Xavi made his way through the ranks at Barcelona and has spent 13 years in their first team. In this time, he has won 5 league titles and 2 European Cups, amongst other trophies.
However, when revealing his admiration for several Manchester United players amongst those from other Premiership teams, he claimed that if had ever left Barcelona, United would have been the only club he would have joined.
“When you look at players and ask yourself who’s the best: talento. Cesc, Nasri, Ryan Giggs – that guy is a joy, incredible,” he said. “Looking back, I loved John Barnes and Chris Waddle was buenísimo. Le Tissier! Although their style was different I liked Roy Keane and Paul Ince together, too. That United team was great – my English team. If I’d gone anywhere, it would have been there.”
—–
Full interview with The Guardian
Man Utd News 24/7
HAHAHA!!! 2 in a row!!1
If only…
Wish he could come now! On another note a lot of talk and rumour that the Glazers are about to sell for £1.6bill effectively doubling their money. I guess everyone’s a winner though in the deal.
http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2011/02/11/2347624/manchester-united-takeover-by-qatar-royal-family-nearing
Don’t know if this is true, but if it turns out to be a real deal, I’ll be left with the moral dilemma:
– More then happy to see the Glazers out , long has been the time that the blood of our vclub has been sucked out for personal reasons ( see Vardar FK in Macedonia ). Nothing against the Jewish people, I’m part Jewish myself by my paternal grandmother.
– But I would hate to see our club turning into what Chavski, Shitty, and Looserpool lately, we are a family club where local lads and brothers(twins included) get the chance to be the greatest, to play for the club that they have always supported with the Red blood running through their veins, and my fear is that by being bought by an insanely rich billionaires that will change, maybe not until Fergie is in charge, but after it the change seems possible.
Any news, words or comments about this occurring isuse, or it’s just another crap stimulated by the ABU media ?!
@ Gorse Hill Red
In the Express mate – they still print stories about Diana being murdered by the Queen FFS
Think other tabloids have started reporting it too. We will know by the end of the week, and if its on Sunday Supplement then it will for sure go through!!
By the way I do believe Diana was murdered but then I don’t really want to go through that discussion here.
So Xavi wouldn’t want to play at Arsenal? The home of football?
As for the Qatar deal, maybe that’s why Fergie went there in the fall.
Or maybe that’s the assurance that Rooney got. 
Quality player. Would have him here in an instant. Him and scholesy running our midfield. That would be CLASS.
As for the Qatar deal, would love for it to happen. Fuck off you glazers but not sure how true the stories are.
hahaha….might be Costas…just might be….
@Costas lol for sure sir alex met with rooney understood his reasons for being a whore and assured him he didn’t have to worry because utd were being bought out by qatar royal family and soon utd will be a team of whores
Was just about to post this. Yet another top player regognising Scholes as the greatest. Kudos for that.
At the same time talkshite are sying that Wilshire is THE best midfielder since Gazza. Oh do fuck off Durham and Goughy . Clueless cunts.
Morning by the way!
@wayne
LOL! We know how money works in today’s football, so if that deal does take place and the new owners spend big, we could come face to face with that reality. What works for us (as opposed to City and Chelsea), is that even if someone joins us for the money, they will also learn to appreciate what the club is about. A pedigree that’s non existant at the Bridge and the Wastelands.
@ costas : true mate, money can’t buy HISTORY!!
Also, if we were subject to a big-money takeover, its financial benefits wouldn’t realistically come into force until after UEFA’s new regulations re spending are in place. This would mean there wouldn’t be any opportunity for us to indulge in ‘financial doping’ on the scale of Chelsea and City. Which I would welcome.
Xavi and Gibbo! Now there’s a midfield made in heaven.
@Red Devil
See how everything falls in place together.
@kanchelskis
I don’t remember the exact regulations, but do they say that you can’t spend more than what you are making in profit? Because if that’s the case, we still have some room to maneuver. It’s City that are fucked because their brand name is worse than Joe’s burgers and they don’t make a lot of profit.
But, I will accept any measure that deflates the transfer market. No doubt.
Costas
They basically say you can make a loss of £40m.
