Every takeover is a risk. The Chinese are genuine, they are on a mission brand wise. It has all the hallmarks of the Arab adventure at City. Really there is no way of knowing what will happen. However it is really down to what the club want. If we want to compete then you have to invest massively just to get into the top 10. I don't think that will ever come from Ashley. Throw in the bad the bloke has done then I don't really mind seeing the back of him. I've said before I can live without PL football. I hate what our top division has become and I'm not about to do an about turn just because there is a chance we may join the party. However I also accept that it is what it is and if it means I get to enjoy my Saturday watching football played the right way, then I wouldn't complain massively.
Back in the 60's I used to go out with a girl who was half Chinese and half Swedish. She kept me awake all night sucking my dirty washing.
Being brutally honest? No. It has nothing to do with it. He has just forgotten where he came from and lost his love of the game. It happens with all the trappings and success. He reminds me of Ronaldinho without the same level of ability or achievements. No one really talks about Ronaldinho as an all time great. He's like an after-thought. He would never get mentioned in the same breath as Messi or Ronaldo. He had far more natural talent than Ronaldo but by the time he was 28/29 he'd won it all and cared less. He partied, he got unfit, he got injured. It was a sad way to let a career drift away. At his peak the lad was just ridiculous. He was unplayable. Those 5 years at Barca, particularly the first 3 where he was a model pro and dedicated himself to it, he was as good as there has ever been for me.
Considering history I don't think new Chinese owners would be too chuffed to be welcomed with Japanese.
BOOM I got a biter! I was hoping someone would jump on that! all about patience waiting to catch a big one!
This for me. Ronaldinho in his peak at Barca, was the best player I've ever witnessed playing football. He was a marvel. All the talent in the world, and at that time, coupled with work rate and intensity. He was in a league of his own. Still have the 2004 Barca shirt (before the first sponsor, UNICEF appeared) with 'Ronaldinho - 10' on the back. Oddly, I have never liked Barca as much, since those halcyon days. Sad what became of him. But what a player he was back then.
Not quite, I first made the joke in soho a few years back in a Chinese at 2am, they weren't best pleased and kicked me out.
Reminds of being in Pearl Harbour in November. A group of Japanese tourists standing on the grass making airplane gestures and laughing. What shocked me more was that no-one said anything.
As I thought. Minority shareholders don't have this issue. http://www.inbrief.co.uk/football-law/dual-ownership-of-football-clubs/ Can the same individual own two football clubs at the same time? Ownership of football clubs and the integrity of the competition One of the key aspects of the sporting world is to protect the integrity of the competition. If there is not a fair competition in the sporting context then this completely overshadows the sporting contest. It is therefore felt that if two football clubs are playing in the same competition and are owned by the same person or business this could have an adverse effect on the competition diminishing the integrity of the competition. As a consequence the same individual or business entity is unable to own two clubs playing in the same competition. Football Association Premier League rules versus UEFA Rules The dual ownership of football clubs is prohibited both under the rules of the Football Association Premier League and under the rules of the European Governing Body of football – UEFA. However, there are certain disparities between the two sets of rules. FA Premier League Rules Under the FA Premier League rules an owner of a football club or a director of a football club must adhere to the fit and proper test and must sign a declaration that they comply with this test. The fit and proper test applies to all directors and individuals holding over a 30% shareholding. Accordingly anyone who owns or has the power to own a football club in the FA Premier League is regarded to fall outside the remit of the fit and proper test and unable to own another club. UEFA Rules The UEFA Rules were brought in following a high profile case in 2000 and were first established for the 2000/01 season. The rule prohibits two football clubs in which a person or a company has an interest from being admitted into the same UEFA club competition. What is meant as having an interest in another club? Having an interest in another football club has been defined as meaning the following: The majority of the shareholders’ voting rights in another club in the same UEFA club competition The right to appoint or remove a majority of the directors in another club in the same UEFA club competition The majority of the shareholders’ voting rights (through a shareholders’ agreement) in another club in the same UEFA club competition
Thats good to know. I would be dead against the takeover if it was likely to screw our chances of playing in the Champions League in the 2018-2019 season.
I'm fairly sure that those conditions mean that if he has that control in ANOTHER club then any other club he has an interest in is not allowed to qualify. I don't know how much control he has at Athletico though, so don't know if any of those conditions apply. I know that if he had been allowed to increase his share at Rangers it would have precluded Rangers from qualifying unless he sold us.
Gathering pace, this. Ashley lieutenant, Justin Barnes, is now in at the club. Not exactly there to secure transfers, is he...