shammy feen
06-12-2006, 09:44 AM
Interesting article From OLASAL on Chelsea vital football
Shammy
Liverpool - just the same as us!
http://www.chelsea.vitalfoo tball.co.uk/resource/globalmedia/trans.gifhttp://www.chelsea.vitalfoo tball.co.uk/resource/globalmedia/trans.gifI read with some considerable interest that Liverpool (http://www.chelsea.vitalfoo tball.co.uk/article.asp?a=40868# ) are looking to complete yet another £450m takeover, with HRH Sheikh Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai understood to be the man with the millions this time. It is no surprise, as the club has been flirting with the Americans behind Kraft Foods Inc, and Thaksin Shinawatra; the deposed former Thai Prime Minister.
We've been here before. The deal has been 'all but signed' more times than Sp*rs have nearly signed someone in close season. Then it all goes quiet for a few months, until a new suitor comes round. I'll stick my neck out and say that Sheikh Maktoum is a rather more serious and credible proposition than any of the shadowy, wooing figures that have gone before. Let`s hope that for the good of football (http://www.chelsea.vitalfoo tball.co.uk/article.asp?a=40868# ), he comes through with the cash and the takeover goes ahead. For the purposes of this editorial, lets assume it does.
Indulge me a spot of state-the-bleeding-obvious: Sheikh Maktoum is incredibly rich. In fact, he is quite a bit wealthier than our own Mr Abramovich. He rules Dubai, which is the richest and best known of the Emirates of the UAE. The fact that Sheikh Maktoum's money comes from Oil is a bit of an untruth. There isn`t much oil in Dubai. Nearby Qatar was founded on natural gas, but Dubai has been, is now, and will continue to be a city-state dependent on tourism, transport infrastructure, foreign investment, and international commerce, trade and retail. The untold billions being poured into the place are for such unbelievably extravagant construction projects as the Jumeira Beach resort, the breathtaking Burj-al-Arab, the Emirates Towers, the stunning waterfront development, the vast Palm Island reclaimed island resort, and as a crowning glory, the World's tallest building; the Burj Dubai, which will be almost 900 metres high. The Maktoum theory is to take Dubai, a desert Oasis and trading hub for the entire region and turn it into a major world city destination in the same way Hong Kong, Tokyo, London, and New York are. Anyone who has been there will tell you that he has already succeeded in magnificent style.
The country already has one of the world`s best airports in the Emirates megahub in Dubai, but is building an even larger home port for Emirates Airlines out near Jebel Ali container port, which itself is one of the world's busiest shipping hubs. The global airline industry has lost more than US$30.8bn since September 11, and in that time Emirates have spent more than that on new aircraft alone. Obscure even six years ago, the Fly Emirates branding is one of the best known and best regarded airline brands in the world now. Maktoum owns all of this. What he doesn`t own he has funded by foreign investment secured at extremely attractive interest rates, purely to encourage yet more foreign investment. If you haven`t been, I strongly urge you to see Dubai. It really is mind-blowing. It really does place Liverpool's 'European Capital City of Culture' into perspective.
Having dealt extensively with the Emirates group in my line of work, and been fortunate enough to go to Dubai several times, and even met a member of Sheikh Maktoum's very large (and extremely well-heeled) family on one occasion. They are a proud people, and stories of barbarism, savagery, religious intolerance, and medieval sexual equality rights are a long way from the mark here. Dubai is a largely Muslim state, but it is a very moderate one, and much of the horror stories we get thrust on us from a US-led media have no place in Dubai, and are only to be found in the more hardline states such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the Yemen. Welcome and knowing tolerance are the watch words in Dubai - it is a very welcoming place, and having spent the last four years as a business analyst dealing to a great extent with Dubai, Qatar, and the UAE, I can say with authority that Sheikh Maktoum's wealth comes purely from big business, and in that respect he is the same as Mr A.