Given that Chelsea recently accounced losses of £70m for a year, this would essentially mean they would have to sell players worth £30m, and not buy anyone.
@Costas theres no doubt if the takeover happens sir alex will have big money to spend i hope you’re right but look at real madrid how many on the present team said playing for madrid has been a boyhood dream yet watch them none play with passion just a bunch of mercenaries playing with no purpose.maybe the main problem with city,rentboys and real is the revolving door at manager and as i mentioned to you on a different thread lets hope the new owners will leave sir alex alone and respect what the club is about,clearly with the other 3 the problem lies with the hierarchy not the manager.
Good morning King Eric
You should stop listening to talkshite mate…not good for the BP….
And they’ve signed two more cockney twats to the rabble already there…
@Costas city make no profit the wage bill alone is 125% of revenue,chelsea in the same boat the great plan was to spend big make chelsea successful and the profits would coming rolling in guess what 7 yrs later after winning trophy’s still losing 70 mill a year.the term you can’t put lipstick on a pig comes to mind.
The thing is, the UEFA regulations start from a clean slate, so any cash splashed now is not factored in. However, it does mean an increase in wage bills, which obviously has a knock-on effect on profit or loss.
Chelsea have had a good few years under Abramovich to build their global brand, fanbase and academy, which will probably (hopefully) see them better placed than City to operate sensibly once the regulations come in.
United have denied any take over is happening. They also said, that club is not for sale. The gimps are here to stay for a while yet.
and someone wanted to leave us to go to an ambitious club other than our club which just got voted as the best suported club in Europe? Astonishing. Thanks for the compliment Xavi
willierednut
Shouldn’t be taken as an indicator, really. Obviously neither should an Express article, and I doubt there is a takeover imminent, but it’s of no benefit to the Glazers to announce that a sale might be about to happen. Look at Hicks and Gillette, they carried on denying it right up until the last, when a deal was clearly in place, saying that the club was definitely not for sale, etc.
If it happens, it will happen suddenly and unexpectedly.
King Eric – Hello mate. You ok? Yeah fair play to Xavi for saying that. In fact, alot of the Spanish midfielders look up to Scholesy. Anyone worth their salt would, Scholes is the most underrated midfielder in world football.
Yeah fuck off Durham and Gough – The latter should stick to cricket and dancing, not throwing in his two penneths about football related issues – fat cunt. I remember that deluded cunt John Gregory saying the same thing about Lee Hendrie back in 1998. Must have shot himself in the brain after failing to shoot Dwight Yorke before he joined a much better club. Wilshere is an odd bodied overrated little cunt.
You can only take the clubs statement at face value. I want the Glazers out, but It just sounds too good to be true. United will need to spend a bit of money in the summer, because all the clubs around us will be spending money.
i think this is the real deal rumors started about the qatar takeover january 2010,normally rumors don’t gather speed over that period of time unless there’s something to them,also since middle of december its been reported the deal was being finalised.the express report has is indentical to another that was out a few weeks ago.
brilliant article in the Guardian on the way to run football club and how to play the game.keep him in mind for a future United manager.
wayne
The only reason it’s been rumbling on for that long is cos Fergie backed Qatar’s WC bid and went and watched an international friendly there. All fuel for the fire.
Good on you Xavi. Great players have brains.
@Costas
didn’t do your ‘ legend..’ double-post thing? LOL.
I’ll believe it, when I see It. If it does happen, the positives out weigh the negatives, for me anyway. We can trust the boss to spend any money he gets, wisely. The problem I see, is when the new manager comes in. Will the new owners take liberties with the new boss? That’s why the guy that follows SAF, has to be an experienced manager IMO.
@kanchelskis hi mate you could be right i think its a done deal.just went online looking for bookie odds couldn’t find any but heres a laugh a gooner blog is discussing the takeover arsenal mania it would seem they are getting somewhat worried,a gooner blog discussing utd business thats fucking funny
Good day! Happy Derby Eve!
My expected line-up:
Van der Sar . Rafael Smalling Vidic Evra . Nani Scholes Carrick Giggs Park . Berbatov
sus: Kuszczak, Evans, Fabio, O’Shea, Ando, Rooney, Owen.
