Monday 19 November 2007

would you trust this man?

Would you sleep with this man? He looks like he might need to revert to rape. Meet Aresenal's latest big shareholder.

After one nation socialism was rolled back in the USSR a generation of KGB affiliated robber barons helped privatise the bits of the Russian economy that were still delivering. Thus denying vast swathes of the Russian populace of taxation revenue, and making the Forbes list practically overnight. While we in the west would commonly refer to this as being a gangster, a more popular euphemism as far as Russia is concerned, especially because of the huge potential for business with western banks, is progressive. Just ask Condoleeza Rice.

Since harbouring lofty political ambitions is a rather risky aspiraton in Russia these days (it always has been, actually) the best bet for multi-billionaires is to get the hell out of Russia and find somewhere safe to hide their embezzeled millions. If football had been then as it is now Al Capone could have ended his days with the terraces of say, Loftus Lane, singing his name, rather than watching re-runs of Ice Station Zebra in Alacatraz. How different would the world have been then? We would never have had Brian De Palma's Untouchables. Sean Connery might never have won an oscar. Kevin Costner might never have made the big time.

Welcome to the premiership Mr Usmanov.

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