eatmyfootball
28-04-2009, 20:20
If you thought Manchester City's problems were solely confined to the pitch, then you would be sorely mistaken. The bloated mixed fortunes of the Blue side of the city have come into sharp contrast with a dangerous and murderous underbelly. Other than a stream of poor results and performances, the finances of City seem to be limitless, as they seek to reinforce an already star-rotten squad. But with the recent revelations regarding a relation of owner Sheik Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, there seems to be a dangerous under-current of evil that seems to be infecting the people's game. A video showing Sheik Issa bin Zayed al-Nahyan torturing an Afghani man by firing guns at him, inserting a cattle prod into his anus and then setting fire to his testicles, prior to his driving over the defenceless man must send a shiver even down the most blue-blooded of City supporters. Perhaps, even, Manchester City are now eyeing their previous owner Thaksin Shinawatra, the former President of Thailand, with more compassionate eyes, despite the Thai courts seeking his extradition to answer charges of fraud and corruption that coincided with his purchase of Manchester City.
Of course, Manchester City is not an exception to the misrule of law, and English football seems to be attracting some quite unsavoury characters who, it seems, have more money than sense. Roman Abramovich's purchase of Chelsea FC in 2003 was touted as the tour-de-force to bring silverware back to the struggling London club. Since then it is estimated Abramovich has invested nearly a billion pounds in the club, and his looming presence at every Chelsea game cannot fail to instil within fans his passion for his surrogate team. Unfortunately Abramovich's past character comes into stark contrast with his recent benevolence, revealing a greed-fueled heartlessness that raped the wealth of Russia's peasantry. With the collapse of the Soviets the government relinquished its collective control over all public property, issuing shares in land and industry to the people of Russia. Unscrupulous villians bent on acquiring these shares, for their true corporate value, travelled the country buying up priceless land & oil vouchers for nothing more than a few roubles; Abramovich being one of these enterprising capitalist black-marketeers. Following this Abramovich set his sights on the Aluminium industry, and after the murder of many managers, traders and journalists, the various Corporate groups divided up the bloodied spoils between them. With allegations of threats and intimidation, bribery of state and corporate officials, illegal share dealing, stealing a train, and complicity in the murderous Aluminium wars, Abramovich is clearly a man with a plan.
And indeed, if such aspiring individuals were to embark on some such enterprising adventure, no better starting place would be from owning a football club. At most a major club can turnover hundreds of millions a year in revenue, and further millions in merchandise. So the fluid nature of a football club can be ideal for organising a grand plan across the unrestricted borders of Europe. In effect a football team can travel unmolested throughout Europe, can stave off the wary interests of bank managers, and generate massive social and political support for those willing to throw a few pounds into a cash-strapped club.
In 2003 Manchester United sold their most valuable player to the richest club in Europe, in a bid to reduce the burden of debt before they put the club up for sale. In contrast, Real Madrid continually pay off their debts, and are now considered the richest club in Europe with the lowest burden of debt. Since the adoption of public ownerhsip in Spanish clubs they have grown from provincial latin teams into billion dollar brands, which can attract further billions from companies and individuals alike. Through judicious financial accountability Real attract the real stars on and off the pitch with the directors democratic servants to the shareholders; the Madrid population.
Of course, Manchester City is not an exception to the misrule of law, and English football seems to be attracting some quite unsavoury characters who, it seems, have more money than sense. Roman Abramovich's purchase of Chelsea FC in 2003 was touted as the tour-de-force to bring silverware back to the struggling London club. Since then it is estimated Abramovich has invested nearly a billion pounds in the club, and his looming presence at every Chelsea game cannot fail to instil within fans his passion for his surrogate team. Unfortunately Abramovich's past character comes into stark contrast with his recent benevolence, revealing a greed-fueled heartlessness that raped the wealth of Russia's peasantry. With the collapse of the Soviets the government relinquished its collective control over all public property, issuing shares in land and industry to the people of Russia. Unscrupulous villians bent on acquiring these shares, for their true corporate value, travelled the country buying up priceless land & oil vouchers for nothing more than a few roubles; Abramovich being one of these enterprising capitalist black-marketeers. Following this Abramovich set his sights on the Aluminium industry, and after the murder of many managers, traders and journalists, the various Corporate groups divided up the bloodied spoils between them. With allegations of threats and intimidation, bribery of state and corporate officials, illegal share dealing, stealing a train, and complicity in the murderous Aluminium wars, Abramovich is clearly a man with a plan.
And indeed, if such aspiring individuals were to embark on some such enterprising adventure, no better starting place would be from owning a football club. At most a major club can turnover hundreds of millions a year in revenue, and further millions in merchandise. So the fluid nature of a football club can be ideal for organising a grand plan across the unrestricted borders of Europe. In effect a football team can travel unmolested throughout Europe, can stave off the wary interests of bank managers, and generate massive social and political support for those willing to throw a few pounds into a cash-strapped club.
In 2003 Manchester United sold their most valuable player to the richest club in Europe, in a bid to reduce the burden of debt before they put the club up for sale. In contrast, Real Madrid continually pay off their debts, and are now considered the richest club in Europe with the lowest burden of debt. Since the adoption of public ownerhsip in Spanish clubs they have grown from provincial latin teams into billion dollar brands, which can attract further billions from companies and individuals alike. Through judicious financial accountability Real attract the real stars on and off the pitch with the directors democratic servants to the shareholders; the Madrid population.