Kilworthfox Posted 29 July 2011 Posted 29 July 2011 daily Mail article Well, er, how DID Sven Thai up Real Madrid for a friendly? By Neil Moxley Real Madrid's Galacticos are jetting into the UK for a pre-season friendly against Leicester City. Unlikely as it may seem, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Co will play in the Midlands on Saturday, with a £2million-plus pay-day helping seal the deal. Star attraction: Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo Star attraction: Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo Not every npower Championship club could afford a showcase like this. Leicester's new Thai owners mean business. The Raksriaksorn family completed a £30m takeover from Milan Mandaric last October and put former England coach Sven Goran Eriksson in charge, with the budget to drag the Foxes out of the bottom three. The club kick off their season against Coventry next week as promotion favourites. Tonight, millions will watch from Thailand, where the club have sold rights for the game to the national TV network. The Raksriaksorns own a firm in Thailand called King Power - now the name of what was Leicester's Walkers Stadium - and sell duty-free goods at Thailand's airports. High hopes: Sven Goran Eriksson High hopes: Leicester boss Sven Goran Eriksson The firm's patriarch, Vichai, has formed an international polo team. His son, Top, is more involved with Leicester. The owners have been upgrading the Belvoir Drive training ground and committed £50m to Eriksson. 'When I signed, the owners told me what they would do,' said the Swede, who had only just got over an ill-fated stint at Notts County. 'They have carried out everything they said they would. 'They want to take Leicester into the Premier League and they want Leicester to stay there. It's not just words. SVEN'S SUMMER SIGNINGS Lee Peltier (Huddersfield) £750k Kasper Schmeichel (Leeds) £1.2m Sean St Ledger (Preston) £1.2m David Nugent (free agent) Neil Danns (free agent) Matt Mills (Reading) £4.5m John Pantsil (free agent) Michael Johnson (Man City) loan Paul Konchesky (Liverpool) £1m 'They have a long-term commitment here. We have been very active in the market. The owners are in a hurry. If they wanted promotion last season, then of course they want it now. 'We are certainly better prepared for the Championship than we were last year.' King Power are serious players in Thailand and Leicester got a rapturous reception on a mid-season tour last season. From the sponsors the club have picked up - Air Asia, the Thailand tourist board, Singha beer and Emirates airline - it is clear they are to be marketed as Thailand's representatives in the top flight. 'We're trying to make the team ready to promote outside this country,' said vicechairman Top. 'We have a lot of ambition. My father wants to see everything change. This is something he loves.' Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2020348/How-did-Sven-Goran-Eriksson-Real-Madrid-friendly.html#ixzz1TWoV4tNv
Itsthejoeker Posted 3 August 2011 Posted 3 August 2011 I think the fact we are now so heavily backed by the Thai tourist industry (amazing thailand, air asia etc) shows that our owners are fairly legit, I highly doubt we would be so involved if something wasn't right.
Jace Posted 3 August 2011 Posted 3 August 2011 hopefully this article will keep the pessimists quiet for a few days
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