News broke this week that Burnley are searching for an investor from the oil-rich Gulf States to develop the club financially and help them achieve their Premier League dreams.
Brendan Flood confirmed he was seeking to bring Middle Eastern funding and even players to the club
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‘It’s a club with super-sized ambition and we need an investor with a super-sized cheque book,’ Flood told Dubai-based magazine, Arabian Business. ‘It could help fulfil a lot for us.’
‘We are also establishing a series of global alliances with other clubs. We’ve had a lot of enquiries from clubs in Qatar and Saudi Arabia about players and where the seasons aren’t contemporaneous we could look at loaning players out.’
Flood went on to say he was aiming for $50 million investment to renovate Turf Moor and was also keen to take Gulf players on loan to increase our chances of promotion. How much of this aim is precipitated by the credit crunch and how much is pure innovation is difficult to say although the announced £30 million Turf Redevelopment has been scaled down in recent times with a reported saving of £5 million.
Begging for handouts in the Middle East appears the new norm after Manchester City`s takeover by Abu Dhabi investors not to mention the media also reporting interest by United Arab Emirates businessmen in both Liverpool and Newcastle United.
Some parochial and traditional Clarets fans will no doubt have concerns about Flood`s intentions whilst more glass half full Clarets will see this as a positive move and a way of finally breaking the financial stalemate, avoiding midtable mediocrity and maybe even giving the club its strongest chance yet of reaching the top flight and more importantly staying there.
Let`s hope Oils Well that ends well!! (I`ll get my coat!)
Many thanks to Burnley FC for the use of the photograph
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