COMMENT: Leave it in better shape than you found it. For the manager. CEO. Any leadership position. That's the simple brief. And for Arsenal, Ivan Gazidis leaves having far outperformed Arsene Wenger during the nine years they were together.
Harsh? Well for some, perhaps. But unlike the state of the squad Wenger left his successor. No-one could argue Gazidis leaves the club's next chief exec with the same sort of mess.
When Wenger took charge after Bruce Rioch's sacking 22 years ago, he inherited a back four and goalkeeper as good anything seen in the club's history. Today, Emery is still grappling with how to rebuild the defence he's inherited. It was Rioch who left Wenger with Dennis Bergkamp. Today? Well that comparison is drawn with Mesut Ozil. Yes, Arsenal was in some turmoil when Wenger first set foot inside Highbury. But the tools given were far sharper than what he's passed onto Emery.
In contrast, like any good CEO, Gazidis has been sure to leave the club in a far better place than when he arrived.
Upon his appointment, Gazidis was overseeing a commercial operation running at £250m-a-year in revenue. This year, it broke £450m. The shirt sponsor back in 2009 was paying £5m-a-year. Puma today are shelling out £35m annually. Financially, there's no argument - Gazidis has done his job.
But it's the team and the management structure he leaves behind which really should mark his legacy. And this is where it gets intriguing, as it was all done in quite a rush.
The contrast between today's Arsenal and that of a year ago is staggering. The manager's gone. The CEO is about to go too. A clean out of Wenger hold-overs amongst coaching staff is just about complete. Freddie Ljungberg is back as U23 coach. Per Mertesacker, the former club captain, is now in charge of the academy. And that's just the beginning...
There's Raul Sanllehi, now head of football operations. Sven Mislintant chief scout. Huss Fahmy has replaced Dick Law as contract negotiator. The former Sky Team chief now handling all calls from player agents.
Indeed, while it's claimed Arsenal are preparing to advertise for Gazidis' replacement, there's growing belief from those close to the board that the structure put in place can run smoothly as it is. The departing chief exec has effectively made his role redundant.
A natural process? Simply appointments being made as needed? No chance. This was Gazidis making sure he left the club prepared for it's next phase of growth. Again, it maybe harsh, but there's simply no comparing the health of Arsenal off the pitch and what Wenger has left Emery to deal with on it.
We know Gazidis is close to Hedge Fund manager Peter Singer and son, Gordon. We know Singer's Elliott Management have been talking to him for much of the year. While there appeared some hesitation in accepting Elliott's proposal to take charge of AC Milan, the South African's actions over the last six months suggest he always planned to move on. This rash of major appointments at Arsenal are no coincidence.
Singer has head-hunted him. He wants Gazidis to do for Milan what he's achieved with Arsenal. An offer to almost double Gazidis' £1.9m salary was a factor, but it's the project Singer has laid out that has motivated this move.
Gazidis will take everything he learned at Arsenal and apply the blueprint to Milan - including plans for a new stadium. The Rossoneri will be Arsenal 2.0. And will be rolled out with the support of friends.
For those questioning Gazidis' decision. Asking, like Gunners icon Tony Adams, 'why now?' with everything in place. You have your answer. The Milan project. The one offered to Gazidis by Singer and son. It's the job you leave Arsenal for.
But only after everything is in place. Only when you're sure you can leave confident the club will be stronger without you. Like any good CEO, this what has motivated Gazidis these last six months.
And why Milan - and Singer - were so determined to get their man.
