Sky Sports interview with Mr Kahn July 13,2013

[aconnecticutyankee]

I think he heart was in the right place but In light of events this season I wonder...

Interview on Sky Sports News

Sky Sports News: What are your feelings about taking over Fulham FC?
Shahid Khan: It's an absolutely incredible feeling. It's a great day, I think, for me and, hopefully, for the Fulham fans.

Sky Sports News: What are your aims at this club?
Shahid Khan: My aims are to continue the tradition and really to have a very sustainable club moving forward.

Sky Sports News: Why Fulham?
Shahid Khan: It's a very special place and a perfect club for me at a perfect time.

Sky Sports News: You are a reported billionaire, how much did you pay for Fulham FC?
Shahid Khan: That is highly confidential.

Sky Sports News: What long-term investment opportunities do you see at Fulham?
Shahid Khan: Mr al-Fayed did an incredible job here over the past 16 years, building it to where it is and this is a passing of the baton, taking it to the next level.

There has been a plan to build a riverside development and I think that's absolutely vital. This is a special historic place that needs the investment and our goal would be to redevelop it and have it moving forward.

Sky Sports News: What were the negotiations with Mr. al-Fayed like?
Shahid Khan: I really enjoyed getting to know him – he is a wonderful guy and very much to the point. This (takeover) is something about which I contacted him recently and it came to a conclusion very quickly, very amiably, it's good for him, good for us and most importantly, great for the Fulham fans.

It's incredible, he rescued Fulham and has a great vision – he shared that with me. To him, to me, to all the Fulham fans, it is very important that we move forward.

Sky Sports News: What can Fulham expect from you?
Shahid Khan: There's a great leadership here at Fulham and my goal is to sustain that and also really support the business. I have a lot to learn, but I will be supporting them.

Sky Sports News: Will you make funds to buy players available to Fulham FC?
Shahid Khan: It's very difficult to be specific, I am not a micro manager – I don't plan on being involved day-to-day, but I do plan on giving them the support, financial or otherwise to be successful on the pitch.

Sky Sports News: Will you be keeping the statue of Michael Jackson here?
Shahid Khan: I've been an owner less than a day. We have to respect history but also move forward. I am going to reflect on it, listen to the fans, and then really decide.

Sky Sports News: What impact will this here in Fulham have on your ownership of Jacksonville Jaguars? Will you base them here in London?
Shahid Khan: These are two distinct clubs that will operate differently and independently, yet there is a huge amount of synergy and our goal will be to take advantage of that.

Sky Sports News: Will Jacksonville Jaguars become the first British NFL franchise?
Shahid Khan: Right now, we are committed to playing a game in London each year for the next four years.

Sky Sports News: Do you aim for Fulham to be able to compete with teams like Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea?
Shahid Khan: Right now that would be wonderful, but we have to make sure it's consistently sustainable.

Sky Sports News: What are your emotions like right now?
Shahid Khan: It has absolutely been incredible; it is something I will remember forever.

Related articles
◦New Fulham owner Shahid Khan sends classy newsletter to fans of Jacksonville Jaguars regarding Fulham (101greatgoals.com)
◦Fulham bought by US billionaire (bbc.co.uk)

Shahid Khan email to JJ Season Ticket holders

[JDH101]

I think his heart is in the right place and I think he is a smart guy. Everything he said above filled me with hope.

I think he has been given some bad advice:

1) Letting Jol stick around for as long as he did.
2) Never really replacing him. RM sort of took over, but nothing official was ever said (that I saw), that RM is the new manager.
3) Bringing in Curbs and Wilkins. I can't put my finger on it, but it changed when they arrived. For the worse.
4) Allowing RM the transfer window then sacking him 2 days later. Still cannot get my head around it.
5) Bringing in Magath, who so far has completed frustrated me in his tactics and team selection. I feel like we have gone backwards under him.

I just hope this is a blip and that we are back next season.

[God The Mechanic]

He was sold a company in a sector he had no experience in.  It would have been foolish to completely reshuffle the management with such little experience, and it is them who have let the club down so much - be it from a tactical/player perspective or presumably through not forcing the point that reinforcements were drastically needed.

MAF would never have been able to sell the club had he told him that the purchase price was before a necessary £30-40 million injection for new players - so sold him on the "sustainable" philosophy of the past few years.  Had we finished 13th-16th this year then Khan could have seen first hand what was needed - unfortunately all of the above and pathetically underperforming players means we are likely down, if not bottom by the end of his first season in charge.

[Apprentice to the Maestro]

He was sold a company in a sector he had no experience in.  It would have been foolish to completely reshuffle the management with such little experience, and it is them who have let the club down so much - be it from a tactical/player perspective or presumably through not forcing the point that reinforcements were drastically needed.

MAF would never have been able to sell the club had he told him that the purchase price was before a necessary £30-40 million injection for new players - so sold him on the "sustainable" philosophy of the past few years.  Had we finished 13th-16th this year then Khan could have seen first hand what was needed - unfortunately all of the above and pathetically underperforming players means we are likely down, if not bottom by the end of his first season in charge.

Khan did, however, immediately replace the Board.

And he didn't seem to acquire a footballing advisor with experience of the PL, such as a `Director of Football', given, as you say, he was entering a new sector.

A large sum of TV money was available this year. It would have done no harm finacially to the club to spend it to consolidate our place in the PL for the next few years.

[God The Mechanic]

Khan did, however, immediately replace the Board.

And he didn't seem to acquire a footballing advisor with experience of the PL, such as a `Director of Football', given, as you say, he was entering a new sector.

A large sum of TV money was available this year. It would have done no harm finacially to the club to spend it to consolidate our place in the PL for the next few years.

He didn't replace the MD though - and I assume he plays the most prominent role in the day to day runnings of the club (I may be wrong - if so feel free to point it out :P).  AM should have been the one to state how important it was to regenerate the team, alongside Jol.  From all reports we got who we wanted in the summer, so it wasn't a lack of investment more a lack of targets.  I'd have thought AM has been in football long enough to have accrued some footballing knowledge, Khan likely didn't/doesn't even know of the role of DoF...

[TonyGilroy]

I think his heart is in the right place and I think he is a smart guy. Everything he said above filled me with hope.

I think he has been given some bad advice:

1) Letting Jol stick around for as long as he did.
2) Never really replacing him. RM sort of took over, but nothing official was ever said (that I saw), that RM is the new manager.
3) Bringing in Curbs and Wilkins. I can't put my finger on it, but it changed when they arrived. For the worse.
4) Allowing RM the transfer window then sacking him 2 days later. Still cannot get my head around it.
5) Bringing in Magath, who so far has completed frustrated me in his tactics and team selection. I feel like we have gone backwards under him.

I just hope this is a blip and that we are back next season.

We all know that the decision making has been poor (I'm being generous) but we don't know who's been taking those decisions and whose advice has been sought.

Beyond any doubt the decision making must improve.

We all seem to think we know how little Khan knows and how much power AM has but in truth we haven't a clue.