Casper
18-05-2007, 09:28
City er ved at blive overtaget af ham...ægte city-fan, hva!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1735000/images/_1735817_thaksin_ferguson150ap.jpg
Udviklingen er skræmmende!
City fans still silent over Human Rights wrongs
David Bond
May 17, 2007
Telegraph
By the start of next week advisers for Thaksin Shinawatra will complete their examination of Manchester City's books and formally table a £100 million bid for the club.
With a rival offer from City's former full-back Ray Ranson kicked into touch by chairman John Wardle early on, and an unnamed American consortium failing to materialise, the ousted Thai Prime Minister's offer has become the clear frontrunner.
The Thai businessman and politician was at City's Eastlands home earlier this week for talks on the deal and to discuss plans for who should take over from Stuart Pearce as manager following his sacking on Monday.
With so many foreign investors piling into the Premiership over the last three years, fans have become increasingly numb to the prospect of being run by wealthy businessmen from overseas.
But the lack of dissent from City supporters over Thaksin's bid for control of Manchester City is surprising when one considers the outcry which accompanied his abortive attempt to buy into Liverpool three years ago.
Then, human rights groups and supporters united to express their concern at the prospect of one of English football's most revered institutions being part owned by a political leader who had been criticised by the United Nations over Thailand's crackdown on drug dealers and Muslim insurgents in the south of the country.
Since then the political landscape in Thailand has been completely transformed with Thaksin ousted in a military coup last September. He is living in self-imposed exile in Kensington, London, while leaders of the junta have launched criminal proceedings against his wife over a land deal in 2003 which he could also be implicated in.
Members of his family have also been investigated in Thailand over the sale of Thaksin's telecommunications firm, Shin Corp, to Temasek Holdings, an arm of the Singapore Government, in January 2006 in a deal worth $1.88 billion (about £910 million).
The sale attracted criticism because Thaksin's family did not pay tax on the deal. The controversy played a major part in his ousting as Prime Minister last year.
Thaksin's lawyer, Noppadol Pattama, said the corruption allegations were "politically motivated", that he denies them and that if he is charged he will return voluntarily to answer questioning. According to sources in Thailand, however, if he were to return he would risk being arrested.
Whatever the truth about his business dealings, sources in Thailand are questioning his reasons for buying Manchester City. As with his previous attempts to buy Liverpool and Fulham, some are claiming it is little more than a publicity stunt.
With the Premiership hugely popular in Thailand, English football could be seen by Thaksin as a way of boosting his popularity and profile back home.
His attempt to buy 30 per cent of Liverpool in a £65 million deal in 2004 descended into a fiasco as he failed to come up with the money needed to complete the deal.
Despite being a billionaire, he at first attempted to use Thai taxpayers' funds before switching to the country's national lottery. When that led to criticism at home he promised private backing before the deal eventually collapsed in farce.
Thaksin's financial advisers, Seymour Pierce, say it is different this time around. It is understood he has already lodged proof of funds with the investment bank.
Seymour Pierce chairman Keith Harris, the respected banker who helped broker Randy Lerner's takeover at Aston Villa and Eggert Magnusson's successful bid for West Ham, says he wouldn't risk his reputation on the City deal if he felt Thaksin was not serious.
"We have done a lot of background checking on this guy," said Harris. "We are satisfied with what we have found out."
Thaksin's supporters point to the health reforms and economic prosperity his government delivered during his five and a half years as Prime Minister.
The 58-year-old former policeman now claims he has "washed his hands of politics". His lawyer Noppadol added: "He is a genuine sportsman. He loves sport and there is no other motivation for him in this deal."
Despite that, it is widely believed in Thailand that he will seek a return to power at the first available opportunity.
"This is a guy who doesn't quit," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, professor of political science at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University. "It's not in his nature.
"This is a win-win situation for him. It allows him to stay in the limelight, make news headlines and remain connected to his support base.
"Manchester City under Thaksin will be Thailand's new team. It's going to be a new focal point, it's going to allow him to get a lot of political mileage and score points at home."
But human rights groups believe City fans should be concerned at the prospect of their club being owned by a man who oversaw the deaths of 2,500 small-time amphetamine dealers in a 'war on drugs' in 2003.
Brad Adams, Asian director of Human Rights Watch, said: "If I was a Manchester City fan I would be very afraid of where this all might lead. Supporters have to ask themselves the question: do they want a serving Prime Minister with this sort of background and record running their club?"
