paul-team.jpg
 

Paul Gambles

Recognized as a regional financial expert, Paul is a regular speaker at industry events on market forecasting, financial planning, investing and legal issues for foreigners living or doing business in Asia.  Besides Paul’s blog, Paul previously distributed his ‘almost-daily’ email – “Daily Updates”, where he gave his views on timely issues affecting financial markets, macro economics, micro economics and everything in-between.

Born in South Yorkshire, England, Paul graduated from the University of Warwick with an Honours degree in English and European Studies.  He began his financial career in the early 1980s as a technical inspector at HMIT with Inland Revenue.  Following a successful career change to the Bank of Scotland in 1987, Paul moved to Bangkok in 1994 to help set-up an investment counseling practice, which today is known as MBMG International.

www.mbmg-international.com

  

quote1.JPGquote2.JPGquote3.JPGquote4.JPG

16/08/2010

Football & Short term trading

A friend of MBMG Group dominated much of the press at the weekend - but for once not the financial or business pages but the sports pages. The story broke on SkySports who reported that Steve Coppell "shocked Bristol City by resigning as manager at Ashton Gate with immediate effect after just one match of the new league season".

Steve said in a statement released through the League Managers' Association: "It is with the deepest regret that I confirm my departure from Bristol City. I have made my decision after very careful consideration and I believe that it is in the best interests of both the club and me personally that we go our separate ways. Bristol City is an excellent club, with brilliant support and a chairman with great ambition for the club's future. Whilst I was looking forward to the challenge of leading the players in this season's campaign, unfortunately, it has become clear over recent weeks, that I found I could not, for whatever reason, become passionate about the role and give the commitment the position demands. I appreciate that the timing of my departure is not ideal, but I believe it is best for the club to appoint a new manager or indeed appoint Keith Millen, who has a deep knowledge of the club and the squad, at this stage of the season. That individual can then make decisions on signing players before the window closes and work with the squad for the full campaign. I am retiring from football management but still feel I have a contribution to make to the game sometime in the future. I would like to sincerely thank the chairman and the board for their understanding and I wish the club and its supporters every success."

City Chairman Lansdown said: "Steve's prestigious career as a player, coupled with his experiences and successes as a manager are in no doubt. His footballing pedigree made him our prime target to manage the club early this year. It is disappointing for any club to part company with its manager at this stage of the season. However, we respect Steve's decision, one that allows us the opportunity to appoint his successor and give that individual the full season to work with the squad."

David & Steve.JPG

The Sun's version was subsequently rebutted in The Daily Mail with a denial by Bristol City chairman, Lansdown, that he forced Steve Coppell to sign David James from Portsmouth: "It's nonsense. I may have come up with the idea and put it to Steve. I asked him if he would be interested. From that point on it was in Steve's hands. He phoned David to see whether he was interested. My only involvement was to speak to David because he wanted to know what my ambitions for the club were. 'I know why people are saying all this. It's because they are looking for an answer but that's not it.Once Steve has made up his mind that's it. I obviously questioned it but the reality is Steve didn't have the feeling for the job, he realised it was time to call it a day and best to do it early rather than later."
The fans' reaction has been extremely supportive of Steve as typified by the following posting on SkySports from a Reading fan - "Steve, you are a true legend and I wish you all the best in whatever you choose to do (hopefully something to do with Reading FC)"


The latest edition of Platform magazine www. mbmg-international.com  contains a full interview with Steve about football, the world cup and his relationship with MBMG. For our part we're simply delighted that yet another client has been able to cease working at the time of their choosing and we wish Steve a long, happy and fulfilling retirement.