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I, along with most others, read the story that an Arab Sheikh had bought a 60% controlling stake in an unknown Premier League club.
Now I've been told by the moderator of England-Mad (who lives and works in UAE) that the unknown club is Everton.
If it's true, you heard it here first... If it ain't, I don't know what you're on about, mate. :0)
Lee Hind, Posted 23/06/2009 at 14:03:19
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Sorry lads, it's all a misunderstanding:
http://archive.gulfnews.com/sport/Football/10325521.html
Silly season
http://archive.gulfnews.com/sport/Football/10325521.html
Silly season
We have to first assume that the story is true, which is highly doubtful in the first place, but if it is, we can deduce a few things from what we do know as to which club it might be about. I stress, this is only if the information released in The Guardian this week is reliable.
At £100m for 60% means the club in question is valued at £165m or thereabouts. We can start to rule out some clubs (sum too low: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd; and too high: Birmingham, Burnley, Hull, Stoke, Wigan, Wolves). Remember, Newcastle are not a premier league team.
We can also discount Spurs as they are a PLC and would have had to disclose immediately the investment and they haven?t. We can cross off WHU as they were acquired for £100m just one month ago. Man City have their sugar daddy already and Pompey have one on the way, neither would I think want to share 60:40. That leaves: Aston Villa, Blackburn, Bolton, Everton, Fulham, and Sunderland.
I?d say Blackburn and Bolton are not worth £165m, that?s a bit far north, so they would be outsiders. Sunderland I think have just gone through or are going through a change in ownership (others can enlighten me if needed here), so they are probably not it. Leaving Villa, us and Fulham.
Lerner has been hit badly in the credit crunch, he could well need some cash injection, but if he did, why not sell up completely? Al Fayed doesn?t strike as the sort to want to share his business, but maybe he has had problems in the downturn we don?t know about and needs a cash injection too. Leaving us. Value about right, if a little high, 60% would explain old Black Bill wanting to keep his, somewhere in the region of 40% share (again I can be corrected on that figure as unsure exactly what it is), and Earl and Grandchester probably want out now. So we fit.
My prediction?? I think it?s all rumour and speculation and nowt is guna happen!! Or maybe Fulham?. I don?t know!
At £100m for 60% means the club in question is valued at £165m or thereabouts. We can start to rule out some clubs (sum too low: Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd; and too high: Birmingham, Burnley, Hull, Stoke, Wigan, Wolves). Remember, Newcastle are not a premier league team.
We can also discount Spurs as they are a PLC and would have had to disclose immediately the investment and they haven?t. We can cross off WHU as they were acquired for £100m just one month ago. Man City have their sugar daddy already and Pompey have one on the way, neither would I think want to share 60:40. That leaves: Aston Villa, Blackburn, Bolton, Everton, Fulham, and Sunderland.
I?d say Blackburn and Bolton are not worth £165m, that?s a bit far north, so they would be outsiders. Sunderland I think have just gone through or are going through a change in ownership (others can enlighten me if needed here), so they are probably not it. Leaving Villa, us and Fulham.
Lerner has been hit badly in the credit crunch, he could well need some cash injection, but if he did, why not sell up completely? Al Fayed doesn?t strike as the sort to want to share his business, but maybe he has had problems in the downturn we don?t know about and needs a cash injection too. Leaving us. Value about right, if a little high, 60% would explain old Black Bill wanting to keep his, somewhere in the region of 40% share (again I can be corrected on that figure as unsure exactly what it is), and Earl and Grandchester probably want out now. So we fit.
My prediction?? I think it?s all rumour and speculation and nowt is guna happen!! Or maybe Fulham?. I don?t know!
Why would Blackburn sell their star player if they have a new billionaire investor??
It's denied on the site that originally posted it as well:
http://www.wam.org.ae/servlet/Satellite?c=WamLocEnews&cid=1241073059398& p=1135099400124&pagename=WAM%2F WamLocEnews%2FW-T-LEN-FullNews
http://www.wam.org.ae/servlet/Satellite?c=WamLocEnews&cid=1241073059398& p=1135099400124&pagename=WAM%2F WamLocEnews%2FW-T-LEN-FullNews
Ah well... back to shopping at Aldi instead of Harrods.
