Club Sale | It’s done!

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We've probably never had particularly good owners. The time to stop this was when we were publicly traded and something could've actually been done to prevent the takeover (and indeed government intervention should have at least blocked the manner of the takeover but that's ancient history now). Once in the hands of the glazers this was always inevitable

I would rather we didn't become the play thing of some evil overlord but at the end of the day there's nothing I can do about it and united provide the most significant amount of my personal entertainment, as well as being a part of the bond I share with my sons - I won't give that up regardless, not for something we can't stop
 
Apologies for any offence caused in my previous post. I removed the post and again apologies for any offences caused, I was just trying to add some humour but I understand it how it was inappropriate and sensitive
 
Got to say I am quite envious of you lot who can be so concerned about human rights abuse and LGBTQ rights in the middle East. For someone like me whose bigger worries in life is how I'm getting through till the end of the month, I just am not as morally invested in the club's ownership. Supporting the team is one of my prime source of enjoyment even when we stunk like last season. Who the club's owners are and what they do away from the club is so far down my list of concerns. Also could be that I am a heartless terrible person.:nervous:
 
Natener said:
Got to say I am quite envious of you lot who can be so concerned about human rights abuse and LGBTQ rights in the middle East. For someone like me whose bigger worries in life is how I'm getting through till the end of the month, I just am not as morally invested in the club's ownership. Supporting the team is one of my prime source of enjoyment even when we stunk like last season. Who the club's owners are and what they do away from the club is so far down my list of concerns. Also could be that I am a heartless terrible person.:nervous:
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My views are similar. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes even things that don’t concern me will catch my interest/investment if it is in my face or whatever - but I don’t microanalyse everyone I engage with, especially when said engagement is not even first hand.
 
There is no perfect owner. The sooner we realize that better it would be for all of us.
 
Mickeza said:
If new owners clear the debt and find a finance model to fund the stadium externally then there’s absolutely no reason why we wouldn’t have the financial muscle to compete. The club makes more than enough hence why we have the highest net spend in football the last decade and had the highest wage bill in EPL history last season - and we still paid out hundreds of millions in dividends and debt payments in that time on top. The club is a financial behemoth that will only grow further under an ownership which doesn’t create toxicity for the brand. The Glazer model of draining the club of debt repayments and dividends whilst still increasing the asset value has run its course - but a Boehly approach of investing now to grow the asset in the long term would work perfectly fine. I’ve said numerous times I can disassociate the owners from the club so state ownership wouldn’t stop me supporting the club like I do now but it definitely isn’t the only way we compete. A consortium of rich cnuts with Ratcliffe leading the way is far more preferable in my eyes - my biggest fear is the new owners don’t respect the club, it’s history and what it is rather than how big their bank balance is. Personally I’d like the owners to stay the feck out of ETHs way as I think we’re finally onto a winner provided we invest correctly.
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Typically sovereign wealth funds don’t finance purchases. They are essentially a bank and as such, when they have $$$ on the sidelines and not deployed, their rate of return drops. They should have every intention of rebuilding the organization from top to bottom including stadium and training facilities for a couple of reasons. First, it’s a sports washing project for an entire country. You wouldn’t want your country looking like shit, would you? Secondly, relationship with the fans is paramount as this is just a giant PR campaign.
 
Pearl.Jam said:
American consortium would be a nightmare and probably no different to the knuckle dragging pond life we’ve despised for 18 years, I honestly have no issues whatsoever about being owned by an oil state if it means we’re competing for honours regularly and I have no shame in admitting it. I’ve supported UTD for over 40 years and I’ll always support them no matter the owner as it’s simply join in or be left behind in the wilderness, fully appreciate that many others find this view abhorrent and it’s their choice so I have no issues with their views either
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There are examples of very good American owners (Liverpool, not to mention the consortiums that bought the Golden state Warriors and the LA Dodgers). Shitty owners come from all walks of life, you wouldn’t want Mike Ashley as the owner despite him being British, now would you? The Glazers are pricks, I get the “American” hate, but let’s just hate the Glazers and reserve judgement on others.
 
devilish said:
Do you have any news on who might be buying Manchester united? I remember that you used to give us some valuable and detailed info on how these ME families work.
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Nothing coming out of ME, so far.
 
DSG said:
There are examples of very good American owners (Liverpool, not to mention the consortiums that bought the Golden state Warriors and the LA Dodgers). Shitty owners come from all walks of life, you wouldn’t want Mike Ashley as the owner despite him being British, now would you? The Glazers are pricks, I get the “American” hate, but let’s just hate the Glazers and reserve judgement on others.
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Good post! Simply being American doesn’t make a buyer any more or less likely to be a good owner or not. It also has no bearing on whether new owners would expect dividends or not. The anti American argument is a bit shortsighted for me.
I’d sooner take more American businessmen than a morally questionable oil funded state buyout.
 
