Nothing to do with Spurs, I know. But, I had to laugh when I read that the dickheads at Man ****ty have renamed their stadium fom Eastlands to Etihad. Etihad, apparetly means "United" in Arabic. A spokesman for ****ty insists that the correct translation is "union". However, the school for Arabic studies says that the correct translation is in fact "United"
This wouldn't happen to be the same Etihad Airline that just so happened to be set-up by Sheik Khalifa, the ruler of Abu Dhabi...... Also known to Sheik Mansour as, Dad. And this isn't the same Sheik Khalifa, who as ruler of Abu Dhabi, made Sheik Mansour the Minister for Presidential Affairs is it? Of course this was based on pure ability alone and nothing to do with their family ties!
Are you suggesting that Citeh are basically being sponsored by their owner, OSS? If you look at most of their sponsors, then you'll see a theme. Ferrostaal: German industrial and machine supplier, now 70% owned by IPIC of Abu Dhabi. Etisalat: also known as the Emirates Telecommunications Corporation. Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority: erm... Aabar Investment: Global investment company, owned by the government of Abu Dhabi. Heineken: Horrible.
PleaseNotPoll - You may think that, I couldn't possibly comment..... All I do is lay out the facts. It is up to UEFA to look at them, shuffle their feet in an embarrassed fashion, nervously clear their throat. Then they will say $itie$ finances are all above board while stuffing a large brown envelope hurriedly into their briefcase.
Steady on chaps. It is widely recognised that FIFA is the finest football governing body that money can buy.
FIFA have investigated FIFA and have found that FIFA are beyond reproach. FIFA would like to thank FIFA for their thorough and unbiased investigation.
I can't see how this is supposed to get round the FFP rules. It's the largest sponsorship deal of it's kind in the world and it's from their owner. Surely it should be basically ignored, for the purposes of the fairplay thing?
I'm sure the shakey Sheikhs lawyers have reams of paperwork on stand-by to show that Mansour and Khalifa have no involvement in Etihad whatsoever. Though I'm not sure how that will work as Sheikh Khalifa is pretty much the absolute ruler of Abu Dhabi and what he says, goes. At the very least it will be a case of "You sponsor City and we will find ways to reimburse your money through other businesses and channels." The whole FFP rules will collapse the first time they are challenged in my opinion.
I actually want City to spend billions trying to buy glory. They will fail. And their failure will become known as The Titanic of Football. City fans will even adopt "My Heart Will Go On" as their theme song at matches. Money does not buy happiness. It cannot buy team spirit. And it cannot buy history. City have always been and always will be a small team with a small team mentality. Gift-wrap a turd in gold leaf encrusted with diamonds and with the finest silk for a bow, and it will still be a turd.
