The Liverpool Owners Thread

[Not-Interested-Anymore]

Moores ploughing so much money is isn't really a suprise when you consider the transfer budgets we was getting towards the end of last century. £32.5 million from year 2000, £30.85 million from 1999. Thats 2 3rds of total revenue from 1999 and over a 3rd from 2000. Thats unbelievable, its no wonder he was putting his own money in, the club wouldn't have been able to afford that.

[Nosferatu]

But it's because of that we got into the mess we did. Moores gave over the loans in the form of loans which were paid back when he sold. But he had no more money to give and had to sell. There were initatives to sell shares of the club to Granada and things like that but it all went into the first team. They also scaled back the initial plans of the stadium again to redirect money into the first team.

That's what everyone called for and that's what we did. Except the transfers weren't good enough and the club found itself in a bad position which ultimately forced a sale.

It wasn't all put into transfers. There was the academy too. But that has hardly been a resounding success. It should be added that Chelsea were in a similar position and in £100m debt. Very close to collapse until Roman came in.

[brendan_lfc]

Hicks could sell Dallas Stars ice hockey team

February 5, 2010

    * Comment
    * Email
    * Print

Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks is looking into the possibility of selling his NHL ice hockey team the Dallas Stars.

The Hicks Sports Group (HSG) confirmed Galatioto Sports Partners have been retained to examine the possibility of securing new investors or selling a majority stake in the franchise.

Last month, HSG announced they had reached a definitive agreement to sell Major League Baseball side the Texas Rangers for about £360 million.

It appears Hicks is trying to re-organise his finances on a major scale but what this latest announcement means for Liverpool remains to be seen.

Recent reports suggest Liverpool require a £100 million cash injection before the summer or Hicks and co-owner George Gillett will face a decision over whether to sell the club when the current debt-refinancing agreement ends in July.

It has been claimed the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia - the banks with whom Liverpool currently have a refinancing deal - are putting pressure on the club to find new investment to help better manage their reported £237 million of debt.

Liverpool chief executive Christian Purslow has been tasked with finding the new investment and is in talks with five or six potential suitors.

Any investment would be used to reduce the club's debts and would result in Hicks and Gillett's ownership share being diluted.

Regarding Hicks' NHL franchise, Dallas Stars president Jeff Cogen said: "While a sale is not a certainty it is a possibility and Mr Hicks has received numerous inquiries about the team.''

soccernet.com

[Not-Interested-Anymore]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/feb/09/mukesh-ambani-subrata-roy-liverpool-takeover



Two Indian business tycoons were reported last night to be lining up attempts to take control of Liverpool. Mukesh Ambani and Subrata Roy were said to be willing to pay off the club's £237m debt in return for a 51% stake in the club.

Ambani is India's wealthiest person with a fortune valued at about $20bn. He is the chairman of India's Reliance Industries and owns the Mumbai Indians cricket team. Roy, chairman of the Sahara Group, which sponsors the India cricket team, is also a billionaire.

Liverpool's co-owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, have been searching for fresh investment for some time but they are not thought to want to sell more than 50% of the club's shares.

They have been seeking investment of £100m for a minority stake in the club. The Americans have been ordered by the Royal Bank of Scotland to reduce Anfield's debt by £100m before July.

The Times, which reported the interest from the two Indian businessmen, said that Roy's interest appeared to be the more serious. It reported that Liverpool's chief executive, Christian Purslow, had denied knowledge of a bid but the paper said the pair had made approaches in November and that discussions had been held.

There is also said to be interest from the United States and from a Saudi Arabian consortium.

Hicks and Gillett are under pressure from supporters to sell. They took over in February 2007 but have not so far delivered on a project designed to deliver a new stadium and have provided the manager, Rafael Benítez, with little in the way of transfer funds for this season. Maxi Rodríguez was the only January signing.

[Not-Interested-Anymore]

Just seen it on BBC1 news also. Ambani is the 7th richest man in the world.

[Stephen_King]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/football/english-premier-league/top-stories/top-stories/RIL-denies-Mukesh-Ambanis-bid-for-Liverpool-Football-Club/articleshow/5550825.cms

[shass]

well roy seems the more likely of the two then. of course that's the less rich of the two.
sahara ind. said to be worth about $10bn

[Not-Interested-Anymore]

Where do these stories come from, fukking pisses me off. I wonder who the story merchant will choose tomorrow, Bill gates. They must just sit at their computer and think,'who shall we choose today'. 'Lets get liverpool fans hopes up and say the worlds richest man wants to buy the club'.
Fukking arseholes piss me off.

[Timothy]

Gareth Barry.

Discuss.

[Nerik]

We need inside info from our own forum Indian billionaire.

[brendan_lfc]

"However, Subrata Roy's Sahara Group have refused to deny the same report, which named it as the other party to make an offer for the club. "We are presently not in a position to comment," explained Sahara spokesman Abhijit Sarkar".

The Sahara Group are a very big company, this could be interesting!

[Nerik]

Dunno the ins and outs about these guys, hopefully KD will be able to shed some light. What could be good is having owners who come from a large country which could represent massive marketing potential for the club.

[Not-Interested-Anymore]

Yeah and the indian market is huge.

[kopdude]

I'd be surprised if this happens but you never know.  Other rich Indians have been linked before with the team as well.  I don't like either of the Ambani brothers.  I think they are ******* scum.  Their old man was somewhat OK, but as soon as he died, the brothers split the company and each went off with his half of the fortune.  But, they are both very good businessmen.  

I don't know too much about Subratta Roy other than that the Sahara group does sponsor the Indian cricket team and he owns Sahara airlines as well, along with fingers in finance, real estate, and other industries.  He is a shrewd investor who built his wealth up from the ground and his congolomerate's worth is something like 50 billion dollars, give or take a few billion.  

Like all potential investors, as a fan I'd want to know exactly what their intentions are before G & H decide to ante up.  But, seeing as the fans have no real power, I somehow doubt we'd get that courtesy from the present management.

[kopdude]

Here is a brief biography of Roy.  Quite impressive that he managed to build up the company from a paltry start of US$43 in assets into the biggest conglomerate in India:

http://contentpedia.blogspot.com/2009/09/biography-of-subroto-roy-sahara.html