Taksin: buying a uk football club?

[markt]

I've just read on Teletext that PM Taksin was at the Manchester United Vs. Fulham game at the weekend and announced that he discussed the purchase of Fulham with its current owner, Mohammed Al-Fayed.

[Begs]

Time is GMT + 8 hours

Posted: 29 October 2003 1549 hrs

Soccer: Thai premier Thaksin mulls purchase of Fulham football club

 

BANGKOK : Thailand's tycoon-turned-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra said he was considering buying Fulham Football Club of the English Premier League.

"I think it's interesting. I am considering it, but I have not decided yet," Thaksin told journalists when asked about Thai newspaper reports that the kingdom's richest man wanted to buy the team from its Egyptian-born billionaire owner Mohammed Al Fayed.

Thaksin returned this week from a vacation in Britain, where he said he watched London's Fulham beat league champions Manchester United 3-1 at Old Trafford, and met with Al Fayed.

"Mr. Al Fayed said if I am serious (about a purchase) we should talk about it again," Thaksin said.

The Thai leader admitted he drew inspiration from the summer purchase of football powerhouse Chelsea by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, who paid 230 million dollars for the team which is currently second in the table.

"I think it is interesting, a Russian buying an English football club," a smiling Thaksin said.

If any deal were to go through, Thaksin would not buy Fulham outright but would likely head a team of investors, and any decision to purchase would be based squarely on business factors, he said.

He added that he was interested in Fulham because the price may be right.

"There are many good things we can buy at a cheap price, we don't need to buy expensive ones. Some clubs are too expensive, but Fulham is a rising star which is not overly expensive," Thaksin said.

"We don't have to buy a big club with stars like (David) Beckham," he said, referring to the England captain who recently visited Thailand, a country where the Premier League is hugely popular.

The prime minister also said Thai ownership of a top flight team could give Thai footballers opportunities to play on the world stage.

[Begs]

Note he said:

"Thai ownership"

Maybe he meant 49% , and he cant walk on to the pitch or he would be working, and he cant sit behind a desk or he will be arrested.

[Begs]

But when all is said and done, it would be perfect for him, loads of publicity, lots of exposure, and he can afford it, Abramovich is a household name now, nobody had heard of him before he bought Chelsea.

[george]

Not true, according to this article.  

Cottagers dismiss sale rumours 29 Oct

Fulham have rejected speculation that Thailand's Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, is interested in purchasing a majority shareholding in the Cottagers.

Newspaper reports had suggested that Mr Shinawatra was hoping to buy out current chairman, Mohamed Al Fayed.

However an official club statement read: "Chairman Mohamed Al Fayed has been an acquaintance of Mr Shinawatra for a number of years and did meet with him on his short visit to England last weekend.

"During this meeting a possible collaboration between Thailand's football association and Fulham Football Club was discussed.

"But at no time was the purchase of the football club talked about and no approaches have been made to the chairman by any person or organisation regarding this matter.

"Mohamed Al Fayed remains as committed to Fulham Football Club as he has always been, and would like to reiterate that the football club is quite simply not for sale."

[Kan Win]

Not true, according to this article.  

Cottagers dismiss sale rumours 29 Oct

Thailand's Prime Minister,  is interested in purchasing a majority shareholding in the Cottagers.

George

Could one presume that our Good Leader P.M. was miss quoted by the Press and he really only wanted to buy a few Cottages  for his family in London or around the U.K.

???

[Guest IT Manager]

Could one presume that our Good Leader P.M. was miss quoted by the Press and he really only wanted to buy a few Cottages  for his family in London or around the U.K.

???

I thought he was called "Dear Leader". Anyway what would he need a football club for when he has so many foreigners to kick.

Short people got no reason... short people got no reason... short people got noooo reason to live

IMHO

[Kan Win]

Could one presume that our Good Leader P.M. was miss quoted by the Press and he really only wanted to buy a few Cottages  for his family in London or around the U.K.

???

I thought he was called "Dear Leader". Anyway what would he need a football club for when he has so many foreigners to kick.

Short people got no reason... short people got no reason... short people got noooo reason to live

IMHO

######,

O.K. O.K. you got me.