I have presumed
- Fletcher’s eye socket is not ready to risk
- Rio is still injured
- Brown is not selectable
- Chicharito is jet-lagged
I chose to:
- bench Rooney.
- play 4 – 5 – 1. If Rio is in for Smalling, I’d drop Giggs, play Rooney in a 4 – 4 – 2.
Interesting that the Glazers would deny this, not that it means too much though. A deal like this probably requires secrecy. These rumors are stronger than they’ve ever been. I have to say that.
@KingOfStretfordEnd
I did in the other Xavi thread.
@kanchelskis
Ah, thanks foir the info. Didn’t know that you can make a loss of 40mil. It will be interesting to see how City and Chelsea will conduct their business in that case. I am sure they will find a loophole.
@wayne
Yeah, in all likelyhood, a takeover like this will signal a change in the club’s identity when it comes to the players we attract. It’s something that was going to happen at some point anyway I feel. Ferguson has been instrumental in producing or bringing in players with the right attitude, but who knows how king that will last. It will be a lot harder after he leaves, that’s for sure.
Ive seen alot of comments welcoming such a bid from the Quatarians (sounds like bloody star trek) but I for one am not happy. In life people form opinions and styles of life to bide by, thats what happens in a democratic land and brought up on the values of freedom and remembering lost loved ones who have done their best and gave their lives to acchieve that. I cannot support the take over by a group of people that are uninclusive, opresive and damn right abhorrent. We may get rid of the Glazers and the present day green and gold but I certainly hope a new green and gold campaign comes out of the woodwork and tackles the buying of the club by dictorial thugs.
If you ask me what Id prefer, a financially tough environment where money is cleverly spent and more emthesis is put on a youth policy and making players a star at United OR buying other teams stars (may work may not) and be the play thing of a royal family. How would you feel if your tax money that funded a royal family would then spend your tax money abroad on comodities (players) who neither benefit your country or yourselves. How do I feel that the club could be bought with the use of money from people who opress free speech, rights for women (and Im no lezza or nanny stae lover), freedom of religion etc etc etc . The Glazers ar´tleast, love them or hate them, created their wealth from wheeling and dealing and by themselves, internationally legally. I feel sick and given the choice of Messi, Xavi etc etc or owners who I have no fundamental beef with then Im sorry I prefer the Glazers.
I hope my head doesnt get cut off for this democratic right to view my opinion.
The clubs identity was lost long ago Costas. Once Edwards floated the club on the stock market, these type of take overs, were inevitable mate.
@willie
Oh I agree with that. I meant the identity of our players. That hasn’t changed a lot, even though we’ve spent big over the years. You look at our squad and most of these guys have the right attitude and their head is on their shoulders. Of course we get the occational ambition-gate, but you don’t find many mercenaries playing for us. If we are going to start spending wildly, the wage structure will change and some of the stuff I mentioned above will change too.
fuck me the guy writing the gooner blog has done his homework,heres the deal
qatar holdings have bought,harrods,one hyde park,the shard of glass,3rd largest shareholder in vw,have shares in porsche.the chairman is also the prime minister of qatar and sees utd as a iconic acquisition.also goes on to say interested ib some other clubs but utd are top of the list.
want to throw this out there the glaziers aren’t dummies they have to realise trying to compete with oil money in the end could prove fatal,if qatar doesn’t get utd they’ll buy another club.glaziers will take the money and run
he had said rooney as well i think quotations should be as it is ………
Costas – Of course our spending will change mate. SAF will have the money to bring in better quality of player. That doesn’t mean he’ll buy any player, just for the hell of It. No, he’ll choose the players, he thinks, will improve the first team.
@willie
Here’s the thing though. Say Qatar Holdings buy the club and next summer we buy Aguero for 55-60 mil and he gets 200k per week. Is he a great acquisition? Definitely. But that one move alone could be enough to disrupt what we’ve built in terms of wage structure and team spirit (I think Rooney won’t be pleased
). It’s a double edged sword really.
@wayne
I find it interesting that the Glazers would hold out for 2 bil and now we hear they could accept a 1.6 bil offer. Something seems off there.
