Rangers target Indian market

[Zappa 0]

I don't think there's a worthwhile market for football merchandising in India at all. Their old League (NFL) wasn't fully professional and completely failed financialy while their new I-League which was only launched about 4 years ago is also failing financialy due mainly to very poor attendances. Football in India isn't taken seriously at all and most of the population live in complete poverty. Merchandising goldmine? I think not.

[Gazza_8 233]

I heard both guys had trials at Real Madras!

 

There's a curry house in Coatbridge called Real Madras.

[Zappa 0]

We're trying to tap into a football market where 8 teams in their top division share two stadiums. 4 teams share the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata and 4 teams share the Fatorda Stadium in Goa. No wonder the Indian people don't take the sport seriously!

[Guest Dutchy]

There's a lot of millionaires in India, probably one of the reasons that there is so much poverty, but in all these countries, they don't pay £49.99 for a replica shirt. But you're probably right, the caste system makes for a 'ready made' class system that is far more powerful than our own.

 

Most people in the world are just going to get poorer anyway, so we'll all be the same, eventually.

[der Berliner 3,947]

Maybe I'm mistaken and I sure don't want us to rip off the poorest folk, but methinks a lot of ManU fans do not live in the UK and each time I see a report on their world-wide fanbase, there is the Indian taxi driver amongst them.

 

As for trialist, methinks we do indeed sign quite a number of trialists, but usually for the youths, u19s, u21s and reserves. I for one rather want Ally to check these guys first in person first and decide then, ere signing some unknown quantity after "recommendation" from some third party chap. Sound business as far as I am concerned.

[metlika 0]

There's a lot of millionaires in India, probably one of the reasons that there is so much poverty, but in all these countries, they don't pay £49.99 for a replica shirt. But you're probably right, the caste system makes for a 'ready made' class system that is far more powerful than our own.

 

Most people in the world are just going to get poorer anyway, so we'll all be the same, eventually.

 

But they will make cheap knockoffs and it wouldn't benefit us in the slightest.

 

Tbh footballing ability Korea and Japan are way ahead of India, I don't think I have ever seen an Indian player play in the European leagues in my life time.

[Guest Dutchy]

We actually had an Indian(Scots) playing for us. Jakulka(?????), or something like that. I can't remember if he got a first team game. I think he did, but if so, it was probalby only as a sub.

 

Anyway, because it's not the done thing, doesn't mean it shouldn't happen. Provided the guy is any good.

[Bluedell 5,816]

We actually had an Indian(Scots) playing for us. Jakulka(?????), or something like that. I can't remember if he got a first team game. I think he did, but if so, it was probalby only as a sub.

 

Anyway, because it's not the done thing, doesn't mean it shouldn't happen. Provided the guy is any good.

 

Jazz Juttla, I think. He played in a friendly.

[der Berliner 3,947]

... went to Morton and is now a policeman.

[Zappa 0]

Maybe I'm mistaken and I sure don't want us to rip off the poorest folk, but methinks a lot of ManU fans do not live in the UK and each time I see a report on their world-wide fanbase, there is the Indian taxi driver amongst them.

 

The "big boys" in European football who sign superstar footballers are a different story. You get kids in the poorest countries in Africa kicking about in ManU shirts with Ronaldo, Beckham, Rooney etc on the back, but as Dutchy insinuated, they'll be rip-off shirts. In fact in most cases they won't even be replicas, they'll just be generic football shirts with some letters sewn on the back. I saw that on one of the special World Cup programs made by STV last year; kids wearing plain football shirts with Rooney on the back, but no club badge or anything on them.

 

If we want to expand our merchandising outreach, targetting the poorest countries in the world is a non-starter. You'll sell some clobber, but I doubt if it would be a large amount. We should sign players from poor countries on their footballing ability, not their merchandising potential.