United’s American ownership of the Glazer family has not been the best of times for the club, with frequent fan-led protests, haphazard player recruitment and not a lot of positivity.
So it is understandable why the Red Devil fan base was ecstatic when news came that multiple bids had come in for a transfer of ownership. Jim Ratcliffe, the richest man in Britain is one of the bidders. Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani is another.
Al Thani is not one of those who is looking to buy any club. He has had a long-held interest in United, having been a fan since the 1990s, when he studied in England.
If he were to actually acquire the Manc club, the state of Qatar would have another behemoth of football under their control, the other one being PSG.
With such a move in the offing, there are bound to be proponents and opponents.
Earlier this year, when this move was just being hinted at, a United fan club called Manchester United Supporters Trust (MUST) released a joint, and dare we say, racist, statement alongside Liverpool fan club Spirit of Shankly discouraging a takeover of these legacy clubs by someone like Qatar.
While a lot has happened since the stance of many has remained the same.
The benefits of such a takeover are obvious. Just look at PSG. The club now boasts a roster of stars that others can only envy. And have conquered almost everything barring the elusive Champions League, but even that looks like a matter of time.
In contrast, the downsides are deeper in nature and are not even football related. They speak to the legacy and the culture. United is a club basked in history and heritage, and to let this fall into the hands of oil-money Gulf owners just does not sit right with people.
Add to that the controversial laws in these countries and it gets worse. The 2022 World Cup that was held in Qatar came with its fair share of humanitarian and discriminatory issues.
Should a club as big as this even be owned by people who still think LGTBQ+ is illegitimate or who treat humans like slaves?
That was the question asked by Miguel Delaney, the chief football writer for The Independent.
Delaney is a sports journalist from the United Kingdom who writes primarily about football. He has worked for a number of well-known media outlets, including The Independent, ESPN, and The Guardian, and is known for his in-depth analysis and coverage of football events and culture.
He is firmly in Team “No” when it comes to a Qatar takeover, and even published an article in support of his argument.
Anyone lobbying for Qatari ownership or saying criticism of the bid is "racist" (a preposterous argument) should read Abdullah's story as one example
In the article, Delaney points fingers at the Gulf authorities and uses an incident from the World Cup as an example of why Middle-East ownership will not be good for Premier League and Manchester United.
To this, Mohammed Saeed Alkaabi, a famous sports journalist from Qatar replied questioning the authenticity of the article and how the takeover is all but inevitable.
My friend, don’t talk about things you don’t know. I note that you are one of the strongest opponents of the Qatari takeover of Manchester United. But I’d like to assure you, we’ll be doing a total acquisition soon
These are not the only tweets by him. He has routinely accused Qatar of using the World Cup first, and now United, as vehicles for sportswashing.
But the worst part is, he himself is working for an organization that comes under indirect ownership of Saudi Arabia.
Miguel Delaney, Chief Writer for The Independent:
The Independent is owned by Evgeny Lebedev whose wealth came from his father, a Russian oligarch, and former KGB officer & Sultan Muhammad Abuljadayel from Saudi.
I would take him more seriously if he quit his job.
Miguel Delaney, Chief Writer for The Independent > Owned by Evgeny Lebedev (Russian) Sultan Muhammad Abuljadayel (Saudi).
Samuel Lluckhurst, Chief Writer for Manchester Evening > Parent Company, Reach > Headquarters, Canary Wharf, London > Owned by Qatar Investment Authority.
As a journalist, you’re expected to report on facts first and foremost, and then your opinions.
That is not to say that Delaney is wrong.
Sure, his opinion has upset many but then again, whose opinion is 100% agreed upon nowadays?
Delaney may be fishing for clicks, or he may be hypocritical, but he needs to be more respectful of what he’s sending out given his stature and reach.
Taking a stance is good. It is needed, even. Some need to play the devil’s advocate so that a proper debate and discussion can happen over whether an action should be taken or not.
Delaney has bit the bullet and gone all-out against Qatari owners.
Should their bid be unsuccessful, he stands a lot to gain.
But should they take over Old Trafford, a few very tough weeks will await the journalist.
