Manchester United sold?? The owners of this awesome, once-upon-a-time-feared-by-all English football (oops!! soccer...) club are from the USA, a country where soccer is almost non-existent. MLS does exist, but I donot see much coverage on TV. Maybe I have to subscribe to some channel and pay more to the already blown-sky-high cable TV bill, just to see some soccer action! Hmmm...
A long time ago, I was shell-shocked when I heard that the great Roberto Baggio moved to NY-NJ MetroStars of the MLS. For a moment, I thought I had turned on a super bloopers show and the anchor was kidding! Somehow, the thought of soccer and USA together does not present a pretty picture to me. EVER (and I live in this country, people)!
I have been an ardent follower of this soccer club for the past 10 years. I have worshipped them through thick and thin - when they were the undisputed champions of England for years together in a row and when they went through a slump in their form - post 2000 when most of their stars were transferred to lesser worthy (??) clubs. I can't even remember which clubs Dwight Yorke and Andy (Andrew) Cole transferred to. But they came back to form again. Some very talented players were brought into the squad. All those moves showed that the aggresiveness that is characteristic of Manchester United was still present.
Does this takeover of a great club by an American tycoon depict the start of the demise of a great club? I mean, I read here that a lot of external financing was required to complete the takeover. The possibility of raising the ticket fares and decreasing the transfer spending foretells doom for this club (I hope I am wrong!).
I am not following the sport or any associated event with this sport currently, because of the reasons mentioned above. So, I may not have the complete picture when I say this. But, was there nothing that could have been done to prevent this takeover? Soccer has predominantly been a European and South American sport. A European club, in the hands of an American NFL owner can only present an interesting (may not be favorable!) series of events to this fan. I can just hope for better fortunes to this club. They ended up third in the English Premier League this season. I pray to the Almighty and the new owners to take up the right steps in order to restore glory to Manchester United.
GO RED DEVILS!!!
P.S: All you Real Madrid fans can say what you want, but Man Utd is still the best ever... :D.
A long time ago, I was shell-shocked when I heard that the great Roberto Baggio moved to NY-NJ MetroStars of the MLS. For a moment, I thought I had turned on a super bloopers show and the anchor was kidding! Somehow, the thought of soccer and USA together does not present a pretty picture to me. EVER (and I live in this country, people)!
I have been an ardent follower of this soccer club for the past 10 years. I have worshipped them through thick and thin - when they were the undisputed champions of England for years together in a row and when they went through a slump in their form - post 2000 when most of their stars were transferred to lesser worthy (??) clubs. I can't even remember which clubs Dwight Yorke and Andy (Andrew) Cole transferred to. But they came back to form again. Some very talented players were brought into the squad. All those moves showed that the aggresiveness that is characteristic of Manchester United was still present.
Does this takeover of a great club by an American tycoon depict the start of the demise of a great club? I mean, I read here that a lot of external financing was required to complete the takeover. The possibility of raising the ticket fares and decreasing the transfer spending foretells doom for this club (I hope I am wrong!).
I am not following the sport or any associated event with this sport currently, because of the reasons mentioned above. So, I may not have the complete picture when I say this. But, was there nothing that could have been done to prevent this takeover? Soccer has predominantly been a European and South American sport. A European club, in the hands of an American NFL owner can only present an interesting (may not be favorable!) series of events to this fan. I can just hope for better fortunes to this club. They ended up third in the English Premier League this season. I pray to the Almighty and the new owners to take up the right steps in order to restore glory to Manchester United.
GO RED DEVILS!!!
P.S: All you Real Madrid fans can say what you want, but Man Utd is still the best ever... :D.
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