They are quite similar men actually, from what I know of them. Both are ostentatious in gesture but not in personality. Both are softly spoken and know the value of listening to what someone says before talking to them. They employ large numbers of analysts and advisors to make sure they have every eventuality covered and discussed. Both enjoy spending their money on tangible things that they enjoy, such as football in the case of Mr A, and the renowned Godolphin stables of stunning Arabian horses in the case of Sheikh Maktoum. Both place a great deal of emphasis on family and close personal associates that are practically family, and both are smart enough to have hedged their vast personal wealth through a number of different industry sectors. In Mr A's case it is oil, gas, aluminium and mining, and Sheikh Maktoum's wealth is almost everywhere. Both men have steely eyed thousand yard stares, and both are undoubtedly cold blooded and ruthless when it comes to business. Both are religious - Sheikh Maktoum is a Muslim, and Mr Abramovich is Jewish. Both men know the importance of good PR, and both men have a curious predilection towards huge Boeing widebody airliners as private jets and whole fleets of private yachts the size of small liners. There are striking similarities between the two men.
So, although the Liverpool fans will certainly hear some criticism of Sheikh Maktoum from people who are ignorant and don`t know any different, due to his religion and wealth, they wont hear it from me.
No doubt they will be bombarded with questions asking what they will do when Maktoum gets bored and leaves the club high and dry with massive debts. They will get sick and tired of the constant slurs as to where Sheikh Maktoum's money came from, and the self-righteous squealing from all and sundry that they are ruining football with the obscene amounts of money they are throwing about. But they wont hear it from me.
I think a duopoly of the hyper-rich is healthier for the game than just having us spending vast sums and everyone else complaining that it isn`t fair. Finally, we will have a two horse race, and we will not just click our fingers and have yet another international megastar signing for us. The moaning that it isn`t fair will stop now, and all that is left is the gauntlet that has been thrown down. Add a resurgent (but skint) Man United and a newly-rich Villa to the mix, and I think the Premiership (http://www.chelsea.vitalfoo tball.co.uk/article.asp?a=40868# ) is going to be white-hot exciting for years to come. We will get the chance to prove that we are not an expensively assembled good team, but a truly great team, and put that beyond argument.
Frankly, Mr Shankly, I, and all here at Vital Chelsea (http://www.chelsea.vitalfoo tball.co.uk/article.asp?a=40868# ) Towers, welcome the challenge.
Olasal
Shammy
Liverpool - just the same as us!
http://www.chelsea.vitalfoo tball.co.uk/resource/globalmedia/trans.gifhttp://www.chelsea.vitalfoo tball.co.uk/resource/globalmedia/trans.gifI read with some considerable interest that Liverpool (http://www.chelsea.vitalfoo tball.co.uk/article.asp?a=40868# ) are looking to complete yet another £450m takeover, with HRH Sheikh Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai understood to be the man with the millions this time. It is no surprise, as the club has been flirting with the Americans behind Kraft Foods Inc, and Thaksin Shinawatra; the deposed former Thai Prime Minister.
We've been here before. The deal has been 'all but signed' more times than Sp*rs have nearly signed someone in close season. Then it all goes quiet for a few months, until a new suitor comes round. I'll stick my neck out and say that Sheikh Maktoum is a rather more serious and credible proposition than any of the shadowy, wooing figures that have gone before. Let`s hope that for the good of football (http://www.chelsea.vitalfoo tball.co.uk/article.asp?a=40868# ), he comes through with the cash and the takeover goes ahead. For the purposes of this editorial, lets assume it does.
Indulge me a spot of state-the-bleeding-obvious: Sheikh Maktoum is incredibly rich. In fact, he is quite a bit wealthier than our own Mr Abramovich. He rules Dubai, which is the richest and best known of the Emirates of the UAE. The fact that Sheikh Maktoum's money comes from Oil is a bit of an untruth. There isn`t much oil in Dubai. Nearby Qatar was founded on natural gas, but Dubai has been, is now, and will continue to be a city-state dependent on tourism, transport infrastructure, foreign investment, and international commerce, trade and retail. The untold billions being poured into the place are for such unbelievably extravagant construction projects as the Jumeira Beach resort, the breathtaking Burj-al-Arab, the Emirates Towers, the stunning waterfront development, the vast Palm Island reclaimed island resort, and as a crowning glory, the World's tallest building; the Burj Dubai, which will be almost 900 metres high. The Maktoum theory is to take Dubai, a desert Oasis and trading hub for the entire region and turn it into a major world city destination in the same way Hong Kong, Tokyo, London, and New York are. Anyone who has been there will tell you that he has already succeeded in magnificent style.
