Saudi ownership at LCFC

[The boy Linacre]

10 hours ago, Freeman's Wharfer said:

Was about to say similar.

 

Despite the excellent PR exercises and free t-shirts and beers, our owners have made their wealth through some very questionable connections. You’re probably not in a position to buy a Premier League football club these days without at least some unscrupulous past or even current links/activities.

 

So I’m almost feeling like we’d be at the point where you’d be choosing between a punch in the face or a kick in the balls. We’d certainly not be in any position to claim we only accept squeaky clean or completely morally sound ownership.

 

I know many King Power FCers and “our owners can do no wrong” types won’t want to admit that however.

Absolutely - I am literally at the moment reading "The Billionaires Club" by James Montague, 4 sections Eastern Europe, USA, Asia, Middle East the owners that have come into English football and their financial and historical backgrounds.

English football clubs give them a legitimacy and an honest front. Thailands military dictatorship and Vichai's links to get and keep the airport duty free contract may have involved some backhanders no doubt.  Sadly the UK government is no different these days as we keep reading. 

A legacy will be left after they are gone, whenever that  is, if we extend the stadium as well. 

[Pliskin]

Ultimately, money rules. Flash a big cheque and you can do whatever you want. 

[AKCJ]

It'd probably make me more of a fair weather fan but I wouldn't stop going, providing they run the club well (and these people are usually pretty good at making sure people are oblivious to sport washing).

 

I don't think I'd ride the highs and lows as much as I currently do. I couldn't see a result making/breaking my week like it currently does and as such I don't think it'd ever get as good as how we've had it in the last 6/7 years.

 

I think I'd just find entertainment in the quality of football (assuming this sort of ownership does bring success) and the improvement in local infrastructure and the money that an elite level football club would bring to the City.

[Voll Blau]

1 hour ago, Finnegan said:

I'd boycott. @Voll Blau and @Pliskin and a few others are right to imply that there's no saintly billionaires. I'm not naive enough to think that my own football club, let alone the wider Premier League, was pure before Saudi Arabia entered the chat. Shit, I mean the UAE is largely completely evil.

 

But this feels like a step too far. You're talking about one of the most evil "governments" (it feels wrong to validate them by even calling it that) in the world and the idea that its not them, its some completely separate corporation ("honest!") is quite frankly offensive. 

 

The amount of money in football and the disparity it's causing is already a massive burden on my ability to enjoy it. We should all be angry that businesses around the country went under, people lost their jobs all over the place and the economy took a huge hit because of COVID and yet football was still making 100m transfers and arguing over the placement of Coke bottles on interview tables. 

 

The monarchy of Saudi Arabia actually owning my club would be the steel girder that broke the camel's back. 

 

It's ridiculous defending them by pointing out King Power are a bit shady, to be honest, they're infinite layers of magnitude worse. If King Power was literally the Monarchy of Thailand you'd have some point, albeit it still wouldn't be quite as bad. 

 

Fully agree with you, but just to be clear I'm absolutely not defending the Saudis or this takeover - it's well beyond the pale for what I'd expect even of a rotten organisation like the Premier League to approve. As I say, it's extremely depressing in the first place that we find ourselves looking at a sliding scale of club ownerships' dodgy links and that, as fans, we all have a level that we can live with somewhere along that scale.

 

 

14 minutes ago, moore_94 said:

I don't know... not too sure Top/Vichai/King Power are quite as bad as someone who had his personal guard chop up a journalist...

That's exactly what I'm saying... 

[David Guiza]

I'm not suggesting that I would turn my back completely, as effectively it is an addiction that is hard to kick. I've not been comfortable with a few things our owners have done over the years, in particular the minute silence when the King of Thailand passed away. Something along these lines could really be a final nail in the coffin. 

 

It's hard to avoid being hypocritical in the modern age. Avoiding everything from Amazon to Palm Oil is sometimes a virtual impossibility. However, I don't think I'd find it impossible to turn my back in some shape or form on the club and that's despite being a season ticket holder for 20 years and a former away regular. I'd undoubtedly still check the results and be happier when we win than when we lose etc, but I couldn't give my heart and soul to something that I wholeheartedly disagree with at the core. 

 

Worth remembering also that the club couldn't could care less if you walked away, so long as there's somebody else who can fill your seat and expenditure. 

Edited 7 October 2021 by David Guiza

[justfoxes]

11 hours ago, SystonFox said:

Yeah prob just shout at the stadium and bin it off. Maybe burn a shirt or something and blame Madders

Why just Madders most are putting every problem on Brendan’s Lap so wouldn’t it be mainly his fault but one thing I could never turn my back on this club no matter who took over ?

 

On a serious note though now that Newcastle looks like they’re bringing in super rich Saudi owners ( and I’m really surprised that they don’t include human rights into the fit and proper owners policy ?) It seems It will have a bit of a domino effect on Leicester and other improving lower funded clubs,

We still can’t compete with the spending power of the Super Rich clubs like Manchester City Chelsea Manchester United and now by the look of it Newcastle United so the Worry is for some fans Is being financially behind another well funded club and be out spent to a top5 places and fewer European places, No other club in the Premier will have the family feel or best ownership that we have at Leicester City but is there a worry now that we’re dropping down the financial list of spending power towards the playing squad and be able to compete with the super signings these clubs can bring in?