Having the money is only a part of (admittedly a big part) of building a team; may I use Spurs & the 3 glorious underachievers of the north east as prime examples. The biggest ingredient is how the cash is spent. Big money spent well, Chelsea under Mourinho & Man U, is a pretty unbeatable combination. For what its worth I reckon Everton are still in with a good shout of going onwards & upwards. Man City, thought by many to be our big rivals, are flashing out on anything with 2 legs & a pulse. But are they actually building a team that will play consistently well for 40 odd games plus a season?
It’s not us.
It’s interesting what you say Colin about City’s spending spree. I’ve heard somethings from within the Blackburn medical staff circles that Santa-Cruz is crocked and is very unlikely to last a season from now on.
It’s interesting what you say Colin about City’s spending spree. I’ve heard somethings from within the Blackburn medical staff circles that Santa-Cruz is crocked and is very unlikely to last a season from now on.
And the real issue is not how much is paid for the club ? it is how much that is invested into the club.
Take the example that you have £500,000 and there is this house needing renovation which the owner has on the market for £500,000. You buy it and all you have is the same run down house and the former owner is £500,000 richer. Far better is when you can buy the house for £250,000 and spend £250,000 on making it a palace.
So I don?t care if £1.60 or £160,000,000 is spent to buy a controlling stake, it is a meaningless number. Now if a significant part of a figure like £160m (like 75%) is used to pay off debts and invest in the players and the facilities and the previous owner gets just £40m for the 60% stake, now we are talking and then we should get excited.
So don?t look at the headline numbers of what is spent to buy in ? it is where the money goes to that matters ? otherwise you are no better off than the guy who has his house next to the £500,000 wreck of a house.
Take the example that you have £500,000 and there is this house needing renovation which the owner has on the market for £500,000. You buy it and all you have is the same run down house and the former owner is £500,000 richer. Far better is when you can buy the house for £250,000 and spend £250,000 on making it a palace.
So I don?t care if £1.60 or £160,000,000 is spent to buy a controlling stake, it is a meaningless number. Now if a significant part of a figure like £160m (like 75%) is used to pay off debts and invest in the players and the facilities and the previous owner gets just £40m for the 60% stake, now we are talking and then we should get excited.
So don?t look at the headline numbers of what is spent to buy in ? it is where the money goes to that matters ? otherwise you are no better off than the guy who has his house next to the £500,000 wreck of a house.
Hi Alan, I’ve not got any inside info about Blackburn, pity about Santa-Cruz if he is crocked, as he’s looked good the couple of times I’ve watched him.
My thoughts were more along the lines of Bellemy, Robinho, Elano etc taking serious umbrage & rocking the boat when they don’t play every week & the wheels coming off at ?Middle-Eastlands big time.
My thoughts were more along the lines of Bellemy, Robinho, Elano etc taking serious umbrage & rocking the boat when they don’t play every week & the wheels coming off at ?Middle-Eastlands big time.
If true, can we hang on to Lescott?
I work for the Al-Qassimi family and can say that it is the first we have heard of it.
I think we?re all in danger of acting as if we?ve been out in the Arabian sun for too long & have fallen prey to the summer madness. The French Foreign Legion used to call this seasonal crazyness, brought on by cheap wine & Arabian sunshine, Le? Cafard. I guess in our case its brought on by a cheap chairman and the faint prospect of Arabian investment !
I?d also love it to be true BUT ? like: 24/7, watch this space, the money is ringfenced etc along with our dreams of 4th & holding onto our best players ? I FEAR IT WILL ONLY BE A MIRAGE!
I?d also love it to be true BUT ? like: 24/7, watch this space, the money is ringfenced etc along with our dreams of 4th & holding onto our best players ? I FEAR IT WILL ONLY BE A MIRAGE!
Don?t quite follow your logic Craig.
You say you work for the Al-Qassimi family and it?s the first ?we? have heard about it.
So?
That?s like our old window cleaner (?Ladders? O?Shea of Pilch Lane) saying "Young Eugene getting Mouse-trap and Arnold Palmer?s Pro-shot Golf for Christmas? First I?ve heard of it"
In other words, Just coz you work for them doesn?t mean you?ll know ALL their business.
