I wrote an opinion piece, some months back, entitled Is English Football still English? That article was about the number of “foreign players” playing their trade in the Premiership. Now I’m talking about club ownership. With the Eggert Magnusson take over of West Ham United the total number of clubs with owners that are not British born are now five - Portsmouth, Manchester United, Chelsea and Aston Villa and the Hammers. Liverpool are reportedly in talks with foreign investors too. Oh the shame!
In that article I quoted Alan Pardew as saying, “English football is losing its soul” because he believed that it was questionable to have so many foreign imports at a club like Arsenal to the detriment of English born footballers. At the time I disagreed with the Hammers boss but now I’m not so sure. How many more clubs will succumb to money from overseas investors? Yes some teams will have too many foreign players but they still have an English soul. They are owned by English men and women, decisions are made by English men and women.
But do they think about what they are doing to these clubs? Indeed, do they even care?
I think owning a football club is like owning a new yacht for the billionaires of this world. It’s a way to increase their status, to show to people that they have money and plenty of it. But do they think about what they are doing to these clubs? Indeed, do they even care?
Manchester United has arguably the best footballing history in the world yet they have been bought over by a man who has forced out its English heart. With him he has brought debts and his own children have become members of the board of directors. These are people who know nothing about football and are simply businessmen. Yes they bring the money desperately needed by some clubs and yes they enable clubs to buy players of a higher quality. But is it worth it?
I would rather have clubs buy players young and train them up. To continue a clubs glorious footballing history and tradition. I don’t think the people who started clubs in the late 19th would be terribly happy to see them taken over by a Russian or an American millionaire. They might well be turning in their graves.
In fact I note that Alan Pardew is now quite happy to have Johnny foreigner in charge at West Ham because all of a sudden his position as manager is stronger than it would have been if the rival bidder for the Hammers franchise had won. Funny old game indeed!
About this team
This article was written by Ben Ritchie, 16, from our Belfast newsroom. It was published on the Reach for the Sky website.
