As Charlton supporters everywhere wait with dread to discover the identity of our new owners and prepare for the next round of shelling, it's time to reflect on His Excellency Tahnoon Nimer and to mark his card.
Nimer arrived as the mysterious 'money man' and it was his presence as the major shareholder in ESI which had some fans bellowing "we're fucking rich" in early January. At that time we had been lead to believe that ESI had bought the club, lock stock and barrel. Nimer had supposedly forked out £50m to acquire the assets and that we were about to see a rare spending spree in the January transfer window to address chronic squad injuries and ensure we were at no risk of relegation.
Southall backed the myth but was soon spluttering about not having purchased the main assets because of a need to complete the deal quickly to maximise the transfer window. Instead, we were reassured, they had a six month option in which to complete Due Diligence on the assets and pay for them. This we now know was a lie. Not only that but subsequently learnt that the EFL had placed a transfer embargo on the club because Nimer had failed to provide proof and subsequently source of funds. Southall lied to us about his 'super-duper' deal phone as he made the most of his shabby football connections by pretending along with Peterborough's Chairman that we were realistically looking at Toney and Maddison. and had even agreed a £2m deal for Toney. We then discovered that the six month buy option on the Valley and Sparrows Lane was also a lie - they had negotiated a purchase option over a five year window - that's some Due Diligence.
So, Nimer's credibility as the money man was being called into question. He hadn't shelled out for the assets and we weren't spending big in January. We then had the extraordinary loss of composure from Nimer when he used his amateur Instagram page to issue a tirade about Southall's behaviour when he told us all about the "Range Rovers and Bitches." Nimer lost the plot at this moment, saying he was done with Charlton and accusing Southall of having spent "all my money." Southall's defence was pathetic as we know but he revealed very quickly that Nimer hadn't put any money in as had been agreed as part of the plan. This was an alarming discovery. Not only had they not invested heavily but Nimer hadn't actually made any commitment. Southall also accused him of using the club's bank account to pay for his trip to London and that one of the Range Rovers acquired was for his use in London.
The next step in the sad story was news that Southall had been given a 35% stake in the shell company that ESI was. That was now to be a major bone of contention between the pair and we were all left wondering why Nimer would give Southall 35% when he was putting nothing in and when he was already on a good screw as Chairman. Indeed, Southall plundered £120,000 in January as part of his pay and 'bonus' for completing the deal as well as what looks like £80,000 to a business his wife owns that purports to offer 'design services.' All money that came out of Charlton Athletic's, not Tahnoon Nimer's bank account.
We then had a succession of mealy mouthed promises to sort everything out, rid the club of the greedy Southall and to put money in to move us forward. This was then contradicted by his conveniently worked defence that he wouldn't put money in whilst Southall was still a minority shareholder, despite the fact Southall had been kicked out the club and removed from access to the wonga.
The months have ticked by with no investment and the Fake Sheikh has suddenly gone very media-quiet on Instagram and we have been left with Marian Mihail trying to explain the whole mess but clearly not from a point of complete understanding of what Nimer's intentions were (it's still very unclear what Claudiu Florica's role in all this was supposed to be).
With May's operating bill looming the game is finally up with Nimer attempting to cut and run. This was also Southall's last wish that he get another ounce of flesh as part of his 'stake.' This must be hurting the Fake Sheikh but I guess 65% of something is still a decent return when you have only risked a Pound Sterling. On reflection it now looks very clear that Fake Sheikh Nimer never intending putting up any serious capital and so could afford to be generous with the ESI shareholding because there would be no risk to him.
That anyone is prepared to offer this pair of scrotes anything for the club is astonishing given the money they have already ripped out of it and the parlous state we are left in. It may only be in the region of £1m but just remember that the grasping Matt Southall will be getting £350,000 of that. Rewarding failure should never be possible but that's the mess we are in and the EFL have been completely and utterly useless in providing any real regulation or governance. A transfer embargo they kept a secret, another protracted period of inactivity into the Misconduct investigation they have supposedly 'launched' and the culprits about to swan off, possibly leaving us in a new ownership nightmare. Nimer never passed their Owners & Directors Test, but so what - he still managed to acquire the club for nothing and sold it for a profit.
Luckily for Nimer he lives in the Middle East so is unlikely to bump into too many irate Charlton fans and I suspect he may decide to avoid south-east London like the plague if he is ever tempted to come here on one of his 'business' trips. Indeed that Arab garb could come in very handy if he does. The message for all Dinamo Bucharest fans is very stark - keep this parasite away from your club at all costs.
