Stars in his eyes

THE BEAUTIFUL GAME: Al Hashimi and liverpool

Mohammed Ali Al Hashimi hit back pages all over the world last June, when Arabian Business revealed that Zabeel Investments was part of the Dubai-based consortium that narrowly missed out on buying English Premier League team Liverpool FC in February 2007.

The firm had been planning to acquire 20% of the club, with the remainder held by main bidder Dubai International Capital (DIC). With Liverpool's future again the subject of fevered speculation, and DIC again interested in a takeover, Al Hasimi insists that Zabeel is no longer in the hunt for the Merseyside club. However, the life-long Liverpool fan is keeping a close eye on proceedings.

"It's incredible how the football industry in the UK is going from strength to strength," he says. "With Liverpool, we just wish the best for the club, and hopefully whatever happens will be for the best." He insists that Liverpool's previous owners made a mistake in selling to US duo George Gillett and Tom Hicks who, he believes, have failed in the crucial business of keeping the fans onside.

"The people that go to the ground, turn on their TVs, and buy the shirts - they're the people that count," he argues. "If you can't keep them happy, then what's in it?

"If you look at Dubai's involvement in sport or business or anything else, we've always been very successful and we have a great track record," he continues. "We understand the history, we understand the game, and we understand the fans.

"It's a way of life for these people, and we understood that from day one, whereas I don't think the other guys did," Al Hashimi adds. "This isn't baseball or ice hockey or anything like that. This is different, and these people have been season ticket holders all their lives.

"These are some of the most passionate, die-hard fans in the world, and the reason this story has had so much attention is because of that.

Al Hashimi insists that he has no interest in making another bid for a stake in the club. He has not watched a match at the club's home ground Anfield since the DIC/Zabeel bid was rejected, although he did attend last May's Champions League Final alongside Sameer Al Ansari, founder and chairman of DIC. Although disappointed at the time, Al Hashimi remains philosophical about the experience.

"If it makes sense, you go for it," he says. "But at the same time, everything happens for a reason, and if it doesn't happen then you mustn't force it. It was a great opportunity at the time.

"You've got to walk a tightrope between the business side, and your interest as a fan," he continues. "If you don't manage that properly it's like any other business in the world - you lose control, and that's what has happened now.

It's a sad situation and as a fan, I do hope it resolves itself soon because football should be about what happens on the pitch, not off it.