This week’s Economist has a most curious article on the football business, entitled “Welcome to the beautiful game. Football clubs can easily be used as stealing machines. Here is an instruction manual. The stories are real, but most details are concealed”.
They assert, “It is a good time to enter the football racket. Banks are less generous and sentimental about loans. Tax officials are less lenient, too, as Rangers, a big Glasgow club, discovered”.
“Set up a holding company (or a nest of them) in a discreet jurisdiction, as many owners do, and you have a money-laundering and embezzlement machine at your disposal.
“Exaggerating the attendance at matches lets you run some of the dirty takings from your previous career through the turnstiles, turning them into legitimate income (this particular ruse works best if you buy a middling club, where games are not routinely sold out).”
They conclude, “Some national associations do a spot of due diligence on new owners, but this is unlikely to interfere with your plans.”
Brazil, Balkans, Russia, Serbia and Bulgaria all get a mention but there was only the one club got a name check.
Nest of holding companies in discreet jurisdictions, money-laundering, embezzlement, exaggerated attendances, dirty previous businesses!! Read it and weep, football fans, just don’t expect the blazers to watch out for your best interests.
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asonofdan
19:22 on 14 July, 2013
It really is ridiculous at times………everything is going fantastically well for us and the relentlous negativity still ‘raises it’s ugly head’……noone is expecting ‘happy clapping’ but some of it is ‘beyond the pale’ ….. There must (also) be one or two sevconian lurkers at times…..I suppose there will be some folk who aren’t happy unless they are sad ….!!!!
Jimbo
No need to apologise mate,
we’ve all fallen for STDs nonsense at some time or another.
Well be fine over the 2 legs against the Reds. In my opinion.
HH
Celtic Underground @celticrumours 1h
Charlie Austin and Scott Parker being rumoured again.
PF
By the law of averages I was due to get one right… T4 says he’s using all his winnings to book Mrs T4 a well earned foreign break.
Heart of Gold that fella.
hahahahaha …..burbling Terry the Tec had a dominant English teacher….bet whoever it was ,had you down as a twat…regards to cojo the clown …
Che .
If I am optimistic – be worried!
Jimbo
Che
My mate grassed me in to my mrs …..funny…they never offer to pay half the losses
Googybhoy
(:-)
TT
PF
T4 grassed himself on Facebook…!
Self inflicted wounds.
Your a wise man avoiding that sinister place!
Serious question, anyone think Sinn Fein would start fielding a number of candidates in elections in an independent Scotland?
Phil Mickelson wins the play-off at the Scottish Open, and who appears from nowhere but old bawface.
Only thing missing was the stars and stripes.
Mrs Salmond must have mislaid her handbag.
:-))
HH!!
asonofdan
No. Why would they?
Jimbo
maestro-number8
19:34 on 14 July, 2013
I would take two million for Hooper today, he is causing malaise amongst the team and the support and most of all CQN.
Someone said he is holding out for 7 million I hope they didn’t mean Hooper, because its CFC that should be running the negotiations, not the player.
If we can not get past Cliftonville (and no disrespect to them) without two of our first team we don’t deserve to be there, simples
BTW I don’t give a flying fek what Obama’s religion is
gsu
Tally
John Terry photo opportunity again?
Boris Salmond is the new John Terry…embarassment again.
asonofdan
19:51 on 14 July, 2013
No, but I think the DUP might, inthe SW..
Che
Facebook would just be another medium for me to make an erchie of myself …unnecessary …
Ireland needs genuine republican politics –
Adams
News
July 14, 2013
Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams delivered the
main address at this evening’s EU selection
convention in the Radisson Hotel, Sligo.
The following is the full text of Deputy Adams’
speech:
A chairde,
I want to welcome you all here this evening.
This meeting isn’t just about selecting a
candidate for next year’s EU election for this
region.
Just as importantly, it is Sinn Féin declaring
our intent to ensure that there is a Sinn Féin
MEP elected to represent this part of Ireland
when that election is held.
This is an entirely realizable and doable
prospect.
Sinn Féin has been growing in strength right
across this state.
