Thats a good question. I certainally don't know the answer to it. I would imagine the only people who really know are the Manager and Board members. I don;t think Fernandes strategy of global branding is anything to do with signing players from different countries. I think he means making the club well known in different regions abroad, going on pre-season tours, increasing revenue by selling shirts etc. I can;t see many people in West Africa (Cisse and Diakite) for example spending £42 on a QPR shirt. Spanish or Brazilian people are not sufficiently into English football to buy shirts. I would imagine the money spent by people in New Zealand on QPR is minimal too. I think Fernandes main aim in terms of global branding is to target the Asian market and to double brand his football team and airline together. Apart from Park, I don't think the other signings we have made are related to this.
Thai, I suppose the truth is we don't know what influence TF has on transfer targets, but your point is well made. But enough about us, Hoolahan Tierney Pilkington and now I hear Robbie Keane could be on the radar, as well as Chris Hughton in charge; what's Delia trying to do? She must have her eyes on global expansion too beginning in the Emerald Isle.....
I can honestly say I have NEVER met a Norwich fan in Ireland, Not one. I met Wes Hoolahan's Brother once and he said he was going over to see a match but he wasn't a Norwich fan per se.
I think I would rather Delia managing the Irish team than Trap who should be off somewhere enjoying his Grandkids.
Some of your reply holds water There is little or no doubt the Asian market is the main target in his eyes but other nations away such as Africa, you will not find any clubs shirts on sale for the sorts of money you have tagged at £42.00 and you will almost certainly not pay that much anywhere in Asia either. As an example, here in Thailand I see Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool & some Man City shirts all day, every day. There is no way in the world a Thai in the region I now live would part with what is effectively is nearly 10 days wages and I would think most of the Asian countries are not too dissimilar. I cannot really talk about South America with any authority as I know very little about life in that part of the world, other than they are also relatively poor from what I hear and read. Shirt sales I would suggest do not even hit the TF radar, he will be more focused on sponsorship and/or investment from some Asian partners. Can't say I am convinced he will ever achieve that sufficiently well to create the brand he is hoping to or dreaming about but you never know.
The only decision was to get shot of Hughes after Saturday's woeful performance. I can't see how things can improve under Hughes. What's worse is that clearly Hughes can't either from his comments. He has tried and failed. Surely there should be a clause in a manager's contract that if we are bottom at a certain stage of the season and for a number of successive weeks that we are entitled to dispense of his services at minimal compensation. Crazy that clubs have to take a massive leap of faith with a manager and be tied into long term contract at massive money. Hughes continues to be rewarded for being an abject failure.
I have always liked Chris Hughton as a player and as a manager, and he really seems to be doing the business with yourselves after a slow start. Our slow start has decelerated to a full stop unfortunately.
Still early days and no one is counting their chickens yet. God alone what's going to happen with you over the next 7 months but I am relieved we have managed to kick start the season after such a terrible start and are not joint last with you guys.
I understand what you are saying about parts of S.E. Asia (Thailand where you live) and people spending £42 on a football shirt. Is that the case in Malaysia too? Some of our fans who have been in Malaysia have reported many sightings of our shirts being worn over there. What about further North in Korea and Japan? They seem to be a lot wealthier than the Asian countries further South. Korean visitors to London are flocking to our club shop. This is especially noticeable on match days. In terms of branding in Asia, I would guess that the next strategic player we sign will be from Japan or China. They have a well off large population and I am sure Air Asia could do with the extra exposure a Japanese/Chinese player would give them. Unfortunately, the chances of us signing a Thai player are pretty slim I would think.
I would hope you would never sign a Thai player - not even close to Blue Square Conference level - even at International level here. I think wages in general are pretty low for the average working person in all Asian countries. Although the likes of China mass produce everything under the sun the production costs are still very low, meaning wages too are still very low. Singapore wages are low so I would image Malaysia, Korea, Japan are likely to be the same. There are very wealthy people in all of these countries of course (including Thailand and Laos) but the average man in the street lives close to the bread line most of the time from what I can gather. Edit - Malaysia Data Entry clerk would earn £2.45 per hour, so Malaysia is on a par with Singapore and better off than Thailand but it's still peanuts to European earnings.
Taking your points, 12th :- Public backing of MH - I can't fault him here. Hughes was chosen, and TF has invested heavily in a Hughes led regime, conscious of the problems we have had in the past with a manager merry-go-around which made our club a laughing stock. We don't want another hire and fire Briatore. We need stability and TF has given Hughes every chance up to and including the Saints game Use of the social media - We got next to no information out of the Goons - they treated the fans with utter disrespect - Eccles even made it known he was a Chelsea fan - compare TF who is full of enthusiasm, and like Amit Bhatia, essentially a fan himself. I say, keep tweeting, Tony, keep talking to the fans, keep communicating with us Belittling fans who disagree with him - I haven't seen this - he's always been polite and reasoned Branding - crucial to the clubs finances and to TF's business interests - He's a businessman not a Russian Oligarch - he wants success of QPR as part, perhaps a flagship, of the success of his business empire particularly in the Far East. And branding is vital to the financial health of all the Prem clubs and those in the Championship Park Ji Sung - a good player, but like so many of our top players under Hughes, we haven't seen anything like the best of him. That's down to MH imo. Two weeks preseason - assume you mean the matches in Asia - more exciting than Cornwall, and again, it brings in monies from which the club benefits indirectly. If the tour was ill-advised from a football perspective, it's up to the manager to make that clear to the TF as chairman Failure to sack MH - I've dealt with this already - if TF brings in a Rednapp or Benitez now, there's not much more he can do Finally, you seem to be criticizing TF on the basis of what he might do (ie walk away.). He hasn't, or given any possible clue that he's going to. Indeed, he seems well aware that we could go down to the Championship and then have to use parachute payments wisely to ensure we bounce back up as West Brom have done more than once, and West Ham have just done TF may not be experienced in football club management but one thing you can be sure of - he'll be learning quickly and will be a better chairman and part-owner because of all that's going on at present
At last someone talking sense! This all day long. Cannot understand these deluded people who are blaming TF? That bloke has brought QPR into the 21st Century and put his money where his mouth is! Would they rather have Tango and Cash back or the days of buckets? Sadly some of our fans have become spoilt and really don't have a clue about the club and what people like Tony/Amit are doing.
It's not about the QPR brand, it's about the AirAsia/Tune Group brands. The club is part of his marketing budget. Great owner and chairman who is dealing with a totally bizarre set of circumstances. We'll be fine, eventually.
