1.) 09 Feb 2023
09 Feb 2023 18:07:51
It's inevitable really.
Whilst the bidding group from Qatar may well have links to the Royal Family, they will instruct legal intellectuals far superior to all of us to ensure they pass the unavoidable tests.

Now, we all know PSG have become a major force in European football but, let's imagine they were in England or Spain - just imagine the enormous force they'd be then.

French domestic football is still a vastly inferior product to the PL and La Liga so, irrespective of the money being pumped into PSG, the level of prestige will never be there. Manchester United Football Club is a proper footballing brand and, despite the debt, the additional potential of naming rights for a new stadium will only add to the attraction.

A Qatari purchase in the PL is inevitable and United are still the biggest draw.

2.) 09 Feb 2023
09 Feb 2023 20:44:37
It’s a bit rich that the league claimed that the Abramovich scenario was a wake up call and perspective owners would have to be vetted to an higher ethical standard.

But a country with an appalling human rights record will now be able to buy the most successful club in the country without any major barriers.

3.) 09 Feb 2023
09 Feb 2023 21:44:59
Did the Glazers not fund the Bush presidential campaign Danny? Who, once elected, invaded and killed a million Iraqi. Don't think anyone can be talking about morals here fella.

4.) 09 Feb 2023
09 Feb 2023 21:50:27
Danny.

Like the 'investor in people' garbage on the side of the odd place of employment, the qualifying criteria amounts to little for those beneath the top brass.

There's always a vivid hue to everything at the top table now, one that disguises the more egregious, murky side of elite sports. It's not exclusive to Association Football, it's everywhere - the money machine that drains the soul from the respective game until it becomes a commercial maelstrom that cannot avoid consuming itself.

Do you think any of these incredibly powerful people have consistently conducted themselves with honour and sincerity?

Yes, the Qataris would represent a difficult pill to swallow, no doubt, but, let's be real, these pills are absolutely everywhere - plenty are administered from our very own shores.

I would not be happy but, I'll be brutally honest, it probably wouldn't stop my support for the club.

Does that mean I'm a lesser human?
Maybe so.

That said, look at our government - nobody within reason could be less than that shower so I'm surely not the worst.

5.) 09 Feb 2023
09 Feb 2023 22:22:30
I've been an ardent opponent of the Glazers all along but accusing them of responsibility for the Iraq invasion because they contributed to the Bush campaign is a bit much. By that logic anyone who voted Labor putting Blair in power is morally responsible for the decision to aid the invasion, over which they had no control.

6.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 01:58:14
Do people believe that Brits of all people used to rule half the world with exemplary human rights? Lol. Every country that has a growth story, has a history not to be proud of.

I personally would have preferred if football stayed away from social issues that ship sailed in Argentina in the 70s.

7.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 08:00:36
I'm not sure there are many people who could afford to buy our club who haven't done the odd questionable thing to get where they are. You don't become a billionaire by being a nice guy.

Obviously some have made more morally questionable choices than others.

As we have learned under the Glazer ownership fans cannot control who owns them. I just hope whoever does come in has a plan and wants us to succeed on the pitch.

I understand that some fans don't want certain owners and I respect that. I do find it hard to understand how some fans would actually walk away from the club if those potential owners did buy the club.

If you're daughter married a drug dealer are you going to cut her off and stop loving and supporting her?

We don't get a day in who are kids marry and we don't get a day in who buys the club we support. All we get to do is decide whether we continue to support them or not.

I've loved our club for longer then any potential new owners will likely own the club. I'm not going to cut my nose off to spite my face. But respect others will.

8.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 11:39:56
I'm reading here lots of whataboutary.

Quick question for FootballGoesInCircles, scholes_18_18 and Woggle:

Would you support Man Utd if it was owned by Adolf Hitler?

9.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 12:07:01
The Iraq war was morally justifiable. The country was governed by a reprehensible dictator who did nothing for his subjects and enabled terrorists to carry out their attacks worldwide

Where it went wrong was the lack of planning beforehand to ensure that there would be a proper succession plan in place to enable the country to be governed properly and able to grow economically. There was also a ridiculous expectation that Western style democracy could immediately take root in an area of the world not used to such ideals. NONE of that was the Glazers fault.

