migareigns:

@ nazzyon. while i feel 350 million pounds will really help a lot of nigerians. you cannot blame a person or group of people for how and where they choose to invest their money. they are first of all business men and not a charity and might have seen an opportuntity in thr league. i know it does not seem fair but sadly that is how it is.

You are right, they are out for business and not into charity.

Did you know that if they do a very good research in Nigeria just 1 million pounds will not only make magic but they will reap beyond what they had expected to gain out Nigeria?

I am not expecting them to invest in any Nigerian FC or even technology but to invest in e.g Agriculture and other fairly recognised sources.

With half of 350m pounds, in just 6 months or less investment on plantations of grains they will gain multiple in 100's of what they spent in planting, harvesting and transportation.

If it were simply a case of 'businessmen' putting their money into Newcastle, then I wouldn't care much, but chances are it is Nigeria's hard earned money which was stolen that will be used to fund this purchase if it ever happens.

That will be tantamount to killing children and women by denying them adequate medical care (by embezzling the funds) in order to buy a club?

Nigerians and their delusions of grandeur - second to none.

I am not even concerned about the fact that its a foreign club its their money so let them spend it but 400 million pounds for Newcastle Utd is a very unwise move

ITS A GOOD MOVE AND I PRAY THEY GET ALL IT TAKES TO BUY THE CLUB, EPL IS A GOOD PLACE TO INVEST MONEY BECAUSE IRRESPECTIVE OF HOW SMALL YOUR TEAM CAN BE, PEOPLE WILL STILL TURN OUT TO COME TO THE STADIUM TO WATCH THE CLUB'S MATCHES NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE PLAYING WITH, you know how much Arsenal is currently making from the sales of tickets every week, if you know, then you will agree with me that EPL is a good business to invest in,

ogbongzky:

ITS A GOOD MOVE AND I PRAY THEY GET ALL IT TAKES TO BUY THE CLUB, EPL IS A GOOD PLACE TO INVEST MONEY BECAUSE IRRESPECTIVE OF HOW SMALL YOUR TEAM CAN BE, PEOPLE WILL STILL TURN OUT TO COME TO THE STADIUM TO WATCH THE CLUB'S MATCHES NO MATTER WHO THEY ARE PLAYING WITH, you know how much Arsenal is currently making from the sales of tickets every week, if you know, then you will agree with me that EPL is a good business to invest in,

and do you know how much they spend on wages, security, academy and so on? I think Arsenal is the only or one of the few clubs operating like a normal business at the moment considering the annual debt and profit profile

another problem is Newcastle is a small club but the fans dont realise this so apart from shopping for £50-£100m they have to shop for another £100m to bring in world class players _{yea right!} just to keep the fans happy, you dont want them bringing their protest to abuja do you?

Well let's wait and see!!

Nonsense, utter rubbish, how much do u need to invest in the naija premier league to make it great, the russian league is so developed, abramovich didnt need to pump money there, dubai is turning to paradise, the prince can invest anywhere else, the naija league is like a damn slum, players play on sandy pitches, in a country that arguably boasts to be the best in africa, its sad, very sad, all they needed to do was invest like a 100mil over here, well they can go ahead and further develop the english game, fools

They are simply throwing their money away. Keving Keegan would ask them to buy Henry, Lampard and Schweinsteiger like he did to Mike Ashley. They better not make the mistake of employing Keegan. He knows nothing about the transfer market. I read somewhere that the Nigerians are looking to put aside £50 million for transfers. . . . let me guess. . . . Kevin Keegan will waste that money on 5 Andrew Johnsons or 5 Emile Heskeys at £10m each. . . . employing Kevin Keegan is like throwing money down the sink. . . . the stupid Newcastle fans also have unrealistic expectations. . . . can you believe that Kevin Keegan had never heard of Coloccini and Gutierrez before they signed?. . . . only in Newcastle is an idiot like Keegan considered to be a messiah.