The party has doubled in numbers, with new
members joining the party every day.
Sinn Féin’s message of fairness and equality
is finding ever-greater resonance among
citizens.
Because those qualities are missing in this
state today.
When the establishment parties fail to put
fairness and equality at the centre of how they
govern they fail all our citizens, but in
particular they fail our most vulnerable –
those who rely most on government to stand
by them.
People rightly feel angry and frustrated that
there is a deep unfairness in ordinary citizens
and hard working families being subject to
harsh austerity measures while those who
created the financial crisis have emerged
unscathed and indeed enjoy ostentatious
wealth.
It is wrong and unfair that cancer patients are
threatened with the withdrawal of medical
cards.
It is wrong and unfair that carers are denied
access to respite care.
It is wrong and unfair that health and
education are being subject to thousands of
small but devastating cuts.
That child benefit is cut or that maternity
benefit is taxed.
It is wrong and unfair that billions of
taxpayers’ money, that could and should have
been invested in job creation, has been used
to bail out banks.
It is very clear that for this Fine Gael and
Labour government all citizens are not equal.
The Minister and Department have questions
to answer on Anglo tapes.
Enda Kenny promised that Fine Gael in
government would usher in a new era of
transparency and accountability.
He promised that they would do things
differently.
He even spoke of a ‘democratic revolution’.
Yet for all these great promises, trying to get
a straight answer from the current government
is like pulling teeth!
For instance, why won’t the government
simply come clean on the issue of the Anglo
tapes?
Why does it take Sinn Féin to submit in the
region of 100 queries between Freedom of
Information requests and Parliamentary
Questions to elicit even the most minimal
response containing the least possible
information?
We know, from what Alan Dukes has said, that
that the Department of Finance was aware of
the existence of these tapes. Yet the Minister
for Finance denied any knowledge of them.
Then, Michael Noonan, in answer to a
Parliamentary Question by Sinn Fein — despite
knowing clearly what he was being asked —
only said the Department was ‘unaware of the
content’ of the tapes.
He had to be pressed further to clarify that the
Department did indeed know of the existence
of these tapes all along.
And yet, if we are to believe the minister,
nobody in his department told him and no one
in the department took the time to listen to
what was on the tapes!
If true, this is incredible and a serious failing
by the department.
We now have to ask — who did the
Department of Finance inform about the
existence of the tapes?
The minister denies that he was told which
begs the question — why wasn’t he told?
Who in the Department of Finance withheld
this information?
Was the Fianna Fáil Finance Minister told in
2010?
Did he inform his cabinet colleagues?
Which Fianna Fáil ministers knew of these
tapes?
Minister Noonan also continues to deny that
the Central Bank was aware of the existence of
the tapes.
Alan Dukes said they should have known.
If Alan Dukes is misleading the people that is
serious but if the Central Bank is misleading
the people that has enormous implications.
This is meant to be the new Central Bank that
was to sweep out all the bad practice of
previous years.
Yet it is only investigating potential regulatory
breaches at Anglo now as a result of the tapes
being leaked.
It should have been doing this years ago!
Citizens have been drip-fed the content of the
Anglo tapes.
And this only after they were leaked to a
newspaper.
Since then citizens, including Sinn Fein’s
Finance Spokesperson Pearse Doherty TD,
have been drip-fed what the Department of
Finance and Minister Noonan knew about
them.
This is unacceptable.
I believe this government and this minister
have questions to answer about what they and
he knew and when they knew it.
And the public deserves to get the answers.
I believe that the department’s responses to
Sinn Féin’s questions raise further important
issues and that the Minister for Finance
should make a statement to the Dáil before
the recess on who knew what and when within
his department and when was he informed and
whether the previous Minister for Finance was
told of the tapes.
The government also has serious questions to
answer about the role, remit and purpose of
the so-called ‘public interest directors’
appointed after the bailout of the banks.
In several cases these directors were senior
members of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the
Labour Party. Two of them are former Fine
Gael and Labour Party leaders.
These people were extremely well paid out of
the public purse. On top of their salaries as
public interest directors, they also had
ministerial and TD pensions.
