ForeverBlue_Since91 2,895 Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Charles Green wears a gold Rolex. It hides for the most part below the left sleeve of a smart navy blue suit and is complemented only by a pair of discreet Rangers Football Club cufflinks.The Glasgow club's chief executive officer was given the watch in May 2003 in Dubai's resplendent Burj Al Arab hotel. It was a gift for his 50th birthday from friends he had made in the Emirates during regular visits to the Middle East as part of his work with Source Bioscience, a Nottingham-based medical research firm.Little did Green know at the time, he would almost a decade later be on the receiving end of a far greater offering from the Middle East.This month marks one year since Craig Whyte, the former owner of the Scottish giants, announced the club was going into administration.As Green watched the news unfold on television in his London apartment, he received a text message from Imran Ahmad of Zeus Capital offering him the opportunity to become the chief executive of one of football's biggest football clubs. He replied: "No thanks"."I thought that was the end of it," Green told The Nationalin Dubai this week. "But a few days later he hounded me again and we met in London. That was when I realised not only that Rangers had to be bought by someone, but that Rangers could be bought by my group."Last summer, while sourcing investors for a consortium that would eventually acquire the business and assets of the financially-stricken club, Green managed to raise close to £4 million (Dh23.1m) worth of investment from the region. And with substantial finances also arriving from Singapore and Indonesia, the Englishman's international consortium eventually completed its takeover for £5.5m."The big uncertainty throughout it all was whether Rangers would ever play again and what league it would it be in," he said. "First, it was going to be First Division, then it was the Third Division, then it was like we were almost being blackmailed by the authorities to the point where we got our licence only two or three days before the season started."Rangers, a club that have won 54 league titles and never played a league game outside the top tier, found themselves playing in Scotland's lowest division with a transfer ban prohibiting them from replacing players who had walked out on their contracts.When the squad started the season, it is said some of the youth players involved had never met their first-team colleagues. And yet the club has continued to attract in excess of 45,000 spectators to home games, in a league that last year had an average attendance of just 475."For me, it has been a very, very challenging journey, but ever so rewarding," Green said. "And when I say rewarding,I don't mean in financial terms, but rather the satisfaction that comes with now having one of the world's biggest football clubs in a very safe position; where its financial future is secure."Green suggested that, without a rich benefactor, it is hard to come up with a sustainable model for running a football club."But our vision," he said, "is to instead use these great assets that we have got: the academy and our worldwide network."Green will look east to continue Rangers' renaissance by tapping into Arabian Gulf, subcontinent and Far East markets."The growth of football is going to be in those regions," he said. Seeking further investment, however, is not why he visited the UAE and Qatar this week and it is not why he is now in Australia.A few years after Green received his Rolex, his relationship with the Emirates strengthened further, culminating in the Yorkshireman eventually making the permanent move to Dubai in 2006.He lived in a penthouse suite opposite Deira City Centre, before relocating to a newly finished villa in the grounds of Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club, where he lived until he left the region in 2009. Green, on his return this week to the city he once called home, met with around 70 members of the Dubai Loyal Rangers Supporters Club.The following day he attended the European Clubs Association annual conference in Doha, before flying on to Perth, Australia."The Rangers diaspora is worldwide," he said. "We have got five million fans around the globe and it provides a wonderful opportunity.For me, this is a failure of previous regimes because that historical base has never been monetised."If we want to lay accusations down, the directors and officers of Rangers in the past have not actually done enough, in my mind, to grow the brand."He added: "Where we see the growth is in Asia. Half the world's population lives in China and India, yet there aren't any football teams there. Forget the Mickey Mouse stuff going on at the moment, where they pay crazy wages for [Nicolas] Anelka and [Didier] Drogba for a six-month deal that sees them walk around the training ground …"What people want to see is clubs with history, and there are not many in the world that can compare to the history of Rangers."Rangers have a back story stretching 140 years, but with a growing number of European clubs opening elite football schools in Asia, Green knows Rangers will need to move quickly to ensure a foothold. He has already held meetings regarding training camps and academies and hopes to use the connections he has developed in the UAE over the past decade or so to help the club's cause."It's part of what I am doing here because there is a pool of talent in this region - both local and expat," he said."I know Emiratis like their football as much as they like their horses, so there would be a strong interest. I had a meeting earlier with a very close friend and he is extremely excited about the prospect of trying to help me drive this here."In terms of finances and player recruitment, to stand still is to move backwards and Green appreciates this."The hardest part of our work is done, but now we have to sustain it and push on," he said.The hands on his Rolex are ticking.gmeenaghan@thenational.ae Follow us @SprtNationalUAE Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlBear. 8,499 Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Is this an advert for Rolex? They need to get the book of all this written and published. An unbelievably true story. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
