[S.T.D.]

since the venkys took over Blackburn Rovers, it all went downhill and culminates in this morning's relegation.

classic things they did, in typical ah neh style....

1. sell the good players
2. sack the incumbent manager, claiming to replace him with a better manager
3. instead, promote the asst mgr, as he costs less
4. strip the club's assets
5. didn't even turn up to watch the last, crucial home game
6. bypass the board of directors even though they themselves were totally clueless about football

and the best part

thought they wouldnt get relegated as they were buying into a franchise LOL!!!

[Big A]

[softy54534]

What happens then when Ah Neh runs a La Liga club?

http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/22...ing-santanders

Last Saturday marked a dark day for football in Cantabria as Racing, the region's longest serving representatives in La Liga since 2002, were confirmed as the first club to be relegated from this year's edition, following a 3-0 defeat to Real Sociedad.

However, it is not the relegation that puts the club, or in fact even India, to shame, but it is how their owner literally destroyed the club's hope for any development for the future that should bother us the most!

When Ali took over the club, he promised great things, even going on to claim that he could take the club along the likes of country's heavyweights Real Madrid and Barcelona. 'Why shouldn't it be the little club up on the Cantabria coast?' - were his famous words immediately after taking over.

[MannoFr]

Blackburn Rovers owners' paltry investment comes home to roost with relegation following defeat to Wigan Athletic
Blackburn Rovers’ Indian owners could not be bothered to attend Ewood Park onn Monday night as their Premier League investment suffered its own Black Monday moment with relegation to the Championship.



Still, 18 months after buying out the Walker family trust to take charge of a club which, for six more days at least, remains one of only four to win the Premier League, staying away was the probably the first sensible decision taken by Venky’s, the hapless poultry processors, since they arrived in Blackburn in Nov 2010.

Having spent almost £45 million to buy the club and clear its debts, Venky’s can at least claim to have raised global awareness of their brand to unprecedented levels during their eventful spell in English football.

Little of the publicity has been positive, however, and they will quickly discover that there is not the same appetite for Blackburn versus Barnsley on the subcontinent as there might be for fixtures against Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea.

If there is a blueprint for how not to run a football club, it will surely come embossed with the Venky’s logo. Blackburn’s exasperated supporters ran out of patience with the owners months ago, but having directed their ire at manager Steve Kean for most of this season, the full vent of their fury on Monday night was aimed at Venky’s, with chants like 'You’re not fit to run the club’ and 'Venky’s Out’. When they arrived at the club, assorted spokespersons talked of investing substantial sums in the team and funding a return to European football.

But within a month, they sacked manager Sam Allardyce with the club lying in 13th position in the Premier League and replaced him with Kean, a managerial rookie with no experience of the job at any level. He was viewed as a stooge, a yes-man prepared to play along with the Venky’s plan of changing the shape of the squad from one of experience to dubious potential.

He talked up Blackburn’s chances of signing Brazilian forward Ronaldinho from AC Milan and even floated the prospect of luring David Beckham to Ewood Park from LA Galaxy, yet instead ended up completing a free transfer deal for Aberdeen reserve Myles Anderson — son of football agent Jerome — and described him as a new Chris Smalling.

Kean enjoys giving his underwhelming signings a lofty billing. He compared Mauro Formica to Gabriel Batistuta and suggested that he had signed a 'young Wayne Rooney’ after completing a £2 million deal for Dundee United’s David Goodwillie. Neither has lived up to the hype.

Kean’s appetite for the surreal has done little to help his cause with the Blackburn supporters, who memorably shipped a 'Kean Out’ banner to Pune before having it unfurled by local fans during the club’s friendly in India earlier this season. When Phil Jones left Blackburn for Manchester United last summer, Kean admitted, with a straight face, that the player ''wanted Champions League football and we’re not at that moment where we can offer him that yet’’. Who knows how long he would have waited for Venky’s and Kean to bring Champions League football back to Ewood Park?

