Ian Reus
Ended 14 years of Grand National sweepstakes
There's going to be more factions in here than there is in the ME by the time this process is over.
If this doesn’t get resolved until next month, then yes.We're gonna lose out on Kim Min Jae to Bayern because of this saga aren't we?
We're gonna lose out on Kim Min Jae to Bayern because of this saga aren't we?
If this doesn’t get resolved until next month, then yes.
Did you mean to quote me here?Absolute bullshit fear mongering.
I don't think that what he has written is particularly well put and he does come across as being a bit superior, but I get his point, which is fans support the club in different ways and have different experiences and expectations.
The way I read it, he is fed up with the "buy this star", "announce Mbappe," "spend billions" style tweets that you see all the time, his mistake is maybe splitting this between match going fans and foreign fans, whereas it is far more nuanced than that, what he should do is split it between angry twats and fans.
There are plenty of examples in this thread of posters laughing at people worried about a Qatari take over or the other way around, I imagine he has rightly had enough of that.
There has been some social progression in Qatar over recent years, the best example being their abolishment of the migrant kafala system. You could also read this report from PwC for further examples:
Qatar’s ESG Journey: Past, present, and future through a legal lens (pwc.com)
In any case, I think there's two different aspects to consider when talking about this matter of cultural transfusion - political and social.
Where I think even the likes of Amnesty International get it wrong whilst assessing this matter is they very quickly make a judgement on whether there has been transfusion between two countries after only a decade or so of increased integration, where such transfusion would only ever have had time to take place at the less permeable political level.
To use your example of Russia, it is true the Russian government has not bent one little bit towards adopting a more "Western" philosophy in parallel to closer integration with the West over recent decades. Nor should we have ever have really expected it to, given those currently governing in Russia are of an age born and indoctrinated within the fiercely anti-Western USSR. However, the change we haven't yet seen the fruits of is at the social level - the blossoming segment of more liberal-minded young people in Russia today, influenced by the romanticism of Western culture in media, the international friends they've made, the foreign job opportunities they've been afforded. These people may not yet have grown up into positions that can affect matters at the political level, but as Russia's current nationalist majority continues to age and this younger generation grows in its power and influence, such changes may well begin to manifest at the political level.
In the specific case of Middle Eastern countries buying into football, I would argue that it's the younger, more malleable generations in those countries that will be most affected by the increased interest in our culture. Maybe they won't yet be a position to influence things at the political level in their countries. But one day they most likely will be.
The huge difference is that those countries you mention don't want to integrate with the West. Unlike many of the countries in the Gulf - led by UAE and Dubai specifically, whoare seeing it differently. They all want to diversify their economy to move towards a more sustainable future away from fossile energy sources.
Dubai has led charge by targeting Western money through finance and hospitality (the other sector they are focusing heavily on is renewable energy technology). This has led to significant changes which has them aligning more and more with Western society. The difference that only two decades has made (from the first time I went there) has been quite remarkable, even if they have some way to go on several areas.
Qatar has obviously seen that and wants a slice of the pie. Unlike Dubai, they have chosen sports investments as way to promote their country for tourism (a part of their vision to diversify the economy), hence the insane investment in the World Cup, PSG and potentially targeting United fits right in with that. They are now also opening up for external investment in the country. Even Amnesty has acknowledged that progress has been made, obviously with some way to go.
Funnily, even the heavily conservative KSA regime are/have been planning to build a Western-oriented city in the desert.
KochWho is that free transfer as missed it
"or don't think you ever will.""and don't intend to go there".
He's not saying that - he's saying he doesn't care about the opinion of someone who doesn't go to games. Not sure how that's ok, particularly considering he's supposed to represent United fans in general (match-going or otherwise). Perhaps he means something else, but it sure doesn't sound like it.
Manchester United takeover latest: Glazers have accepted massive bid to sell Red Devils this summer - Reports
It’s rubbish.I'm too lazy to read all the posts just want to ask is there any truth in this?
https://www.sportskeeda.com/amp/foo...ed-massive-bid-sell-red-devils-summer-reports
Ok thanks.It’s rubbish.
