Potential new Sheffield United owner Dozy Mmobuosi on Rio Ferdinand's FIVE podcast: a thread
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Mmobuosi says he was in a Sheffield pub 6 months ago and felt 'the energy of the city'. He had previously made enquiries about buying an English football club and watched a Crystal Palace game with John Textor.
He says he has loved football since childhood when he played on the streets of Lagos with no shoes. He has always wanted to invest in football, and he has done with grassroots football in Nigeria.
Dozy is honest and says his pursuit of Sheffield United is 'opportunistic' and he saw the opportunity and grabbed it after experiencing the energy of the city and learning of the history of the club. He describes it as a no brainer.
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#twitterblades #sufc
Just a few weeks after meeting Prince Abdullah for the first time, they got their lawyers involved. They met at The Dorchester in London.
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#twitterblades #sufc
Mmobuosi says that a Sale and Purchase Agreement was signed a few weeks after meeting Prince Abdullah. He can't say when the takeover will be completed as he has agreed that there will be a joint statement when it's time.
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#twitterblades #sufc
He says the EFL have asked him questions and he has answered quickly. He thinks he has given the EFL everything but is open to more scrutiny as he has nothing to hide. He thinks, and hopes, the EFL are fair.
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#twitterblades #sufc
Mmobuosi goes back to his pint of Guinness in a Sheffield pub and says the energy of the city of Sheffield is underutilized and the city is not where it should be.
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#twitterblades #sufc
Dozy calls himself a very pragmatic businessman. He won't overpromise and wants to work with Sheffield United fans. His aims short term are development at academy level, working on the training ground and to improve fan experience, Bramall Lane + the hotel.
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#twitterblades #sufc
He wants to make Sheffield United a world class club with the help of his best advisors. He adds 'nothing stops the fans from also participating in ownership at some point'.
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#twitterblades #sufc
Mmobuosi says he doesn't know how to do short term. He says he and his family will be very committed to Sheffield United and to the city. He stresses that it is when he takes over, not if.
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#twitterblades #sufc
Dozy says his Agri-Fintech company generates over $1 billion a year in revenue. He is also in healthcare + food processing. Today his company opened the largest food processing facility in sub-Saharab Africa. In terms of liquidity he is 'very liquid'.
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#twitterblades #sufc
He respects the club's decision not to speak about the takeover but after reading articles from 'uninformed' people writing things 'they know nothing about' he says he had to step out. He says someone clearly leaked the information and that upset him.
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#twitterblades #sufc
He believes that as a Nigerian it is important for him to speak out against lies about him in the media. He says it is wrong that doubts are cast against him just because he is an African businessman.
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#twitterblades #sufc
Mmobuosi says that as a football lover he sees that the people of Sheffield love football. That's why he wants to work with the fans to make Sheffield United 'a world class business'.
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#twitterblades #sufc
When asked whether he would make replace Paul Heckingbottom he says he doesn't like disruptions that aren't good. If it's not in the best interest of the club he's not going to do it.
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#twitterblades #sufc
Mmobuosi wants to bring in the best players to add value to the club. He wants the club to be sustainable - 'you don't just go to the Premiership and return to where you came from'.
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#twitterblades #sufc
Mmobuosi believes that has been resistance to his takeover, in the media and from fans, because he is black and African. He says the UK is the most civilised society that he knows, and that's why he lives in London.
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#twitterblades #sufc
Mmobuosi defends himself against the Daily Mail's report about Tingo Airlines.
On Tingo's stock price decreasing, Dozy says that a business is not just about market cap. It's about what you have and his company generates revenue and is extremely profitable.
#twitterblades #sufc
On Tingo's stock price decreasing, Dozy says that a business is not just about market cap. It's about what you have and his company generates revenue and is extremely profitable.
#twitterblades #sufc
On United's players, Mmobuosi says that playing in the Championship is good but the Premiership is different. He says the players are fantastic but they need support and they will look to sign support if promoted.
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#twitterblades #sufc
Mmobuosi says that when he becomes owner, the board will be diverse. He wants to see 'women and men from England, from Sheffield, from Africa, from India, from Asia'.
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#twitterblades #sufc
Mmobuosi says that he only supports Nigeria. He has waited to support a club team so he can support the club he owns. Now his son and daughter have Sheffield United 'flip flops to face scarf'. He's looking forward to watching United games with his family
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#twitterblades #sufc
On ownership, Dozy says the fans 'will have part of it' but the structure of that is for the future.
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#twitterblades #sufc
In terms of communication, the idea is to have a set day, 'maybe every quarter', where he gets to engage with fans and fans get to understand his culture.
He eats fish and chips but also Jollof rice. He says Blades will get to eat a lot of Jollof rice.
#twitterblades #sufc
He eats fish and chips but also Jollof rice. He says Blades will get to eat a lot of Jollof rice.
#twitterblades #sufc
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