The EPL has become a playground for billionaire businessmen since Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea in June 2003. Now clubs are forced to look for investors to survive. Investors who sacrifice tradition and fans for results. The following looks at whether this is ruining the game.
Newcastle United Buyout by Mike Ashley
Newcastle United have had a tough time as of late. Owner Mike Ashley wanted his own say into his club’s affairs when he effectively stripped newly appointed manager Kevin Keegan of his control over transfers, appointing Dennis Wise as ‘Executive Director of Football’.
The recent events of Keegan’s resignation and the fans protesting in return, can’t come as a surprise. Football clubs can’t be run as businesses, improving clubs can’t work on a budget that simultaneously works to reduce debt as the case has been.
Mike Ashley took the wrong route in the first place, drawing attention to himself and away from the club by watching matches with the Magpie’s supporters in the stands, then alienating himself from them by making business decisions, not Football decisions.
MCFC Become Richest Club Overnight
The second recent major takeover has seen Manchester City, one of the Premiership’s mid-table regulars, transform into the richest club on the planet overnight.
Fears were put to rest almost immediately from a direct letter from the new owner to the fans, explaining that manager Mark Hughes is a key asset in the club and that full faith will be given to him when spending money on players.
At the same time undisclosed plans have been put forward for a ten year period in which to improve the club. They can only be assumed as goals to achieve if they are going to stay true to their word.
Frustrated Billionaires
An owner with their own agenda is one who has visions and deadlines. When these are not met, heads will roll continuously until they are. It will only be a matter of time before more headlines are about the owners, frustrated billionaires who fire managers, rather than the clubs they are ruining.
Only time will tell if Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan becomes another Mike Ashley or takes MCFC all the way to the top.
Glazer Succeeds With MUFC
So what sort of owner would suit a Premiership club? One who wouldn’t start riots due to their actions, who would buy the club and improve it from the shadows, effectively drawing no attention to themselves.
There is one man who has done this and at the end of the 2007/2008 season, his team were English and European champions, Malcolm Glazier.
Birth of FCUM
He caused an uproar during the buyout of MUFC in May 2005, so much so that outraged fans created a new team which they felt would carry on the spirit of Manchester United, FC United of Manchester.
But looking at the Glazer family’s three year reign so far, they’ve mainly left Chief Executive David Gill to run the business side of the club and Sir Alex Ferguson has managed the club no differently.
Champions of England and Europe
The spending of hundreds of millions of Pounds to bring the world’s elite to the club has brought success, winning the Premiership twice and the UEFA Champions League for the first time since the legendary treble in 1999.
So it can be done, but it seems it can only be done one way. With all the egos buying into English Football not all will succeed, and the clubs will suffer heavily for it.
