A couple of days ago reports came from Germany that Ian Ayre was set to be the new managing director of 1860 Munich. Ayre has already announced he’s in the process of leaving Liverpool, and would be expected to move on to a new challenge.
1860 Munich is being pushed forward by ambitious Jordanian investor Hasan Ismaik, who wants the second division German club to move to a stage that they’re palying Champions League football.
The 50+1 rule ensures that Bundesliga clubs must have a controlling block owned by members. Volkswagen owned Wolfsburg and Bayer (a chemical and pharmaceutical company) owned Bayer Leverkusen are exceptions because of the long term nature of their investment and association with the football clubs.
Ismaik is quoted by Kicker as saying as soon as the rule was abolished: “I would give the club €100m for new players, perhaps €200m available.
“In my opinion, it must normally be changed in favour of the clubs then there would be more investors in Germany, not only foreign. I believe… that football without 50+1 would be healthier.”
That’s a big barrier to overcome and Ayre’s role could pretty much depend on it, but the claims in Germany were that he was set to take the role.
German newspaper Bild have an update on Thursday. 1860 President Peter Cassalette is quoted as saying about their unconfirmed, and officially unnamed, new managing director: “He comes from one of the world’s top clubs. He is an absolutely internationally renowned expert. He believes in the concept and the future of 1860.”
So Bild want to know why it’s such a secret: “Because his old club as yet knows nothing about it.”
If it is Ayre, Liverpool will almost certainly know about it now, and the secrecy is all a little strange, especially given the bragging from 1860 about their unnamed man.