Don?t get me wrong, I think there?s more chance of The Echo suddenly ceasing to be an arse-wipe red rag, than it being us. But that?s simply because I can?t see ?Luvvie the lying limpet? ever being prized out of there.
You say you work for the Al-Qassimi family and it?s the first ?we? have heard about it.
So?
That?s like our old window cleaner (?Ladders? O?Shea of Pilch Lane) saying "Young Eugene getting Mouse-trap and Arnold Palmer?s Pro-shot Golf for Christmas? First I?ve heard of it"
In other words, Just coz you work for them doesn?t mean you?ll know ALL their business.
Don?t get me wrong, I think there?s more chance of The Echo suddenly ceasing to be an arse-wipe red rag, than it being us. But that?s simply because I can?t see ?Luvvie the lying limpet? ever being prized out of there.
Hasn?t anyone read the links?
It?s been denied. It?s rubbish, garbage, bullshit, hype, papertalk, pony, poop. I think you catch my drift.
I?d like it to be true too, but it isn?t, so don?t waste time speculating about something that isn?t happening.
It?s been denied. It?s rubbish, garbage, bullshit, hype, papertalk, pony, poop. I think you catch my drift.
I?d like it to be true too, but it isn?t, so don?t waste time speculating about something that isn?t happening.
You are all getting carried away - again.
I do not know whether there is any truth in it at all.
What i do know is EFC would have definitely come out and said something if there was no link to it whatsoever.
I would suspect that negotiations are in place but there is still work to do. I would also expect us to sign our targets before any announcement is made ? that's just logical ? nopbody barters with an open wallet.
I do not know whether there is any truth in it at all.
What i do know is EFC would have definitely come out and said something if there was no link to it whatsoever.
I would suspect that negotiations are in place but there is still work to do. I would also expect us to sign our targets before any announcement is made ? that's just logical ? nopbody barters with an open wallet.
We will know more one week from today.
Eugene, be careful or the Pro BK police will pay you a visit!
Dont you know that BK hired Moyes and is a lifelong blue? Sure he?s got no money and borrows money from richer friends rather than sell up to a wealthier person. Thats not his fault though!
Dont you know that BK hired Moyes and is a lifelong blue? Sure he?s got no money and borrows money from richer friends rather than sell up to a wealthier person. Thats not his fault though!
BK can do no wrong. Why would we want a foreign investor who will rebuild Goodison and back the manager with all the cash needed to win trophies? We?ve got Bill and he really loves the club, and won't sell us to just anyone....
Phil, You are spot on about watching how much is invested in the club versus what is paid to buy it. Actually ? as we see from our loveable neighbours and ManU ? it can be much worse than you say.
Not just that someone pays £500k and then invests nothing. But that they pay £500k for the club, take out a loan of say £300k to pay for the club, and then load the loan onto the club. That?s where these insane £50M plus annual interest charges come from.
We definitely need a bit more money. Infuriatingly, given Moyes?s brilliance in the transfer market we probably only need £30M to make a HUGE difference to our squad and make us real contenders. But be REALLY careful what you wish for. As the financial pages said this week: "It looks like the banks will refinance LFC?s loans ? so avoiding the club going bankrupt". This is serious shit!
Not just that someone pays £500k and then invests nothing. But that they pay £500k for the club, take out a loan of say £300k to pay for the club, and then load the loan onto the club. That?s where these insane £50M plus annual interest charges come from.
We definitely need a bit more money. Infuriatingly, given Moyes?s brilliance in the transfer market we probably only need £30M to make a HUGE difference to our squad and make us real contenders. But be REALLY careful what you wish for. As the financial pages said this week: "It looks like the banks will refinance LFC?s loans ? so avoiding the club going bankrupt". This is serious shit!
Neil, I agree that it isn't all roses with foreign ownership. And I know the Shite have been given breathing space by RBS. However they were never going to go bankrupt. They are owned by 2 dollar billionaires who are liable for the parent company (which actually owns LFC and its debt). People with this much money don't allow their investments to go tits up. It?s not good for them financially or their egos. Despite the looming deadline (which made the refinancing seem last minute) it was probably all agreed months ago.
While we have to be cautious with any new owner I dont believe it very likely that someone worth £100Ms would leave EFC in rack and ruin. Simply because of the consequences to their own personal wealth.
