***Offical Summer Transfer Thread*** - Page 27

Disturbance · #**261** 06-28-2007, 01:54 PM

MCFC will be holding a press conference tomorrow at 2pm (BST) to announce that Thaksin Shinawatra has acquired 75% of the clubs shares and to unveil Sven Goran Eriksson as manager. Additionally, 2 new signings have already been completed and will be announced at the same time. Can't wait personally! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

KDawg · #**262** 06-28-2007, 03:18 PM

though it isn't a transfer, it looks like Chris Coleman is going to take the job at sociedad. I think that is a good move for both sides as coleman did a solid job at fulham considering that Fayed felt like not spending all of the money he had been when Coleman took over

KJS · #**263** 06-28-2007, 05:09 PM

[ QUOTE ]
MCFC will be holding a press conference tomorrow at 2pm (BST) to announce that Thaksin Shinawatra has acquired 75% of the clubs shares and to unveil Sven Goran Eriksson as manager. Additionally, 2 new signings have already been completed and will be announced at the same time. Can't wait personally! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

So is buying football clubs the new venue for money laundering for billionaires?

KJS

Disturbance · #**264** 06-28-2007, 06:03 PM

I don't know, why don't you ask Roman Abramovich? (ex-KGB suddenly becomes billionaire in his mid 30s).

Sorry, but i was kind of waiting for a response like this. The fact is Thaksin is currently accused of corruption by an unelected government unrecognised by the rest of the world. As a diehard City fan I've done a bit of reading up on the guy which mostly suggests he is a shrewd businessman (although his early businesses failed before he became extremely wealthy) but due to the culture in Asia it is impossible to be successful in business or politics without some level of corruption.

I had a long discusion with a friend last night on this very topic and my conclusion is that as a success starved "big" club the vast majority of fans do not care where the money comes from. This is not to say there is no morality line drawn at all costs, but considering what Thaksin is accused of (by the non elected Government which forcibly deposed him and as far as I know has persecuted many of his supporters) I would much prefer him as owner/chairman compared to such dangerous liars as George Bush or Tony Blair for example.

But enough of the politics, even though "Frank", as in Frank Sinatra (as he has been christened and apparently accepts the name in good humour) will now financially "own" the club he will never truly own the club despite the obvious changes for the good he will bring with his vast wealth. The fact is the fans will always hold "true" ownership with varying levels of influence and even if he eventually did screw City financially the club will not die out. The history and feelings etc. passed down through generations are immense, I don't know if it is unique to English football but the power of the local fanbase should never be underestimated.

Like I say I don't know too much about Frank but he seems to be very smart from what I've seen (http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/c...m=1&bbwm=1), that link may not work outside UK.

Personally I'm not worried. He is purchasing the club using money held in English banks (plenty more than needed for the transaction) which cannot be touched by the Thai "government" and all of his actions so far indicate he has conducted his operations during the takeover deal in a professional manner and with the help of some extremely capable English finanace houses.

I for one am very optimistic for next season.

THEOSU · #**265** 06-29-2007, 09:58 AM

i'd be more worried about the human rights abuse charges against him, personally.

TheRenaissance · #**266** 06-29-2007, 01:18 PM

Seems like Torres is finally bound for Liverpool.
guardian

£27 is the figure that is being thrown about, a record sum for Liverpool if true. Looks like Luis Garcia is going the other way so the deal is something like £20 in cash+Luis.

Pontuan21 · #**267** 06-29-2007, 01:28 PM

£27m seems like an awful lot for Torres. David Villa can excel in the EPL, I'm not too sure about Torres.

The article says that Garcia will go for £4m. I guess if they can get around £18m by selling Garcia, Bellamy, and Cisse it won't look too bad.

TheRenaissance · #**268** 06-29-2007, 01:40 PM

[ QUOTE ]
£27m seems like an awful lot for Torres. David Villa can excel in the EPL, I'm not too sure about Torres.

The article says that Garcia will go for £4m. I guess if they can get around £18m by selling Garcia, Bellamy, and Cisse it won't look too bad.

[/ QUOTE ]

It is certainly a gamble. Hard to predict who will succeed and who will fail in the prem. You'd think Shevchenko and Ballack would do well, but they didnt. We just have to wait and see.

PITTM · #**269** 06-29-2007, 01:48 PM

ugh. I wanted manu to get Torres so bad. I hate when i have to hate a player that i liked. this sucks.

mosdef · #**270** 06-29-2007, 01:58 PM

[ QUOTE ]
£27m seems like an awful lot for Torres. David Villa can excel in the EPL, I'm not too sure about Torres.

[/ QUOTE ]

Villa is my favorite player right now and I think he is better than Torres, but Liverpool's long-ball offense is better suited to speedy forwards, and Torres has the edge on Villa (not that Villa is slow, but Torres is probably one of the fastest elite strikers in the world). Also, Valencia is a stronger club than Atletico. They have a non-trivial shot at hardware whereas Atletico does not. I don't think Valencia would sell Villa unless the fee was astromonical.