Boy George’s manager Paul Kemsley, former vice chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, interested in investing in football in Australia
BOY George’s manager says he’s in the market to expand his football interests in Australia and this week met with owners of the Western Sydney Wanderers.
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BOY George’s manager says he’s in the market to expand his football interests in Australia.
Paul Kemsley, former vice chairman of major English premier league club Tottenham Hotspur, this week met with owners of the Western Sydney Wanderers.
Kemsley, reported to be worth $50 million and husband of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Dorit, previously owned the New York Cosmos team and sees a bright future in Australia.
“Soccer is a passion of mine and Boy George is in Australia, my wife’s TV show is a big hit here so why wouldn’t I get involved in soccer in Australia? It is a great idea,” Kemsley told The Daily Telegraph, in town with Boy George who is a coach on Nine’s The Voice.
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“I am an entrepreneur so I am always interested in making moves. I am interested in Australian soccer and whether or not it can happen here. On paper, it is the greatest game in the world, it is a fabulous country here, there is no reason it shouldn’t happen here really.”
Kemsley, who managed the world’s most famous player, Brazilian star Pele, pointed to the likes of Tim Cahill as leaders in the sport here in Australia.
“I am involved in a conversation at the moment that may or may not lead to something,” he said.
“In Australia you have to be clever, you have to operate almost like it is an amateur team because the money isn’t there so you are not going to attract the big stars. You’ve got to build from the ground upwards so you’ve got to know a bit about youth policy, a bit about teaching the kids the right way from a very early age and about growing and finding that lightning in a bottle, those kids.
Kemsley served nine years as vice Chairman of the Tottenham Hotspurs. The team this year finished third in the Premier League, earning a champions league berth for next season.
He understands the challenges football has in Australia up against the likes of Aussie rules, rugby and rugby league but wouldn’t shy away from the challenge.
“Australia has got the world clock against them,” he said. “It is very difficult to watch live soccer in Europe when you live in Australia and that goes against you guys so that is a tough one to get around. It is an interesting proposition and I think you have got a great country that I think could potentially do it.”
Of his work in the United States, where football is still a fledgling sport in comparison to the likes of NFL and NBA, he added: “In America one of the reasons that soccer hasn’t quite hit it off is that kids grow up wanting to be basketball or NFL or hockey stars. Soccer is only just becoming more interesting so I think it is to do with inspiring the kids and the kids wanting to become soccer stars.”