Instead of Real Madrid and Barcelona, it will be Bristol City and Brighton on the fixture list next season, but the concern for a club once regarded as one of the best-run in the country now centres on how bleak the picture might become.

Will Venky’s possess the appetite to invest the sums required to make Blackburn competitive in the Championship? As it stands, Kean’s team does not have the look of an outfit likely to push for promotion. And if Venky’s decide that their investment has been waste of time and money, what happens next?

The previous owners spent almost a decade looking for somebody else to run the show and they ended up with Venky’s, so who will show an interest in buying a Championship club with a proud history, but dwindling fan-base?

The nightmare scenario for the more pessimistic Rovers supporters is that the club will now go into financial meltdown and suffer a similar fate to Bradford City, who were left to spiral from the top flight to the basement division in the space of six years following relegation from the Premier League in 2001.

Sources at Blackburn suggest that the picture is not quite so bad at this stage, but there is concern over the absence of a tangible plan of action for life outside the top flight.

When dawn breaks, Venky’s will have to get to work quickly on that, otherwise their big investment will fall even further through the floor.

[brraverishhh]

What happens then when Ah Neh runs a La Liga club?

http://www.goal.com/en-india/news/22...ing-santanders

'And you blame the Venky's!' - Indian owned Racing Santander's tragic decline compares nothing to Blackburn



The past year and a half saw an increasing trend of Indian business tycoons turning their eyes towards European Football teams. The growing popularity of them in their homeland was evident and thus investing money on such clubs was certainly a smart way to go.

Venky's takeover of English club Blackburn Rovers in the winter of 2010 was perhaps the benchmark of future such takeovers and "attempted" takeovers. However, despite the initial hype and to be fair, some success in terms of increasing the recognition of the club, the Venky's management has been considered as an utter failure, with the team fighting relegation this season and the fans quite visibly on an open rebellion.

Yet, they might consider themselves quite lucky to have the Venky's as their owners, especially after contemplating what could have actually been if they weren't!

In September 2010, what looked like a done deal, collapsed when the Bahrain based Indian property magnet Ahsan Ali Syed's bid to take over the club was blocked. He was left disappointed but went on to acquire the 80% shares of La Liga outfit Racing Santander 3 months later.

Last Saturday marked a dark day for football in Cantabria as Racing, the region's longest serving representatives in La Liga since 2002, were confirmed as the first club to be relegated from this year's edition, following a 3-0 defeat to Real Sociedad.

However, it is not the relegation that puts the club, or in fact even India, to shame, but it is how their owner literally destroyed the club's hope for any development for the future that should bother us the most!

When Ali took over the club, he promised great things, even going on to claim that he could take the club along the likes of country's heavyweights Real Madrid and Barcelona. 'Why shouldn't it be the little club up on the Cantabria coast?' - were his famous words immediately after taking over.

He was a man with style and grace; travelled in his private jets with his name written on the wings; his fortune estimated to nearly $8-9 billion; and had a degree from the London School of Economics.

It didn't take long for Ali to create a buzz around the Spanish footballing circuit, albeit not being in the most significant of ways. His wild celebrations from the director's box, after a dramatic 3-2 win over Sevilla, was perhaps the most animated one has seen a club owner in a long time. While some felt it was a testament to how he cared about the club, others resorted to the more realistic interpretation - The man had just pumped in £3m to buy the shares of the club, why wouldn't he celebrate?

The president of Cantabria and also minority shareholder at the club, Miguel Angel Revilla even admitted that standing alongside Mr Ali during a football match was a 'different' experience all-together. He did not necessarily know much about football but was as enthusiastic as a kid. 'Even a successful back-pass to a goal-keeper would make him stand in excitement', he claimed!

The AS in Cantabria splashed 'Ali the Saviour' in their cover and people spoke highly of him; but who would have known what was to follow next..

Pretty soon, Mr. Syed went missing! Yes missing!

The tycoon was suspected of fraud in a loan scam and an investigation was opened against him. The man who started out as a small time lawyer in Hyderabad, was alleged to have promised to make sizeable loans to struggling companies in Australia and Malaysia; had taken large fees for setting up the loans and then never released the funds. The Interpol wanted to interrogate him and since then people haven't heard of him yet. He stopped turning up at matches, did not answer calls and even the board were left red faced when asked to explain the situation.



