5 N# p8 [& c9 e6 d8 v# S1 w; L杨嘉诚称购买伯明翰“纯粹是兴趣”,其实兴趣的背后是追求利润。财务报表显示,伯明翰俱乐部已经连续3年赢利,今年2月18日之前的半个“财政年度”盈利360万英镑。如今英超正走入“良性循环”,光电视转播费一项,刚刚冲超的伯明翰俱乐部就分得了6000万英镑。 ) A% A2 V( M& l 4 w% c2 l; t7 ^+ R H0 r1 G
另一方面,英超在东南亚地区拥有大量拥趸,利用球队使自己的其他生意打开亚洲市场也是一大目的。杨嘉诚已公开表示,不排除引进中国香港球员的可能。伯明翰能否成为郑智、董方卓等中国海外球员的“避风港”,值得期待。 4 ]: h0 Q& M L- P+ x, @ ( b& \. q0 n: Q) LMonday 23 July 2007 [ X- {7 C5 Z" J! F' M! i 4 V7 K# A- B# O" ]6 }! I4 u
Chinese players eyed for Birmingham" i. {$ _* S; p3 b( L
HONG KONG (AFP) - Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung, the new main shareholder of English Premier League side Birmingham City, said Monday he planned to bring Hong Kong and mainland Chinese players to the club.* N5 ?! Z. X9 r& `2 \/ h
7 h5 F. @3 Y0 q" f/ `( iYeung, who completed the purchase of 29.9 percent of the team last week, said he hoped to promote the club in China by recruiting one player from Hong Kong and two from mainland China. 8 s r9 F( o8 {* ?. E! a2 b% X) K, g
The 47-year-old, who had said he bought the club for the love of football as well as the enormous market potential in China, said he was currently looking out for suitable players. , U% }3 u3 I& U$ l, b( g/ b% \5 `' }8 ]$ Z7 J
Yeung, a former hairdresser who reportedly made his fortune by investing in penny stocks, said he hoped to be able to report on new developments in the next three months.& G4 ?& N# r, T* ~0 U3 g* e8 N/ g
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He also plans to open Birmingham-themed cafes and restaurants in Hong Kong, China and possibly elsewhere in Asia, as well as football training schools.0 ^5 g6 H' d$ } `- S' Y( M2 D# V+ H
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Yeung bought his stake in a deal worth about 15 million pounds (31 million US dollars). It would allow Yeung to trigger a bid to assume full control.9 F3 _+ B% F' }( J- u/ y
8 E6 ]' y( z, n3 gOn Monday, Yeung, who purchased the club's shares through his clothing company Grandtop International Holdings, confirmed that he was considering buying out the remaining shares in the club. 8 T4 ?7 N [$ s9 ? 8 M! [1 A* h# p% k U. pIf he is successful in a full takeover, Birmingham City would become the ninth English Premier League side to be owned by foreign investors.作者: oscarjin 时间: 2007-7-24 23:41