had to work with, and the Russian billionaire hopes the Frenchman will be around for as long as possible:

"

If I have right, I keep Arsene until he want because until he can't perform his activity like manager, is gift for any club to have coach like Arsene Wenger.  When we buy, we have only one target, be in Arsenal. Be together with other shareholders and make history, way which we propose to directors, was be refused.

"

Most fans of the club will likely agree with Usmanov's assessment that the building of the Emirates Stadium was directly responsible for Arsenal's lean years, but it's not like the Gunners had much of a choice.

Their old Highbury ground was in dire need of replacing and didn't have the greatest reputation in terms of atmosphere―it was nicknamed “The Library” for a reason, via the Independent's Matt Denver, Glenn Moore and Phil Shaw―and an investment in a new stadium was seen as an investment in the future.

It's unfortunate it took a large chunk out of Wenger's transfer budget, but after the promise of the 2014-15 campaign, it looks as if the Gunners are once again ready to compete for major silverware on all fronts. The club seems more than set for the future, which is undoubtedly what the board was hoping for when the decision on the Emirates was made all those years ago. 

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