Premier League - City close Thailand operations

Eurosport - Fri, 06 Mar 10:05:00 2009

Manchester City have closed down their Thailand operations following former owner and ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's sale of the club, ending ambitious plans of becoming "Asia's Premier League team".

FOOTBALL 2008-2009 Premier League Manchester City Thailand Supporters Club - 0

Jimmy Heosontaty, City's former representative in Thailand, said plans for an academy had been scrapped and the club's merchandise shop, launched to great fanfare last year, had closed due to a lack of interest.

"We saw no point in carrying on after the (Shinawatra) family sold their share," he told Reuters. "City still have fans here, but there's not a lot of interest anymore."

Thaksin, convicted of graft last year and a fugitive overseas, bought City in July 2007, 10 months after he was ousted in a bloodless military coup.

He hoped to make City Asia's most popular club and signed three barely-known Thai players, a move widely dismissed as a political ploy to earn the support of football-mad Thais for a party formed by his supporters.

Amid rising discontent among City fans over his treatment of then manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, Thaksin sold the club to a consortium from the United Arab Emirates in September and has been on the run since his British visa was revoked in November.

Reuters

Comment 1 - 6 of 6

Sort comments by: Most recent

  1. Go BRAD!!!!!

    From Chris W, on Fri 6 Mar 12:48PM

  2. Not for long hopefully martin. At least we have rid of­ one corrupt idiot.... although a half-time­ entertainment package of "me love you long­ time" would have been nice.

    From Chris W, on Fri 6 Mar 12:46PM

  3. Well now City have more cash and are worse than last­ season.

    From martin.mitevski26, on Fri 6 Mar 12:18PM

  4. Get it right or don't write anything at­ all..!!!

    I'm sick of this!

    From Brad, on Fri 6 Mar 12:03PM

  5. I'm sick of reading and seeing people always­ thinking this (Sorry mate but I'm here)
    Abu Dhabi­ (like Dubai) are not countries but only emirates (or­ states) of 1 country - United Arab Emirates. Soyour­ club has been bought by a consortium from the UAE­ !

    And for yur owners, Dr. Sulaiman is the­ "face" of them but you're right - he­ didn't buy / provide the funds... As a member of­ the Royal family, Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan is­ the main player, who did that.

    PS : I'm a­ Liverpool fan... Why didn't they buy my club ?

    From Mervin A, on Fri 6 Mar 11:06AM

  6. It wasnt United Arab Emirates it was Abu Dhabi actually­ just like you always report that our owner is Sulaiman­ Al Fahim when actually its Sheik Mansoor. Please try­ harder!

    From mattbentham101, on Fri 6 Mar 10:17AM
Sort comments by: Most recent

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account