Jan 14 2008 by Alan Weston, Liverpool Daily Post
FRESH rumours were circulating last night that an Arab investment group is poised to swoop on Liverpool FC if the club’s American owners continue to experience difficulties in refinancing £350m of debt.
MyRAWK Admin : Hopefully for the good of Anfield of tomorrow if this is true. And maybe this time, the club will be with someone who genuinely loves the club!It is understood Dubai Inter- national Capital (DIC) are close to lodging an offer to buy out Tom Hicks and George Gillett, probably for about £500m.
If correct, it would be a remarkable turnaround for DIC, owned by Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed, who were bid rivals at the time Hicks and Gillett bought the club a year ago, and shows they have not given up hope of taking control at Anfield.
But the rumours – which could see Liverpool FC changing hands for the second time in a year – were strongly denied by sources at the club.
It is understood the US pair have been attempting to trans-fer the debt used to buy the club, for which they are per- sonally liable and which is due to be repaid at the end of February, on to the club itself but have encountered difficul- ties because of the current global credit squeeze.
If DIC is successful, it is claimed, the outfit led by Liverpool supporter Sameer Al Ansari would invest heavily in the new stadium at Stanley Park and the playing squad.
DIC were extremely close to buying Liverpool last February, only to lose when Hicks and Gillett joined forces.
The latter paid £174.1m for a 100% shareholding, also agreeing to take on the club’s then debt of £44.8m. The purchase, however, was funded solely with borrowed money. Hicks and Gillett’s loan from the Royal Bank of Scotland swelled to £350m as it was used to fund several high-profile summer transfers, development work and architect’s plans for the 60,000-seat stadium in Stanley Park.
Hicks and Gillett declined to comment last night.
A meeting in New York last week saw architects HKS and AFL present new competing stadium designs, seen as vital for the club to increase revenue to allow it to compete with Man Utd and Arsenal.
But an expected decision at the end of last week has been delayed for around two weeks.
Middle East sources say DIC remain keenly interested in buying Liverpool.
11 comments:
The fact that G & H decline to comment on the DIC takeover means that there is considerable truth in it.
G & H have been trying to sell to us that they knew what they were doing when they bought us. Its a shame that they have indeed bitten off more than they can chew and the facts don't like - they are scheming bas*ards who are no different than the Glazers.
The sooner we see the back of them, the better for I forsee that the DIC will be able to truly support the ambitions of the club with their old monies backing us up.
If indeed the DIC does come in, then I hope RAFA continues to be manager and then we can really see the beginning of the RAFALUTION!
As always, I am focused on supporting our manager - RAFA YNWA!
*old* = oil
The Yanks value the club at a VERY inflated price. According to Liverpool Echo, last autumn, DIC tried to buy 20% share in the club but them Yanks value the entire club at £1bn pounds (so 20% = £200m). You won't need a phd in economics to figure out the reason not to take it up.
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2008/01/14/dic-bid-to-buy-stake-aborted-100252-20347640/
Frak G & H. They have screwed up again by revealing that the approach to Klinsmann was made! Motherfrakkers should just sell their stake to DIC and go back to Texas and enjoy the frakking American way - to screw another franchise. Don't they have any sense of professionism? Frak insurance policy - that's for clubs like Derby or Fulham or Leeds! It shows that they don't understand the football environment in Europe. and its clear that RAFA was also right on this.
They have already undermined Liverpool Football Club and its group of supporters and can never ever be expected to step foot into Liverpool after this debacle that they have thrusted the club into.
As for the valuation, DIC just need to hold for another month or so before the deadline expires and then what can G & H do?
Just hope they don't frakking sack RAFA before they leave - that would be the worse case scenario i.e. sack RAFA and then sell to DIC at inflated price and have a lasting motivational impact on the team, management, supporters and the club's partners.
Rick Parry and David Moores are also motherfrakkers for being so easily conned by frakking Americans like G & H. RP and DM are frakking dumb and naive to think that they go LFC the best deal. Look what you have done by selling out to the Americans! RP and DM should also frakking resign - you have not done anything good for the club except to secure RAFA's services when he left Valencia.
G & H - frakking stick to your American football franchise and don't frakking ever show you face up after you complete your deal with DIC. FRAK-OFF!!!!