Costas – The point is mate, we’ll have the option to tdo hat. We don’t have that option currently. We need trust the boss, to spend big money, as he sees fit. I don’t United following City’s logic, and buying 4/5 players every summer. We just need a tweak here and there. Obviously, a top CM and maybe another keeper would suffice.
A Derby stat from Nick Coppack.
“12:45 Here’s one of my favourite stats at the moment. I discovered this one while doing some research for tomorrow’s matchday programme. Ryan Giggs has made more Manchester derby appearances (33) than all the 11 players who started for Manchester City last weekend (31). His experience could be key tomorrow.”
@Costas just business buyer goes low seller goes high 1.6bill they’ve doubled the money in 6 yrs even after paying off the 550mill still owed clear a billion and change,i’d say thats really good business bottom line glaziers are businessmen not many people are going to give them 1.6bill and they know it.
*do that* damn bloody typos!
sign him up fergie! we could use him right now ….. guy is magic on the ball.
City Preview: Will It Be Memorable Or Diabolical?
http://www.theunitedreligion.com/2011/02/city-preview-will-it-be-memorable-or.html
1.6 billion is a great offer in all honesty. Still seems to good to be true. Was the thread, meant to be about Xavi? Lol.
Kings – Yeah sound mate , how are you? Cannot wait for the game tomorrow. Gotta stuff the blue bastards. Spot on about Goughy. He is a fucking mug and like you said should stick to fucking dancing. As Willie and I said the other night some cunt said Wilshire was better than Duncan Edwards! You could not make it up. Durham getting proper pissed off last night because everyone was praising the Danish Kid Erickson. proper little ingerlunder is our Adrian. Cunt.
its big breaking news willie on the gooner blog thier already whining about with arab money utd will win 10 of the next 20 titles and the gooners need a sugar daddy,its good to see other fans shitting their pants on rumors.
tomorrow city need a win to have any chance of the title for once think mancini might throw caution to the wind and go for it,sooner or later city have to stop playing scared
do you have a link to the gooner article?
thanks
wayne – They should be worried, if it happens mate. We’ve been successful, while being in debt. What would we do, with a bit of money behind us?
Careful what you wish for regarding Qatar. At least the Glazers don’t meddle with Fergie. Remember that John Mangier probably would have taken over control of United if not for the Glazers, and it’s likely they would have sacked Fergie over the Rock of Gibraltar dispute or at least tried to make his life hell to drive him away from the club. The Glazers aren’t ideal but they’re a sight better than a dictator with money tied to a commodity which one day might run out or drop significantly in value. Look what the credit crunch did to Dubai, they’re broke. Qatar is going to run out of oil one day and they’re spending money like they’re allergic to it. Ten years from now is it unrealistic to expect that they might have money problems, too? And once Fergie leaves what if they start behaving like Mike Ashley or the Venky’s and sacking managers every 18 months? I’ll take the evil I know over the evil I don’t know any day. And I think Glazers don’t look all that bad in comparision to some of the other idiotic owners in the PL.
willie if it happens sir alex will never retire he’d be having 2 much fun fucking with everyone,can you imagine the joy he’d get going after real madrid probably bid 100mill for ronaldo just for the fuck of it.
goat
I’m totally with you on that. I opposed the idea of a WC in Qatar for those reasons, and it would now be hypocritical to welcome with open arms ownership and funding from a state with such a poor record on human rights, freedom of press, and so many other things essential to a modern, well-run country.
@goat
+1, never trust anyone who buys gold furniture and gold toilets. And they might be thrown out like Mubarak by their own people one day. You just don’t know with these Arab dictatorships. Royalty plays by different rules, I’d expect them to fuck United up worse than the Glazers. I’m totally against them owning the club
Good to know Im not concerned alone.
The evil we know? They never give interviews ffs lol. We know very little about the Glazers. Yes, they haven’t interfered, I’ll give them credit for that, but scare mongering about what the Qatar group, might do, Isn’t helpful. The Glazers will sell United, to highest bidder. They won’t care who it is, that buys the club.
Yes Goat, the way. It is better if th current owners are enabling us spend wisely and the limitations are helping us in looking at our academy. People are clamaring for the marquee signing and that can result to not appreciating our way of doing things the United way or giving chance to our kids. We should stand strong to our believes and ways.
