Tottenham Takeover Talk

[brasil_spur]

absolutely not, I support spurs because I like that the club still has a soul. with this we'd be no different than City, Chelsea, PSG, the like.

I disagree with this.

There is a difference between being owned by these types of organisations and having investment from them.

There's also the ENIC thing to consider. ENIC themslves are an investment company - i'm very sure that ENIC already make a chunk of their money from investing in things that we would consider to be unethical and morally dubious. So we're already getting investment that isn't anywhere near transparent and morally clean. This just increases this somewhat.

There's also a point around what Qatar are trying to do right now which gets overlooked a lot. Of course they have terrible human rights records right now. BUT - they are trying to change. Sure some of this is coming in the form of sports washing, but also they are legitamately trying to become more westernised and this will result in better human rights in the country over time. Investing in things outside of Qatar and in things that have oversight around them (like global sports) is actually a way of these regimes having to improve things and to socially progress themselves.

I get that there is controversy here and in an ideal world we would get investment from elsewhere, but in reality the world is pretty fucked right now and from a sports perspective we need investment to remain competitive.

I'm for it overall, as it's definitely a diluted version of what has happened at City, PSG, Newcastle etc...

edit: I would also add - are all those that are outraged by QSI investment to the point of boycoting Spurs, also people who have banned Apple products from their lives? Or are some of you typing these messages from an iphone (that has used child and slave labour to be produced)?

 

[tony0379]

I’ll burn my Spurs kits.

That's the spirit

 

[Spursfan1414]

As someone who has supported us long enough to know what it's like to win things, trust me when I say it won't. You won't give it a second thought when it happens. It may give you less of a bragging standpoint post win, but it won't feel cheapened at all if/when it happens.

ive spent the last 48 hours or so trying to find as much out about this and QSI as I can and Whilst I'd prefer it to be someone else I'm actually coming to terms with it tbh.

That's an entirely personal thing, there's no way you can tell other people how they would or wouldn't feel.

Can tell you for a fact it will feel less for me, it will be on my mind, even more so because the source of the money is so appalling.

I don't want my club to be a billboard for these ****s, I'd rather win nothing for another 20 years than have them involved.

 

[Wig]

The sad fact is that Qatari investment could be absolutely game-changing for us on the football pitch. Look what happened since they took over PSG. Them buying Neymar out of his Barcelona 200M release clause like it was nothing. They're not investing in football clubs to try and get a return on their investment, they want the massive international publicity that comes with teams playing at the highest level.

A Qatari investment may put the big boot up Levy's backside to stop haggling every penny on incoming transfers and to back our serial-winner manager.

 

[Spursfan1414]

I disagree with this.

There is a difference between being owned by these types of organisations and having investment from them.

There's also the ENIC thing to consider. ENIC themslves are an investment company - i'm very sure that ENIC already make a chunk of their money from investing in things that we would consider to be unethical and morally dubious. So we're already getting investment that isn't anywhere near transparent and morally clean. This just increases this somewhat.

There's also a point around what Qatar are trying to do right now which gets overlooked a lot. Of course they have terrible human rights records right now. BUT - they are trying to change. Sure some of this is coming in the form of sports washing, but also they are legitamately trying to become more westernised and this will result in better human rights in the country over time. Investing in things outside of Qatar and in things that have oversight around them (like global sports) is actually a way of these regimes having to improve things and to socially progress themselves.

I get that there is controversy here and in an ideal world we would get investment from elsewhere, but in reality the world is pretty fucked right now and from a sports perspective we need investment to remain competitive.

I'm for it overall, as it's definitely a diluted version of what has happened at City, PSG, Newcastle etc...

edit: I would also add - are all those that are outraged by QSI investment to the point of boycoting Spurs, also people who have banned Apple products from their lives? Or are some of you typing these messages from an iphone (that has used child and slave labour to be produced)?

What is the difference exactly? Their aims are exactly the same, to sportswash their reputation. Look it's already working literally in the next sentence where you try and conflate between an investment company and an autocratic regime that supresses LGBT people and uses modern day slave labour, as though they're in someway comparable.

