Interesting insight. Thanks for posting.
When you look at things in these terms, which probably most fans don't, it makes you realise how fortunate were are to have probably the best owners in football. How many have replicated our model? Not many. There are signs that Wolves or Sheffield United might be looking at how we do things, but the traditional big clubs - Liverpool, Arsenal, United et al, plus others in the G14, are all standing around, pointing, ridiculing, laughing, saying it won't last as we are just a play thing of the rich. And while they are doing that, Khaldoon turns us into the most powerful football entity on the planet.
Look at Rawk, or Red Cafe. Their fans generally all complaining, accusing us of cheating because we're getting Messi. How unfair it is, because they are big clubs and we are just an upstart with no history. Well, wake up and smell the coffee. Whilst we might be 'a small club with no history', they are fast becoming insignificant clubs with no future. We have overtaken Liverpool in terms of income. United are in our sights. If they are as big as their fans always claim, ask them why are Liverpool and United giving us a free run at Messi? Deep down, they know they are operating at levels well below ours.