Yeah it’s silly saying I don’t want an American owner. Depends on the individual(s)
 
Hammondo said:
Well people who ignore this, don't care about the United history and culture, and instead are focused on winning, yea they are plastic.
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I think that line is quite fundamentalist. Manchester United, as with most big clubs, cannot shy away from wealthy ownership.
 
Natener said:
Got to say I am quite envious of you lot who can be so concerned about human rights abuse and LGBTQ rights in the middle East. For someone like me whose bigger worries in life is how I'm getting through till the end of the month, I just am not as morally invested in the club's ownership. Supporting the team is one of my prime source of enjoyment even when we stunk like last season. Who the club's owners are and what they do away from the club is so far down my list of concerns. Also could be that I am a heartless terrible person.:nervous:
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Nah mate, I completely get this. I do care about the human rights abuse, but I also know how much privilege you need to have to find the bandwidth for stuff like this (unless you're truly selfless and sacrifice the basics of your living to strive for a better world, a life of difficulties that deserves infinite respect). That Maslow fellow was right about his hierarchy of needs, if you can't feel peace about the basics, the rest of the world can go eff itself.
 
Luka Mora said:
Apologies for any offence caused in my previous post. I removed the post and again apologies for any offences caused, I was just trying to add some humour but I understand it how it was inappropriate and sensitive
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It is the season of forgiveness so I’m sure all will let it slide
 
If people want to no longer support United should such a take over happen then fair play to them. They are a better man than I am. I know I couldn’t just stop like that. It’s in my blood.

That said each to their own. Slagging each other off for having a view either way is stupid.
 
diarm said:
For me, it’s not even about the human rights or terrible things these states do. I’d love to sit here and say it was all about my moral compass but as others have said, these countries are already so entwined with modern life, that it would be hypocritical to walk away from my football club while still living under all the other strings attached to such regimes.

It’s about sport and competition to me. My biggest issue with City and PSG has always been the fact that being owned by a state means they aren’t held to the same rules as everybody else. Owning a country, and an economy, and financial services and regulators, and then running a football club through that same infrastructure demeans sport - it makes a mockery out of the idea of competition.

City have never won a trophy that hurt me. 2012 hurt that we lost out, but I didn’t ever give a shit that they won, not the way it hurt when Liverpool won it, or when Arsenal won it back in the day. There is nothing they have ever won or could win that really means anything, because they’ve bought whatever success it is and I will always believe, broke the rules to buy it beyond even the farcical levels to which they have ever let the world see.

The second United are bought by a state with the ability to bypass financial restrictions I will immediately assume the same. Success and competition will lose all meaning for me.

I want to see United beating the best teams in the league and in Europe on our own accord. I am not so desperate to see us beat them that I’ll take joy and meaning from us cheating to do so.

The idea that it’s ok because that’s the way sport has gone and it’s the only way to compete is ridiculous to me. Tinpot clubs like City and PSG have sold out, so we should turn our back on what made sport great in some sense of desperation that we need to compete with their corruption?

Why?

The day it happens I’m done. I’ll support my league of Ireland side and maybe keep an eye on Southampton in the Prem - it won’t be the same but I lived there for a while growing up and I like the way they’ve always used their academy well.
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Good post.

Can say I’ve felt exactly the same regarding the LIV Golf thing and those who chose to go play there.

As soon as it becomes pointless from a sporting perspective the interest just goes.
 
TheReligion said:
If people want to no longer support United should such a take over happen then fair play to them. They are a better man than I am. I know I couldn’t just stop like that. It’s in my blood.

That said each to their own. Slagging each other off for having a view either way is stupid.
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Exactly my feelings
 
diarm said:
For me, it’s not even about the human rights or terrible things these states do. I’d love to sit here and say it was all about my moral compass but as others have said, these countries are already so entwined with modern life, that it would be hypocritical to walk away from my football club while still living under all the other strings attached to such regimes.

It’s about sport and competition to me. My biggest issue with City and PSG has always been the fact that being owned by a state means they aren’t held to the same rules as everybody else. Owning a country, and an economy, and financial services and regulators, and then running a football club through that same infrastructure demeans sport - it makes a mockery out of the idea of competition.

City have never won a trophy that hurt me. 2012 hurt that we lost out, but I didn’t ever give a shit that they won, not the way it hurt when Liverpool won it, or when Arsenal won it back in the day. There is nothing they have ever won or could win that really means anything, because they’ve bought whatever success it is and I will always believe, broke the rules to buy it beyond even the farcical levels to which they have ever let the world see.

The second United are bought by a state with the ability to bypass financial restrictions I will immediately assume the same. Success and competition will lose all meaning for me.

I want to see United beating the best teams in the league and in Europe on our own accord. I am not so desperate to see us beat them that I’ll take joy and meaning from us cheating to do so.

