The English Football Thread

[nyikolajevics 2,603]

Hogdson back!!!!!!

[Special Juan 27,551]

WTF are Palace actually thinking

[ZAPHOD2319 4,548]

PL ref told to leave U9 game

[Fulham Broadway 16,977]

Ineos owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim are set to submit new bids to buy Manchester United after a deadline was extended at their request after confusion as to when the bids could be submitted. Looking competent then already 😆 

[Vesper 29,221]

Man Utd bid chaos leads to growing fears Glazers may not sell

Concerns are growing among some parties involved in the Manchester United sale that the Glazers could be trying to play them

 

• There is a concern Glazers are trying to create leverage for loan
• Eyebrows raised over reports that eight bidders are involved

Concerns are growing among some parties involved in the Manchester United sale that the Glazers could be trying to play them - and that instead of selling the club they are trying to push up the price to create leverage for a loan.

Eyebrows also continue to be raised over claims that up to eight bidders are interested in the club given that only two, the Ineos owner Jim Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim’s Qatari consortium, have gone public.

The latest fears come after the deadline for the second round of bids for the club was dramatically extended on Wednesday.

On Thursday lunchtime all parties involved were still waiting to hear when the new deadline might be for the second round of bidding, with some suggesting that a “fluid” approach could yet be introduced by Raine, the US bank in charge of the sale.

The suspicion remains that Raine is trying to ramp up a bidding process that is not as competitive as some are making out, in order to push the price for United towards the upper end of the Glazers’ £5-6bn valuation – significantly higher than the Qataris or Ratcliffe want to pay – or to allow them to create leverage for another loan.

Another option for the Glazers would be to retain the club but sell a minority stake to a US hedge fund, although why anyone would want to hand over so much cash but not run a club themselves is unclear.

The latest plot twists comes as United’s share price has risen by over 15% in thepast five days to $25.42 on Thursday lunchtime.

As things stand, United’s net debts stand at £514.9m, which means that just £35.1m has come off the £550m loaded onto the club as a result of the Glazers’ takeover in 2005. However both Ineos and Sheikh Jassim’s Qatari consortium have promised to return the club to its former glories on and off the pitch.

Sheikh Jassim, a chairman of Qatari bank QIB and the son of a former prime minister of Qatar, has also insisted he would “invest in the football teams, the training centre, the stadium and wider infrastructure, the fan experience and the communities the club supports”.

Meanwhile Ratcliffe, a 70-year-old billionaire, who was born in Failsworth in Greater Manchester, has stressed his deep links with the club he supported as a boy and promised to “put the Manchester back into Manchester United”.

If the club is eventually sold it would comfortably break the world record for a sports team, held by Rob Walton, a member of the family that owns Walmart, who bought the Denver Broncos NFL franchise for $4.65bn (£3.78bn) last year. The chances of it happening no longer look quite as certain as it once did.

Edited March 23, 2023 by Vesper

[Fulham Broadway 16,977]

1 hour ago, Vesper said:

As things stand, United’s net debts stand at £514.9m, which means that just £35.1m has come off the £550m loaded onto the club as a result of the Glazers’ takeover in 2005.

That is fucking shocking. Meanwhile theyve been syphoning out millions to themselves each week. No wonder the fans have wanted them out for years

[Vytis33 1,174]

Conte officially out at spurs 

 

 

[Tomo 21,736]

13 minutes ago, Vytis33 said:

Conte officially out at spurs 

 

 

Hopefully he finds a new job before we get any ideas.

[LAM09 6,845]

40 minutes ago, Tomo said:

Hopefully he finds a new job before we get any ideas.

PSG or somewhere in Italy are the only logical options, tbh. 

[Tomo 21,736]

8 minutes ago, LAM09 said:

PSG or somewhere in Italy are the only logical options, tbh. 

I dunno about that, PSG are desperate for a UCL and Potter has a better record in that competition already.

Given how good Napoli are wherever he goes (if he returns to Italy) he'll be moaning within a month when we realizes he can't compete with them.

I just can't see any logical option for him providing we don't have a moment of madness. No clubs that have enough resources to shut him up for a while think he's worth the hassle and the second tier clubs won't have enough resources to stop him complaining from day one.

He's backed himself into a massive corner.

[LAM09 6,845]

6 minutes ago, Tomo said:

I dunno about that, PSG are desperate for a UCL and Potter has a better record in that competition already.

Given how good Napoli are wherever he goes (if he returns to Italy) he'll be moaning within a month when we realizes he can't compete with them.

I just can't see any logical option for him providing we don't have a moment of madness. No clubs that have enough resources to shut him up for a while think he's worth the hassle and the second tier clubs won't have enough resources to stop him complaining from day one.

He's backed himself into a massive corner.

Things have to change at some point. He'll get everything he's ever wanted and more at PSG.

Napoli will lose at least two key players in the summer or more, so they have their chance to make history now before those around them close the gap. Also, I'm sure Inter would take him back without any questions asked if the opportunity presented itself.

All things considered, if he wants to continue in club management, he will need to learn to hold his tongue sooner rather than later.

Edited March 26, 2023 by LAM09

[Tomo 21,736]

Just now, LAM09 said:

Things have to change at some point. He'll get everything he's ever wanted and more at PSG.

Napoli will lose at least two key players in the summer or more, so they have their chance to make history now before those around them close the gap. Also, I'm sure Inter would take him back without any questions asked if the opportunity presented itself.

I guess we'll see I'm not convinced given he walked out of them the minute they (partly thanks to restructuring their squad in his image) hit financial trouble, once bitten and all that.

I don't feel Napoli will lose that many bar maybe Oshimen due to the contract situation (admittedly a big one). We know more than anyone just how good their president is at keeping players.

[milka 3,362]

when Conte went to tottenham i was sure he wouldn't do finish better than Mourinho in tottenham
just a small club with a big coach

[DH1988 1,332]

The natural postings are that Spurs want Nagelsmann, what an error if he goes there, feel like I’m repeating myself over and over but my God I couldn’t believe if it happened.

I think Poch ends up back there, they sure aren’t buying Brightons contract up.

[LAM09 6,845]

1 hour ago, Tomo said:

I don't feel Napoli will lose that many bar maybe Oshimen due to the contract situation (admittedly a big one). We know more than anyone just how good their president is at keeping players.

I just can't see how they'll be able to keep hold of Kvaratskhelia after the season they're having. 

The president is only after money & the players in question are showing they're worth it. Transfer clauses will play their part. 

[Tomo 21,736]

58 minutes ago, LAM09 said:

I just can't see how they'll be able to keep hold of Kvaratskhelia after the season they're having. 

The president is only after money & the players in question are showing they're worth it. Transfer clauses will play their part. 

I think he'll be the easiest at this point.

4 years left on his contract, league title and potential UCL title with the status and income that brings. Unless there's something I don't know they'll be under no financial pressure to cash in even more so if Oshimen goes.

I think it will take Mbappe level money to even get ADL to the table this summer but I could be wrong.

[Special Juan 27,551]

Doesn't learn his lesson Conte, he's a gobshite

[Gundalf 804]

HAHAHAHAHA

Edited March 27, 2023 by Gundalf