Yes we have proven In The past that we can go toe to toe with some of the big boys but can we bring in a better calibre of player and Restructure the stadium at the same time ?

Just a thought after talking to a few friends regarding the Newcastle takeover and the spending power they will be given!

 

 

Edited 7 October 2021 by justfoxes

[MonkeyTennis?]

Lets face it, almost everyone would welcome the cash injection, especially if we had been struggling in same way as Newcastle. You would try to justify it if you had political objections (and honestly, I'm sure there are very many fans who couldn't care less), in exactly the way Newcastle fans are.

 

But the truth is that the ship has sailed in terms of ownership in the prem. Man City and Chelsea are the most extreme examples, and it looks like Newcastle are going to join them in the upper reaches of circumventing FFP, but not many clubs are radically different now - including us. Effectively premier league football, IE, the regionally specific English game of kicking a ball around, has become a locus for hugely powerful international entities (states, shady businesses, etc) to garner soft power and extend their global reach - for all sorts of reasons. Its truly, genuinely odd, but its already happened. 

 

Strangely enough, Mike Ashley will end up being the last of a certain type of owner who was at least dimly connected to the culture of the club - a moderately wealthy working class British businessman 'done good,' a la Allan Sugar, Jack Walker, etc. And yet, he's hated, largely because he's not rich enough. 

Edited 7 October 2021 by MonkeyTennis?

[Freeman's Wharfer]

2 hours ago, pmcla26 said:

I wouldn't care - I'd love to see us be as good as Man City are. 

But isn’t the beauty of our title win that we were, for just that one season, as good as Man City are, but without throwing a load of money at it to get there?!

[bovril]

3 hours ago, pmcla26 said:

I wouldn't care - I'd love to see us be as good as Man City are. 

Man City haven't won anything we haven't.

[bovril]

I think there are 2 factors - firstly, the way that the wealth has been acquired and the owners' morals. As others have said, we're not really in the best position to judge, but KP are infinitely better than Arab royal families.

 

Secondly, how success on the pitch is gained. I think in this respect we've definitely done it the right way. Ok, we haven't exactly had 10 years of austerity, but we won the PL with a (correct me if I'm wrong) wage bill lower than relegated Newcastle and a triumvirate of world-class players who cost about 6 million pounds combined. 

 

I would genuinely rather win the PL and FA Cup once in my lifetime with a carefully assembled squad like ours than win it every year spending hundreds of millions. I've often wondered how Man City fans feel about the changes at their club from the early 2000s and honestly I don't envy them. If Newcastle end up winning the PL in a similar way it won't be the same as what we experienced. 

[copunk]

I know I’m probably in the minority but I’m genuinely not fazed about the Newcastle takeover

We all realise now that this is the way footballs going, more clubs will get bought out by mega rich owners, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see the majority of Premier League clubs under this sort of ownership within the next 10 years

If anything it will make the league more exciting, the so called “big 6” will be looking over their shoulders a bit more now, yet with all that money fairytales for the underdogs still happen, we are the biggest example of that in the whole of sport 

[Matt_Lcfc]

Just walked past St James’ Park after uni and it’s filling up outside, massive media presence too. Probably feels quite surreal for them.

[ajthefox]

29 minutes ago, bovril said:

I think there are 2 factors - firstly, the way that the wealth has been acquired and the owners' morals. As others have said, we're not really in the best position to judge, but KP are infinitely better than Arab royal families.

 

Secondly, how success on the pitch is gained. I think in this respect we've definitely done it the right way. Ok, we haven't exactly had 10 years of austerity, but we won the PL with a (correct me if I'm wrong) wage bill lower than relegated Newcastle and a triumvirate of world-class players who cost about 6 million pounds combined. 

 

I would genuinely rather win the PL and FA Cup once in my lifetime with a carefully assembled squad like ours than win it every year spending hundreds of millions. I've often wondered how Man City fans feel about the changes at their club from the early 2000s and honestly I don't envy them. If Newcastle end up winning the PL in a similar way it won't be the same as what we experienced. 

Nail on head for me.

Not sure how I would feel about being taken over the Saudis.

[grobyfox1990]

No multi billionaire is anywhere near a saint. I’d lap it up 

[sacreblueits442]

4 hours ago, sylofox said:

Much as I cant thank Top and family enough for what they have given us my support is for the foxes not the owners.

....inextricably linked....!!!

It would be the equivalent of Kim Jung Un taking over the reigns, you cannot separate the two.

  Isn't there a competency test that needs to be done which also looks a the moral and ethical values of potential business takeovers. 

[sacreblueits442]

5 hours ago, Cardiff_Fox said:

The thing I find a bit peculiar about King Power's ownership is the sheer investment they have made into the city of Leicester itself. You wonder why they couldn't do that closer to home. 