geronimoo 1,491 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 the Middle East is where we should be looking towards, Years ago America was the big target but they are so in so much debt their country may very well break down soon. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BareGrills 145 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Safe to file this under horseshit from Charles along with Dallas Cowboys, Man U wanting us in EPL, Apple wanting naming rights to Ibrox, 3 billionaire Investors onboard by July, Adidas (or anybody), an Academy in every city on the planet, Bigger than Chelsea, no debts, Edmiston House, Albion carpark which has now been bought at at least two different prices, Arsenal etc etcWhat do we get??? Jim fuckin' Traynor!Time to wake up I think before it is too late. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muirheadbear 1,483 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Has anyone heard of the Arizona Wildcats? Probably only our members in America. They were the college baseball champions in 2012. Now would you buy a wildcats baseball cap or Wildcats TV? Would you fuck! You buy a Yankees or Red Sox cap don't you!So if you are in India or China do you buy a shirt with Messi on it or a bears one with Ian Black on it? Mmmmmmm let me think about that!Ok I have, it's all pie in the sky Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StublueKPL 524 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 I agree some of it may seem far fetched. But, I do believe their could be some serious investors in us here in the middle east. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockwellGers 14,812 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Has anyone heard of the Arizona Wildcats? Probably only our members in America. They were the college baseball champions in 2012. Now would you buy a wildcats baseball cap or Wildcats TV? Would you fuck! You buy a Yankees or Red Sox cap don't you!So if you are in India or China do you buy a shirt with Messi on it or a bears one with Ian Black on it? Mmmmmmm let me think about that!Ok I have, it's all pie in the skyOh come on.Are you really saying that Ian Black couldn't be the face of world football? It's not like he's a useless cunt. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamgers 1,214 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Safe to file this under horseshit from Charles along with Dallas Cowboys, Man U wanting us in EPL, Apple wanting naming rights to Ibrox, 3 billionaire Investors onboard by July, Adidas (or anybody), an Academy in every city on the planet, Bigger than Chelsea, no debts, Edmiston House, Albion carpark which has now been bought at at least two different prices, Arsenal etc etcWhat do we get??? Jim fuckin' Traynor!Time to wake up I think before it is too late.Aye, thats the guy that's sticking two fingers up to our detractors mate, best signing we've made this season,! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allanger 625 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Why the negativity towards this article? Green is our CEO if he doesn't talk us up then what hope do we have Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlBear. 8,499 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Why the negativity towards this article? Green is our CEO if he doesn't talk us up then what hope do we haveWhile it won't be easy to break into these markets, we should at least be trying to expand the brand. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senna 735 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 For a guy that helped save our club, some "bears" sure do fucking hate Charlie. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steelee66 233 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Safe to file this under horseshit from Charles along with Dallas Cowboys, Man U wanting us in EPL, Apple wanting naming rights to Ibrox, 3 billionaire Investors onboard by July, Adidas (or anybody), an Academy in every city on the planet, Bigger than Chelsea, no debts, Edmiston House, Albion carpark which has now been bought at at least two different prices, Arsenal etc etcWhat do we get??? Jim fuckin' Traynor!Time to wake up I think before it is too late.Yes, it's time you woke up.Sounds to me that you are dreaming of being Phil 3 names, Alex Thompson or Tom fucking English. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
uloyalist1690 3 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 great article, in Charles we must trust Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edmiston Drive 3,846 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Safe to file this under horseshit from Charles along with Dallas Cowboys, Man U wanting us in EPL, Apple wanting naming rights to Ibrox, 3 billionaire Investors onboard by July, Adidas (or anybody), an Academy in every city on the planet, Bigger than Chelsea, no debts, Edmiston House, Albion carpark which has now been bought at at least two different prices, Arsenal etc etcWhat do we get??? Jim fuckin' Traynor!Time to wake up I think before it is too late.Spot on bud , very astute your post really captures the last year Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sergio 1,199 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Safe to file this under horseshit from Charles along with Dallas Cowboys, Man U wanting us in EPL, Apple wanting naming rights to Ibrox, 3 billionaire Investors onboard by July, Adidas (or anybody), an Academy in every city on the planet, Bigger than Chelsea, no debts, Edmiston House, Albion carpark which has now been bought at at least two different prices, Arsenal etc etcWhat do we get??? Jim fuckin' Traynor!Time to wake up I think before it is too late.It's Friday, It's nearly 5 oclock .... it's hammer time ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Mcdonald 35 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 It's Friday, It's nearly 5 oclock .... it's hammer time ... It used to be Cracerjack. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluechip 359 Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Safe to file this under horseshit from Charles along with Dallas Cowboys, Man U wanting us in EPL, Apple wanting naming rights to Ibrox, 3 billionaire Investors onboard by July, Adidas (or anybody), an Academy in every city on the planet, Bigger than Chelsea, no debts, Edmiston House, Albion carpark which has now been bought at at least two different prices, Arsenal etc etcWhat do we get??? Jim fuckin' Traynor!Time to wake up I think before it is too late. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM???????????????????????? Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyhrfc 2,242 Posted February 9, 2013 Share Posted February 9, 2013 Safe to file this under horseshit from Charles along with Dallas Cowboys, Man U wanting us in EPL, Apple wanting naming rights to Ibrox, 3 billionaire Investors onboard by July, Adidas (or anybody), an Academy in every city on the planet, Bigger than Chelsea, no debts, Edmiston House, Albion carpark which has now been bought at at least two different prices, Arsenal etc etcWhat do we get??? Jim fuckin' Traynor!Time to wake up I think before it is too late.Anyone on here seriously believe that Chelsea is a bigger club than Rangers!!! GET REAL! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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