If you haven't read it already, he's been using scare-tactics on blogs supporting Arsenal. More specifically the webhosts. Backs up this "mobster" claims. Arseblog has a write-up about it today: http://arseblog.com/WP/2007/09/21/arsenal-usmanov-and-websites-arsecast-45/
I've been really troubled by these intimidation tactics. Very telling in terms of how this new Russian on the block likes to operate. Also showcases how amazingly shortsighted the man is - chasing every blogger down for critical commentary is simply impossible. I just hope the Board can hold it together. While I wasn't supportive of the Kroenke bid and I didn't particularly like the way PHW and others handled it, at least he was sports fan looking to make some money. The Russian seems like he just wants a new expensive toy, and that's terrifying.
Definitely both. I can just hear Boris the Hutt telling Wenger "We have decided you need to buy Shevchenko."
Just so you are aware at the meeting with the club tomorrow, on the agenda which I received today is a 30 minute slot put aside regarding all ownership of the club issues. I will be able to therefore give more information on any statements after the game tomorrow.
Already been told we are not allowed. I will take notes and quote though. The majority of the meeting will be on Arsenal.com in the next two weeks. I will obviously put as much up here as I can.
Like I'm going to post here with my real name along with my nationality! Get real!. I was just refering to the fact I find it funny how the Russians' get slammed for everything under the sun & most of it come's from the American & English camps' that have no room to talk. The good old Russians' were ok enough to go to bat with you guys' & do the dirty work for you in the second world war but after that they were of course Godless people & all that. My point is not just in Russia but also in America as well in England big business along with governments' is nothing more than the white colar mob! Well educated, well funded crooks! That's reality! For the record I'm not Italian & no I am not Russian either so there you have it!
It's not like Russia didn't have a stake in fending off the Germans in the Great Patriotic War. War makes strange bedfellows and all that. Well educated, well funded, legal crooks. The days of robber barons here in the States and England are long gone. The Russian mob, however, swings a big stick in their country. It's been a long time since I saw Bill Gates whack a guy because he didn't toe the line. I'm anti-big business/big-government, but it's a totally different game in the US as opposed to Russia.
The Keith Edelman interview was very interesting, if not a little bit of British corporate/finance minutia. Anyway here's what I was left with... 1. R&W can't make any takeover bid before Feb'08 b/c of their stated intentions when R&W was formed. 2. Any hostile takeover attempt before Apr'08 is likely to fail b/c of the board's "lockdown agreement" through then. Now, I suppose none of this is truly legally binding and so it might end up being "all's fair in love & war" (& football clubs). But I have the feeling this might not come to a head until the 2nd half of the season, and for the team's sake, LET'S HOPE NOT! One last thing still leaves me scratching my head. Why would Fiszman sell a 1% block of shares last spring? Did someone explain this earlier?? It lowered Fiszman under the 25% veto-level, and presumably lowered the board's total ownership by 1%. Unless it was b/c of some internal board politics, it doesn't seem to make any sense.
I am going to go from the viewpoint of someone having actually done business in a 3rd World economy and so kno the realities of it. (Africa I am sure you will be surprised to hear...............) Frankly all business in a developing economy needs bribes, strongmen and powerful figures or it doesn't work. You can sit and preach democracy and fairness and no corruption but the reality is that without it, nothing gets done. I have paid my fair share of bribes in Zimbabwe and will continue to do so. He has done it at a far bigger level.
This was the biggest thing I took from the interview, but I guess we'll have to wait until Rick gives us the low-down after his meeting with the club to get any real news. 9. Will there come a time when Board members have to sell their shares? There are some suggestions that the longer the Board retains their shares, the less valuable they become? The Board is resolute in retaining its shares. They are the custodians of this club and will be doing everything to safeguard its future. The only way that they would be obligated to sell their shares is, for example, if Red&White Holdings or another entity acquired 90% of the Club. Given that the Board has 45.5% of the Club’s shareholding, this action is unlikely.
Having spent some time in China I completely understand the culture of bribery and the necessity of it. I just think comparing the US/England to Russia is a bit of apples and oranges.
Rick, I'm curious as to your take, and that of other UK citizens on the forum, regarding the allegations that Usmanov has used the threat of legal action against web hosting services, resulting in the shutdown of bloggers that have apparently given him offense. Apart from that, I know nothing about business, but I think the desire to obtain a "blocking stake" tells me all I need to know about the guy's intent as regards his involvement in the club, regardless of his background. That's not the language of someone who wants to work in concert with the people currently running the club. To paraphrase an American saying about words that should always strike fear: "I'm a Russian oligarch, and I'm here to help".
I think it's a matter of historical development. Don't know about the UK, but we certainly had our period of robber barons, child labor abuses, violent means of union busting, and deals that depended on bribery and government favoritism. I'm also not a fan of big business, and I have no illusions that the big corps are angels of altruism now, but at least we have a structure of laws that provides some protection and makes it harder for them to rob us blind. In China, Russia, and much of the rest of the former USSR and Asia it just hasn't developed to that point yet.
That's just it. To say that we're currently just white-collar mob is a bit much. We had a period of history, like you say, exploitation was the norm, but our current systems are much different.
The UK is not devoid of bribery a football forum should be very aware of that already. We are not just talking bribery though now are we, that said some of our respected landed gentry came about their wealth in a similar way all be it longer ago. The Edelman interview was interesting to me for two reasons. I checked the trading panels rules and he will not be able to make a bid for the club or own over 29.9% till February after declaring he did not intend to make a bid for the club. The first reason why this is interesting to me is because he didn't have to say that, he could have kept his cards close to his chest like Kroenke. He would have known the rules because it was whilst declaring his purchase of shares. The other interesting point was that the board have agreed not to purchase any shares as well as not selling them till April 08.
He wants a blocking stake so that he can demand a seat on the board, I will give you one guess who he has in mind. This is standard practice when some gets to that percentage. I agree but there is little anyone can do about it unless you can outbid him on the shares he is attempting to buy and he is minted at the moment.
If anyone thinks either the US or the UK is above bribery even now then they are being naive. In property paying a "drink" is still common and always will be to get a good deal. I agree with you on the point that he declared his intentions. He was open unlike Kroenke and that is something that is important. One question I will be asking tomorrow though is: "As we know the board have an agreement in place not to dispose of any shares before April 2008. At that pointwe could well be in the midst of an important psrt of the season where it is important not to have outside interruptions affecting the squad, not to mention the media interest will heighten the nearer to the date we come. Will the board be announcing a timetable of their intentions to either extend this agreement or alter it in a timely manner so as to cause least disruption to the Squad?" I shall share with everyone the answer to that tomorrow evening after I get back from the game. Or if they refuse to answer I will share also.
Thats a very good question to ask and also if our season does go well Usmanovs limitation on an offer expires in February which is traditionally a very important time for the team after any kind of success on the field. Good luck with it and thanks for offering to fill us in with the meeting.