@willierednut
I meant that I don’t want to see United being run like City or Chelsea, which the Glazers certainly haven’t done. And I wouldn’t call my comments scare mongering, Mansour is a meddling twat and is it too much to expect that the Emir won’t be? We are talking about an absolute monarchy and they don’t give too many interviews either. Glazers may sell but I hope it isn’t to that lot. Just my humble opinion
I think the Glazers know that 1.6bn is a good offer, although when i read that we had made a 1.5bn offer which was rejected, the Qataris would come back with another offer of about 1.6/1.7bn.
Doubling your money in 6 years isnt a bad thing really, especially when its to the tune of £800m!
I think the Glazers would be foolish to let that kinda money go.
If we did have the Qatari family come in, i dont necessarily think itl be a bad thing. It seems to be the way football is going unfortunately. The money men want to own football clubs and I just hope that if we are taken over, the new owners stay in the background like the Glazers have. Thats one bit of credit i will give them is that they havent meddled in SAF’s management.
Although we are in massive debt at the moment, were still competing with the best of them. Were winning trophies, getting to CL finals, on the verge of making PL history and all this with no money in the bank and our best players either leaving, or not performing for a whole season.
For me personally, if we suddenly have alot of money to play with, it wont be splashed about recklessly as the team dynamics are important to SAF. One or 2 signings to bolster the team / squad and a few minor ones for the future.
@ Goat….The Qatari family havent made their wealth from the residents tax money. What they do with their money is up to them. If you think the royal family are taking the money from the locals and spending it abroad, google images of Doha Qatar and tell me the family arent looking after their own.
The cultural side of it i wont comment on, its not my place to do so.
As for where money is being spent, id rather my Season ticket money came back to the club and not inflating the bottom line of some american bank.
We are the best team in the league/country and one of the best in the world. Unfortunately in this day and age we need this kind of investment to stay there
Xavi lacks ambition.
A brilliant read on expiring player contacts at Old Trafford, who all will leave the theatre of dreams?
http://www.thehardtackle.com/index.php/man-utd%e2%80%99s-corner-spring-cleaning-the-theatre-of-dreams/
Goat & kanchelskis
I too have or would have concerns if the Qataris do take over at United however my concern(s) stems from how much they would interfere in the team and transfers etc… That concern would be there regardless of who the new owners may be (If any)
BUT I do have to address some of the points you guys raised. I lived and worked in the GCC for over 16 years between Kuwait, UAE & Bahrain (Which are all a copy of each other in a way including Qatar) There is no issue whatsoever with human rights in those countries neither is there any religious restrictions (Apart from Saudi granted) Being a Christian my self, my family and I attended mass at will in Churches spread across the mentioned countries. The said countries were never on any human rights organization radars (Many Middle Eastern countries are of course but NOT GCC)
1000′s of Western families live there and have the best life they can dream of… Its safe, clean and very much state of the art.
Yes these ruling families are filthy rich and I could imagine that may be just may be some business deals they get involved in may be suspect, but is that not the case in the business world anyway?
Not in anyway wanting to start a political discussion on this blog, but I do respond from experience and I urge you all not to stereotype
i have my concerns over arab ownership aswell,cedars and i had a discussion months ago,i’m pretty sure cedars said qatar is ok.if it becomes a morality issue each fan will have to decide if arab ownership means he or she cannot support the club anymore.i’m very jaded,goverments,politicans,judges cops alot are corrupt most of what happens we never know.look at assange there’s a witch hunt for him just by releasing the truth.most billionaries haven’t got to be that weathly without fucking someone over on the way to the top
Neil – Do you want the debt cleared mate? That will be the first thing to happen. After that, I’m sure a few players will come in, but not to the extent, of City’s silly spending. Remember before the glazers took over, people were saying, they’ll stick their noses into Fergies running of the club, never happened, did It? That is the one thing I’m worried about, but they wouldn’t do it with SAF. The focus is on Qatar, with them securing the world cup. If they buy United and start messing around, that wouldn’t like well on them mate.
