The sheikh and UD Almería - then a question about Steve Gibson

spanishman

Well-known member
We are living in interesting times over here.

A Saudi Arabian sheikh bought about 99% of UD Almería last summer.

We are in second place in the league (La Liga 2). Down from top after a home loss on Sunday. After we had a dodgy sending off for two yellow cards in the first half.

The sheikh is trying to buy the stadium. However it looks like he will have to just continue leasing it.

He has just paid around 1M euros to modernise the floodlights. Plus there are plans for the stadium to be be modernised between now and next season.

He has already started building works on a multi-sports academy complex next door to the stadium.

They brought in a new manager at the start of the season. Then sacked him before Xmas. We were in second place, down from top. We had had a run of draws and not many losses.

The management annoyed fans by trying to change the club logo from the Indalo (the symbol of the province) to a lion. So they backed off and have settled on changing the mascot from a tomato to a lion. As the lion is thought to appeal to the Middle Eastern audience.

The management had a 3 year plan to get in to La Liga. Now they are pushing to get there this season.

La Liga are blocking attempts by the club to raise extra money. For example selling players to teams in Middle Eastern countries at inflated prices. Plus other types of "investment" in the club. To try to increase the wage cap limit of 19M euros for this season. Plus provide more cash for transfers this window.

There was an article saying that some players complained to La Liga that they have been pressurised to go to Middle Eastern clubs.

At most home matches there is an Audi car raffled for free among fans. At one match two were raffled. At another match 3 were raffled. The story is that he has bought 50 to be raffled over this season. This has led to a 3000-4000 increase in sales of season tickets. Plus more people paying on the day.

Finally, the 38 year old sheikh is currently in the USA. Recovering from an operation from a brain tumour.

So far it has been an interesting first season as a season ticket holder here (at a price of 350 euros - for one of the higher priced parts of the ground).

Would people want to swap Steve Gibson for this?
 
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What about FFP? It also wouldn't matter who owned the Boro - we would have to stick to FFP.
 
We are living in interesting times over here.

A Saudi Arabian sheikh bought about 99% of UD Almería last summer.

We are in second place in the league (La Liga 2). Down from top after a home loss on Sunday. After we had a dodgy sending off for two yellow cards in the first half.

The sheikh is trying to buy the stadium. However it looks like he will have to just continue leasing it.

He has just paid around 1M euros to modernise the floodlights. Plus there are plans for the stadium to be be modernised between now and next season.

He has already started building works on a multi-sports academy complex next door to the stadium.

They brought in a new manager at the start of the season. Then sacked him before Xmas. We were in second place, down from top. We had had a run of draws and not many losses.

The management annoyed fans by trying to change the club logo from the Indalo (the symbol of the province) to a lion. So they backed off and have settled on changing the mascot from a tomato to a lion. As the lion is thought to appeal to the Middle Eastern audience.

The management had a 3 year plan to get in to La Liga. Now they are pushing to get there this season.

La Liga are blocking attempts by the club to raise extra money. For example selling players to teams in Middle Eastern countries at inflated prices. Plus other types of "investment" in the club. To try to increase the wage cap limit of 19M euros for this season. Plus provide more cash for transfers this window.

There was an article saying that some players complained to La Liga that they have been pressurised to go to Middle Eastern clubs.

At most home matches there is an Audi car raffled for free among fans. At one match two were raffled. At another match 3 were raffled. The story is that he has bought 50 to be raffled over this season. This has led to a 3000-4000 increase in sales of season tickets. Plus more people paying on the day.

Finally, the 38 year old sheikh is currently in the USA. Recovering from an operation from a brain tumour.

So far it has been an interesting first season as a season ticket holder here (at a price of 350 euros - for one of the higher priced parts of the ground).

Would people want to swap Steve Gibson for this?
Spanishman, my late brother when living in Spain followed Torreveija he bought a season ticket
Brought me a programme over
 

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What about FFP? It also wouldn't matter who owned the Boro - we would have to stick to FFP.
The Spanish have their equivalent of FFP. That is why there was a wage cap of 19 million at the start of the season. Almería are trying to find ways to get that number increased significantly. So they can make some late big buys this window.

They had two players training with them from overseas in advance of signing. Then La Liga told them they could not increase their salary level as they had thought they could. They are trying to find inventive ways around it at the moment. They are also saying publically that they have been treated unfairly.
 
'The Spanish have their equivalent of FFP. That is why there was a wage cap of 19 million at the start of the season. Almería are trying to find ways to get that number increased significantly. So they can make some late big buys this window'

The club wage cap idea sounds a great way forward to make football more sporting. I'd like to see England adopt that.
 
'The Spanish have their equivalent of FFP. That is why there was a wage cap of 19 million at the start of the season. Almería are trying to find ways to get that number increased significantly. So they can make some late big buys this window'

The club wage cap idea sounds a great way forward to make football more sporting. I'd like to see England adopt that.
As you would expect it is not the same for each team in the same league. I guess that they do some sort of evaluation of whether the proposed business plan is sustainable. Then set the wage cap limit based on that. However I do not know all of the details.

I know that Almería got a significant increase in their wage cap level at the beginning of the season. Based on extra advertising and sponsorship revenue brought in from the Middle East.
 
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