Fans expected him to be the next Sheikh Mansour, who would pour endless money into the club. Instead, his only signing proved to Giovanni dos Santos from Tottenham Hotspur on loan. Leave aside that, Racing still were binded by monthly repayments they had to make for a debt with the state, that was more than €10m. Ali had promised to pay off the amount but with him disappeared, the club was left stranded.

By the spring of last year, Racing had their entire board except the owner resigned, along with their manager as well. Attendances had fallen by 38% and the club was in massive debt and went into the administration. Legal processes began to take back the shares from Ali Syed, with Jacobo Montalvo, the former majority shareholder, too joining in.

Some said that the Bahrain political and economic crisis had taken the toll on him and has ruined his future investment plans and many others vociferously accused him of using the club as an 'investment vehicle'.

Late October, the former club president Francisco Pernia, and one among the board members to resign, angered the club's fans after revealing on Spanish radio that the owner had bought a luxury car at the club's expense!

During the initial phase of their takeover, it was even said that the owner made promises of clearing off the dues of the players. And he even went on to show transaction receipts to the players, assuring them that the money was sent. Yet, no money were received by the players. Later Ali came down to the players and accepted that the money was indeed not sent. What was even more ridiculous that before a game against Levante, he offered bonuses to the players if they win. It was a laughable incident, given that he had failed to even keep the promises for the basic payments.

Of course, the off-field problems affected the team's performance on field,and with changing managers, 3 to be precise, there wasn't at all any stability in the club. Given what has unfolded over the course of Ali's tenure so far, relegation should not be a shock to the football world; perhaps the least of their troubles; it was something that was waiting to happen!

[softy54534]

I feel sorry for Blackburn Rovers as this time round, they are burdened by owners who have no idea what to do. It is going to be a long drop to third or fourth tier.

[Peptobismol]

ah neh play cricket wan ... bodoh ah..

[Fegasderty]

kelings fucking over clubs as usual yet somehow ppl still let them buy the clubs.

[doctorzlo]

since the venkys took over Blackburn Rovers, it all went downhill and culminates in this morning's relegation.

classic things they did, in typical ah neh style....

1. sell the good players
2. sack the incumbent manager, claiming to replace him with a better manager
3. instead, promote the asst mgr, as he costs less
4. strip the club's assets
5. didn't even turn up to watch the last, crucial home game
6. bypass the board of directors even though they themselves were totally clueless about football

and the best part

thought they wouldnt get relegated as they were buying into a franchise LOL!!!

The club is quite literally, "black" and "burnt".

[Ifroham4]

I'm surprised nobody mention about QPR, owned by Tony Fernandes a Malaysian of Indian descent. I'm just thankful that Peter Lim failed in his bid for Liverpool FC or else those Westerners will be blaming Singapore for their current bad situation and indirectly damage the good reputation of Singapore brand.

[MannoFr]

I'm surprised nobody mention about QPR, owned by Tony Fernandes a Malaysian of Indian descent. I'm just thankful that Peter Lim failed in his bid for Liverpool FC or else those Westerners will be blaming Singapore for their current bad situation and indirectly damage the good reputation of Singapore brand.

Tony Fernandes is a Mudlander, not an Indian. He has been known to talk to the QPR fans in pubs. He was also shown on the telly sitting with the fans during a match against Everton. He must at least know something about football.

In contrast, the twits in charge of Blackburn know fuck about football. It is quite obvious that all they want is to turn Blackburn Rovers into a cricket club. Football was never on their agenda. It will not be long before Blackburn makes a bid to join the Indian Premier League.

[Paul Bunyan]

I'm surprised nobody mention about QPR, owned by Tony Fernandes a Malaysian of Indian descent. I'm just thankful that Peter Lim failed in his bid for Liverpool FC or else those Westerners will be blaming Singapore for their current bad situation and indirectly damage the good reputation of Singapore brand.