Cedars – thanks for that post, much needed. I thought of putting up something on similar lines, but was too lazy. Way too much stereotyping, though purely from a Utd. perspective, the concerns of a potentially meddling management are valid. By the way, do they have taxes in Quatar
(I think Goat mentioned a pt. on public money being trifled away)? I know that some of the GCC countries dont have income tax, cos their govts. are so rich on oil.
*look*
Cedars beat me to it didn’t see his post before i refreshed
Is Xavi dropping a hint or something
Qatari stories are not going away
Either it’s bullshit or either it’s on
In any case we want owners that will let SAF do his job – that’s it for us.
It doesn’t surprise me by the way – simply because the Qatari Royal family are up against the Abu Dhabi lot – it’s like me first between them both – so this is all getting heated up and one way or another it will end up somewhere.
Of course it would be a right laugh if the Qatari’s got hold of United – that would seriously piss the Abu Dhabi family off
CedarsDevil – Good post mate. We all have worries over this, but the way Glazers bought United out, this was always the likely outcome. In an ideal world, I would want life long United fans to take over the club. That won’t be happening though.
Willie – have to admit, clearing the debt is enticing. I’d love to see it disappear and that’s certainly a silver lining. And you’re right, the same was said about the Glazers meddling with Fergie and it didn’t happen. I don’t think anyone would dare attempt to boss Fergie around, I’m just worried about whomever takes over after Fergie retires. Fergie’s untouchable, but his successor won’t be. If this sale goes down it may be the best thing for United, or maybe not. Who knows. There’s no perfect outcome. Maybe we can get Bill Gates interested haha
I was watching Sky Sports News this morning and the journalist on at half 7 said that its deffo going to happen with the Qatar group. I think we would all prefer if we were taken over by an English/Scottish/Irish/Welch person who supports the club who is rich enough to wipe out our debts.
In fairness to the glazers they have not interfered with Sir Alex…. but I don’t think anyone is stupid enough to try and overpower Sir Alex.
I know that a lot of us don’t want United spending millions on average players cough Liverpool and City… but wouldn’t it be great to have that worrying feeling deep down inside that our club won’t go completely down the drain.
As long as SAF is here then I believe we’ll be fine…. but when that dark dark day comes when he retires wouldn’t it be nice to know that we can still be able to challenge after he goes?
Jeet
No income tax, no VAT.. In fact to tax whatsoever, it is every employee’s heaven! These countries rely purely on oil for income and whilst the ruling families get the lion’s share, the citizens get their fare share as well therefore all local citizens of these GCC countries are extremely well off (Saudi in another issue which I would happily discuss, but not here!) There is no corruption here, why would there be? Everyone’s rich!
Further:
Keep on paying attention to United reports on possible takeover:
Again it’s the same line – “we have had no offers and wouldn’t welcome it” – that doesn’t mean to say that their is nothing on the table and if the Glazer’s don’t welcome it – it doesn’t mean that they have shut the door down on possible communications.
Interesting
CedarsDevil
So you’re rich then mate lol
Willie
I share that sentiment. My one and only priority is United’s best interest regardless of who (If any) the new owners may be or where they are from, Chinese, Arabs, South Americans or even little green men from Mars, I do not care
MG
Not quite mate, I am not a citizen of those countries! In fact I blew almost every penny I saved on travelling the world with my wife, not a bad thing I guess!
Hey CedarsDevil
They might change the name to Marschester United, at home on the Red Planet.
CedarsDevil
Lucky you mate
If you’re going to blow money bloody blow it for a purpose and reason!
Well done!
King Eric – I’m good thanks mate. Yeah let’s smash them bitter blue bastards and eliminate the cunts from the title race once and for all. It amazes the money these cunts get paid for making such stupid comments. Durham is a fucking cunt who has no respect for greats like our Duncan – the fact he expressed sympathy for Terry being overlooked for the captaincy the other night says it all about him. Thing is mate, when you support such a small time club like he does, then Ingerlund means the world to people like him and when others wax lyrical about opposing players, pricks like him will get the hump.