The Qatari regime cares little for its subjects, even less for foreign workers, and has sponsored terrorists for decades. In no way are they fit and proper persons to own or run a football club. We know Eufa and FIFA are corrupt organisations and money and prestige will win them over. As fans we can and should make our feelings known.

I would rather United played in the conference division than the Qataris took it over but my dissenting voice is small. If however there was a well organised campaign against blood money owners then perhaps en masse we might win out. How many supporters though can be arsed to really make a strong protest.

10.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 12:16:15
MancMan

Honestly mate, if you think there's a valid correlation between the Qataris and Hitler, then I cannot really take your question seriously.

As I said, it may be so that I'm subsequently a lesser human.

11.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 15:02:21
Thanks for the reply Woggle. I ask because I am curious as to whether some fans really don't care who the owners are and what they do as long as they keep spending money on players and facilities.

From your comments I take it that you are OK with owners who practice modern slavery, imprison homosexuals, abuse human rights and oppress women like the Qataris do but perhaps owners who commit genocide might be a bit much for your tastes?

You better hope the Saudis don't buy the club then.

12.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 16:16:49
Newcastle passed the, “right and proper “ test. Somehow.

13.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 16:40:20
Did i just see the Iraqi invasion being justified. Brilliant. How about Syria then? Afghanistan? Or all the other countries where NATO forces are holidaying?

14.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 16:49:01
To try and take the politics away from it.

I’ll support Manchester United. Ideally we get a squeaky clean owner, but that won’t happen. When the brand (I hate that term) is as big as it is, you have to accept that the types of people or groups that can afford it may not be the greatest bunch of folk in the world.

Do I approve human rights abuses etc? No of course I don’t. I just try to support my football club, and will continue to do so.

15.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 17:12:41
Are we talking about the US government owning United? Seems like a silly false equivalence. Did Malcom Glazer kill members of the LGBTQ+ community? Does Jim Ratcliffe prevent women from higher education?

No nation should own a club, period.

16.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 17:14:27
But Caolan, it's impossible to take politics away because politics is the core reason why the Qatari/ Saudi/ Abu Dhabi etc GOVERNMENTS want to own premier league football clubs; i. e. for the purpose of sportswashing.

Also Manchester United is not your football club is it? It would be their club and would represent them. As a supporter of the club you would be directly endorsing its owners and their actions. Are you really comfortable with that?

It seems like the prospect of Man Utd being bought by a despotic Government is just a minor inconvenience for a lot of supporters and they would prefer just to accept it rather than rail against it.

If these supporters love Man Utd as much as they say they do, why be so passive when faced with a horrible corruption of the club so that it it is tainted by the values of its owners and the terrible things they do.

I think it's wrong to shrug off so lightly the impact of being owned by nasty foreign governments when it affects the very soul of what Manchester United is all about and what it stands for.

17.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 17:57:27
We all support the club for different reasons. It will always be my club to me. If you think supporting the club, is supporting the people who own it and endorse their actions, then that’s your opinion. I just focus on myself and my own beliefs. I try to be a good dad and a decent person. I’m not perfect and nor will I ever claim to be.

I genuinely can’t control who owns this club, I’ve said above I’d love to see a nice squeaky clean owner who loves the club as much as I do. That won’t happen. Am I justifying Qatar or another despotic state? No, I’m just accepting of the fact we will be sold to the highest bidder, no matter who that may be. These people in charge do not care about fans, look at the protests against the glazers before they took over, or even after. I think they’re selling now because financially they’ve taken us as far as they feel they can, in terms of their own personal return.

I support United because of the relationship I have with my grandfather and he became a United fan, and really a football fan because of Munich. I honestly never tire of hearing his stories, about the games he’s been too and the players he’s seen. It might be like Uncle Albert chatting about the war, but every time I get goosebumps.

No matter who’s in charge, who’s playing for the club or who owns it that will not change. The fact I speak to him twice a week for 5 or 10 mins means more to me than the result on the pitch. This club has given me a relationship with him that led me to name my son after him, for that reason it’ll always be my club and will always hold a really special place with me.

So like I said in my original post, I support Manchester United. Not those who run it.

18.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 18:21:45
MancMan

Let me put it this way.
If you, like anyone else, are naive enough to think that there's no chance of your club being bought by questionable and objectionable people, then may I suggest following a club with next to no prospect of international success.