But what is now abundantly clear is that the
current system of public interest directors is
not fit for purpose.
The government must address this issue and
spell out quickly what it is going to do to
ensure that the banks — which only exist
because of the injection of huge amounts of
taxpayers’ money — are accountable and
operating in the public interest.
It is time to stop the delays and get on with a
banking inquiry. No more excuses, no more
distractions, no more prevaricating.
After WW2 the USA was the only country with an intact industrial base…. they were the only country to actually turn a profit from WW2.
The Bretton Woods Conference was organised after the war and the USD became the senior currency http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Monetary_and_Financial_Conference
These “golden years” of the USA economy lasted until the Vietnam War when Nixon began printing money to pay for that war. De Gaulle asked for gold in exchange for USD paper and this happened….
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixon_Shock
The USA has been on a slow slide to Latin American parity ever since.
The only strategic leverage the USA retains is that oil is bought and sold in USD (even North Sea oil). Without this seniorage the USD would be on a par with the Zimbabeawan dollar.
We buy and sell USD to buy and sell oil and the USA lives off this fat, much like some live on their overdrafts………so in effect we all pay for Americas perceived superior life style.
This is the real reason America wages war……to protect the hegemony of the USD in oil purchase globally…….without this hegemony the USD and American society would be bust.
The USA was built on European venture capital and black slave labour initially and until JFK’s tenure immigration was primarily white European http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_Act_of_1924
He changed the percentages and allowed other ethnicities to enter at the expense of Europeans……..
The end game over a 50 year period? Ever decreasing European population base, decreasing efficiency and effectiveness, more contrived wars to protect the currency, white flight, probably to Canada first and back to Europe if they can afford it or can claim a Euro zone passport.
The United States of America has never been a country, rather it is a political construct built by Freemasons and its falling apart slowly but surely.
So…….to the football :)
A double of some sort
Possibly a treble
Group stages CL 50/50
Dont understand why its all negative comming out Paradise time Mr Lawell spoke out transfer money
Bhoys being nervous is par for the course pre-season I would go as far as to say it is better than being over confident.Some nerves can help a team to be up for a game.I would rather have a few nerves than be over optomistic and be thinking we will score double figures over the two games.So lets get behind the team and enjoy the fact we are at the start of a new season.H.H.
Got an interesting call from a mate who has associations with quite a few supporters clubs and was told Neil Lennon has been a bit naughty with the press guys saying the Cliftonville game has came too early, does not know his team and preparations have been disjointed.
I was told the training camp went very well and although the game results appear poor, there was a fantastic amount of hard work done in training and the players cannot wait for Wednesday. Laptop Loyal in for a slapped coupon.
!!bada bing!!
19:54 on 14 July, 2013
Boris Salmond is the new John Terry…embarassment again.
Wish you would give the man a break.
He has flown back from Nottingham where his Missus had an Aussie flag in her handbag to get to the Golf.
What a tireless leader you all have.
Thiago signs for Bayern, they must’ve been worried they didn’t have enough good players :o)
No doubt he will be in Belfast Wednesday.
only in Scotland ..” Boris Salmond” the SMSM have a good tight hold …more twats …..
A quick speed read of the blog today reveals that evidently that there is not a lot to be gained from summer break contributions. I have noted a certain vitriol repeatedly originating from certain contributors and I agree with Dick Bryne it’s time for moderation. I visit the blog, as I live in the west of the USA. I feel an infinity with those that congregate here and as I’m a little younger than most, I have learned much about Celtic and my heritage in general. I have many bookmarked posts from The Battered Bunnet to Auldheid and others.
Bringing me to my point. I realize the blog welcomes one and all, however… Why would anyone spend time on a blog where he is obviously at odds with 99% of contributors on his outlook on life? Why would you saturate the pages with inflammatory opinions and jibes that seem nothing more than an agenda to turn posters away from contributing? Ego driven, agenda driven, or both?
SF in Scotland?
No chance of that happening, wee Salmond likes to fly his flags every day of the week
Asonofdan
Ill be delighted if a poor pre season form is a ruse ….