I see a lot of people yapping here about why these people did not invest in naija. Yapping about how unemployment and other social ills wreck the country and these guys want to invest in England. These are all stupid remarks. For how long shall Nigerians wait on the corrupt system to better itself? For how long shall we continue to pour money into the frustration that our country has become. For how long shall we invest and frustrated by unworkable infrastructures like power supply etc. I personally have played that 'patriotic game' of investing in my country in the past and came out crying. I will not blame these guys (assuming the story is true) for investing abroad. At least they are sure of a secure investment protected by a relatively transparent system. Go guys. When we stop deceiving ourselves and realise we got potential to be like China, Korea, India (and even Ghana) then I will be the first to invest in naija.

beware of 419

There is no iota of truth in the story, it is obviously a 419 scam

martin007 (m)
"You should consider that the motive of every business is to make money, you will agree with me that the English League is more profitable."


END OF DISCUSSION

bone tuks, na yahooboys dey work 4 here!

if dem like make dem buy arssenal i dont care,
@shady08, where u go since na?

abeg my fellow 9ja boiz make we try buy arse-enal na? aint dey in sum sort of financial trouble?

dusty,stan, wily how fr? na ski-e, where una dey now?. shey-b we dey hse now? fck arssenal.
manutd for life abi no be so sylve11?

chelsea get luck 4 dat on sunday match.shady08 abi no b so?!!make chelsea n liverpool gt ready 4 old traford clash of d titans.cos i no sey if dem cum old T, e no go eazy at al 4 dem.

Its a welcome news.
I hope its sees the light of day.
Let then buy Naija players and a naija coach , all naija

We 2 much

The truth is that, if they are really genuine businessmen, they do have the rights to spend their money on whatever they want to buy, but if somehow, they are related to people in Government, that is where we can now start to question their intentions? They people that are asking why they did not invest this money in Nigeria's Premier League should wait until they turn into businessmen/women and invest their money in a system that does not work efficiently and see the rewards.

Hello all,


As for me this is going to be the greatest money laundry ever committed if this deal goes through.

Anyway, every businessman / woman has the right to spend their money on any business they like.

Ashley is asking £400 million

Chris and his paddi's are bidding for £375 ja le!!!!!!

Na wa so money dey this country like dis ? This guy shld create jobs fgor naija youths abi na naija youths he wan use play the leaque

the is wonderful news for the image of Nigeria, at least as one of the country with 'real flash', which incidentally is all there is to it. I'm not a football fan, but from what I readily perceive on the business angle is that the club is under the 'bright' pall of relegation. Is this still splendid biz? Anyway good biz or not, we still remain the poorest continent, the most illiterate and backward. MY BLATANT OPINION: There is no cause or ideology. There is no homogeneous determination. There is no feeling of humiliation in foreign lands. There is no self esteem. Scream all you want about soccer. Just look at the state of Africa. Better know, Africa is a shameful place filled with shameless people. ( does anyone know about the debates on IQ. According to popular consensus Africans have the lowest IQ.)

One of the reasons is that there is correlation between general economic development (especially) and IQ. Middle East has the Gulf. Europe has most of Europe. America . . . . . . . . . . . . ., Well Africa really has no Econ developed country. Did we not start together? 1940's to 1960's and it's waves of independence. Logically and most objectively we have a problem. In the 21st century the majority of African countries are in penury. I have realized that if an African or African was given the mantle to lead the world,he or she or it would bungle it like a chimp in the Uni of Ibadan  zoo. We cannot even lead ourselves. Has anyone read 'Gone with the winds', where the blacks are described as 'not harmful, but as children.  Children would forever wait for the US and the UK and Europe to help. To forever conduct meetings and  . . . . . . . . . . ,     THIS IS OUR REALITY OF WHICH THERE IS NO HOPE THOUGH YOU MIGHT READILY THINK OTHERWISE, BUT THINK AGAIN. USE YOUR HEAD. MARRY A WHITE GIRL OR BOY. BLEACH, CHANGE YOUR SKIN, CURL YOUR HAIR. WE ARE THE SLAVES OF THE WORLD. WAIT! HAS THERE BEEN ANY SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENT OF THE BLACK MAN? IT'S NOT A THOUSAND YEARS, ITS THOUSANDS OF YEARS. FEEL YOU NO DEEP SHAME?  THE BLACKS OF THE WORLD

