If you happen to wake up each morning – as I do, hoping against hope that a surprise headline may appear stating that Qatar Holdings has announced confirmation of its purchase of Manchester United from the Glaziers, you can now forget that slim possibility completely, at least in the short term. When Sir Alex Ferguson revealed details of the second successive pre season tour of the United States in July, he was indirectly making it clear that there’s definitely no change of ownership in the wind.

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The immediate thought to reports that the Glazer family has lost millions from Manchester United was – Good, I hope they go broke and be forced to sell. That may admittedly be a knee jerk reaction which will have be reconsidered in time. BBC Sport has reported that “Manchester United’s parent company made a loss of £108.9m in 2009-10 according to newly released financial results. Red Football Joint Venture is the Glazer family parent company that owns the Old Trafford club. Its loss, for the year to July 2010, includes one off costs from setting up a £526m bond scheme last January to replace outstanding debts of £509m.”

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It’s only a matter of time according to savvy investors. Manchester United’s £250m of 8.75 percent notes due 2017 have gained 5.59 pence since February 8 amid media speculation that the club is in talks with Qatar Holding for a sale. The Arabian Business.com website reported today that “Bonds of Manchester United rose to a record high amid speculation the 18 time English soccer champion may be sold to the Qatari royal family.”

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There are stories which cannot be taken seriously while there are others which we desperately WANT to believe. This is one of them. Reports have been circulating for weeks that the Glazers were on the verge of accepting an offer from Qatar Holdings to take Manchester United off their hands. One denial after another was issued by club representatives but the story is still well and truly alive. While the Daily Express is reporting that a “well placed source” said that “the deal is pretty much done and they are only haggling over details” United is still disputing the claims.

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Chris Dillow has a great article (link here – would recommend reading all of it) that considers the revolution taking place in Tunisia at the moment, and how the events over there may serve as an inspiration for others and create a “domino effect” around the world with regards to the cause of the disposal of dictators and autocrats in favour or democracy and freedom.

I wouldn’t normally comment on such matters because in no way am I qualified to blog on international politics (even on football is debatable!), I try to keep my opinion on such areas to a minimum and leave the debate to the more informed Oliver Kamm’s and Noam Chomsky’s of this world, but I think that the ideas that Chris puts forward can be linked to the MUST inspired anti-Glazer movement in a way. Read the full story

Despite being the most decorated manager in English football history, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson says that even he is not immune from the possibility of losing his job. Having  just turned 69 on New Years eve and completed 24 years at Old Trafford, Ferguson believes that in this day and age when club owners and fans demand constant success, managers can never afford to relax, citing the recent sackings of Sam Allardyce at Blackburn and Newcastle’s Chris Hughton as examples.

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