SoccerZero » Manchester United http://www.soccerzero.com Thu, 20 May 2010 15:44:06 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Nomura to assist Red Knights http://www.soccerzero.com/nomura-to-assist-red-knights/ http://www.soccerzero.com/nomura-to-assist-red-knights/#comments Thu, 11 Mar 2010 20:48:53 +0000 RQ http://www.soccerzero.com/?p=801 The bid by Red Knights’ consortium to take over the control of Manchester United received a shot in the arm when Japan’s leading investment bank Nomura agreed to advise them on the possible acquisition. Along with the Red Knights’ Consortium, Manchester United Supporters’ Trust and other potential investors, the job of Nomura will be to “coordinate and formulate the proposal to be put to the Glazer family”. The Nomura team working on the proposal will be headed by Guy Dawson and Andrew McNaught. Both of them were part of the team that advised Board of Manchester United plc when they sold the club to the Glazer family in 2005.

United’s 4-0 defeat of AC Milan was greeted by hostile chants by fans against the Glazer family, who currently own the Manchester based club. The Glazers have come forth and suggested that it would be business as usual, even though the club has been in debt of around £700million. Protesters against the Glazers have donned gold and green scarves in recent weeks as a mark of protest. And their cause received a huge endorsement when United’s returning golden boy David Beckham donned a green and gold scarf himself to show his support to the cause.

]]> http://www.soccerzero.com/nomura-to-assist-red-knights/feed/ 0 No playoff for the final Champions League Spot http://www.soccerzero.com/no-playoff-for-the-final-champions-league-spot/ http://www.soccerzero.com/no-playoff-for-the-final-champions-league-spot/#comments Fri, 05 Mar 2010 07:38:58 +0000 RQ http://www.soccerzero.com/?p=799 The Premier League clubs’ chairmen have shot down a proposal which would have seen a playoff being played between fourth and fifth placed teams for the final Champions League slot. As per the current regulations, the top two finishers in the Premier League have direct qualification to the UCL while teams finishing third and fourth have to play qualifying rounds. The proposal mooted that the final Champions League spot be granted to the winner of the playoff which was to be played between the fourth and fifth placed teams in the League after the end of the season. The fortunes of the top three finishing teams were not to be affected.

The likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool were quick to voice their dissatisfaction over the suggestion. Other teams in the top half were considerate enough to give it a thought with Martin O’Neill describing it as “interesting” and one that “people might go for”.

Any change in the current format would have needed the approval of 14 of the 20 Premier League clubs. With the television deal in place for the next three years, any change would have reflected only after the current deal expired.

Also, the general consensus at the meeting was that the team finishing in fourth position after a gruelling season deserved to play in the Champions League. The congestion in the English football calendar did not help the change at all. Premier League bosses feared that this change would reduce the significance of the FA’s other tournaments especially the FA Cup. Why mend something that ain’t broken?

]]> http://www.soccerzero.com/no-playoff-for-the-final-champions-league-spot/feed/ 0