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Maybe he should do the half time team talks as well!!

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528, ... 79,00.html

Adam Johnson believes it would be 'huge' if Manchester City qualify for the UEFA Champions League and revealed chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak helped to inspire the 5-0 win over Sunderland.

Big-spending City's target this season is to finish in the top four and Roberto Mancini's side moved back into third place by thrashing Sunderland on Sunday.

City are also preparing for an FA Cup semi-final with local rivals United later this month and Johnson is not ruling out a late tilt for the Premier League title.

The England winger confirmed Al Mubarak spoke to the City squad before the Sunderland game and he is keen to fulfil the desire to qualify for the Champions League.

"The chairman spoke to us in the morning and outlined what it would mean to the club and I think that spurred everyone on for the victory against Sunderland."

"To get into the Champions League would be huge for this club," said Johnson.

"It has been far too long since anything like that has happened for Manchester City.

"The chairman spoke to us in the morning and outlined what it would mean to the club and I think that spurred everyone on for the victory against Sunderland.

"He said he was backing us to get a Champions League place and told us how important it is to win a trophy, because we haven't won one for more than 30 years.

"We are battling with the teams at the top and the top two aren't too far off. A couple of bad results for them and everything changes again."

I still think we should get Charlie 'Tiger Blood' Sheen to give the team talks.

b*ll*x

Chinners wrote:b*ll*x

I agree. We all know it's because he made them chant 'Allahu Akhbar' before kick off.

(By the way, if anyone missed it, this is not me being racist, it's a not-so-subtle nod towards racist 'paul' mclaren)

Khaldoon is the Silva of the backroom, oozes class and turns everything to gold. I get the feeling he would be a very compelling speaker should he need to be as well.

"The chairman spoke to us in the morning and outlined what it would mean to the club and I think that spurred everyone on for the victory against Sunderland."

Khaldoon: "Right boys, were at the business end of the season now. We missed out on the CL last year, what's it going to take to make it this year?"

Players: "About £2m a man?"

Khaldoon: "Done"

ENIAM NAM wrote:"The chairman spoke to us in the morning and outlined what it would mean to the club and I think that spurred everyone on for the victory against Sunderland."

Khaldoon: "Right boys, were at the business end of the season now. We missed out on the CL last year, what's it going to take to make it this year?"

Players: "About £2m a man?"

Khaldoon: "Done"

Ha ha

ENIAM NAM wrote:"The chairman spoke to us in the morning and outlined what it would mean to the club and I think that spurred everyone on for the victory against Sunderland."

Khaldoon: "Right boys, were at the business end of the season now. We missed out on the CL last year, what's it going to take to make it this year?"

Players: "About £2m a man?"

Khaldoon: "Done"

I think that might be another example of truth spoken in jest.
I was thinking a mill might do it but 2 sounds better.

Maybe he told them that if they don't win they will be taken "for a drive" with the Prince's brother?

avoidconfusion wrote:Maybe he told them that if they don't win they will be taken "for a drive" with the Prince's brother?

who ordered the sandwich?

I find Khaldoon to be pretty fantastic. Full of confidence, poise and humility. Come to think of it, Roberto kinda shares those attributes to a large extent. hmmmmm.

cheers

am i really the only person that's not entirely comfortable with mr khaldoon (and ADUG)'s quite prominent position in what is quite a repressive regime with a quite poor human rights record including state sanctioned torture and the sending of soldiers to quell protests in other countries etc etc?

Arjan Van Schotte wrote:am i really the only person that's not entirely comfortable with mr khaldoon (and ADUG)'s quite prominent position in what is quite a repressive regime with a quite poor human rights record including state sanctioned torture and the sending of soldiers to quell protests in other countries etc etc?

Sssh.

We're rich :)

Arjan Van Schotte wrote:am i really the only person that's not entirely comfortable with mr khaldoon (and ADUG)'s quite prominent position in what is quite a repressive regime with a quite poor human rights record including state sanctioned torture and the sending of soldiers to quell protests in other countries etc etc?

You're just jealous.

I can think of a good couple of dozen people I'd waterboard for kicks if I had half a chance...

BlueinBosnia wrote:

Arjan Van Schotte wrote:am i really the only person that's not entirely comfortable with mr khaldoon (and ADUG)'s quite prominent position in what is quite a repressive regime with a quite poor human rights record including state sanctioned torture and the sending of soldiers to quell protests in other countries etc etc?

You're just jealous.

I can think of a good couple of dozen people I'd waterboard for kicks if I had half a chance...

i've never squished a kitten in my life - and couldn't do it.

and i assume you're joking.

