Premier League - Chinese ambition for Yeung's Birmingham

Eurosport - Tue, 15 Sep 13:08:00 2009

Hong Kong billionaire Carson Yeung, who hopes to complete his £79 million purchase of Birmingham City in the next three weeks, wants the Premier League club to spearhead a revolution in Chinese football.

FOOTBALL - Carson Yeung - 0

Yeung's Grandtop International Holdings Limited expected its bid to buy a controlling interest in the club to be approved by shareholders at a meeting on September 29, he said.

Emphasising that stability at the English club would be their initial watchword, Yeung also spoke of his vision of Birmingham helping to cure China's football ills.

"Over the 10 years China has had its sports boosted, but there has been no development for football," Yeung said.

"So I would like to make my humble contribution... In the future when the team is stabilised, we will recruit Chinese players who have potential.

"My biggest wish is to bring in the English Premier League club to China, promote English professionalism and football concepts to the Chinese, and to let the Chinese know how an English football team is managed."

Grandtop's chief operations officer Sammy Yu reiterated that they were keen to work with manager Alex McLeish after the takeover, and said management on the business side of the club would be strengthened and not necessarily replaced wholesale.

"We will not be crazy buyers, spending crazy money for nothing," Yu said. "In football, even if you spend a fortune, it doesn't mean you will succeed. We want to strengthen the club step-by-step.

"We have a lot of friends in football circles ... with expertise in the Premier League, of even higher class than the existing management," he added.

"We will work together with the current management... Mr Yeung will be the final decision-maker, but we need a team to run the club."

Yu said former England winger Steve McManaman and France midfielder Christian Karembeu were expected to help out, but probably in areas such as scouting and international relations.

The mission to improve Chinese soccer would include a building a dedicated school, inviting Chinese coaches to St Andrew's and even inviting the national team to base itself in Birmingham before big tournaments.

"Helping Chinese football is not simply about providing money," Yu added. "Probably Chinese football is poorly developed because they have too much money.

"Mr Yeung has got the money, but he hopes we work together to establish a concept of Chinese football and to make it organised. We will bring in the valuable part of English football."

Reuters

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  1. We have to look to the future and quickly move on­ ,firstly ,Mcleish has to go .I have just recently­ relocated back to brum after staying In Motherwell for­ a number of years
    where I made friends with both­ Motherwell fans as well as Rangers fans, they were both­
    laughing when Mcleish took over and stressed that he­ would **** the club up with his tactics and­ signings,well It sure seems the case now ,look how many­ times Ferguson gave away the ball against the scum,and­ how can you play the record signing of the club only 15­ mins of the game.O'conner Is not A premiership­ striker ,how many chances Is he getting and look at the­ negative tactics applied by Mcleish...Mcleish out!!!1

    From khalilm07, on Thu 17 Sep 2:30PM
  2. BRUM SET TO BE THE BIGGEST TAKE AWAY...

    From walt jabasco, on Thu 17 Sep 9:45AM
  3. Nice to see a new owner talk about­ "stability" rather than ripping the club to­ bits straight away with ill-advised changes.

    Good luck­ Birmingham fans.

    COYS.

    From marklee_freelance, on Wed 16 Sep 9:13PM
  4. I am more sas about losing Karren who done more for the­ blues than anyone, but we should give Yeung a chance,­ and yes, get rid of McCleish and start fresh

    From PAUL, on Wed 16 Sep 6:31PM
  5. If Yeung really is interested in football, and he­ certainly sounds genuine enough, I don't see why­ the people of Brimingham, and the football fraternity­ in the UK shouldn't welcome him. He seems a lot­ better than the average foreign buyer.

    From Paperboy, on Tue 15 Sep 5:44PM
  6. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    up the villa

    From d.burckett, on Tue 15 Sep 5:38PM
  7. asanshe - what ethnic group are you from? I am sure I­ can make a couple of stereotype jokes about you too.­ you are pathetic biggot

    From X, on Tue 15 Sep 5:33PM
  8. First job is to sack that negative scotch pr-ck! if not­ we are going down yet again!

    From jam.nicholls, on Tue 15 Sep 5:00PM
  9. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    SPAMSPASMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSP­ AMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAMSPAM!!!

    From marek_griffith, on Tue 15 Sep 4:28PM
  10. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Using words like spearhead he will indear himself to­ the Zulus.
    You'll never beat the Villa!

    From tuscanvillan, on Tue 15 Sep 1:54PM
  11. that comment is too funny...

    From Ashley B, on Tue 15 Sep 1:45PM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    so fingah? flied lice?

    From asanshe, on Tue 15 Sep 1:11PM
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