Sorry PNP but got to disagree with the path you're taking here. It's a question of the chicken preceeding the egg, but facts are facts: It took YEARS for SAF to turn Utd into the dominant flavour of the PL. Just look at his first 3 years or so as manager- he almost got sacked! IMHO, it was only after he'd spent wisely and brought in youth players such as Giggs and Sharpe that the tide started turning in Utd's favour. THEN- and only then- did their sphere of influence begin to increase, until- in the mid to late 90's, the media and player-tapping sadly became servants of the Red Devils. I think that Luke's got an excellent point here: never before (not even chavski) has a team been catapulted from the mid-table slums to stardom as quickly and as brutally as city. Take ourselves for example. The story of Spurs' rise from a mid-table stocking-filler to a team genuinely challenging for a CL place is as old as the PL itself! I also know a number of City fans who look more fondly upon the likes of SWP, Goater, Anelka, Berkovic and co. than the current crop of hired assassins. Call me wierd but I find what's going on up there fascinating... Ok Im wierd.
Chelsea ripped up the previous 'rule book', with their incredible level of spending, now without doubt City have taken that route to success even more dramatically and by their level of spending. Though they haven't won the Prem yet, it does look like inevitable now either this season or in in the next two or three. It's a massive blow for Spurs, that even when the 'big three' (trophy wise) look vulnerable, our title hopes are as far away as ever because of the billionaire-driven impetus of Chelsea and City, two clubs that we could claim to be 'naturally bigger' than. But that's life, unless we get in a big-spending owner, I just can't see us winning the title for the foreseeable future. It doesn't matter how clever Levy, Redknapp, whoever are, you can't beat tanks with snowballs.
Having slept on that one, I'm afraid I'm not buying the idea that the Mansours are looking for worldwide recognition and better image for their main companies. If that were true, why take over a club whose international fan base is no bigger than above-average? I mean: Spurs, Liverpool, Arsenal, Man Utd, Chelsea, probably Newcastle and Everton too all have FAR more fame worldwide. Real, Barca, Bayern, Ajax, AC Milan, Juve, Inter- they're all killer whales to City's sardines. If its that they're after, why didn't they take over any of the above clubs? Its why Mr. Henry took over Liverpool...b/c despite being cr*p when he appeared on the scene, he appreciated that he wasn't just buying a football club, he was buying an icon. The same applies to the Glazers at Man U. And having seen City's *ahem* 'inspirational' performances in the CL so far this year, European domination (especially during this Barca era) seems a way off still. So I'm back to square one: Mansour's bottomless pit-pot CANNOT remain bottomless long enough for City to have become MORE of a worldwide disease than United. Until I see every kid in Singapore wearing a City kit, my eyebrows shall not descend from their current perch of disbelief.
There would have been no challenge in the Mansours buying Man Utd or Liverpool. Why buy another Ferarri clone when you can buy the whole of Ford and design your own car? The man is worth £20bn, with access to many more billions through friendly investors. He can bankrole City until his dying days, make no mistake. (reduntant post - great minds think alike. blah. blah)
if i were a fan of £ity or chelski i'd be worried if the people bankrolling them get board and walk away,they would be so much in debt no one will want to buy them
If I were a fan of City or Chelsea, I'd be sooooo delighted that their current owners had brought them such success they couldn't otherwise even begin to dream of, I would just love it so much, I'd take any future pain with a smile. City have been in the third division, Chelsea went close at times and were on the verge of admin till RA saved them. 'What's to worry about?' would be my feeling, enjoy living the dream while it's happening. Life is short, chances like this may only come once in a lifetime, grasp it while you can, carpe diem, carpe trophies. There are many Spurs fans who have never seen us win the title, and because of such billionaire backers at other clubs, plus the 'traditional big 3', may well now never do so, alas.
Yup. Methinks that the most sensible conclusion is that the Mansour project is little more than what happens when a billionaire actually does walk into Argos. He probably feels the same way I do whenever i switch on Champ Manager. If so, Luke and Tots' points should worry City fans. Who knows when Accrington Stanley will catch his eye? And when that day comes....
Without any doubt whatsoever they'll still be here, and their fans will both (probably) have seen them win titles, whereas, alas it's quite likely we won't have in that time frame. I'm old enough to remember us winning the title, many of our current fans have never even seen us come close.
As I say, I disagree, if I were a City fan I wouldn't be worrying, I'd be lapping up the fact we'd won 6-1 at OT and for the first time in many of their lives they are true title contenders. City hadn't even won a major trophy since 1976 before the oil money came pumping in, and Utd used to have a banner at OT cruelly reminding them of that fact. They have wiped that from the record books by winning the FA Cup (we haven't won that since 91, painfully), and those fans who saw City in the third division less than twenty years ago, must be in dreamland. I would be, anyway.
A dream which could very suddenly become a nightmare. Same sort of nightmare that Portsmouth went through. Same sort of nightmare Blackburn are currently going through. Same sort of nightmare that could potentially befall any team taken over by a billionaire who cares as much for the club as he does for his box of lego.
