Eight months and counting.
That is how lengthy it has now been because the Glazer household formally put Manchester United up on the market. At the time, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was solely three days outdated and we at the moment are three days into the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand and Australia.
To say that the state of affairs has dragged on for too lengthy is an understatement. Despite varied deadlines for bids coming and going, United are nonetheless no nearer to being positioned into the palms of latest homeowners.
British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who needs to safe a majority stake, and Qatari banker Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani, who needs full management of the membership, have established themselves because the frontrunners to safe the keys to Old Trafford. But regardless of the cluster of bids they have every tabled, the Glazers are nonetheless in energy.
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Updates from each camps over the previous couple of weeks have been sparse, nearly as if the prospect of shopping for one of many greatest soccer golf equipment on this planet has been forgotten about. Fans are understandably determined for updates, although some are in all probability relieved issues on the pitch are about to do the speaking once more.
The final time United performed in a aggressive fixture was at Wembley within the FA Cup last simply seven weeks in the past. Sheikh Jassim tabled a fifth and improved bid simply 4 days later. Nothing has developed since.
Avram Glazer was in attendance at Wembley that day and he sauntered by means of the combined zone following the full-time whistle, after watching United lose 2-1 to neighbours Manchester City. Journalists who have been gathered tried to query him on the takeover and he simply stored on strolling.
One reporter quipped: “Why are you not speaking to the fans? Don’t the fans deserve to know what is happening with the takeover?”
Glazer was unmoved, strolling straight forward with out even turning his head in acknowledgement of the questions. It was one other nugget of proof to indicate why United’s supporters are so determined for a altering of the guard.
The Glazers, all through their premiership, have not communicated with the lifeblood of the membership sufficient. They do not care about the supporters and that has been evident during the last eight months, with them selecting to stay silent ever since they put the membership in the marketplace and opened the door for contemporary funding.
As a public restricted firm, there are limitations on what the Glazers can come out and say. However, any form of replace, irrespective of how small or uninspiring, could be welcomed.
Their ongoing silence goes towards the whole lot that Joel Glazer stood up and stated within the fallout of the European Super League fiasco again in April 2021. United have been considered one of six English golf equipment who signed up for the breakaway league, solely to carry out a rare climbdown inside essentially the most dramatic 48 hours English soccer has ever witnessed.
United pulled the plug, realised, similar to Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and City, they’d received it horribly improper and needed to go grovelling to their supporters to apologise. Joel Glazer accepted the membership had made an enormous error of judgement and promised an improved degree of communication sooner or later.
He stated: “Manchester United has a wealthy heritage and we recognise our accountability to dwell as much as its nice traditions and values.
“The pandemic has thrown up so many distinctive challenges and we’re pleased with the best way Manchester United and its followers from Manchester and around the globe have reacted to the large pressures throughout this era.
“We also realise that we need to better communicate with you, our fans, because you will always be at the heart of the club.”
If the Glazers realised they wanted to enhance their degree of communication, they want a reminder of the aforementioned assertion – and quick. United’s supporters, who’re genuinely excited by the progress being made on the pitch beneath Erik ten Hag’s steering, are determined for information on the takeover entrance after eight months of a bid being positioned right here, a bid being positioned there and, all in all, it appears little or no progress has been made.
The Glazers have lengthy since outstayed their welcome in M16 and so they have already had sufficient gives on the desk within the final eight months to stroll away with cash nearly all of us can solely dream of. Still, although, they’re but to budge, providing United’s supporters nothing in the best way of hope or confidence that an finish to their tenure is in sight.
It was November 22 after they issued a press release to substantiate that they have been open to accepting an exit. Eight months on, they’re nonetheless no nearer to strolling away.
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