A brilliant read on who will play at the theatre of dreams?
http://therepublikofmancunia.com/city-owner-more-interested-in-united/#comment-2720
honestly i dont care who the owner is.as long as he dont interfere with sir alex plan that will be fine with me
@willierednut
Youre right of course the Glazers or any owner will always sell if they are blown away by a too good to refuse offer but whos fault is that. Green and Gold are to blame for any reason the Glazers would sell sooner rather than later. With Merchandise sales down and other areas not increasing as healthely as they might then of course sell. And do they care who they sell to, absolutely not and why should they care. They have been treated with utter contempt (rightly or wrongly) by the fans and as our guests (any owner is a guest of United, any player or any manager is a guest) they have been treated thouroughly dispicably. The hospitality given to them has been disgusting and if they want to sell us down the river then its all we deserve. Of course they arent perfect and Im not defending them, just telling the truth, but they are an entity we know because weve lived with them. The new neighbours could be saints but they could also let their dog crap on your lawn.
@Ceders Devil
Allright mate and you make good and valid points based on experience. I am basing alot of what I say on what I hear rather than what I see and I hold my hands up to that. Thats all Ive got to go on and you have to make any judgements based on the information that is to hand. I hope youll enlighten me or give me a good rolocking if i step out of line.
Im not too clued up on the state of Quatar and how they (the royal family or the powers that be) came into being, where they get their money from etc, but it does seem that there are areas of poverty, lack of 1st world ammenities and a basic lack of human rights. Of course this could be a bit of islamaphobia but without knowledge I can only act on whatever I hear, news, people accounts, various charities and drunken presidents and quail hunters. It doesnt help that leaders and the like in middle eastern countries seem a little less diplomatic and understanding of the common man than the rose tinted vision I have of our own leaders, lol.
Tell us more about their culture and what is your opinion whether they are worthy of United. As I said before are they just the best of a bad bunch or are they disirables.
Goat
Hi mate, no worries buddy… You will not get any rollicking from me lol….
To add further enlightenment as it were, Qatar has some of the best 5 star hotels in the world, absolute 1st class amenities, state of the art telecommunications and zero issues when it comes to human rights. Furthermore there is no poverty whatsoever.
I can see where you are coming from though, there are countries in close proximity that do have such issues in abundance such as Yemen, Iraq etc.
I do not blame you for your views though, I suppose looking at the middle east as a whole it is easy to assume that all countries in the region are the same but trust me they anything but….
Would love to give you a lot more details but perhaps on another medium….
Cheers
Goat – You say they’ve been treated badly by the fans? You say they’ve been disrespected by the fans? Have they been forthcoming since they took over United? Have tried to build bridges with the supporters, and supporter groups? Respect is a two way thing IMO. Yes, the Red Knights try to bluff their way into our affections, with fairy tales, that they could take over the club. The Green and Gold was born out of that, which it seems to have run It’s course sadly. I can’t speak for everyone, but I never hated the Glazers for their nationality. Nothing against them personally, I’m just pissed off, that United aren’t in a position to strengthen the squad, which in all honesty, needs one or two additions.
I don’t want United to become another City, or Chelsea. As I said in another post, In an ideal world, the next owners, would be life long United fans. You said the way Glazers have been treated, that means they’ll not care who they sell to? Given what United are valued at, that might have been the case anyway. There’s only a select amount of people, that could afford a club like United.
Wild West Woy of the Bromwich.
I’m glad to see that he’s back in the Prem, he didn’t deserve to drown at ‘pool.
Goat
Missed answering your last question buddy. As far as owning United I cannot say whether or not they will be good owners. My view remains that I only care about United’s best interest regardless of the origin of any prospective owner(s)………….. To me the origin does not determine whether or not United will have good or bad owners.
http://www.nowpublic.com/sports/qatar-2022-qatar-gets-world-cup-despite-poor-human-rights-record-2734109.html. hi cedars found this article paints a different picture
@willierednut
I get where your coming from mate, the Glazers havent exactly endeered themselves to us but they cant answer every question put to them and quite simply they arent obliged to either especially in the case of money. They cant discuss money as they are effectively in competition. All business is in competition with one another and by tying assets up here and there home and abroad the competition doesnt get to see the whole picture and cant squeeze you in areas they would if they saw a weakness. So telling us isnt beneficial for them or for us. We dont really need to know even though we like to think we do but curiousity did kill the cat remember.