This is not about investment, otherwise nobody in their right minds will be ready to pay 350 million pounds for Newcastle. By the way, Sky News are reporting that the amount is in the region of 200 million. Even at that, it's still exorbitant. In this current financial climate, where stock prices are crashing faster than you can say 'Newcastle', a "consortium of Nigerian businessmen and oil barons" (according to The Sun - UK) are preparing to throw 200M into a decadent club like Newcastle. When Arab businessmen reject a premiership club, then you know it's a complete NO-NO.

This is also not about making a profit. Newcastle United are not in a position to make a profit and they will not be in that position until at least 80-150 million has been spent fixing debts, buying brand new players (clearing out most of the current useless bunch), negotiating deals for players, improving their stadium, hiring a new manager and re-positioning the club). NO, this my friends is not about making a profit. Roman Abramovich is still trying to make a decent profit on Chelsea which he bought over 3 years ago.

To my mind, there are only two reasons why this "group of Nigerian businessmen and oil barons" are so keen on buying Newcastle United.

First, let's make two things clear.

[list]
[li]NVA mgt. is a reputable firm in the UK and they work with top names like John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, Alex Ferguson (Yeah, the Man Utd manager), Marcel Decailly, Usher and P. Diddy to name a few. It was founded by a highly regarded young British-Nigerian in Chris Nathaniel. Yeah, they are a mega-million pound firm. Visit their website and be wowed[/li]

[li]Newcastle is about the worst investment anyone could make right now in England, not even Arab moneybags are willing to invest money into the club.[/li]
[/list]

As a front for illegal activities
It's not new in the illegal business world to use some legal business as a front. Of course, the legal business does not have to generate any decent amount of profit. Considering these guys are from Nigeria and they won't make themselves known, we both know the source of the money is suspect. Let's not come here on Nairaland and pretend that our country is so mis-understood. We have each lived in that country at one time or another or at least our parents or relatives have. Apart from the tens of millions of Nigerians outside Nigeira, there are at least 140 million Nigerians living at home and of that population, at least 70% live well below that poverty line as defined by Nigerian standards (which is pretty low). Of the remaining 30%, at least 10% are teteering on the brink of that poverty line. Of the remaining 20%, at least 10% are struglling to maintain their 'middle-class status (which is almost non-existent)', only 2-7% can be counted as rich. Only about 1-4% of Nigerians can be counted as "wealthy" and it is from this 'select' group that this pool of Newcastle buyers have been drawn from. Moreover, very few if any billionaires in Nigeria (dollars/Naira/Pound/Euro) are conducting legal or semi-legal business and my guess is that none of these guys are involved in this deal.

Someone mentioned about using the money to develop Nigeria. Of course, there's so many things to invest in in Nigeria, it's ridiculous that so many Nigerians in Nigeria are so poor. But get this,  this money cannot be used to 'invest' in Nigeria because then questions may be raised and answers will be very difficult to come by. That's why there's no face associated with the "consortium". They've decided to use a respectable Nigerian for that purpose (Chris Nathaniel). As for developing the Nigerian league, even I will not be interested if I had a billion dollars. The infrastructure is not in place to make a succcess of any serious investment in the Nigerian league. I'D much rather invest in Agriculture or IT, but that's just my opinion.

Status
We Nigerians are status-freaks. Maybe because of the mentality we develop back home, it's difficult for us to exist in a place without trying to make out we are superior to others, especially to other Nigerians.
However, I doubt this has much to do with it.

