THE WOLF'S DEN - Tana dei Lupi I

[stefano]

Shield when and why are you headed to New York?

Aba, stop being such a bitch.

[RomaShield27]

[stefano]

[oily]

[RomaShield27]

Interesting piece, from an English perspective:



–Wednesday 27 August 2008 15:00

The legendary speculator, philanthropist and pontificator came close to buying the Serie A club this summer just before its president Franco Sensi died after a long illness.

Though he was briefly linked with the Washington Nationals baseball team, Soros has shown no great interest in sport in general or football in particular. He is not the only American tycoon to mull an investment in Serie A: another group, TAG Partners, bid for Bologna but the takeover collapsed after the buyers were refused more time.

Soros is a know it all, but no one – even right-wing Americans whose eyes pop with fury at the mention of his name – ever thought him stupid. So, what did he see in Roma? The answer to that question – as far as we can construct one – isn’t terribly good news for the Premiershit.

Smart investors have the gift of timing, knowing when to get in ahead of the game and, more importantly, when to get out.

If Soros was tempted by football as an investment, the obvious target would have been England, home to the world’s most lucrative league which draws the greatest global TV audience.

But who would he buy? As Kevin Keegan has pointed out, to his owner’s chagrin, catching up with the big four might cost you £100million or so. Even within the big four, a divide is opening up with Liverfekkin'wankscum seemingly unable, albeit partly because of internal politics, to match the spending power of Chelsea and Manchester United.

There is still profit to be made in the Premiershit but how much scope is there for someone like Soros to come in and transform a club’s profitability?
The answer to that may depend on your opinion of the quality of the management of British football clubs. From personal experience, I would suggest the quality is variable.

At its very worst, I am reminded of a colleague who met the director of a once high flying club to talk about a publication to be given away to reward season ticket holders’ loyalty. The deal seemed done when the club rang up to announce that, while they were perfectly happy to pay the publisher a few grand to produce the publication, they would be invoicing him £50,000 for use of the club brand.

Struck by the absurdity of the club charging him £50,000 for the right to do something for the club which the club wanted to do anyway to impress its supporters, my friend let the deal die. I remember him saying: “The worst part wasn’t the hassle, or the waste of time, it was that the director sat through the whole of the crucial meeting with his flies wide open.â€

[RomaShield27]

[SPqR]

[stefano]

[RomaShield27]

[stefano]

[Kroo]

[aba_bab]

[stefano]

[oily]

[RomaShield27]

[maro]

[vtec]

[RomaShield27]

[stefano]

Bacon and cabbage? How is that prepared/eaten?

[Italiamia]

Edzo, make a reservation at either Babbo or Po, so you can eat some decent Italian food. Your girlfriend will thank you for it. I say to hell with the cheese burger joint. Go to a good Pizzeria before that one. Dino knows a good Pizzeria, but you may need a loaded weapon in that neighborhood. I don't know your interests so I cannot make a recommendation yet. I don't know, maybe I can meet you for dinner one night. It depends on when you are arriving and my schedule. If you are interested of course. I know you will be with the girl and all.