On another note mate, how open do you tink the new owners would be, would they let you know everything or would they employ a Peter Kenyon type to tell us what we want to hear??
Guys the United vs City Preview, have a look:
http://www.thehardtackle.com/index.php/man-utd-v-man-city-italian-job-for-mancini%e2%80%99s-men/
willie – Mate you seem to have it in your head that there is no way we can but players? Do you really believe this the case? I don’t. Why would Fergie stand for that? I expect a player or two in the summer.
according to reports sir alex is supposed to have a 160mill transfer kitty regardless if the takeover happens
FFS, let’s start a campaign to swap Gibson for Xavi….
King Eric – No mate. We can still buy players, like Hernandez. I’ve watched this last two summers go by, without one major signing coming in. I’m not taking about, spending crazy money like Chelsea and City. Just one big signing, now and again, isn’t, or shouldn’t be beyond a club like United. If that makes me a glory hunter, or a plastic supporter, then, that’s their opinion. I want my club to go forward and go well ahead of the dippers league titles record, and maybe match their European cups at least.
Can’t wait for the game tomorrow got my ticket this morning so I’m buzzing. Not too sure about this Qatar thing, everyone seems to credit the glazers with not messing around with Fergie but the proof in the pudding will be when he retires which will probably be before 2017 unless he carries on like Rupert Murdoch! This summer will be interesting regarding our transfers, if a midfielder doesn’t come in I will be amazed we’ve spent mainly on youth bar Berbatov in the last 4 years, we need someone who is already doing the business. I think the need for a goalie will put the midfielder scenario on the back foot.
He wouldn’t get a game….I mean, Xavi or Darren Gibson….its a no brainer.
@willie … hoping for one or two major signings over the next two seasons doesn’t make you a plastic fan, lol. Anyway, if this Qatari thing happens, AND they say to Fergie “here’s the world’s biggest checkbook and the sky’s the limit”, AND they say “we won’t interfere–whatever you want to do, buy, build, whatever you want is fine by us”, THEN it will be very interesting to see what SAF does. My guess (and to be honest) my hope is that he will continue to build, because I think he wants to build one more great time as his final legacy, but that he might supplement the rising youngsters with one or two headline transfers. (IMO, an A-list midfielder and goalie). But will he stick with players like Evans and some of the others who “aren’t there” yet?
willie – No mate, as if anyone thinks you are plastic!! I know what you mean. The first summer I wasnt too bothered BUT i did expect summat last summer. Oh well we got Hernandez like you said and Smalling who have both turned out pretty good. Reckon we will spend a bit on a midfielder this summer though pal.
The other thing about buying players is that it’s not just a question of money. It’s also about getting the right type of players. Sure, there are plenty of good players out there. But a few weeks (or months!) ago I posted some quotes from Hargo, which he made just after he joined us. He made an interesting observation. He said that other clubs and managers just go looking for the best players they can afford, and then try to fit them together, but SAF’s approach is totally different. It is the inverse: what he does, according to Hargo, is decide what type/style of player would be best for what he plans to do with the team, then he goes looking for a player who matches that “profile”. (I am sure there are exceptions, of course.)
StatesideAussie
The complete opposite to “arry Rednapp, who just can’t let a deal pass him by.
I believe that the ‘brains trust’ of Sir Alex and his Analysis crew are the ‘secret of our success’
^ ‘arry ^
King Eric and StatesideAussie
The summer will be massive for United, as all the clubs around us will spend big money. If the Glazers still own United, then they have to step up and help the manager out. He’s a genius, no doubt, but he needs pro active owners and not silent partners.
Yo papi , dont mindd tha talk talk above,come have a mojito ,lots of mojo at carringgtoon,comeeee
to Manutd ,say this before u sleep 100 times;
I love tha MANUTD, I love tha Manutd, Me wan join in the summer 2011.
me wan play with giggs an scholes before they da retire,then me play with Gibson make goot best central midfeild in da WORLD.
Barca and us run club in similar way, so there’s no wonder he would have fancy our club as a destination. Two top notch clubs but I grew up watching United so too bad for Barca haha