He started off on his rant after a United fan said they would never want to go to Old Trafford because it was full of 79k drunkards.
Are we? Most of us know who we want! Going on a % of who I go with to the games plus the people I drink with, stand with and talk with (all season ticket holders) there’s only one name being mentioned, Qatar.The match going fans are just as divided as the wider fan base on the new owners.
No, he’s not. Read it.Is it? I disagree with the OP. He's basically saying any fan who don't go to games are fair weather, glory hunting fans. This idea in itself is disrespectful to the club.
I mean, OK? But there’s a big reason why people saw AFC Wimbledon as the good guys and MK Dons as the evil face of football. Clubs are supposed to have continuity and a connection with their community and represent them. People should be fighting to ensure that Manchester United maintains an identity and that involves some degree of gatekeeping. If you advocate United becoming a completely generic superclub, whose players could be replaced by any FIFPro XI and whose stadium could be migrated anywhere in the world, then you should be looked down upon.If you're gatekeeping then just stop already. People can support which team they want. They can prefer whichever owner they want. They can support no one and switch between watching whoever they want. They can be glory hunters. They can be fair weather. At the end of the day it really makes no fecking meaningful difference to anything.
Good thread:
Utter shite quite franklyNot really. Talking nonsense.
I think he raises some good points.Not really. Talking nonsense.
Absoruddyexactly..This is 100% something Alan would say
Good points can always be raised in a sea of nonsense. In general, my opinion is he’s talking a lot of bollocks.I think he raises some good points.
I know, this kinda feels like the last nail in the coffinI see where you are coming from but that “romance” arguably died the day the Glazers bought us already, not now.
This ^Fecking hell, we're back to this superior fan bullshit again. Yes I know he didn't specifically mention the term superior fan but you know what he's trying to reach. It's so fecking cringeworthy for adult fans to talk like this. It's football FFS the club, players, board, owners don't even know who you are no matter how superior of a fan you may think you are.
I’m one of these 70k+ plus Drunkards that goes to games every week home and away, and European games. This is the type of idiot that gets right up our noses!! I don’t usually rant on here but I’m starting to get sick to my teeth of some of sh@t I’m reading on here at the moment, some of you need to give your head a wobble!!
That's in response to that one kid. There won't be a significant section of people who never intend on going if they could."and don't intend to go there".
I'm too lazy to read all the posts just want to ask is there any truth in this?
https://www.sportskeeda.com/amp/foo...ed-massive-bid-sell-red-devils-summer-reports
Who on here has agreed with that one kidI’m one of these 70k+ plus Drunkards that goes to games every week home and away, and European games. This is the type of idiot that gets right up our noses!! I don’t usually rant on here but I’m starting to get sick to my teeth of some of sh@t I’m reading on here at the moment, some of you need to give your head a wobble!!
I’m one of these 70k+ plus Drunkards that goes to games every week home and away, and European games. This is the type of idiot that gets right up our noses!! I don’t usually rant on here but I’m starting to get sick to my teeth of some of sh@t I’m reading on here at the moment, some of you need to give your head a wobble!!
That's interesting. You saying match going fans (based on your experience) are pro-Qatar (unless i read your response wrong)? Would have thought it's majority other way, especially according to what wumm's been trying to say in here.Are we? Most of us know who we want! Going on a % of who I go with to the games plus the people I drink with, stand with and talk with (all season ticket holders) there’s only one name being mentioned, Qatar.
I think he raises some good points.
That's interesting. You saying match going fans (based on your experience) are pro-Qatar (unless i read your response wrong)? Would have thought it's majority other way, especially according to what wumm's been trying to say in here.
Aargh, seems (almost) the opposite of what some "matchgoing" fans on here are pushing - that it's the foreign fans, with "less" attachment/morals (whatever they call it) to the club who are pushing for Qatar etc etc.I can only go on the % of people that I I know but yes the impression is that the the match going lads/ladies want QATAR…..
I can give two perspectives.I can only go on the % of people that I I know but yes the impression is that the the match going lads/ladies want QATAR…..