Nimer arrived as the mysterious 'money man' and it was his presence as the major shareholder in ESI which had some fans bellowing "we're fucking rich" in early January. At that time we had been lead to believe that ESI had bought the club, lock stock and barrel. Nimer had supposedly forked out £50m to acquire the assets and that we were about to see a rare spending spree in the January transfer window to address chronic squad injuries and ensure we were at no risk of relegation.
Southall backed the myth but was soon spluttering about not having purchased the main assets because of a need to complete the deal quickly to maximise the transfer window. Instead, we were reassured, they had a six month option in which to complete Due Diligence on the assets and pay for them. This we now know was a lie. Not only that but subsequently learnt that the EFL had placed a transfer embargo on the club because Nimer had failed to provide proof and subsequently source of funds. Southall lied to us about his 'super-duper' deal phone as he made the most of his shabby football connections by pretending along with Peterborough's Chairman that we were realistically looking at Toney and Maddison. and had even agreed a £2m deal for Toney. We then discovered that the six month buy option on the Valley and Sparrows Lane was also a lie - they had negotiated a purchase option over a five year window - that's some Due Diligence.
So, Nimer's credibility as the money man was being called into question. He hadn't shelled out for the assets and we weren't spending big in January. We then had the extraordinary loss of composure from Nimer when he used his amateur Instagram page to issue a tirade about Southall's behaviour when he told us all about the "Range Rovers and Bitches." Nimer lost the plot at this moment, saying he was done with Charlton and accusing Southall of having spent "all my money." Southall's defence was pathetic as we know but he revealed very quickly that Nimer hadn't put any money in as had been agreed as part of the plan. This was an alarming discovery. Not only had they not invested heavily but Nimer hadn't actually made any commitment. Southall also accused him of using the club's bank account to pay for his trip to London and that one of the Range Rovers acquired was for his use in London.
The next step in the sad story was news that Southall had been given a 35% stake in the shell company that ESI was. That was now to be a major bone of contention between the pair and we were all left wondering why Nimer would give Southall 35% when he was putting nothing in and when he was already on a good screw as Chairman. Indeed, Southall plundered £120,000 in January as part of his pay and 'bonus' for completing the deal as well as what looks like £80,000 to a business his wife owns that purports to offer 'design services.' All money that came out of Charlton Athletic's, not Tahnoon Nimer's bank account.
We then had a succession of mealy mouthed promises to sort everything out, rid the club of the greedy Southall and to put money in to move us forward. This was then contradicted by his conveniently worked defence that he wouldn't put money in whilst Southall was still a minority shareholder, despite the fact Southall had been kicked out the club and removed from access to the wonga.
The months have ticked by with no investment and the Fake Sheikh has suddenly gone very media-quiet on Instagram and we have been left with Marian Mihail trying to explain the whole mess but clearly not from a point of complete understanding of what Nimer's intentions were (it's still very unclear what Claudiu Florica's role in all this was supposed to be).
With May's operating bill looming the game is finally up with Nimer attempting to cut and run. This was also Southall's last wish that he get another ounce of flesh as part of his 'stake.' This must be hurting the Fake Sheikh but I guess 65% of something is still a decent return when you have only risked a Pound Sterling. On reflection it now looks very clear that Fake Sheikh Nimer never intending putting up any serious capital and so could afford to be generous with the ESI shareholding because there would be no risk to him.
That anyone is prepared to offer this pair of scrotes anything for the club is astonishing given the money they have already ripped out of it and the parlous state we are left in. It may only be in the region of £1m but just remember that the grasping Matt Southall will be getting £350,000 of that. Rewarding failure should never be possible but that's the mess we are in and the EFL have been completely and utterly useless in providing any real regulation or governance. A transfer embargo they kept a secret, another protracted period of inactivity into the Misconduct investigation they have supposedly 'launched' and the culprits about to swan off, possibly leaving us in a new ownership nightmare. Nimer never passed their Owners & Directors Test, but so what - he still managed to acquire the club for nothing and sold it for a profit.
Luckily for Nimer he lives in the Middle East so is unlikely to bump into too many irate Charlton fans and I suspect he may decide to avoid south-east London like the plague if he is ever tempted to come here on one of his 'business' trips. Indeed that Arab garb could come in very handy if he does. The message for all Dinamo Bucharest fans is very stark - keep this parasite away from your club at all costs.
point of order: the fake sheikh passed the owners & directors test - utterly fatuous and ineffective it may be - but he has never satisfied the football league's proof of value and source of funds requirements - not that those have been enumerated in any way decipherable by we cogent adults - nevertheless TN is only feintly less despicable than his recent henchman. Let's hope that henchman's former boss and gutter dweller isn't the next scum to float into ESI's boardroom
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