Liverpool takeover: State-backed Chinese group want to buy club from Fenway for £700m

[Tony Moanero]

LFC fans don't like FSG as they think they aren't here for the long term. They only see us as an investment and will sell when they get a big offer.

 

Fans get upset because FSG don't want to sell, they seem to be in it for the long term.

 

FSG can't win at times.

Can't win?

 

FSG or the football team?

[Horus]

Been saying that for a while.

 

For many it's moaning for moaning sake.

 

It's as if the premier league is awash with infinitely rich thoroughly decent, well respected, morally strong, football loving owners whose only priority is on pitch performance

 

How do we make what Arsenal make from each home game? How do we eat into the hundreds of millions each year that united earn over and above us? How do we go about winning the league? 

 

There are some complete bellwhiffs that also dislike FSG, but to flippantly dismiss everyone that doesn't, does the whole discussion a disservice in my view.

 

Football has changed massively, even since No5. 

[Section_31]

I think people wear rose tinted glasses when it comes to the club, it's been a shameless commercial operation since long before the yanks turned up, just not a very good one.

 

It must be the biggest 'industry' in the city, certainly the biggest brand, and yet what has it ever done for one of the poorest area of the city? Fuck all, except take - houses and land for its expansion plans.

 

It pays its non-playing staff average at best wages, and ask anyone who works in a school or for a community group in this city and they'll tell you Everton's community outreach programmes shit all over ours.

 

Lest we forget how the club treated shanks too. The working man's club it isn't, some of its managers have been, but not the club.

 

[Red Hot]

Yes not only football thats changed so has the world. And you can't blame FSG for that. When we where being seen off by Cancer and Aids, most supporters wanted an owner not a sugar daddy like Roman. Well they got their wish. FSG might not be the best owners in the world and yes have made some massive errors in appointments while on a learning curve. But far superior to the last pair of cowboys. 

 

Now they have finally got a manager in place the whole place was crying out for. They have increased the stadium  capacity. Lets give them a chance.

[Horus]

Yes not only football thats changed so has the world. And you can't blame FSG for that. When we where being seen off by Cancer and Aids, most supporters wanted an owner not a sugar daddy like Roman. Well they got their wish. FSG might not be the best owners in the world and yes have made some massive errors in appointments while on a learning curve. But far superior to the last pair of cowboys. 

 

Now they have finally got a manager in place the whole place was crying out for. They have increased the stadium  capacity. Lets give them a chance.

 

That's a really low bar you've set there. I'm not trying to bash FSG, but just explain why I don't think they'll ever get us where we all want to be. We've no choice other than to give them a chance though, because they won't sell now we have this new tv deal; unless they get a crazy offer. £700m isn't that offer.

[neopulian]

I'd rather supporting us in the Championship than agreeing to this sale. FUCK NO. 

[andyj]

people moan about FSG but does anyone think the chinese would have backed down over ticket prices ......would they fuck !! FSG might not be perfect but they are better than H&G and 99% of chinese investment

[Nightcat]

LFC fans don't like FSG as they think they aren't here for the long term.  They only see us as an investment and will sell when they get a big offer.

 

Fans get upset because FSG don't want to sell, they seem to be in it for the long term.

 

FSG can't win at times.

Bullshit. We don't like FSG because they have no plan of developing a winning team, they don't care about winning, winning is irrelevant to them and they have made that very clear. We don't like them for their endless transfer fiascos, their overall ridiculous transfer policy and their outrageous recruitment policy (e.g. promoting their local fraud to ceo). We don't like them because they have transformed a huge club into a midtable mediocrity. They are shite, they are arrogant and clueless.

[Nightcat]

people moan about FSG but does anyone think the chinese would have backed down over ticket prices ......would they fuck !! FSG might not be perfect but they are better than H&G and 99% of chinese investment

oh yeah because FSG haven't already increased the ticket prices. Any other clueless arguments in favour of the gang?

[G Richards]

I'm not sure what to make of the Chinese link. If it is legitimate, then I suspect negotiations have broken down, or not even got off the ground, hence it being made public as some sort of last throw of the dice in a PR type of way.

 

FSG have a very healthy income stream and are sitting on a large profit, more than double their money at present. Perhaps they think they can get a billion? And if not, they are happy to sit tight?

 

We had a link to Abu Dhabi recently, supposedly to someone with even more money than City's owners. Now this Chinese link. Obviously it could all be a load of rubbish, but you get the impression that movement is happening behind the scenes.

