Joorabchian: West Ham can be bigger than Chelsea
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Kia Joorabchian says West Ham United can emerge as a bigger club than Chelsea.
Joorabchian, born in Iran but based in London, is believed to be fronting a ?100million takeover bid for the Hammers.
Stock exchange rules forbid him from discussing his involvement but his commitment to the club is clear.
He told the News of the World: "I believe in the very near future West Ham can become bigger than Chelsea and maybe within seven years even challenge Manchester United.
"And certainly I feel manager Alan Pardew can take West Ham into new territory, to challenge for the Champions League and even the title.
"Manchester United are obviously an exception. Like Real Madrid they are huge all over the world but there is massive potential at West Ham. Why? Because the club has such passionate supporters and a fantastic history. As far as I'm concerned they have got a much bigger worldwide fan base than Chelsea.
"That goes back to part of the history of the club - having three World Cup winners in Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst and Martin Peters.
"And what is so impressive is when they have hit bad times the passion and loyalty of the fans has seen them stick by the club.
"Passion is a vital word in the success of a football club. Sometimes when I look at Chelsea despite their recent success I think it's all a bit cold. They talk more about the brand than the football club."
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Fifa are set to adopt proposals made by Uefa treasurer and president of the Dutch FA Mathieu Sprenger and rule that there must be clarity about exactly who is investing in football clubs.
"I have heard about the news reports concerning West Ham. Our proposals are that all clubs must show who owns them," Sprenger told the Mail on Sunday.
"It will not be enough simply for them to show that a company owns them. They will have to show who is behind that company as well.
"The Fifa congress unanimously supported these proposals in July so there is support from all the confederations for this.
"The Fifa president (Sepp Blatter) wants them to be written at the Congress next July.
"It doesn't matter if a takeover happens before the rules are instituted - from next year all clubs would have to show their ownership and who is behind them.
"If he (Joorabchian) took over at West Ham, he would have to show that.
"For the integrity of competitions, it has to be made clear who is in control." -
i like the sound of that, it means the likes of arsenal, liverpool and manu will be down the pecking order soon enough, if not by the next season....the new money order just might see villa and hammers joining the top crop.....power to insane money and see the poor african children starving.....
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with more and more billionaires coming to EPL we can expect more and better players.
go west ham, go!!! -
Tevez link with Jose
By PAUL JIGGINS
September 04, 2006
HERE is the picture which proves Carlos Tevez is set to join Chelsea at the end of the season.
Blues boss Jose Mourinho and his No 2 Steve Clarke were snapped in April when they jetted to Brazil on a spying mission to watch the Argie striker in action for Corinthians.
Sitting in the stands alongside the BluesÂ’ management duo and MourinhoÂ’s agent Jorge Mendes was Kia Joorabchian.
The Iranian multi-millionaire businessman, who is believed to be fronting a £100million takeover bid for West Ham, masterminded the shock transfer of Tevez and international pal Javier Mascherano to Upton Park last week.
Despite the pair signing permanent deals with the Hammers, there is widespread speculation they will quit to join bigger clubs next summer.
Tevez said at the weekend: “West Ham was the best solution for me.
“Many teams were interested but they had a lot of players in my position already.
“What I need is to play regularly to get to know English football and to see for the first year.”
Chelsea are favourites to sign Tevez but he insisted: “There is no particular club I am thinking about going to afterwards.”
Manchester United chief executive David Gill yesterday revealed his club had been offered Mascherano.
Gill said: “We were offered him at the start of the summer transfer window for a significant sum.
“But the manager and his staff did not want to pursue that.”
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Government want West Ham bidders named
tribalfooball.com - September 04, 2006
Sports minister Richard Caborn has called on the mystery bidders behind a possible takeover of West Ham to reveal their identities.
Caborn believes there should be much more openness surrounding football club takeovers, especially when foreign investors are involved.
UEFA have also called for an investigation into the growing trend of foreign money being invested in British clubs.
Caborn said: "I would urge those involved to be as open and transparent as possible."
The issue of club ownership was covered by the recent European Sports Review, which also urged greater transparency and regulation.
Caborn added: "As the Prime Minister pointed out recently, those aspects of the review that try to bring greater integrity to the way in which the financial transactions are conducted are especially worthwhile."
UEFA want Government probe into foreign Premiership club ownership
tribalfooball.com - September 04, 2006
UEFA have called on the Government to investigate the growing trend of foreign money being invested in British clubs.
West Ham are the latest club to be linked with a takeover, with businessman Kia Joorabchian and several foreign investors suggested as potential new owners.
But UEFA director of communications William Gaillard has raised concern with Manchester United and Aston Villa now owned by American money.
"We certainly are concerned by what is going on because it seems to be following a worrying pattern."
Gaillard told the Daily Telegraph: "The trend is going against what we want to see - more clubs being owned by the community and the people who really care for them.
"This is a wake-up call and the UK Government have a responsibility to start investigating. After all it's a part of the UK economy."
West ham bigger than chelsea ? unless they can win more trophy or buy more quality players like Teves and Javier.M -
West Ham doesn't even own Tevez or Mascherano.
If both of them are sold, West Ham won't get anything at all.
In a footballing sense, I welcome more excitement in the EPL. But in a management sense, it doesn't seem to be West Ham will be another Chelski.