- Joined
- Nov 9, 2021
- Messages
- 121
ha sorry couldn`t resist.....at least most seem to have seen the funny side. Some people need to lighten up.
ha sorry couldn`t resist.....at least most seem to have seen the funny side. Some people need to lighten up.
I saw this last night
I've seen loads this morning, but I think the one above is their "source"
Chris Davidson, an academic expert on the Gulf who is a fellow at Durham University, believes the entire Qatar bid is a highly-calibrated approach that has been influenced by the purchase of Harrods in 2010. Now owned by the Qatar Investment Authority, the flagship department store was sold to Qatar Holdings for a reported £1.5bn. Sheikh Jassim’s father, the then Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, actually flew to London to finalise the deal with Mohammed Al Fayed.
The senior Jassim said at the time that Harrods would add “much value” to Qatar’s portfolio of investments, especially as a “historical place”, although Davidson points out how the state was derided for overpaying at the time. He believes this has influenced the United takeover process in two ways, both related to the image of the state.
One is over the symbolism of the price. The second is over the idea of giving the impression of some separation, to put more searching questions at a distance.
“They’re just calibrating their bid,” Davidson told The Independent. “They could blow anyone out of the water, but they’re calibrated to always be just a little bit around Ratcliffe.
"It’s a very different approach. I think this is an example of Qatar learning a lesson they found out the hard way on Harrods, where they were repeatedly pilloried for having overpaid. They really wanted Harrods. It’s a particularly glamorous brand for people from the Gulf. The status it has given them among their Gulf rivals – not so much in the UK – is enormous. They were willing to overpay for that. I’m sure they’d be willing to overpay for Man United, too, but I think this was a case of having learned their lesson.”
This then plays into another strategic purpose, which is putting a perceived difference between the bid and the state. It is all the more important given the greater focus on state ownership in sport, especially with Manchester City’s landmark treble victory and Saudi Arabia’s recent escalation in its sporting investments. One of the points that has been made about the Ratcliffe offer is that it would be much quicker and cleaner to do, as there would be no resistance from other clubs, nor human rights-related issues. The Premier League in March updated its Owners and Directors Test to include a new provision based on Global Human Rights Sanctions Regulations in 2020. Qatar has faced huge criticism from groups such as Amnesty and FairSquare, with that debate framing the entire 2022 World Cup.
“By calibrating it, it just allows them to hover under the radar of being so obviously a state-backed entity, “ Davidson explains. “If they said ‘right, we want it’ just as they did with Harrods, and did a bid that blew everyone out of the water, it would be pilloried for being an uncompetitive offer that reflects badly on Qatar. It’s an ongoing calibration as far as I can see… enough to win the bid without attracting too much negative attention or too much attention it is ultimately state wealth.
“If they calibrate their offer, one of the talking points becomes that it essentially can’t be state backing. Otherwise they’d throw even more of it. It’s clearly a stalking point bidding process.”
Fingers crossed.Gonna be pain when we get the inevitable twist today, back to SJR is in Pole position blah blah blah.
Sad day for the club.
Beacon of morality or just a keyboard warrior wanting pats on the back?
Thanks this is the answer I was looking for and the point I was making. Glazers can’t decide the price for what isn’t theirs.
And United becomes just one more state owned club.Sad day for our city rivals. Their monopoly is over. Not sad the Glazers are about to depart forever.
You need to find other options to buy your kits.
There are plenty. For a lot cheaper and just as good. Especially for kids
Why would you willingly get a ban for this?
I can see why it felt like it was worth it
One of few currently, but one of many in the next 10 yearsAnd United becomes just one more state owned club.
Wish he would do us all a favour and feck off. But no doubt he'll scrape together some unsavoury hedgefunds to join his unholy alliance.Gonna be pain when we get the inevitable twist today, back to SJR is in Pole position blah blah blah.
One of few currently, but one of many in the next 10 years
Still suspect it will be Ratcliffe. The Times are reliable and they say he's the favourite.
Which still doesnt make it a good thing.One of few currently, but one of many in the next 10 years
Sad day for the club.
Is there a link for this?Still suspect it will be Ratcliffe. The Times are reliable and they say he's the favourite.
Exactly, with the way things are going more and more games will be played abroad, and not just the finals. Hell, Spanish supercup is being played in SA ffs.Before we know it they'll be playing PL games around the world and nobody will give two shits about the league anymore.
Cry me a river.Feels like a proper gut punch, club as we know it is dead. For those who can enjoy the new state backed FM experiment I'm sure they'll have a grand time but it'll never be the same for a lot of us.
I said at the start of this I feel sorry for ETH. It looked like he could challenge on merit but now his success will be tainted by being another state plaything who bought success.
Yup.Feels like a proper gut punch, club as we know it is dead. For those who can enjoy the new state backed FM experiment I'm sure they'll have a grand time but it'll never be the same for a lot of us.
I said at the start of this I feel sorry for ETH. It looked like he could challenge on merit but now his success will be tainted by being another state plaything who bought success.
Man spent 250m last summer and wants to spend just as much this summer, if not more.Feels like a proper gut punch, club as we know it is dead. For those who can enjoy the new state backed FM experiment I'm sure they'll have a grand time but it'll never be the same for a lot of us.
I said at the start of this I feel sorry for ETH. It looked like he could challenge on merit but now his success will be tainted by being another state plaything who bought success.
Cry me a river.
After all what? Kids or gullible adults taking Qatari sources as bible? The same sources that said the deal was done months ago and announcements were soon?fecking brutal if Ratcliffe and Joel Glazer end up running the club after all this
ETH wants the funds.Feels like a proper gut punch, club as we know it is dead. For those who can enjoy the new state backed FM experiment I'm sure they'll have a grand time but it'll never be the same for a lot of us.
I said at the start of this I feel sorry for ETH. It looked like he could challenge on merit but now his success will be tainted by being another state plaything who bought success.
Feels like a proper gut punch, club as we know it is dead. For those who can enjoy the new state backed FM experiment I'm sure they'll have a grand time but it'll never be the same for a lot of us.
I said at the start of this I feel sorry for ETH. It looked like he could challenge on merit but now his success will be tainted by being another state plaything who bought success.
Apparetnly its SJR who's a hot favourite still.
Make up your mind.Yup.
No other word than dead.
And the reply to your post above mine says a lot about the state and stance of good number of our fans.
After all what? Kids or gullible adults taking Qatari sources as bible? The same sources that said the deal was done months ago and announcements were soon?
I’ve been saying this all along. The idea that they haven’t hired a team of world class negotiators was preposterous.
ETH wants the funds.
I think I kind of feel the same way.Feels like a proper gut punch, club as we know it is dead. For those who can enjoy the new state backed FM experiment I'm sure they'll have a grand time but it'll never be the same for a lot of us.
I said at the start of this I feel sorry for ETH. It looked like he could challenge on merit but now his success will be tainted by being another state plaything who bought success.