It's hard to tell because Thaksin Shinawatra, despite being the name on everyone's lips in the political world here, is as obscure to British football fans as the behaviour of storms is to Thai weathermen.

One Manchester City fan, responding on the popular www.teamtalk.com website to reports that Thaksin was planning to buy his beloved team, was dreaming about the club joining the world's top six.

Another "Blue" supporter voiced concern in a tongue-in-cheek manner that the ousted Thai leader could barricade the stadium and order fans shot if they booed the team after a poor performance.

Regardless of the rumours and reactions, Thaksin owning a British football club is an interesting idea, much much more exciting than when he tried unsuccessfully to buy Fulham and then Liverpool while in power a few years ago. Again, everyone has been left pondering his possible motives. Again, he's on global news networks, although it's ESPN and other sports desks that have taken the bait this time.

It's a sexier story than the Fulham and Liverpool sagas. Imagine Thaksin launching into player transfers - the most publicised and popular off-field activity of any sport in the world. Think of him sitting in the directors' box like Chelsea's Roman Abramovich, radiating his new-found clout to Thai viewers watching "Red Devils" Manchester United play the Blues live. He could be the first ever club-owner to have spats with other teams' coaches. Better still, he could buy and then work with the world's most arrogant football manager: the "Special One", Jose Mourinho.

The latest reports from British news and football websites said he had "moved into pole position" after being granted access to Manchester City Football Club's accounts. The Independent, quoting sources, said the man it described as having a humbler side, thanks to his "background" as a coffee vendor and fast-food waiter, had outlined a Bt9-billion bid.

How he could have that much cash outside of Thailand to finish the deal could become an issue. But nobody would be really surprised, even after his wife was practically on her knees recently begging the Thai authorities to allow the family to take Bt400 million abroad to fund a property-purchase plan in England.

If this is just another public-relations stunt by Thaksin, it's a high-stakes one. The reported Manchester City takeover scheme has brought his political "plight" back to an international audience, but at the same time it could give members of Thailand's interim government added motivation in their hunt for his allegedly ill-gotten assets. Thai-British diplomacy, on edge ever since he started his informal exile in London, could suffer from greater paranoia.

Longer-term scenarios are no less fascinating. British revenue officials, surely far more efficient than their Thai counterparts, could meet their match.

England's Football Association, not unfamiliar with murky player transfers that see obscene amounts of money changing hands among club-owners, players and agents every few months, might simply need to hire more staff.

Last but not least, England's football-fan culture could face the ultimate test. Thaksin is at best a football follower and does not support any team in particular.

From his statements when he tried to buy Liverpool, he didn't seem to understand that a club-owner should not interfere with team selection.

Many Liverpool fans in England were opposed to him partly because he failed to show he understood that supporters were the most essential part of any football club. Not that he would face street protests after buying Manchester City, but one thing he isn't apparently aware of is that a club-owner can be booed week in and week out in its own stadium by its own fans.

British football is getting more and more business-oriented, but most foreign buyers have always had to prove they recognise each club's heart and soul. As far as conviction is concerned, Manchester City FC's faithful may cringe if they knew what happened to the Palang Dharma Party, which Thaksin practically abandoned two years after taking it over. And as far as the club's current board is concerned, they might want to check out what happened to Singapore's Temasek Holdings before going into any mega-financial deal with Thaksin.

If he's intending just to drum up a new wave of attention, then Manchester City is lucky, and the club can go on and find an owner with real determination and passion. If he's serious about managing and running a football club in order to kill his time in exile or whatever, then we are all in for a big treat. If he wants to use the club as a political tool, he could soon hear "Thaksin Get Out!" chanted in perfect English in a packed City of Manchester Stadium.

Tulsathit Taptim