The Qataris were always going to want their fingers in the Premier Pie and will absolutely do everything they can to get the best truffle.
If we're talking principles then, in light of the ownership of City and Newcastle, why have you not already begun to dislike the values of a sporting hierarchy that has simply become a hugely profitable commercial product that will now only ever accommodate money and power before morals and respect?

As for my values, well, I'm using a device that contains questionably sourced material that, like yourself I'm sure, I've not checked upon to ensure all given virtues are covered.

I live in a country that, historically, has more blood on it's hands than most and is nowhere remotely near the level of righteousness from reparations that some believe it to be.

Let me make this clear - I'm a passionate and bullish advocate for the rights of all marginalised communities - including the tiny one that's currently being savaged by fascist ideologies every day, unlike most people who sit in silence wallowing in their privilege.

Yes, the ownership would be questionable and I've already conceded that I might be a lesser person, but let's not be getting so full of self-importance to presume that I would endorse any societal injustice - for that would beg subsequent questions of yourself.

I've never been to OT, let alone attend a game. My main club is in League 1, they get the bulk of my football money.

19.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 18:58:25
Chelsea has more fans now than they had before Abrahamovic took over. Same for PSG, City and certainly Newcastle in the near future. Go figure.

It’s irrelevant who owns the club as long the club is being run properly and is succesful. When i turn on the TV on the weekends to watch the game, it’s the game that i want to see and i don't give a damn to who owns the club.

20.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 19:28:01
A million people dead and you say "Morally justifiable" shame on you!

21.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 20:12:50
Mancman

Why do you support a football club? Is it because they are owned by a group that has the same social values as you? I follow United because when I started watching football, they played the most exciting football, were starting to win something (just happened to be around Fergies 5th year) had some personalities that I liked and gave me the excitement that I fell in love with. From then, loyalties are formed and I don't like the owners, I don't like that Qatar might bid and win but I don't see me stopping to watching them play. I still feel excited every time they play. When that stops, I will too.

22.) 10 Feb 2023
10 Feb 2023 20:14:29
I support a football team, I will continue to support a football team. If people want to put their political beliefs on me and say it means I am supporting some regime somewhere then that's fine by me as well.

I no more believe Geordies are supportive of the Saudi regime than I believe in the tooth fairy.

I have learnt that there is little point in trying to change somebody with a political viewpoint as the argument has little to do with logic and everything to do with reinforcing their view.

If somebody want to force that viewpoint on everybody again let them. Whoever takes over at United will do so, some will like it and some won't, the only thing I will judge them on is if they were a good owner for United or not.

I am sure there is enough Social Media platforms in the world for them to campaign on whatever it is they fancy so long as I can watch a game of football in person or on tele without my view of my team being blocked by them I don't care much.

I am sure they can find some like minded people to be outraged with, again so long as I can see United play I am good, even better if we are successful playing good football including some lads who have come through the academy.

GGMU.

23.) 11 Feb 2023
11 Feb 2023 08:28:24
This is why football and politics don't mix.

Ultimately most of not all billionaires have done some morally questionable things to get where they are, some more than others, some more obviously than others.

I'm not sure discussing historical atrocities which were committed by people who are long dead adds much to the discussion about the morality of people living today either.

The Glazers are pretty disliked/ hated amoungst the majority of the fans base, and they have been for the past 17 years. Yet I'm not sure many fans have walked away.

Many of those who set up FC United retain season tickets at Old Trafford, watch on TV and still carry a passion for the club in their hearts. They are still supporters of the club.

Ultimately we are fans of the club and not the owners, without looking it up who can name ALL the owners the club has had during the time they have supported the club?

Personally I think it would be foolish to cut something you love and brings you enjoyment out of your life because the people who own it do things you don't agree with. The only person who loses in that scenario is yourself.

Besides, are you going to avoid every company/ entity that does morally questionable things? Not by Apple products because of the sweatshops they have around the world? Not use Amazon because of the shocking conditions the employees are under all to make more money for Jeff Bezos? Not watch Sky because of Murdoch and the shady things he's done? What about food and massive companies like Nestlé or Monsanto who do morally questionable things all the time from pesticides, to taking advantage of farmers around the globe? Or steer clear of pharmaceutical companies that test on animals? Or any large industrial that pollutes the land, seas and sky?

I mean where do you draw this imaginary line of when something becomes to morally bad for you to continue to buy their products and fund them? Which morals mean something to you and which are you prepared to turn a blind eye to?