Tony knows his football and the qpr fans like him. He bought good players and replaced underperforming manager with mark hughes. Unfortunately sparky wasnt the right man for the job.
They might get relegated but tony tried his best for the club, unlike the venkys and ali

[Big A]

Nobody will want Indian owners anymore after what happened.
Frankly though, Singaporean Chinese often have similar management styles. Want the most while try to squeeze and expect results.
Football is a money losing enterprise. Just look at MU, Liverpool Arsenal, Chelsea, City and Barca.
I'm glad Peter Lim and that Glasgow thing did not go thru. Singaporean mentality just don't fit football management. Thats why all our sports are so weak in the first place.

[LottiFurmann]

True. Its the ultimate status symbol. If you're a single digit billionaire, stay away, you're not yet in the league of roman or shk mansour. And yet mere millionaires think they got what it takes.

Nobody will want Indian owners anymore after what happened.
Frankly though, Singaporean Chinese often have similar management styles. Want the most while try to squeeze and expect results.
Football is a money losing enterprise. Just look at MU, Liverpool Arsenal, Chelsea, City and Barca.
I'm glad Peter Lim and that Glasgow thing did not go thru. Singaporean mentality just don't fit football management. Thats why all our sports are so weak in the first place.

[Lillie_Steins]

don't blame the Ah Nehs for not spending money on BlackieBurn...........


they sell chickens one mah.............


how many chickens will have to give up their lives if the Ah Nehs were to buy superstars...............



these Ah Nehs were merely being merciful................

[PhillipHer]

Tony Fernandes is a Mudlander, not an Indian. He has been known to talk to the QPR fans in pubs. He was also shown on the telly sitting with the fans during a match against Everton. He must at least know something about football.

In contrast, the twits in charge of Blackburn know fuck about football. It is quite obvious that all they want is to turn Blackburn Rovers into a cricket club. Football was never on their agenda. It will not be long before Blackburn makes a bid to join the Indian Premier League.

Fernandes is another Ah Neh that want to be an AngMoh...............


go into F1 then QPR..............when his AirAsia go the same way as Kingfisher..............all gone liao.........

[9mm_fan]

1. sell the good players
2. sack the incumbent manager, claiming to replace him with a better manager
3. instead, promote the asst mgr, as he costs less
4. strip the club's assets
5. didn't even turn up to watch the last, crucial home game
6. bypass the board of directors even though they themselves were totally clueless about football

They sold or let go the experienced players who were on high wages or who were about to get contract extensions for playing certain number of games.
The list includes Samba, Nelson, Jason Roberts who was scoring for newly promoted Reading and Michel Salgado who used to play for Real Madrid.

They sacked Sam Allardyce, who is well known for keeping clubs in the Premier League and replaced him not with the assistant manager who was also sacked,
but with the first team coach. Why? Because they were being advised by the same agent who was representing Steve Keen.

The fact that they did not even bother to attend the last home game of the season is disgraceful. At least Tony Fernandes was in the crowd at Loftus Road, happily embracing the CEO.

[HedgeYourBets]

When Phil Jones left Blackburn for Manchester United last summer, Kean admitted, with a straight face, that the player ''wanted Champions League football and we’re not at that moment where we can offer him that yet’’. Who knows how long he would have waited for Venky’s and Kean to bring Champions League football back to Ewood Park?

ah neh and ah kean hear wrongly. when phil jones told them he wanted champions league football, they heard championship football. hence the relegation.

told you guys keling is shit. still dont believe?

[radikal]

Re qpr/airasia, i find it hard to believe tony is the one pulling the strings. A fat bird told me he's the frontman for tun daim zainuddin

[radikal]

that's what u get if u let a ah neh to run a fabulous football club where they once produced the likes of Shearer, Ripley, McCall etc. I wont be surprised if next season Blackburn Rovers will have players with names like Prakash, Balwant or Mahabala. Then Venky's theme songs from the fans would sound something like "u taste like chicken shite"!!!!