SPORT ON TV: Money-maker or dream-maker? A new Red Devil is given
June 24th, 2007 by MoniesITV reporter Mark Jordan went to ‘investigate British football’s most controversial figure’, said Sir Trevor McDonald as he opened the 30-minute programme. Yes, half an hour to come up with the definitive story about a 76-year-old recluse who has saddled United with a debt of around pounds 500m at the flourish of a signature.
Jordan spoke to a host of different people in his quest to expose Glazer, warts and all. There was a former United manager, a former schoolmate, a couple of reporters, a lawyer, an ex-employee, a couple of fans, a member of the United Shareholders and even a neighbour, albeit one you speak to via telephone rather than over the garden wall, given the size of the properties of these Florida tycoons.
Of course, never underestimate the emotions that soccer ” or is it football? ” can stir. The programme started with the images of a burning effigy of Glazer on news of the takeover and fans singing, to the tune of She’ll be Coming Round The Mountain, ‘Die die Glazer, die die. Die die Glazer die die.’
Tommy Docherty, the former United manager, contested that ‘Glazer will never understand our history. He’s only here to treble his money, quadruple his money, whatever’. Which is just what every businessman in the world wants to do, but maybe I’m missing the point.
Perhaps the key issue here is that had United been in debt (they weren’t) and Glazer had come riding in to town with his three sons to save the club from potential administration, they’d be hailed as a godsend. A bit like Roman Abramovich was when he took over Chelsea’s debts and transformed them into Premiership champions.
Glazer is ‘exposed’ as a man driven by a desire to make money ” for himself and his three sons, one of whom appears on the programme. ‘We’re only interested in two sports, American Football and British football,’ Joel says.
Others are not convinced, feeling that the Glazers will pick up the ball once they have finished playing with it and head west to the good old US of A. ‘I’ll keep it short, he’s not a soccer fan,’ one observer said. ‘It’s absolute bull, his only passion is for money.’
A neighbour, Rob Miller, told of a recent occasion shortly after the takeover when he hovered over Glazer’s mansion in his helicopter. The new United owner called him up and asked why he had a sniper with him. ‘It wasn’t a sniper,’ Miller said. ‘It was the police commissioner, a friend of mine. But Glazer must have thought someone involved with that Manchester soccer issue wanted to shoot him.’
Don Nahley, a former employee of a business Glazer bought ” and he’s had a few of them ” told of the ruthless way he took over, then cut back on staff. ‘I told him that one employee he was going to be firing had been with the company for 28 years. He replied, ‘No he hasn’t, he’s worked less than one year with us’. He would also question every dollar spent. Once he called long-distance, querying $11.25 spent on some spray paint. He’s only interested in making money, a lot of money.’
Glazer certainly appears to have some ‘previous’. In 1995 he bought the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for $192m and made them Super Bowl champions. He then also demolished the stadium and got the city of Tampa to pay for a new one ” after threatening to relocate the team. One Bucs fan, Quentin Boston, has a warning for United: ‘Be wary. We went from Super Bowl champions to bottom of the south division. He’s over there to make a pile of money, a big pile of money.’
Nick Toole, of United Shareholders, fears Glazer will rename the stadium, ‘Coca-Cola Old Trafford, or whatever’. This in itself would hardly be new to sport, but it would further shake the foundations of what little trust there is.
Of course, should United reclaim their title as the best team in the land within the next two years all will be forgiven. Now, can we get on with the real business part of the season.
Author: Gary Lemke
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