LONDON, April 29- Arsenal Chief Executive Ivan Gazidis says the Gunners are not focused on winning the UEFA Champions League ‘above all else’.
The South Africa-born head honcho was speaking at a conference organised by Kick It Out, an independent charity and anti-racism group.
“When we talk about the destination, it’s not winning a Champions League, it’s making fans proud,” Gazidis said. “It’s about making the people at the football club proud of what we do and how we do it.”
The former Major Soccer League (MLS) executive has been at the helm of the London side since 2009. Arsenal last reached the continental cup final in 2006 but have been knocked out at the last-16 stage for five successive season since then.
“We get a lot of criticism, but we have people at the club who are very firmly fixed on where we want to get to and won’t get knocked off course by the whims that happen day to day,” Gazidis continued. “We are very much on that journey, and we may never reach the destination.”
Arsenal are currently perched in third spot in the Premier League standings behind Chelsea and Manchester City.
They are level on points with City and look almost certain to secure a spot in next season’s Champions League. It is the first time since the 2004-5 season that they have an opportunity to finish second, more so as they have a game in hand on the Citizens.
The Emirates Stadium-based side also has an opportunity to win the FA Cup as they take on Aston Villa in the final at Wembley Stadium on 30 May.
