In the Premier League you need billions to compete against top teams.
For clubs in every division of football money is an important aspect in running the club whether buying players or building state of the art facilities.
However, in the Premier League money isn’t important, it is critical to success.
Legendary Newcastle striker Alan Shearer says: “We already have Chinese, Russian, we have Abu Dhabi, we also have American owners.”
Foreign ownership of English clubs has increased over the years with all the big teams being owned by outside investors. A minority believe this has ruined the game because it has made no competition, its only few selected teams that can win it.
An example of it is Chelsea’s achievements for the past decade, they went from financial debt to dominating the league, a huge sum of money from overseas brings trophies to teams without it you have slim chance of reaching high statue. Chelsea who were taken over by Roman Abramovich in 2003, the businessman invested cash into the blues and helped them towards success on the national level as well as international stage.
Shearer adds: “I am excited for what can happen to our football club.”
This is massive news for Shearer because he previous managed his hometown club, he was appointed in 2009 for the last eight games but it ended negatively with the team getting regulated.
As a supporter too he knows the emotions fans carry about the ownership, Shearer said “for 14 years our fans haven’t really mattered.” With this new ownership he believes it will be positive, “that’s about to change now.”
One of the topics mentioned many times in this takeover is the human rights issue in Saudi Arabia because the Premier League doesn’t share the same values/principles as the new owners of Newcastle Football Club, so people are asking how they were allowed to buy the club. Shearer said: “I think its absolutely right we talk about human rights issues, we can’t brush it under the carpet, we have to educate ourselves in it.”
The former striker was passionate about the allocation of funds in the right departments. He said, “It’s important they don’t just spend it on the team, I think the ground is shabby it needs improving.” Shearer comments reflect Manchester City who splashed out for the highest development for a training ground which is next door to the stadium which also hosts the community in that area.
In Shearers mind the city is equally important as the club. Investing in the heart of the city (Newcastle Football Club) means you have won over the local community.
Shearer has sympathy for the current manager Steve Bruce because he has experienced the lows of managing the same team. He said, “Steve knows he’s under pressure, when you go into any football job, you have to win games. He took on almost impossible job at Newcastle in very very difficult circumstances.” With new ownership the managers place in the team isn’t guaranteed so he has to show results soon or his job is at risk.