BlueinBosnia wrote:

Chinners wrote:b*ll*x

I agree. We all know it's because he made them chant 'Allahu Akhbar' before kick off.

(By the way, if anyone missed it, this is not me being racist, it's a not-so-subtle nod towards racist 'paul' mclaren)

Racist?
Explain how I'm racist?
My best friend is black, so really, how am i racist?
Because i said i do not want an Asian man to be the head of fifa when sepp twatter steps down?

paulmclaren wrote:

BlueinBosnia wrote:

Chinners wrote:b*ll*x

I agree. We all know it's because he made them chant 'Allahu Akhbar' before kick off.

(By the way, if anyone missed it, this is not me being racist, it's a not-so-subtle nod towards racist 'paul' mclaren)

Racist?
Explain how I'm racist?
My best friend is black, so really, how am i racist?
Because i said i do not want an Asian man to be the head of fifa when sepp twatter steps down?

In all fairness Paul, whether you have friends of any colour, no matter how best, besterest or even besterestest you may be with them, the fact that you are making that decision based solely on the gentleman's race...or as you didn't single him out, any Asian gentleman...that makes your decision a racist one....and as it was you who made that racist decision...it defines you as a racist...Sorry mate but that is how the mop flops.

Arjan Van Schotte wrote:am i really the only person that's not entirely comfortable with mr khaldoon (and ADUG)'s quite prominent position in what is quite a repressive regime with a quite poor human rights record including state sanctioned torture and the sending of soldiers to quell protests in other countries etc etc?

No. There's probably 4 or 5 of you at least. Have a whip round and get yourselves a banner.

Arjan Van Schotte wrote:am i really the only person that's not entirely comfortable with mr khaldoon (and ADUG)'s quite prominent position in what is quite a repressive regime with a quite poor human rights record including state sanctioned torture and the sending of soldiers to quell protests in other countries etc etc?

Honestly he is head of business operations of Abu Dhabi, not political policies. He may provide the financing for Adu Dubai, but it is hard to find another person who has made a lot of money without identifying some questionable decisions.

Heres is a great interview of him talking about his investment fund:

http://video.cnbc.com/gallery/?video=1290041871

It is defiantly a step above Thaksin Shinawatra, and there is no doubt that Khaldoon is one smart motherfucker

Dingus McDouchey wrote:

Arjan Van Schotte wrote:am i really the only person that's not entirely comfortable with mr khaldoon (and ADUG)'s quite prominent position in what is quite a repressive regime with a quite poor human rights record including state sanctioned torture and the sending of soldiers to quell protests in other countries etc etc?

No. There's probably 4 or 5 of you at least. Have a whip round and get yourselves a banner.

Now - that was funny and the figures mentioned are probably spot on as well.

Arjan Van Schotte wrote:am i really the only person that's not entirely comfortable with mr khaldoon (and ADUG)'s quite prominent position in what is quite a repressive regime with a quite poor human rights record including state sanctioned torture and the sending of soldiers to quell protests in other countries etc etc?

I wish I could find it but when all the malarky kicked off in Tunisia, Egypt and Yemen there was a table in one of the broadsheets which set out various "ratings" of the regimes across the Middle East on various factors. One of which was human rights (from which the ratings came from Human Rights Watch). The UAE was one of the best of the (admittedly bad) bunch.

I'm sure that some of the Gulf-based posters will chip in on this but from my experience across various North African and Mid East countries....human rights really hasn't historically been very high on the agenda. Transparency is very much not a common feature (in any facet of life but certainly extending to government and policing) so it's really a case of what people don't "see" doensn't overly trouble them.

I'd say that will change in time and I'd expect that the more progressive and outward facing countries (of which the UAE is certainly one) will likely up their game and fall into step (or more so) with the rest of the western world on this at some point but the regime from which our owners and Khaldoon is not the exception in the whole region on this issue, it is the norm (doesn't make it right I grant you).

As to it really troubling me, hmmm, not too much. I know that the wealth with which we were purchased and are funded is AD state wealth in a fashion but I am much more comfortable with this happening when I know that the home country's citizens are very well provided for and their country is well run and not being bled of money for the Sheikh to fritter on City. My contrast is, as someone put above, with the case of Thaksin where the funds had come from very questionable sources or potentially that of Ghadaffi's investment in Juventus. If Hosni Mubarak had bought City with his country clearly in some need internally and where it would have been clear that the money had been "siphoned off" in the most criminal of senses and was needed elsewhere AND he was a known flagrant abuser of human rights then yes I would have been extremely uncomfortable. As it stands, it could be better but I am not overly troubled by it.