This appeared on Red News website yesterday.
Sven Hotz is the president of Swiss Super League club FC Zurich (FCZ). He celebrated his 75th birthday today (October 13). According to one Swiss United supporter he is a genuine fan who has been pouring money into the club for more than 30 years, 18 of them as president.
In 2001 Hotz received an offer to buy FC Zurich from - guess who? – Malcolm Glazer. At the end of an interview with Swiss newspaper "Der Tagesanzeiger" on Oct 13, this is what Hotz has to say:
But if things aren't going well for FCZ in two years' time, you'll carry on,
won't you?
No one should believe he'll be able run the club irresponsibly and then rely on me to help out yet again. No - anyone who wants to take the club over has to get in the ring himself. It's important to me that the club remains in the hands of people who are 100% FCZ fans, people who are prepared to put their heart's blood into it. Three years ago I had an offer from an American, the one who now wants to take over Manchester United....
...from billionaire Malcolm Glazer?
I met him at the Baur au Lac [a top Zurich hotel]. He said : "I take over the entire club, and no one has a say apart from me." I couldn't allow that to happen.