Fulham for sale?

It is according to The Mirror

9 Jul 2013 22:31
By James Nursey

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If true, who knows what to expect? The fact that he may be courting deep-pocketed overseas buyers is both exciting and terrifying. I'm deeply conflicted....can "improvements" be made without fundamentally altering the culture of the club?

EDIT: The Daily Mail is reporting that some potential buyers are, in fact, American: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...ayed-secret-talks-sell-Fulham--EXCLUSIVE.html. Anyone want to start throwing out names? And has American ownership (particularly an existing NFL owner as the Mail article speculates) ever led to truly great things for any English club?

The Cottage real estate has to be the most valuable asset we have, which has me very concerned about an "outsider" coming in buying the club. If what they're paying for is, essentially, the ground, what's to stop them from making deep, profound changes to the club and its culture?

 

Will believe it when I see it, not exactly the most reliable of sources. Wouldn't come as a shock however given his age.

 

$$$$$$$

 

Hope this is just silly season BS. Not sure what the H5/6 block will sing if MAF can't take them home, by the river...

If it does go through I hope it is a billionaire fan and not a business group. Fulham still needs a passionate owner. Not a board room.

 

That's exactly how I feel, Tim. I'd love to see Fulham become more successful, but not in the way Man City or Chelsea did it. Also agree with SCFulhamfan, I'd rather have a fan than a Kroenke or Laurie type guy who collects franchises to buy the team. Can Hugh Grant, Keith Allen, Lily Allen, Example and every other celebrity and/or rich Fulham fan just pool their money together and buy it?

~ Steve

 

Steve, I could see a celebrity or two buy a small stake for PR purposes (kind of like some of the celebrity "owners" of the Dolphins), but while they're rich, you have to be at another level to own a PL team.

As far as the Jags owner is concerned, Khan has seemed to have done things the right way in his short time there. While being out front, he hasn't been an idiot like Jerry Jones who wants to run player personnel. His philosophy has been to hire football people and let them make decisions, while he's concentrating on the business side. The Jags had to start from scratch, and struck out on the young QB they drafted the year before Khan arrived, so they'll lose again this season, but the talent level has risen. The biggest intrigue is whether or not he'll try and move the team, since Jacksonville really can't sustain an NFL franchise.

There seems to be too much smoke not to be a fire at this point, so if it's going to happen, I hope it happens fast. Bottom line is there needs to be some investment in talent or this season will be a big time struggle.

 

A lot of things about it do make sense. I can't see MAF selling to anyone who would potentially undermine everything he's done to improve the club's situation (except for Michael, of course). He's poured too much into it to see it messed with. The mere fact that he's gotten the club up and kept it up in the PL is nothing short of miraculous in my book, given the bottomless pockets that have come into the league since he got in. I can't believe he would piss it all away just to make a few extra bucks. All that being said, like many of you, I'll believe it when I see it. And when I see it, it should be palatable to those of us who hold the team dear.

Here's a thought. Given the recent success of the Chelsea-Man City match, and the assumed similar interest in the pending Real Madrid-Inter Milan game at Busch Stadium, maybe the Cardinal owners will consider the possibility of buying the club. Wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. They don't have the deep well of money the oil barons have, but they know how to stretch a dollar (or a pound, if you will). They won't overpay for anyone. Period. Yet they put a competetive team on the field year in and year out.

Hello Bill DeWitt?

 

That and hire Caleb Porter as your manager after he wins the MLS Cup this year and we're all set. We're just brain storming right cause none of this is happenin'. At least not until we both win the mega lottery

 

A lot of times you do have to pay up for players if it fills a need. At the end of the season you don't get a better draft pick. Just seen Pompy, Wolves, etc be miss managed and no reinvestment when the first big buys don't work out.

Crossing my fingers and hoping for the best

 

The Real Madrid-Inter match is actually at the Edward Jones Dome. Not sure if the Cardinals are behind it or not. Bears more research...

 

Just an innocent question but how do you become a billionaire as a "car parts manufacturer"? I'm sure there are many, are they all billionaires?

 

Surprised we haven't seen Don chiming in yet. not sure how i feel about another NFL owner in the mix. It's times like these that I wish I was a billionaire.