The country already has one of the world`s best airports in the Emirates megahub in Dubai, but is building an even larger home port for Emirates Airlines out near Jebel Ali container port, which itself is one of the world's busiest shipping hubs. The global airline industry has lost more than US$30.8bn since September 11, and in that time Emirates have spent more than that on new aircraft alone. Obscure even six years ago, the Fly Emirates branding is one of the best known and best regarded airline brands in the world now. Maktoum owns all of this. What he doesn`t own he has funded by foreign investment secured at extremely attractive interest rates, purely to encourage yet more foreign investment. If you haven`t been, I strongly urge you to see Dubai. It really is mind-blowing. It really does place Liverpool's 'European Capital City of Culture' into perspective.
Having dealt extensively with the Emirates group in my line of work, and been fortunate enough to go to Dubai several times, and even met a member of Sheikh Maktoum's very large (and extremely well-heeled) family on one occasion. They are a proud people, and stories of barbarism, savagery, religious intolerance, and medieval sexual equality rights are a long way from the mark here. Dubai is a largely Muslim state, but it is a very moderate one, and much of the horror stories we get thrust on us from a US-led media have no place in Dubai, and are only to be found in the more hardline states such as Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the Yemen. Welcome and knowing tolerance are the watch words in Dubai - it is a very welcoming place, and having spent the last four years as a business analyst dealing to a great extent with Dubai, Qatar, and the UAE, I can say with authority that Sheikh Maktoum's wealth comes purely from big business, and in that respect he is the same as Mr A.
They are quite similar men actually, from what I know of them. Both are ostentatious in gesture but not in personality. Both are softly spoken and know the value of listening to what someone says before talking to them. They employ large numbers of analysts and advisors to make sure they have every eventuality covered and discussed. Both enjoy spending their money on tangible things that they enjoy, such as football in the case of Mr A, and the renowned Godolphin stables of stunning Arabian horses in the case of Sheikh Maktoum. Both place a great deal of emphasis on family and close personal associates that are practically family, and both are smart enough to have hedged their vast personal wealth through a number of different industry sectors. In Mr A's case it is oil, gas, aluminium and mining, and Sheikh Maktoum's wealth is almost everywhere. Both men have steely eyed thousand yard stares, and both are undoubtedly cold blooded and ruthless when it comes to business. Both are religious - Sheikh Maktoum is a Muslim, and Mr Abramovich is Jewish. Both men know the importance of good PR, and both men have a curious predilection towards huge Boeing widebody airliners as private jets and whole fleets of private yachts the size of small liners. There are striking similarities between the two men.
So, although the Liverpool fans will certainly hear some criticism of Sheikh Maktoum from people who are ignorant and don`t know any different, due to his religion and wealth, they wont hear it from me.
No doubt they will be bombarded with questions asking what they will do when Maktoum gets bored and leaves the club high and dry with massive debts. They will get sick and tired of the constant slurs as to where Sheikh Maktoum's money came from, and the self-righteous squealing from all and sundry that they are ruining football with the obscene amounts of money they are throwing about. But they wont hear it from me.
I think a duopoly of the hyper-rich is healthier for the game than just having us spending vast sums and everyone else complaining that it isn`t fair. Finally, we will have a two horse race, and we will not just click our fingers and have yet another international megastar signing for us. The moaning that it isn`t fair will stop now, and all that is left is the gauntlet that has been thrown down. Add a resurgent (but skint) Man United and a newly-rich Villa to the mix, and I think the Premiership (http://www.chelsea.vitalfoo tball.co.uk/article.asp?a=40868# ) is going to be white-hot exciting for years to come. We will get the chance to prove that we are not an expensively assembled good team, but a truly great team, and put that beyond argument.
Frankly, Mr Shankly, I, and all here at Vital Chelsea (http://www.chelsea.vitalfoo tball.co.uk/article.asp?a=40868# ) Towers, welcome the challenge.
Olasal