Hamiltontim
Tooting Tim told me you were looking for ticket for Belfast – I may have one available-let me know if you are interested
I’d like us to get in a couple of new players, someone in midfield, someone who can be a playmaker for us and pick a pass, play a wee ba’ thru that cuts open a defence. A wee deft dink with the outside of either foot, which sets up a scoring opportunity. Someone we can give the ball to when things a tough and we need to hold on to possession. Someone who decides what he is going to do before the ball gets to him, someone who is ahead of the pack in thinking and movement. Someone who is the all encompassing modern midfielder, strong in the tackle yet the ability to caress the football with a lovely touch, guile and awareness.
And I’m no on about MCCulloch by the way. I’m thinking the opposite end of the spectrum tae him.
What does anyone else think? Have we got too many midfielders of the same ilk?
Does Lenny think we already have this guy I’m on about in Commons?
I don’t know anymore, my head is bustin’ trying to think of our best 4 in midfield.
I Said on here many months ago. that any young decent football player at our club Celtic ,would struggle to get a run of ist team football ,while lennon is the manager, step up tony watt.,my view is for him to hand in a transfer request,because lets face it tonys face dosent fit in with lennon.
ASOD
I hope your info is correct about our preparation for Wednesday
Victor was our midfield rock and needs to be replaced
Hooper is our best striker by a mile and will need replaced
We will win the league by a mile again
We should win both cup competition
However we are far from certain to progress to the group stages of the CL
We need to make at least two quality signings who can go straight into the team
These can not be another two projects
HH
Heard a lad on 6.06 Five Live tonight phoning in on his way back from Trent Bridge to Edinburgh.
Said the he had enjoyed the Test match.
Tuffnell asked if they had enjoyed the renditions of Jerusalem and Rule Brittania?
He said “as Scots you know but we were supporting England so even we joined in”
Tuffnell “what about the Westlife song”
“Nah they are Irish would have preferred a few Scottish tunes you know like Wet Wet Wet”
Now what team do they support?
Toronto FC has parted ways with captain
Darren O’Dea in another move to clear space
under Major League Soccer’s salary cap.
The club was without O’Dea for Saturday’s 3-0
loss to Sporting Kansas City as the team
finalized the defender’s transfer to a team in
Ukraine.
After the game, manager Ryan Nelsen
explained that shedding O’Dea’s hefty contract
— in the $450,000 range — would free up
TFC’s options.
“Darren has moved on. He got a contract from
Ukraine that he couldn’t turn down,” Nelsen
said in a interview on the team’s website.
“Darren’s the most expensive player in the
whole of the league, in terms of salary cap. It
frees up some space for us. He wanted to go,
it was a good opportunity for him.
“Unfortunately for Darren it’s not his fault. His
contract was pretty ridiculous, in terms of MLS
contracts.”
The 26-year-old Ireland international had a
lucrative offer from Ukraine prior to joining
Toronto last season.
The move comes days after Toronto traded
midfielder Luis Silva to D.C. United for
allocation money that can go toward cap
relief. On Friday, defender Danny Califf
announced his retirement.
The transfer also opens up an international
spot, which is the second one acquired this
month following a trade with Chivas USA.
O’Dea has one goal and one assist through 17
games with TFC this season. He last played
for Toronto on July 3, a 3-3 draw with the
Montreal Impact at BMO Field, where he
scored his only goal of 2013.
O’Dea began his career with Celtic in the
Scottish Premier League in 2006 and has
represented Ireland at the under-21 and senior
level.
Fellow defender Steven Caldwell wore the
captain’s armband for TFC in Saturday’s loss
in Kansas City.
dettolandblackash
20:16 on 14 July, 2013
Hamiltontim
Tooting Tim told me you were looking for ticket for Belfast – I may have one available-let me know if you are interested
——-
I’ll take it mate if that’s ok? Many thanks.
Che
Cheers for the heads up buddy.
HT
No worries enjoy.
HH
Hamiltontim
Can you email me-at nae7171@googlemail.com and we can make arrangements?
cheers