The Qataris want to buy........

[Q8-Blue]

Blackburn!!!

Blackburn’s Indian owners are split over selling the club – with wealthy Qataris interested in buying.

The Venky’s family have the chance to get out and make a profit a year into their troubled Rovers reign, but sources in Pune claim they cannot agree.

Balaji Rao, the extrovert brother and ‘football brain’ in the group, is desperate not to sell Rovers despite the problems they have run into. And under their family rules all FOUR members must make joint decisions or a deal cannot happen.

Representatives of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamed Al-Thani have been teeing up a deal as they look for an English club to buy – and after missing out on Manchester United.

The new deal appeals because the Arabs thought the Lancashire club could be bought relatively cheaply while handing Venky’s a small profit. The Qataris are currently in India meeting ­chairman Anuradha Desai.

However, the deal is likely to fall through because flamboyant Balaji is hooked on the glamour of owning a ­football club.

News of the Qataris being interested in adding to their portfolio – they already have ties with Paris Saint-Germain, Malaga and Barcelona – has got clubs, deal-fixers and agents in overdrive.

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Blackburn-Rovers-owners-Venkys-split-over-takeover-by-wealthy-Qataris-article830051.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk/news/Bl ... 30051.html</a>

 

[Dubai Blue]

He's hooked on the glamour of owning Blackburn Rovers? Seriously???

More like he's holding out for more cash; they'd be insane to hold onto the club if they can get all their money back plus a tidy profit as they clearly don't have the funds or the know-how to run a Premier League club.

 

[bookiesgirl]

in one of the sunday papers it said they were also looking at everton but would probably cost them more cause they need a new ground

 

[WyongBlue]

This is an interesting move if it comes off.....

 

[The Pink Panther]

Surely if the mega rich Qataris are serious about purchasing and owning an English league club, they've got to look at one that has more potential than Blackburn because of FFPR.
Blackburn only has one thing going for it and that's its proximity to Manchester airport. Apart from that it has nothing.

 

[bluemoondays]

I can think of a few other teams that personally I'd consider before Blackburn.

Everton (would cost a lot for new ground)
Newcastle (decent ground and support but out of the way)
Sunderland (decent ground and support but out of the way)
Villa
Tottenham (london based)

Some cheap options, if you've got cash to burn, want a team with some "istree" (some of them) and prepared to wait I'd even think of some of these:

One of the Sheffield clubs (dirt cheap but need to build squad)
Derby
Leeds
Nott's Forest
Brum
Crystal Palace

 

[more lazy than useless]

I can think of a few other teams that personally I'd consider before Blackburn.

Everton (would cost a lot for new ground)
Newcastle (decent ground and support but out of the way)
Sunderland (decent ground and support but out of the way)
Villa
Tottenham (london based)

Some cheap options, if you've got cash to burn, want a team with some "istree" (some of them) and prepared to wait I'd even think of some of these:

One of the Sheffield clubs (dirt cheap but need to build squad)
Derby
Leeds
Nott's Forest
Brum
Crystal Palace

Completely agree with what you're getting at with this, they are certainly better options.

I would wonder if Everton, Newcastle and Leeds are really for sale though.
Would be surprised if Lerner sold Villa unless for silly money, they could make him nice profits over a long time if they keep improving.
Surely Spurs would cost too much (maybe not, if you're Qataris).

But the Sheffields (and Palace to a lesser extent) leap out as massive potential at a bargain price. Maybe there's somthing I don't know about?

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

He's hooked on the glamour of owning Blackburn Rovers? Seriously???

When you spend all day gutting and plucking chickens you could understand that.

 

[Ancient Citizen]

I can think of a few other teams that personally I'd consider before Blackburn.

Everton (would cost a lot for new ground)
Newcastle (decent ground and support but out of the way)
Sunderland (decent ground and support but out of the way)
Villa
Tottenham (london based)

Some cheap options, if you've got cash to burn, want a team with some "istree" (some of them) and prepared to wait I'd even think of some of these:

One of the Sheffield clubs (dirt cheap but need to build squad)
Derby
Leeds
Nott's Forest
Brum
Crystal Palace

Sheffield Wednesday could be bought cheaply and has a strong fan base that would bring in great rewards with a newly built squad. I hope that more of our struggling clubs attract the interest of these cash rich arabs, it would piss off the rags and dippers no end.

 

[Citizen Green]

Newcastle would be a very good club to buy, the fan base, stadium and training facility's are all already in place so there's already lots of potential to turn them into one of Europe's most powerful clubs. Much like what we were when Sheikh Mansour took charge here on the wonderful September's day.