ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE NEWS:ARSENAL YESTERDAY launched their search for an executive to revitalise the club's fortunes on the pitch after Keith Edelman left his position as managing director.
The north London club's board has appointed headhunters to find someone with a proven record in brand-building whose CV demonstrates the ability to guide an organisation through the minefields of sports politics while carrying the profile of the club in the media.
The remuneration will certainly make it a rewarding job. Edelman, who earned more than €1.3 million a year at Arsenal, received a significant seven-figure pay-off after he was told by the club's most powerful shareholder, Danny Fiszman, that the time for him to move on was approaching. Edelman then dictated his own terms for an immediate departure.
Arsenal's statement announced Edelman will remain with the club as a "consultant" for the next 12 months but the director Ken Friar has taken over his duties as his eight-year spell came to an end. "The board has already initiated the search for a new managing director and will update shareholders and stakeholders when appropriate," said the statement.
With the Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov continuing to build his stake in the club to close to 25 per cent, the development will lead to noises about future ownership of the 13-times English champions. But there were strong signals from Arsenal that Fiszman is reasserting his position after a disappointing second season in the Emirates Stadium.
It was a remarkable show of strength by the diamond trader. Appointed by Fiszman, Edelman became a key ally in the rift that led to David Dein being forced out of the club almost exactly 12 months ago. Any Arsenal fans who hope it might pave the way for Dein to return to the club will be disappointed since rancour still lingers in the club's boardroom towards their former vice-chairman.
But some of Dein's qualities - not least his extensive contacts - have been missed. The failure to close out a five-point lead in the Premier League might never have happened had they not missed out on key transfer targets.
They slipped away after the burden of coaching and recruitment fell on the manager, Arsene Wenger.
The France international Frank Ribery had been due to sign last summer but he headed for Bayern Munich. Wenger was angered after Alexandre Pato slipped through Arsenal's fingers as he joined Milan from Internacional.
An independent tribunal has upheld the English Football League's 15-point penalty imposed on Leeds at the start of the season. A three-day hearing reached its conclusion behind closed doors yesterday in London where Leeds failed to convince a three-man panel the League acted unfairly when docking the points as punishment for breaking competition rules on insolvency.
The hearing's decision to rule in the League's favour sees Leeds stay in sixth place in League One - and they must now hope to secure promotion via a play-off place.
Guardian Service
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