Here's a sweeping generalisation for you -- over the years, most football club owners have been a pretty unattractive lot (makes you realise how blessed we were through the Richard Murray years). Like many here, I don't relish being owned by a typical Russian oligarch (& by that I mean appears to have 'earned' his dosh via sweet deals with politicians, ripping off ordinary people, etc.). But most of the truly mega-rich from other nations are also hard to love....
The reality is that a football fan is left with little alternative but to accept whatever ownership is in place (& hold our noses). No doubt if we'd clubbed together, Richard Murray would have happily sold out to a Charlton Life co-operative, but back in the real world...
My feeling is that the best tactic is to attempt to Charltonise whoever comes on board. If it's someone who seems like Abramovitch Mk2, the best thing we can do is educate him/her that SE7 is not SW6, & try and bring them down to earth asap. This won't be easy, especially if a new owner sweeps out similarly-minded staff, etc. The mega-rich can be are thick-skinned types not always caring overmuch for the views of the ordinary citizen/customer/fan (yeah, generalisation I know, but c'mon, starting naming exceptions...)
As for Russian business practices & culture, i think Prague & others are not too wide of the mark. Take a look at this article
The real world is it has been done elsewhere successfully, but don't let facts get in the way of...
Anyway all I'm saying is perhaps that doesn't have to be the way it is, maybe not today or even tomorrow, but perhaps if don't accept the status quo of speculators/asset strippers in football and work towards something better, then perhaps things will change. Look at what the Valley party achieved, no one thought they would achieve squat.
so we may or may not be pot less--rudder less-- the Russians or African may or may not be coming.
so what --- loads of old faces will be there Saturday lots of new fans as well---good fun looking forward to it even knowing we tend to Kak it up----Russian birds dressed tarty as well---------------WHATS NOT TO LIKE !!!!!!
When I visited Warsaw in 91, the Polish people on the bus said everyone in Poland was a thief. WUM's I thought...but it was kind of true that if you didnt ask for your change in a shop or restaurant...you didnt get it. Not exactly stealing.
ps. Had a Russian gf...absolute nightmare but drop dead gorgeous.
In the interest of balance, can I just say that the most unbelievably, dazzlingly, outrageously beautiful women I have ever set eyes on have been Russian? Thank you.
I can't believe you are saying that and you live in Prague! The women in Prague are unreal.
Having just returned from a holiday there, I can confirm Fiiiiiish is bang on with this one!
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:-)
I think I've seen that film you two are living ;0)
Anyway all I'm saying is perhaps that doesn't have to be the way it is, maybe not today or even tomorrow, but perhaps if don't accept the status quo of speculators/asset strippers in football and work towards something better, then perhaps things will change. Look at what the Valley party achieved, no one thought they would achieve squat.
so what --- loads of old faces will be there Saturday lots of new fans as well---good fun looking forward to it even knowing we tend to Kak it up----Russian birds dressed tarty as well---------------WHATS NOT TO LIKE !!!!!!
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sergei_Pavlovich_Baltacha
ps. Had a Russian gf...absolute nightmare but drop dead gorgeous.