Here's how this story will end (if they indeed buy this club).

- Newcastle is bought by this group.
- They appoint some dodgy manager (because every reputable manager will stay away).
- Over the course of 1-2 seasons, the club goes from bad to worse due to mis-management, scandals and shams associated with the "hierachy" of the club.
- The appropriate authorities wade in to investigate.
- Their findings uncover some of the shadiest financial dealings by a premier league club.
- The name of Nigeria is dragged further and further in the mud as we finally assume the title of undisputed scam/corruption champions of the world.

Either way I look, there's no happy ending to this gory episode unfolding right before our very eyes. It's high time some sane person wades in and puts a halt to this shambles-in-the-making. Ashley definitely will not, he's only too happy to offload the club to anybody with a wad of cash.

There's millions of Nigerian youths who cannot afford quality education, cannot get jobs, cannot afford a decent accomodation, cannot put food on the table 2 times in a 24 hour day, cannot afford decent transportation, cannot afford health care, cannot afford to save even N10 a month, who do not know what future they can afford to look forward to. Yet these group of Nigerians do not think that's worth investing in.

The funny part is that someone will come on here in a few minutes to defend this atrocious waste of money and tell me Nigerians are finally taking on the world. We have not even begun to take on Nigeria.

It's sad how much Nigerians actually hate themselves.

However, me thinks this is a huge public relations stunt by Chris and his firm, NVA mgt. as they will most likely pull out of any deal at the last moment but not before generarting as much media and public awareness of NVA management.

I dont blame the NO NAME nigerians who want to invest in Newcastle Utd for not investing in Nigeria because of reasons ebst known to all of us, GLOBACOM itself is even opting out of the league soon and i got a gist somewhere that multilinks is trying to take over, dunno the truth regarding this, but time will surely tell, Chris Nathaniel (the Chief Executive Officer of the NVA Management) who seems to head the NO NAME NIGERIANS, will surely have reasons for the interest in the club, but one thing that buggles my mind now is that WILL THEY BE CALLING FOR FUND RAISING ALL THE TIME TO BUY PLAYERS AND PAY WAGES, etc?

Imagine, in a country where lots of people are suffering from unemployment, hunger, lack of shelter behind other predicament some sick sons of bitches are planning to buy a club worth about 400m pounds.

I am a big fan of football but it is just insane. Why can't they use that huge 350m pounds or less to buy a firm here in Nigeria and create job opportunities for the Nigerians.

A million pounds which is about 250 million Nigeria naira will change the lives of most Nigerians here.

There are many Nigerian companies that worth even less that 1 million pounds.

It is utter stupidity.

All I feel right now is sorry for most Nigerians residing in this country, myself included.

One of our problems in this country is that we prefer to put our money outside the country than to have them help our people and develop our Nation. e.g The Nigerian Government (Foreign Reserves)

Another good example of these people is a man who tried all his life to be The Governor of his state but was denied the chance to get there but happens to have one the biggest Hospital in Germany. Had it been that, that fool decided manage his hospital in this country; wouldn't that have convinced his people to support him and put him in the office?

We Nigerians are the one's making our people suffer.

Exactly my own views on this topic.If only we had more Nigerians who do not misplace thier priorities.Funny that People don't really know when to be proud and when to be ashamed.

well every businessman has the right to invest their money where they like, but the truth is there is no legitimate businessman in Nigeria. These guys would have stolen this money in the past from oil revenue.

However this move is far better than banking the stolen wealth somewhere in western bank as has been the case in the past. My reasons:

1. If we embrace this, it could arrouse local interest in football and my call for months for the replication of our success in the Music and Film industry to soccer can only be nearer.

2. There may now be some working relationship between sports management in Nigeria and England that can only be of benefit to us going forward. (Remember Russia, Chelsea, Abhramovic, Guus Hidink, St Pertersburg?)

3. Our ex-players who have been taking coaching and administrative courses may now have more opportunity to manage or be assistant coaches in the Premiership.