The idea that you integrate a foreign country into your economy and they then become increasingly westernised is and always has been nonsense. People said exactly the same about China and Russia, how did that turn out? They're not going to suddenly legalise LGBT rights because they bought a football club. It's the opposite, they don't change, we do, because we stop calling them out.

And yeah we've all been born into a world where we cannot survive without using products that are produced unethically. You can't work in the UK today without using some sort of technology that was produced by people working in horrible conditions. Most of Europe still buys Russian energy because it's the only way to stop people freezing to death in the winter. None of that means people are hypocrites for opposing a horrible autocratic regime investing into our football club just so that we can win some trophies. That point has big "yet you live in society" energy.

 

[Japhet]

What is the difference exactly? Their aims are exactly the same, to sportswash their reputation. Look it's already working literally in the next sentence where you try and conflate between an investment company and an autocratic regime that supresses LGBT people and uses modern day slave labour, as though they're in someway comparable.

The idea that you integrate a foreign country into your economy and they then become increasingly westernised is and always has been nonsense. People said exactly the same about China and Russia, how did that turn out? They're not going to suddenly legalise LGBT rights because they bought a football club. It's the opposite, they don't change, we do, because we stop calling them out.

And yeah we've all been born into a world where we cannot survive without using products that are produced unethically. You can't work in the UK today without using some sort of technology that was produced by people working in horrible conditions. Most of Europe still buys Russian energy because it's the only way to stop people freezing to death in the winter. None of that means people are hypocrites for opposing a horrible autocratic regime investing into our football club just so that we can win some trophies. That point has big "yet you live in society" energy.

Wish I could 'winner' this multiple times.

 

[Zaphod]

I suppose yes I would welcome investment from QSI.

I've thought long and hard and come to the realisation I'm a hypocritical pragmatist.

 

[Lifelong]

Whether you're onboard or not if it happens, it happens, and you carry on supporting the club you love or if you can't, then you walk away........as the old saying goes, if you can't beat them.....

 

[punkisback]

Don't think that club needs more money, just someone ambitious who will spend more and invest in better scouting, youth recruitment etc. We can spend 400m this transfer window and be within FFP rules. Hope we end up becoming like Liverpool or United before Glazers, not like City/Chelsea etc.

Agree it’s about who’s in charge not about who’s backing. Spending half a bill per season won’t guarantee success. The problem is the trust at the top for the manager to spend money.

 

[mil1lion]

Whether you're onboard or not if it happens, it happens, and you carry on supporting the club you love or if you can't, then you walk away........as the old saying goes, if you can't beat them.....

People don't simply walk away....they have to let everyone know they've walked away. That's usually how it goes, like the people who refused to watch the world cup and have to let us all know they did

 

[KirstyG]

I didn’t agree with Qatar having the World Cup for many reasons, not least the human rights issue, so I would be hypocritical to welcome this investment

I agree, but let's not kid ourselves all super wealthy individuals have tainted money. Whether they invest in those countries, sell arms etc so just because it isn't front and centre it doesn't make it less bad. Sadly it's the way of things.

 

[jurgen11]

No more Y Army then ?

 

[max cady]

I go with what is best for the club and stick with it. 58 years supporting spurs I'm not going to change now.

 

[brasil_spur]

What is the difference exactly? Their aims are exactly the same, to sportswash their reputation. Look it's already working literally in the next sentence where you try and conflate between an investment company and an autocratic regime that supresses LGBT people and uses modern day slave labour, as though they're in someway comparable.

The idea that you integrate a foreign country into your economy and they then become increasingly westernised is and always has been nonsense. People said exactly the same about China and Russia, how did that turn out? They're not going to suddenly legalise LGBT rights because they bought a football club. It's the opposite, they don't change, we do, because we stop calling them out.