City fans, meanwhile, seem unconcerned. Supporters' club spokesman Kevin Parker said: "If you could hand pick who you wanted to invest in your football club, he wouldn't be top of your list. But we desperately need investment in the team."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1735000/images/_1735817_thaksin_ferguson150ap.jpg
Udviklingen er skræmmende!
City fans still silent over Human Rights wrongs
David Bond
May 17, 2007
Telegraph
By the start of next week advisers for Thaksin Shinawatra will complete their examination of Manchester City's books and formally table a £100 million bid for the club.
With a rival offer from City's former full-back Ray Ranson kicked into touch by chairman John Wardle early on, and an unnamed American consortium failing to materialise, the ousted Thai Prime Minister's offer has become the clear frontrunner.
The Thai businessman and politician was at City's Eastlands home earlier this week for talks on the deal and to discuss plans for who should take over from Stuart Pearce as manager following his sacking on Monday.
With so many foreign investors piling into the Premiership over the last three years, fans have become increasingly numb to the prospect of being run by wealthy businessmen from overseas.
But the lack of dissent from City supporters over Thaksin's bid for control of Manchester City is surprising when one considers the outcry which accompanied his abortive attempt to buy into Liverpool three years ago.
Then, human rights groups and supporters united to express their concern at the prospect of one of English football's most revered institutions being part owned by a political leader who had been criticised by the United Nations over Thailand's crackdown on drug dealers and Muslim insurgents in the south of the country.
Since then the political landscape in Thailand has been completely transformed with Thaksin ousted in a military coup last September. He is living in self-imposed exile in Kensington, London, while leaders of the junta have launched criminal proceedings against his wife over a land deal in 2003 which he could also be implicated in.
Members of his family have also been investigated in Thailand over the sale of Thaksin's telecommunications firm, Shin Corp, to Temasek Holdings, an arm of the Singapore Government, in January 2006 in a deal worth $1.88 billion (about £910 million).
The sale attracted criticism because Thaksin's family did not pay tax on the deal. The controversy played a major part in his ousting as Prime Minister last year.
Thaksin's lawyer, Noppadol Pattama, said the corruption allegations were "politically motivated", that he denies them and that if he is charged he will return voluntarily to answer questioning. According to sources in Thailand, however, if he were to return he would risk being arrested.
Whatever the truth about his business dealings, sources in Thailand are questioning his reasons for buying Manchester City. As with his previous attempts to buy Liverpool and Fulham, some are claiming it is little more than a publicity stunt.
With the Premiership hugely popular in Thailand, English football could be seen by Thaksin as a way of boosting his popularity and profile back home.
His attempt to buy 30 per cent of Liverpool in a £65 million deal in 2004 descended into a fiasco as he failed to come up with the money needed to complete the deal.
Despite being a billionaire, he at first attempted to use Thai taxpayers' funds before switching to the country's national lottery. When that led to criticism at home he promised private backing before the deal eventually collapsed in farce.
Thaksin's financial advisers, Seymour Pierce, say it is different this time around. It is understood he has already lodged proof of funds with the investment bank.
Seymour Pierce chairman Keith Harris, the respected banker who helped broker Randy Lerner's takeover at Aston Villa and Eggert Magnusson's successful bid for West Ham, says he wouldn't risk his reputation on the City deal if he felt Thaksin was not serious.
"We have done a lot of background checking on this guy," said Harris. "We are satisfied with what we have found out."
Thaksin's supporters point to the health reforms and economic prosperity his government delivered during his five and a half years as Prime Minister.
The 58-year-old former policeman now claims he has "washed his hands of politics". His lawyer Noppadol added: "He is a genuine sportsman. He loves sport and there is no other motivation for him in this deal."
Despite that, it is widely believed in Thailand that he will seek a return to power at the first available opportunity.
"This is a guy who doesn't quit," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, professor of political science at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University. "It's not in his nature.
"This is a win-win situation for him. It allows him to stay in the limelight, make news headlines and remain connected to his support base.
"Manchester City under Thaksin will be Thailand's new team. It's going to be a new focal point, it's going to allow him to get a lot of political mileage and score points at home."
But human rights groups believe City fans should be concerned at the prospect of their club being owned by a man who oversaw the deaths of 2,500 small-time amphetamine dealers in a 'war on drugs' in 2003.
Brad Adams, Asian director of Human Rights Watch, said: "If I was a Manchester City fan I would be very afraid of where this all might lead. Supporters have to ask themselves the question: do they want a serving Prime Minister with this sort of background and record running their club?"
City fans, meanwhile, seem unconcerned. Supporters' club spokesman Kevin Parker said: "If you could hand pick who you wanted to invest in your football club, he wouldn't be top of your list. But we desperately need investment in the team."