Look at West Ham though Phil, and Mike Ashley at Newcastle. Newcastle are a prime example of how to go tits up even with a billionaire owner. These "wealthy backers" are only in it for themselves. This means they will protect their own personal fortune whilst trying to make as much money as possible for themselves from their investment. If the arse falls out of the market in which they’ve invested then at least personally they haven’t lost anything but the actual object they’ve invested in may be left totally fucked. The shite could easily find themselves in real deep shit if this recession continues. What is more likely to save them is another wealthy owner rather than those Yanks sorting them out.
I personally feel Kenwright is not in Everton to make himself money and I know a lot may disagree. For all his bullshit he spouts about 24/7 and "watch this space" he does have the best interests of the club at heart. If the arse fell out of the football market tomorrow, Kenwright would not jump ship like a lot of these lunatics in charge of other clubs.
I personally feel Kenwright is not in Everton to make himself money and I know a lot may disagree. For all his bullshit he spouts about 24/7 and "watch this space" he does have the best interests of the club at heart. If the arse fell out of the football market tomorrow, Kenwright would not jump ship like a lot of these lunatics in charge of other clubs.
Phil, you are probably right that LFC were never going to go bankrupt. For one thing, they could simply sell some players (e.g. Torres, Mascherano and Gerrard would fetch a tidy sum).
But I would not be at all surprised if a Premier League club sometime soon goes tits up. If a year ago you had told me that RBS and Lloyds would be nationalised, I would have thought you were crazy. These are tough times and the financial structures of a number of football clubs (not ours fortunately) are as crazy as the banks were. I don?t think Platini is just being political about all this.
And if Liverpool don?t qualify for the Champions League every season they will be in serious difficulties and their Yanks could pull the plug. Hence the overpaying for Johnson. They are throwing money at trying to ensure that they can keep making it. But if the music ever stops for them...
But I would not be at all surprised if a Premier League club sometime soon goes tits up. If a year ago you had told me that RBS and Lloyds would be nationalised, I would have thought you were crazy. These are tough times and the financial structures of a number of football clubs (not ours fortunately) are as crazy as the banks were. I don?t think Platini is just being political about all this.
And if Liverpool don?t qualify for the Champions League every season they will be in serious difficulties and their Yanks could pull the plug. Hence the overpaying for Johnson. They are throwing money at trying to ensure that they can keep making it. But if the music ever stops for them...
Now that Royal Bank of Scotland have agreed to refinance the RS's debt, it must be that every UK tax payer, regardless of what team he/she supports, is helping with that deal. RBS was bailed by tax payers' money earlier this year. This same bank is propping up our dear neighbours. I have calculated that each UK tax payer is contributing about £15.00 each to the RS refinancing deal, whether we want to or not.
Alan, I take your point but I feel the Newcastle situation was different. For a start he pumped huge amounts of cash into the club and cleared all their debts. However, he then made crucial strategic errors, like;
1) Listening to the idiot Geordie fans who demanded the return of "King Kev". Rather than just appointing someone with a history of success in management.
2) He tried to be everyone's mate. "Ooh look at me, I?m filthy fuckin' rich but I?ll wear a replica shirt and buy everyone a pint."
I think Ashley had good intentions but had his hand forced (and is being forced out) by the fickle "Geordie Faithful".
My point is that he has taken a huge financial loss because of several factors and that potential owners of EFC probably won't/can't be as gung-ho as some fear.
1) Listening to the idiot Geordie fans who demanded the return of "King Kev". Rather than just appointing someone with a history of success in management.
2) He tried to be everyone's mate. "Ooh look at me, I?m filthy fuckin' rich but I?ll wear a replica shirt and buy everyone a pint."
I think Ashley had good intentions but had his hand forced (and is being forced out) by the fickle "Geordie Faithful".
My point is that he has taken a huge financial loss because of several factors and that potential owners of EFC probably won't/can't be as gung-ho as some fear.
So what if the guy denied it, he probably would just to keep everything hush hush.
Who was it? Have I missed something?
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1 Posted 23/06/2009 at 17:57:30
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Oh and by the way the only reference to Everton was some tosser with a joke about Sheik and Vac and how it would be difficult to put the freshness back into our club... Fucking jokers the lot of them!