[Guest LFD]

Bullshit. We don't like FSG because they have no plan of developing a winning team, they don't care about winning, winning is irrelevant to them and they have made that very clear. We don't like them for their endless transfer fiascos, their overall ridiculous transfer policy and their outrageous recruitment policy (e.g. promoting their local fraud to ceo). We don't like them because they have transformed a huge club into a midtable mediocrity. They are shite, they are arrogant and clueless.

 

FSG transformed our club to mid table mediocrity?  Did you see our squad and league positions before they arrived.

 

We had just finished 7th the season before they came.  The squad had huge superstars like Degan, Aquilani, Ngog, J Cole, Jovanovic, Soto, Poulsen, Konchesky...

 

Yes we were absolutely thriving before FSG arrived.  Not forgetting H&G were not investing the money from sales like Robbie Keane back into the team.  They bought the club with loans and were using the club to pay off those loans.  Bring big debt on the club.  They did nothing with regards to the new stadium.  They appointed Roy Hodgson. 

 

FSG have made mistakes, they said they would as they are new to the game.  But we are the 4th biggest spenders in the league under their time.  Sure a lot of those have come from sales, although we are also the 4th highest net spenders in that time.  

 

It is not their fault we have bought crap.  They trusted Dalglish, Comolli, A Committee and Rodgers to buy well.  They shouldn't be judged on who we buy, whether good or bad, they merely provide the funds.  They don't get praise for Suarez nor should they get criticism for Carroll IMO.  They backed the footballing men to do that, they way it should be and that's what they are doing with Klopp - he has the first & last say, according to Jurgen himself.

 

Yes we've lost some key players since they have been here.  Unfortunately we have only finished in the top four once since they have been here, due to poor buys and management.  Both of which isn't their jobs.

 

They aren't going to do PSG or Man City type spending.  Guess what nor can most teams in the world.  Arsenal don't they always get top four.  Spurs don't, far from it, they just challenged for the title.  Not quite sure spending big is the right way, given most of our best buys the last 10 years or so haven't been big fees.  Except for Torres & Suarez, our best buys have been around £10m or below in Alonso, Reina, Arbeloa, Sturridge, Coutinho, Hyypia, Hamann, Henchoz, Finnan, Riise etc etc.

 

They have removed the majority of the debt and that little remaining is very manageable.  They have increased the stadium.  They have backed the managers financially with plenty of funds to expect far better.  They have bought in a World Class manager in Klopp.

 

They aren't perfect, they have made mistakes, but the grass isn't always greener and things could be far worse.  No doubt you'll say things could be far better... maybe.  But look at Man U, I'd much rather our owners to theirs.  Looks at Spurs, they have a negative net spending the last 5 years... significantly less than us and the rest of the league actually.

 

If new owners do want to buy us and are better than FSG - then great.  But I think we have to be really careful about demanding or craving new owners, when looking at the owners we had before FSG.  Or even looking at some of our rivals owners.

 

They have a plan, that's to buy younger players who can grow into stars.  Sure it might not be the plan you like, however that doesn't mean it can't be successful.  They have bought in a manager who has done just that at Dortmund.   Being financially stable off the pitch, with a World Class manager, a stadium which is being expanded - things could be far, far worse and I don't understand why you are so against them.

 

Sure you crave success, we all do.  But the best chance of us getting success is buy well and having a top class manager.  They have got that manager, hopefully he can buy well and then the owners plan will have worked and everyone is happy.

[TheHowieLama]

***dances in circle - rubbing palms together***

[xerxes]

 

FSG have a very healthy income stream and are sitting on a large profit, more than double their money at present. Perhaps they think they can get a billion? And if not, they are happy to sit tight?

 

Because they are a consortium, individually, any profit is small change to the members. I think that having a place at the table of the world's biggest game, in the worlds richest league, with one of the most famous club names, as the game evolves is as important as any short term profit.

[G Richards]

True, the consortium aspect means that each one getting a £10-30M profit (estimate) is no big deal, especially if each member is worth in the hundreds of millions or more.

[TheHowieLama]

***dances in circle - rubbing palms together muttering "consortium"***

[G Richards]

Excellent post LFD, repped.

[jimmycase]

Liverpool FC could be taken over tomorrow by a mega rich owner(s) (if there was one willing and able) but some people would still moan at the new owners spending or plans or way they run the club ad infinitum.

[Red House]

FSG transformed our club to mid table mediocrity?  Did you see our squad and league positions before they arrived.

