ALL SHEIKH-EN UP
The Premier League has been mothballed for more than a week, allowing the much-maligned international break a chance to shine. We’ve seen Scotland qualify for the Euro 2024 group stages, Wales revive their campaign and Gareth Southgate lean in to his new irritable, eye-rolling late-era England manager phase. We’ve seen it all, quite frankly – but in a league where 50% of the entertainment happens off the pitch, the Barclays was never going to stay in the shadows. And so it proved on Saturday night, just as Lithuania were taking the lead in Bulgaria, as Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad al-Thani dramatically pulled the plug on his multibillion-pound bid to buy Manchester United.
The Qatari’s shock announcement also included a handily itemised here’s-what-you-could-have-won rundown of riches, focused on transfers, Carrington, fixing the roof on the Theatre of Drips, and a speedboat. Sheikh Jassim made five separate bids for United, the latest one in June offering almost double the club’s £2.63bn value, plus another £1.4bn thrown in for investment. But after months of publicly courting the club and leaving plaintive voicemails with Old Trafford reception, he’s decided he doesn’t really fancy United after all.
While the sheikh may well move on to pursue other sporting monoliths, his withdrawal has opened the door for Sir Jim Ratcliffe. He may sound like an inter-war England cricket captain, but Ratcliffe is a modern business mogul who has built sport into his chemical empire at Ineos, with a cycling team and Ligue 1’s Nice already in his grasp. Ratcliffe has been more popular than Sheikh Jassim as a potential new owner among United fans – and to be honest, if it got rid of the Glazers, said supporters would probably accept a consortium led by Curly Watts, Jamie Carragher and Moonchester. But that’s the problem – a couple of weeks before the Qatari cash bid for 100% of the club was scrapped, Ratcliffe had begun making noises about accepting a 25% minority stake.
That has now come to pass, with the United board to stop lighting cigars with dollar bills long enough to approve his £1.3bn offer. Ratcliffe will have his foot firmly in the door and there has been talk of him taking over the club’s sporting operations – but much like everything else at Old Trafford, the deal feels confusing and in danger of becoming a damp squib. All of which means that, almost a year after announcing their intention to get out of town, the Glazers are still in charge and … well, has anybody really got what they wanted out of this drawn-out affair? FFP restrictions mean a January war chest is about as likely as fans celebrating the new ownership model. Erik ten Hag now has to pick up the pieces and guide his team through a run of big fixtures before the next international break (yes, another one) in November. On the bright side, at least this historic club won’t be used as a sportswashing tool. What’s that? Oh dear.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I showed the video today to the players, for them to understand the history. It’s the first time in 70 years it’s been played for, so there is big meaning to this” – Graham Arnold is hoping to bring the (once actually) flamin’ “soccer Ashes” back to Australia with him when his Socceroos take on New Zealand in – checks notes – Brentford for the recently rediscovered prize. It’s the ashes of two cigars smoked by former captains, in case you were wondering. Imagine the uproar on social media disgraces if the modern-day skippers did that.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
Re: the Mitre Mystery (Football Daily letters passim). The desolation of a frigid, windswept Saturday morning on the outskirts of Glasgow circa 1973. Picture an undersized 12-year-old, whose n1pples are red-raw from the wet freezing poly-something strip and who really, really wants to go home and eat beans on toast in front of Football Focus. It’s not even half-time and he can’t feel his toes. Only in these conditions can the full impact of the ‘dimpled’ Mitre be felt [sounds like the Mouldmaster – Football Daily Ed]. The ball is hard as a rock. The wet gravel sticks to the surface of the ball and lacerates any skin it comes into contact with. It is a WMD and the pain to my inner thigh has stayed with me this past 50 years” – Douglas Hardie.
As a Palace fan, I well remember that Pajtim Kasami goal for Fulham (yesterday’s Football Daily). As he chested it down in front of him, every one of us inside the stadium, the Palace defence included, had the same thought simultaneously. If you’re gonna try and shoot from there son, be my guest. Sometimes you just have to tip your hat and say well done” – Neil Chapman.
Even as a Palace fan, you have to say that goal was remarkable. And from a team who had been struggling to that point that season? You can’t get more Palace than that” – James Yelland.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Neil Chapman.
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