 

By contrast Man City's owners have completely redeveloped an area of Manchester but it will be to their gain when/or if they sell it when the value is significantly higher. 

 

 

.. .very much answered your own question!!!

   It is a very good business deal and has provided advertisement at a very low price which has been picked up all over the world. A great way of getting their brand out there as it probably have taken years to effectively gained such familiarity. 

[CosbehFox]

9 minutes ago, sacreblueits442 said:

.. .very much answered your own question!!!

   It is a very good business deal and has provided advertisement at a very low price which has been picked up all over the world. A great way of getting their brand out there as it probably have taken years to effectively gained such familiarity. 

Aye but King Power aren't investing a couple of million for hospitals etc to profit. 

[PhillippaT]

15 hours ago, Freeman's Wharfer said:

Was about to say similar.

 

Despite the excellent PR exercises and free t-shirts and beers, our owners have made their wealth through some very questionable connections. You’re probably not in a position to buy a Premier League football club these days without at least some unscrupulous past or even current links/activities.

 

So I’m almost feeling like we’d be at the point where you’d be choosing between a punch in the face or a kick in the balls. We’d certainly not be in any position to claim we only accept squeaky clean or completely morally sound ownership.

 

I know many King Power FCers and “our owners can do no wrong” types won’t want to admit that however.

It's impossible to become ultra-rich without aggressively exploiting someone/lots...

[Lambert09]

Anyone think Jeff bezos is sat there watching the all or nothings and thinking, he should go and buy a club. 
 

i mean Spurs make it look easy to run a club. 

[sacreblueits442]

19 minutes ago, Cardiff_Fox said:

Aye but King Power aren't investing a couple of million for hospitals etc to profit. 

.....I am just answering the question why not invest closer to home, as opposed to the other side of the world!!!

[Webbo]

I'm very happy with our owners but I could be just as happy with richer ones. 

[sacreblueits442]

5 hours ago, justfoxes said:

Why just Madders most are putting every problem on Brendan’s Lap so wouldn’t it be mainly his fault but one thing I could never turn my back on this club no matter who took over ?

 

On a serious note though now that Newcastle looks like they’re bringing in super rich Saudi owners ( and I’m really surprised that they don’t include human rights into the fit and proper owners policy ?) It seems It will have a bit of a domino effect on Leicester and other improving lower funded clubs,

We still can’t compete with the spending power of the Super Rich clubs like Manchester City Chelsea Manchester United and now by the look of it Newcastle United so the Worry is for some fans Is being financially behind another well funded club and be out spent to a top5 places and fewer European places, No other club in the Premier will have the family feel or best ownership that we have at Leicester City but is there a worry now that we’re dropping down the financial list of spending power towards the playing squad and be able to compete with the super signings these clubs can bring in?

Yes we have proven In The past that we can go toe to toe with some of the big boys but can we bring in a better calibre of player and Restructure the stadium at the same time ?

Just a thought after talking to a few friends regarding the Newcastle takeover and the spending power they will be given!

 

 

...we have seen Villa and West Ham out spend us!!!

If we maintain our philosophy in respect of infrastructure, expansion and on pitch development, then I am not worried about the excessive spending of other clubs. The games are won on the pitch and we need to develop players coming in, and find a way to compete. It is always a great feeling to be competing when you are not the favourite, MON used that ploy all the time, and as a team mentality ii is a great way to walk on the pitch.

  If there was an injection of £500m in January, where we look to bring in marque players, there is absolutely no joy in that, never wanted to be a Manchester City, just want to test our players against them, with a mindset better than theirs. 

[ALC Fox]

I can't begrudge Newcastle fans getting excited about some money being injected into their club.

 

But I would really like to know how it's been decided that PIF are completely separate from the Saudi government when it's been claimed that PIF themselves supplied the planes to transport Jamal Kashoggi's assassins.

 

They may be separate entities but they must be deeply entwined, especially as the chairman of the fund is the country's Crown Prince.

 

It seems to me that the only reason this is going ahead is because the TV rights issue has been sorted out between Saudi, Qatar and the PL. What an utter farce.

 

If Leicester weren't in the division, I'd probably sack the PL off completely. It's a fvcking cess pit.

[Stevosevic]

Our philosophy has taken us as far as it's going to I'm afraid. 

 

Need the big money to continue to compete in the top 6.

[Finnegan]

4 minutes ago, Stevosevic said:

Our philosophy has taken us as far as it's going to I'm afraid. 

 

Need the big money to continue to compete in the top 6.

 

I don't personally believe this is true. 

 

Or, at least, it is to a point but not in the way I think you may be implying. 

 

Spurs got to a Champions League final just by slowly building bit by bit, selling a few players for big profit, investing it wisely, taking continuous steps forward, eventually getting in to the Champions League, using that money to keep improving and so on. 

 

In the last two seasons we were seconds away from the CL. Had we succeeded, there's an opportunity to reinvest that money to stay there, etc. 

 

So, yeah, I mean you still need money but you don't quite need billions of pounds of oil money. As has been pointed out already, PSG and Man City haven't exactly been destroying the CL.