 

We had just finished 7th the season before they came.  The squad had huge superstars like Degan, Aquilani, Ngog, J Cole, Jovanovic, Soto, Poulsen, Konchesky...

 

Yes we were absolutely thriving before FSG arrived.  Not forgetting H&G were not investing the money from sales like Robbie Keane back into the team.  They bought the club with loans and were using the club to pay off those loans.  Bring big debt on the club.  They did nothing with regards to the new stadium.  They appointed Roy Hodgson. 

 

FSG have made mistakes, they said they would as they are new to the game.  But we are the 4th biggest spenders in the league under their time.  Sure a lot of those have come from sales, although we are also the 4th highest net spenders in that time.  

 

It is not their fault we have bought crap.  They trusted Dalglish, Comolli, A Committee and Rodgers to buy well.  They shouldn't be judged on who we buy, whether good or bad, they merely provide the funds.  They don't get praise for Suarez nor should they get criticism for Carroll IMO.  They backed the footballing men to do that, they way it should be and that's what they are doing with Klopp - he has the first & last say, according to Jurgen himself.

 

Yes we've lost some key players since they have been here.  Unfortunately we have only finished in the top four once since they have been here, due to poor buys and management.  Both of which isn't their jobs.

 

They aren't going to do PSG or Man City type spending.  Guess what nor can most teams in the world.  Arsenal don't they always get top four.  Spurs don't, far from it, they just challenged for the title.  Not quite sure spending big is the right way, given most of our best buys the last 10 years or so haven't been big fees.  Except for Torres & Suarez, our best buys have been around £10m or below in Alonso, Reina, Arbeloa, Sturridge, Coutinho, Hyypia, Hamann, Henchoz, Finnan, Riise etc etc.

 

They have removed the majority of the debt and that little remaining is very manageable.  They have increased the stadium.  They have backed the managers financially with plenty of funds to expect far better.  They have bought in a World Class manager in Klopp.

 

They aren't perfect, they have made mistakes, but the grass isn't always greener and things could be far worse.  No doubt you'll say things could be far better... maybe.  But look at Man U, I'd much rather our owners to theirs.  Looks at Spurs, they have a negative net spending the last 5 years... significantly less than us and the rest of the league actually.

 

If new owners do want to buy us and are better than FSG - then great.  But I think we have to be really careful about demanding or craving new owners, when looking at the owners we had before FSG.  Or even looking at some of our rivals owners.

 

They have a plan, that's to buy younger players who can grow into stars.  Sure it might not be the plan you like, however that doesn't mean it can't be successful.  They have bought in a manager who has done just that at Dortmund.   Being financially stable off the pitch, with a World Class manager, a stadium which is being expanded - things could be far, far worse and I don't understand why you are so against them.

 

Sure you crave success, we all do.  But the best chance of us getting success is buy well and having a top class manager.  They have got that manager, hopefully he can buy well and then the owners plan will have worked and everyone is happy.

 

Shit pun

[TheHowieLama]

Haiku Summary (for the purposes of this "FSG" shall be accepted as a singlet (snigger):

 

 

 

FSG have made mistakes

Majority of the Debt

They aren't perfect

[El Dangerous]

Liverpool FC could be taken over tomorrow by a mega rich owner(s) (if there was one willing and able) but some people would still moan at the new owners spending or plans or way they run the club ad infinitum.

Sources?

[AngryOfTuebrook]

I'm not sure what to make of the Chinese link. If it is legitimate, then I suspect negotiations have broken down, or not even got off the ground, hence it being made public as some sort of last throw of the dice in a PR type of way.

 

FSG have a very healthy income stream and are sitting on a large profit, more than double their money at present. Perhaps they think they can get a billion? And if not, they are happy to sit tight?

 

We had a link to Abu Dhabi recently, supposedly to someone with even more money than City's owners. Now this Chinese link. Obviously it could all be a load of rubbish, but you get the impression that movement is happening behind the scenes.

I'm just getting the impression that it's summer and Twitter exists.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Shit pun

Pun?

[stringvest]

I agree with the basic point LFD is trying to make, without agreeing with many of the points he's making to support it.  Those who think a benevolent Liverpool-mad bloke is out there with a couple of billion to throw at the club must still believe in Father Christmas.  

 

Whoever buys this club will do so with the primary aim of making money.  Once that sinks in, then there's a sensible conversation to be had.  

[amli]

Shit pun

Is he the head of this Chinese group?

[Red House]

Pun?

 

Twas a joke. Failed visibly.