4. Newcastle United can even use their links to lobby whoever manufactures their jersies to site one of their factory outlets in Lagos and exploit the low cost labour in Nigeria as China does.

So my brothers lets look forward, these guys have stolen our National Wealth but there is not a lot we can do about it especially when they control the Government. But their are other pragmatic and realistic ways for Nigeria to benefit from ventures like this. I think we should hold them to task on those other means.

I hope they buy it sha, at the end of the day its an investment that can only yield profit over time. Better than banking the money in the west where western banks use the money to provide low cost loans and encourage local (SME) manufacture in their own country. Yet the money will be depreciating over time as liquid cash does.

My bet is Mike Adenuga is at the vanguard of this move, Just waiting to see it unfold.

rtdddddddddcfgfdffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff

what the heck is Ms Farida of EFCC doing at this point, na wa for de woman. instead of lookin into my Chris Nata and his Group, she dey there dey warn politicians

Day by Day, i think if Mike Ashley really wants to sell the club to the highest bidder, he is going to sell to the Nigerians: read the lastest gist on BBC:

The Nigerian consortium interested in taking over crisis-torn Newcastle has talked up its plans to buy the club.

Frontman Chris Nathaniel told BBC Sport: "It's a serious offer, they're very serious business people and passionate football fans.

"We're still at the early stages, but hopefully in the next 48 hours we'll be in a position to make a statement and take the situation further."

Newcastle have appointed investment bank Seymour Pierce to handle the sale.


Kevin is a hero on Tyneside, he'd be a great choice but I can't say too much

Chris Nathaniel on Keegan
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley, who has pumped £250m into the club, wants to sell the club after fan protests against him following the exit of Kevin Keegan as manager earlier this month.

Since Keegan left the club over a dispute regarding control of player transfers, Newcastle have lost their last three league games and on Wednesday crashed out of the Carling Cup after a home defeat by Spurs in front of a less than half full St James' Park.

"Newcastle should be achieving more than they are," added Nathaniel of NVA management.

"There is long-term potential at the club, there is a lot wrong at the club at the moment but they are determined to put that right by getting the right people in and using the right structure."

But Nathaniel remained tight-lipped over suggestions the consortium would try to tempt former manager Keegan to return to St James' Park.

"Kevin is a hero on Tyneside, he'd be a great choice but I can't say too much," said Nathaniel.

y r Nigerians fooling themselves. Not even the combined force of Adenuga, Dangote and the Otedola's have the financial capability to play a vital role in the premiership. Can they even dole out millions for players like the powerhouse of chelsea and also the recently owned Abu Dhabi Man. City.

It is sad that we even dignify their efforts with our responses, is it not obvious that whenever Nigerians are involved in any business institution not established in Nigeria e.g MTN, ZAIN etc. they corrupt the corporations as soon as they establish Nigerian Managers. MTN would not try what they do routinely in South Africa, here is what would likely happen

1: Player salaries would be capped at a ridiculously low ceiling (6,000 pounds per week)
2: Players contracts can run up to 6years if you are exceptional (option of "possible" raise in salaries if you bang in an agreed number of goals)
3: Player bonuses will be decided at the end of the season after determining how many matches were won, drawn or lost
4: Coaches will most definitely be Nigerian (as with technical crew - paid in Naira)
5: Nigerian players will have their contracts signed by a Nigerian Agency (in Naira so as to evade union issues in the UK)
6: New Castle will most likely have 60% Nigerian on the TEAM (Bench, Team B, Youth Team)
7: The Consortium will be very chummy with the NFF (formerly NFA - No Future Ambition) as they will use the stagnant body to effect player transfers at cheap rates,
8: New Castle will definitely see improvements as there are very good players in Nigeria that miss the limelight because of poor management, and greedy agents (don't forget the pollitricks of obtaining a Transfer Certificate from the NFA)

That is my submission