The reason why he (the P.M.) is your  “DEAR Leader” is that, he put all the Visa etc. charges up this year.

Thank you to correct me for that one as I missed it.

Still our Good Leader to me.

 :cool:    :laugh:

[aryanation]

better a thai than some moslem

[Kan Win]

Latest news from:-

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/sport....tandard

-----------------------------------------

Fulham today dismissed claims that the club is attracting takeover interest from Thailand.

Chairman Mohamed Fayed insisted that he would not even contemplate selling after Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra let it be known he was considering making an offer.

 

Billionaire and former telecommunications tycoon Shinawatra had talks with the Harrods owner while on holiday here last weekend and was very impressed by Fulham's 3-1 win at Manchester United.

He said: "I teased Fayed that I was interested in buying Fulham and he told me to come back to talk to him when I was seriously interested. I'm considering this. I will invite business people and the public to join the purchase. The price isn't a problem. It will cost a few pennies."

A Fulham spokesman confirmed that old friends Fayed and Shinawatra met but said the club was only mentioned in relation to a possible collaboration with the Thailand Football Association.

Fayed added: "This is a club I love passionately and I have no intention of selling it, nor would I think about discussing offers."

When he came to power nearly three years ago Thaksin said he was going to run the country like he runs his various businesses. He has his own satellite and his own television channel.

-------------------------------------------------

Now you are up dated.

 ::      :cool:

[Pinkster]

Fulham??

They have no home? Id have thought there is a number of England premier league teams that would make better 'business' sense.

I suppose they do already have Asia's leading player at the club though.

Perhaps Fayed could use the money to really find out what happened to Di & Dodi!  

[KevinN]

But do you think that if he bought the club that he would make club rules so stringent that all farang players would be forced to leave?

[Pinkster]

I wonder!

Mind, most uk football clubs are made up entirely of forigners, its hard to find an englishman in any of the top clubs!

[Rinrada]

I believe that Enfield Town F.C.is up for sale....mai peng. ::

[markt]

Poor old Enfield F.C.

They won the APL (pre conference) one season before automatic promotion to the League was introduced.

Now look at where they are.  

Sad.

[taxexile]

i'm hoping that as an astute businessman he will waste no time and buy leeds united and save that wonderful,glorious beacon of fair play, sporting talent and yorkshire heritage from the miserable fate that surely awaits them at the end of this season.

ps. would the moderator please remove aryanations racist posting from this topic. if he has such a problem with moslems then perhaps he should get out there,show his face and address those same people personally rather than making vicious comments anonymously on this forum.

[Guest IT Manager]

O.K. O.K. you got me.

The reason why he (the P.M.) is your  “DEAR Leader” is that, he put all the Visa etc. charges up this year.

Thank you to correct me for that one as I missed it.

Still our Good Leader to me.

Never assume Kan Win. As a Burmese person you should know that. It makes an ass of u and me.

I am not Thai, not that it would be a bother if I were. I simply am not.Ask Daveyo and Phazey if you don't believe me.

[Begs]

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THAI PREMIER INTERESTED IN FULHAM

Friday 14th November 2003

Shinawatra: Fulham interest

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Billionaire Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has asked a high ranking official of the national team for information on Fulham as he considers a takeover bid for the West London club.

Thawatchai Satchakul, who is in overall charge of the Thai national team, has been asked by the country's political leader to do some research into The Cottagers and says he may even reveal if he is to pursue his interest early in the New Year.

"The prime minister has asked me to study all of the details about Fulham to help him decide what to do next," Satchakul told Reuters.

"He is serious about this. He's not joking.

"I think you may have an answer from him by mid-January."

Thaksin made his money in telecommunications and first expressed an interest when watching Fulham beat Manchester United 3-1 at Old Trafford last month.

Thaksin is said to be on friendly terms with Fulham owner Mohamed Al Fayed but has not indicated that he is willing to sell the club.

[tuky]

Quote (Kan Win @ Oct. 29 2003,21:37)

O.K. O.K. you got me.

The reason why he (the P.M.) is your  “DEAR Leader” is that, he put all the Visa etc. charges up this year.

Thank you to correct me for that one as I missed it.

Still our Good Leader to me.

DEAR Leader/Good Leader...

all sounding a bit DPRK to me.