"Crusty" RP screwed everyone up, he was the one that convinced DM to sell to G&H. Reports been going round how DM regretted letting them Yanks near the club.
If Rafa dun buck up and get on with his job to get the team back up. Even DIC won't be able to save him.
I am surprise that Rafa is still around.
You have brought your club to 2 CL finals in the past 3 seasons, won the Fa cup once, had the highest point total in the PL compared to our previous seasons, and, your employers go around your back trying to negotiate an 'insurance' policy with a German that has no club football experience! And to make things worst, is not even the end of the season yet! At that moment, you have not lost anything yet and still are well in contention.
It baffles me.
Bing Loon - the key word is 'still in contention' is insufficient for most people bar those who are realistic ..... these people want us to be 'challenging' meaning right up there with the top 3 within 1 or 2 points!
But the sad fact of the matter is that RAFA did not get the sufficent backing from the motherfrakking American owners who only understands American Football! So, how can RAFA actually be expected to be 'challenging' right?
As always, I am focused on supporting our manager - RAFA YNWA
The only competition we're still in contention for is the FA Cup and UCL. In the EPL, 12 points is a BIG gap and i do not see how we'll make it all up even with a game in hand nor do i see how the top 2 team will drop points like flies. Is it too much to ask for some good football and a proper title challenge where the gap is of a single digit rather than 2?
Sorry lads, I'm a realist - not a pessimist nor a royalist. No one is bigger than the club.
Latest revelations are indeed baffling to say the least.
To be fair, Moores and Parry were also screwed by them fooking yanks. Promised the heavens but dragged us all into hell.
I have no doubt whatsoever that if we, the supporters are behind Rafa and the team 100%, there is no way they dare to touch Rafa in the near term. However, I am afraid that sort of support may be a long shot as many have begun to question Rafa.
Come on. The sternest of managers would've been affected by all the shite that has been going on. What more knowing that when in Nov07 we were still looking good in all comps except the CL.
To say that it was an insurance policy to sound out Klinsmann is utter bull*hit. Typical yank spin.
I know we've been suffering pain watching the drivel that being dished out in the last 5-6 games but all that happened with the yanks behind it.
You could see the players body language was one of doubt adn indifference. No wonder. The press are going all about Rafa getting replaced and him being undermined by them yanks. Which player would not be affected? I suppose Masch and Torres whose English command woulda been affected less as they seem to be the only ones still playing to their true potential.
Let's sing Rafa's name lads. He must know that in true Liverpool tradition, that He Will Never Walk Alone.
Now that the truth is out, it is old fair to say that G & H screwed LFC by trying to screw RAFA and that has destablised the club. Consequently, the players were also affected - like it or not, we are all human and whenever there is politicking in the office, you are sucked into it whether you chose to participate or not. This is exactly what has happened to our beloved club and the price we pay is probably another year's wait for No.19 (optimistically assuming RAFA is still around) and another 6 years if G & H screw us further by sacking RAFA and appointing another manager of their own!
The poor performance is a reflection of the back-stabbing and politicking in the back office that has gotten out of hand. Otherwise, why would Carra and Hyypia both come out to say that it should not affect the players performance - but in all honesty, it always does. Look at Newcastle!! They have had it even worst!!! We could have ended up there and RAFA would have been sacked which was what the frakking Americans want. Thanks to the Gods, somehow, RAFA and the team is pulling through by the skin of their teeth at the moment. Imagine the true potential to be unleashed had these back-stabbing and politicking not been taking place. Frak Rick Parry and David Moores too!
It is now a bigger issue than the performance on the pitch .... it is now about the traditions of the club which G & H have chosen to dispense with!
Surely its time for the supporters to walk together and send the frakking Americans back to Texas where they belong and stick to American football which is played mainly with hands!!!!
As always, I am focused on supporting our manager - RAFA YNWA
JonC: If the article is true, that the owner approached the at mid November to end of November, then we weren't that far off then. We were in a mess in the CL, but a mess we all know we could handle.
And I certainly think that this has severely affected Rafa's judgment as well as the players performance. The Reading tie was preceding an important CL game which we could not afford to not win. Rafa took off Torres early and Stevie G got took off as well. We all knew what happened during that game. With the owners so concern over CL money, it is unsurprising that Rafa would prioritize the CL. Hey, your gaffer wants the money, who are you to say otherwise?
Post a Comment