It could do, but they have the dream now, and I'd be delighted if I was a Chelsea or City fan living that dream. Chelsea have achieved things that we, 'a naturally bigger' club than them, can in our turn only dream of. It looks like City are on the same golden track now. I remember us beating Utd 4-1 at OT and that was great, but Utd were on the same football planet as us then in the 70s. To win 6-1 at OT now is simply shocking and awesome, to do it to your bitter rivals and neighbours is almost beyond the stuff of dreams, so unlikely it would have seemed a mere 15 years ago. How I would love Spurs to go clear at the the top of the Prem and become title favourites after winning 6-1 at the Emirates. If it takes masses of oil money to do that, then start pumping it in now
ROI is not what Sheikh Mansour is after from Man City in my opinion. I personally think it's all about publicity, politics and more importantly bragging rights within an extended family with more money than it knows what to do with. Dubai builds the tallest building; Abu Dhabi builds the world's largest Mosque. Dubai has Emirates Airlines considered by many one of the finest airlines in the world; Abu Dhabi pushes Ethiad to promote its worldwide standing. Dubai hosts many sporting events, Abu Dhabi wants to the "best" football team in the league in the home of football in a game of one-upmanship with its very own "noisy neighbours". Man City were affordable, with good facilities, located in a city already associated the world over with football and their money driven rise would always produce publicity considering the local rivalry with Utd.
Excellent points HS, there are doubtless many domestic aspects of 'point-scoring', 'empire building' and 'noisy neighbour status' that will elude many of us, but you seem to have a very good grasp of them Also, isn't it true that the Man City owners or at least people/a company in that country have bought some sort of PL overseas TV rights? If that is true, the synergy there is obvious. The PL is not just the biggest football league in the world, it's the biggest sporting league in the world. That's some kudos there to be a key part in, plus there's much more to come re the global aspects of the Prem. Will 'Man City' one day host matches in Abu Dhabi, it's not completely far-fetched. Not only that, but the CL has a massive appeal too, and City now will surely become regular players in that particular world-wide show as well. Indeed , even if they haven't bought any TV rights, don't be surprised if Abu Dhabi buy them in the future. The Arabs love their football, just see the money they pushed into the World Cup bid, and the type of infrastructure they will be offering when the World Cup circus arrives in their particular town. My guess is that 'awesome' will be an understatement with regard to some of the facilities and the superstar treatment that players, officials, media will get. No-one knows, in detail, what thirty or fifty years time will bring, but the globalisation and TV/media led nature of the game are almost 'givens'. City, as part of the 'oil empire' are poised supremely 'well' (pun intended to benefit massively from that future.
Agreed. Just cannot fathom why he didn't go for any number of clubs with profiles already superior to City. Liverpool? Everton? Newcastle? Juventus? Ajax? One of the Milans? All clubs in desperate need of a good old kick up the rear, with MASSIVE worldwide followings (I'm only saying Everton based on what I've heard from friends). Spurs? Any takers for Spurs? None? I'd love 5 minutes with the Sheik, just to hear from the man himself why he did it. The outcome of the conversation may well read like one of my favourite Blackadder's: Baldrick: "Would you like the long answer or the short one, sir?" Edmund: "The short one please" Baldrick: "Whim" Edmund: And the long answer....? Baldrick: "A whim".
My sister and bro-in-law live in Dubai. He works for a global western company there and so it's always interesting to discuss the local politics and attitudes. No idea, but a quick google shows that indeed the ADMC - Abu Dhabi Media Company (not Man City) paid more than 300m USD for 3 years Middle East broadcasting rights in 2010, up from 120m USD last time around. Crazy increases, but that could return a profit I guess. Unfortunately football is becoming another global advertising board, with the things that made the sport what it is playing a diminishing role. A sad decline but as you say GH10 almost a given. Oh and a bad thing for the national game, but I'm not sure how many people care about that anymore, although celebrating my Dad's birthday last year here (June 27th) was bloody hard work.
No I wouldn't want a similar takeover of Spurs. I have no interest in "winning" in the way that Citeh are doing it, it simply isn't competition as I understand it. And I'm certainly not hypocritical enough to criticise other teams for their billionaire investors and then wish the same for my own club. Talk about winning for winnings sake, how can there be any satisfaction in winning if you've simply bought the best team?
Hi Helder, re Spurs and the Sheiks, would ENIC have sold? Would they only have sold at an eye-watering price way beyond any price that our Stock Exchange rating might justify. Would Spurs fans have been actively resisting the move? City was a way cheaper and easier target than Spurs. I don't know enough about the other clubs you mention, but similar or other relevant problems may have arisen. In such matters often 'opportunity is King'. It was thus at Chelsea, they were there for the taking due to their huge debts, and had a good team in a prime location. Similarly, City had all sorts of advantages, including, crucially, they were available at the time. Hollywood history is littered with stories of actors who missed out on massive roles, because they weren't available, turned down the offer, etc.
Hi HS, thanks for the insights, they have really helped me understand better the motives behind the City move. AS you say, the game has changed massively, gate receipts are no longer the main revenue driver, certainly not regarding the 'flat cappers and rattle wavers' who used to dominate our grounds. Media revenue, corporate hospitality, merchandising, sponsorship, naming rights, prize money, these are the key revenue streams that now determine a club's wealth.