And yeah we've all been born into a world where we cannot survive without using products that are produced unethically. You can't work in the UK today without using some sort of technology that was produced by people working in horrible conditions. Most of Europe still buys Russian energy because it's the only way to stop people freezing to death in the winter. None of that means people are hypocrites for opposing a horrible autocratic regime investing into our football club just so that we can win some trophies. That point has big "yet you live in society" energy.

Again we all have different viewpoints on this, but for me the whole thing is a sliding scale of grey, and where you decide to draw the line on it is a personal decision. Yes the Qatari regime is a darker grey than ENIC and i'm not at any point trying to claim that they are the same, but they also aren't totally different things. For example it's very likely that ENIC invests in organisations that contribute to the suppression of LGBT people and I can guarantee that they invest in organisations that use modern day slavery.

Likewise when it comes to choosing to purchase an iphone - there are definitely better and more ethical phones available that have the same functionality, yet people decide to either accept the child and slave labour or are oblivious to it because it's not convenient for them to see it. Your very broad statement of "You can't work in the UK today without using some sort of technology that was produced by people working in horrible conditions." is exactly the type of nuance you criticise me for with regards to ENIC and QSI - because yes you most certainly can choose better technology products if you want to - again it's a sliding grey scale and everyone draws their line somewhere on it.

In terms of your point about becoming more westernised - I personally think this is the most short sighted part of your reply. Firstly, to assume this isn't going to happen is defeatist and gives them no incentive or goodwill to try and make this happen. Human rights are, objectively, better in UAE than they used to be and this is exactly because of this westernisation of their culture. If Qatar follows suit then this will be an improvement. The very fact that they are looking for inclusion in the west means that they in turn need to be more inclusive of western values. The World Cup is a great example of this - I will say now that 100% they did not go anywhere near far enough in terms of what they SHOULD be doing, but they also didn't arrest people that normally (and historically under other contexts) they would have. This is progress. It's not fast enough progress, it's not good enough progress, but it is progress.They're certainly not going to suddenly legalise LGBT rights - this took decades in western societies and frankly is even at risk, today, in the world's largest western country - America (see the footnotes from Roe vs Wade overturn that talks about re-examining gay marriage rights in the US).

In terms of buying energy from Russia - no, that's not true, there are many things that could have been and could still be implemented to eradicate the reliance on Russian energy.

 

[anydange]

I’d welcome it but seeing how the club is run I doubt it would change much apart from how much we spend on players & wages. The club needs a new leadership and a change in culture, not just money.

 

[IfiHadTheWings]

No more Y Army then ?

To be honest your post alone shows that it will not be long before the word 'yid' is no longer associated with the club at matchdays especially, regardless of who the ownership is.

the tide is turning on it and has been for years now.

 

[PrettyColors]

I would accept it but I would no longer be a fan in the same way I am today. It would be like us joining the Super League. We would cease to be Tottenham the football club and instead become Tottenham the brand of an investment vehicle.

You could argue that’s already happened and I’m pretty sure this would be the final nail in the coffin. That being said if we DON’T do it, we will be left behind and never make CL again.

 

[HodisGawd]

I agree, but let's not kid ourselves all super wealthy individuals have tainted money. Whether they invest in those countries, sell arms etc so just because it isn't front and centre it doesn't make it less bad. Sadly it's the way of things.

While true, that doesn't justify directly taking money off murderers who just want to use your club to cover their crimes.

Everyone knows the whole financial system is tainted, but that doesn't make you a hypocrite if you stand up to its worst excesses.

 

[Spurzinho]

Can't really say can I? Not without knowing what strings are attached. Do they just want a share of any potential stadium sponsorship and/or future sale? Or would they want a say in how the club is run? Would they see it as a preliminary to a full takeover down the line? What's their priority? Prestige or profit? So many questions. So few answers.

 

[southlondonyiddo]

Not for me - Not a fan of sports washing. Ordinary, private Billionaires are bad enough!

Takes the game away from us even more. Just becomes a plaything of foreign states which isn’t good for us and can potentially be dangerous

A very slippery slope….