The idea that it’s ok because that’s the way sport has gone and it’s the only way to compete is ridiculous to me. Tinpot clubs like City and PSG have sold out, so we should turn our back on what made sport great in some sense of desperation that we need to compete with their corruption?

Why?

The day it happens I’m done. I’ll support my league of Ireland side and maybe keep an eye on Southampton in the Prem - it won’t be the same but I lived there for a while growing up and I like the way they’ve always used their academy well.
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I agree with large chunks of this but in all honesty, we're not far away from most of the PL being owned by some sort of state or American consortium. The Super League is coming to the PL. Liverpool are up for sale and you can probably guess who they're going to look to sell to, Arsenal are owned by American's, how long until they decide to cash in on their investment? Levy will want to retire at some point. Outside the top 6 the top 10 look like great value for your return if you're an investor.

It's just a matter of time now. The footballing landscape will be vastly different by 2040.
 
Luka Mora said:
Apologies for any offence caused in my previous post. I removed the post and again apologies for any offences caused, I was just trying to add some humour but I understand it how it was inappropriate and sensitive
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Yeah you had a mare there buddy. Owning up and it’s all good imo.
 
Plant0x84 said:
Good post! Simply being American doesn’t make a buyer any more or less likely to be a good owner or not. It also has no bearing on whether new owners would expect dividends or not. The anti American argument is a bit shortsighted for me.
I’d sooner take more American businessmen than a morally questionable oil funded state buyout.
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These are complex times we live in. A consortium, American or European or whatever, would typically include other limited partners. Most likely any 6b purchase would include limited partners that have sketchy politics and have some oil money, Russian money, hell, Chinese money which isn’t lily-white either with all of the human rights abuses with the ethnic Uighers, Hong Kong people, etc.

At the top of the douchebag pyramid is fecking FIFA who literally gave Qatar the WC after widespread bribery, not to mention the fact they thought it was okay to award a country where racism, misogyny and LGBTQ discrimination run rampant. feck. I get the moral conundrum we all have supporting the club if bought by Qatar or Dubai, but if our principles were so fecking important to us, we’d have tapped out long ago. We watch PL, we watch United play Newcastle, well, guess what, our dollars are still indirectly going to those ass hats.

I’m done judging the fans. Each person needs to make their own decision and I respect it because it’s impossible to sift through this crap. The good thing is that football does help educate, the players are fantastic with this and hopefully protests and the like will bring more awareness to the injustices throughout the world.

sigh…
 
DSG said:
There are examples of very good American owners (Liverpool, not to mention the consortiums that bought the Golden state Warriors and the LA Dodgers). Shitty owners come from all walks of life, you wouldn’t want Mike Ashley as the owner despite him being British, now would you? The Glazers are pricks, I get the “American” hate, but let’s just hate the Glazers and reserve judgement on others.
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Add to that the Celtics, the Clippers and even the Mavs ownerrship. There are some good owners (Mavs have had a few weird hiccups recently i think). The Glazers have a horrible name even in the US. They deserve the hate.
 
Luka Mora said:
Apologies for any offence caused in my previous post. I removed the post and again apologies for any offences caused, I was just trying to add some humour but I understand it how it was inappropriate and sensitive
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Fair enough.
 
Natener said:
Got to say I am quite envious of you lot who can be so concerned about human rights abuse and LGBTQ rights in the middle East. For someone like me whose bigger worries in life is how I'm getting through till the end of the month, I just am not as morally invested in the club's ownership. Supporting the team is one of my prime source of enjoyment even when we stunk like last season. Who the club's owners are and what they do away from the club is so far down my list of concerns. Also could be that I am a heartless terrible person.:nervous:
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Nah. You're OK.
 
Is it really that hard to support a club without supporting the owners? I completely don't get the people who "will no longer support or watch any United games" if our new owner is someone from the Middle East. You still supporting the club will not mean you agree with the values or the ideology of them. Whoever our new owner is, just like the Glazers, can get fecked as far as I am concerned. All tech giant rumours are completely unrealistic and laughable so you can forget about that, so we are left with 2 options, consortiums that will look at us as a money making machine and will likely milk us dry like the parasites we have now, or ME states. To me it's obvious which option is better for the club, doesn't mean I would be chanting and actively supporting the owners.
 
dove said:
Is it really that hard to support a club without supporting the owners? I completely don't get the people who "will no longer support or watch any United games" if our new owner is someone from the Middle East. You still supporting the club will not mean you agree with the values or the ideology of them. Whoever our new owner is, just like the Glazers, can get fecked as far as I am concerned. All tech giant rumours are completely unrealistic and laughable so you can forget about that, so we are left with 2 options, consortiums that will look at us as a money making machine and will likely milk us dry like the parasites we have now, or ME states. To me it's obvious which option is better for the club, doesn't mean I would be chanting and actively supporting the owners.
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100% this. From word to word.
 
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