Gillett and Hicks (ownership saga)

[Fugitive]

Hicks's camp are in tentative talks with representatives of the Al Kharafi family, whose head Nasser is the 48th richest man in the world with an £9 billion fortune.

 

Nasser Al Kharafi was linked with a move for Newcastle last year but the key player in the prospective purchase of Liverpool is understood to be his nephew, Rafed Al Kharafi. The family fortune is based on construction and a variety of holdings in the banking, fast-food and tourism sectors.

 

Liverpool's finance director, Phillip Nash, a close ally of Hicks, travelled to Kuwait this week seeking investment for the club's stalled new ground, but the ultimate goal is thought to be securing the sale of the club, which the Americans value at £600 million.

 

Hicks's discussions with the Al Kharafis, which are understood to have begun without the knowledge of co-owner George Gillett, mark the second time in a year that the Americans have sought to sell the club to the family.

 

Last spring Gillett opened talks with the family and at one stage a sale looked probable, but after extensive negotiations the deal broke down in July when the Kuwaitis walked away without explanation.

 

Hicks's decision to return to the family to try to execute a new deal is understood to have infuriated Gillett and will further deepen the distrust between the two.

 

Gillett has been under pressure to refinance a £40 million loan secured as a personal guarantee demanded by RBS as a condition of a £350 million refinancing deal the American's negotiated this time last year.

 

Nash's deployment to Kuwait also indicates the increasingly perilous position of chief executive Rick Parry, who appears to have been frozen out of the deal by Hick's altogether.

 

If Hicks cannot secure a full sale it has been suggested that he would settle for a majority stake that would leave him with a place on the board and power over the football side of the business.

 

That is likely to be deeply unpopular with supporters dismayed at the civil war within the club at a time when they should be focusing on winning their first league title in 19 years.

 

With the club split 50-50 between the two owners however, there can be no resolution to the ownership issue without the agreement of both.

 

According to well-placed sources there is a new willingness to sell on both sides however. With their £350 million loan due to be renegotiated in July, funding for the new ground uncertain and RBS unlikely to be able to offer favourable terms having been crippled by the financial crisis, there is an imperative to sell or secure fresh investment.

[Dougie Do'ins]

Benitez uses the press no question, but tbh he's had to hasn't he? Nobody, and i mean nobody could have forseen how bloody awful these owners have been. He can be a bit of a kid at times but i believe he's had to go about things pretty much the way he has. Of course he has vested interests (who doesn't) but i think he's fought our corner well. I don't have blind faith in Benitez like some, far from it in fact he has many faults, but i'd back him over Parry, Gillete et al every single day of the week. We've moaned on and on about Parry for literally years, surely we should be rejoicing that he's trying to force him out, if that is indeed what he's doing.

What happens Then ? What happens when Rafa and Hicks have the inevitable fall out ?

 

Either Rafa walks or more likely Hicks sacks him leaving us with uncle Tom.

 

This is whats pissing me off with this alliance between Hicks and Rafa. For me Rafa is looking no further than his next contract.

 

What about the long term future of the club?

[05 Milan]

Can someone post the text please?

[05 Milan]

Oil, baby! Yahoooooo!

[Kurt]

post the text, link doesn't work

 

The link provided the most sense i`ve read about the sale of the club so far. Much more sense than the gazillions of speculating articles previously posted.

[Cardie]

For me Rafa is looking no further than his next contract.

 

So?

 

He's the manager, why should he be expected to do anything other than his job?

[05 Milan]

Why does the Telegraph release this now? Couldn't it have kuwaited until the morning?

[billybonzo]

Yeah i can't see it either, dontcha just hate people posting links and not the article.

[shanks59]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/liverpool/4318296/Tom-Hicks-opens-talks-with-Kuwait-family-over-Liverpool-sale.html

 

.. :whistle:

[05 Milan]

So is this the "storm" those two were nudging and winking about?

[Guest Kenny]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/liverpool/4318296/Tom-Hicks-opens-talks-with-Kuwait-family-over-Liverpool-sale.html

 

.. :whistle:

 

Hum, interesting, Gillett cant sell his share but Hicks can sell it for him.

[King Emlyn]

What happens Then ? What happens when Rafa and Hicks have the inevitable fall out ?

 

Either Rafa walks or more likely Hicks sacks him leaving us with uncle Tom.

 

This is whats pissing me off with this alliance between Hicks and Rafa. For me Rafa is looking no further than his next contract.

 

What about the long term future of the club?

I know what you're saying but you can only deal with one thing at a time, i can also see major dust ups between Hicks and Benitez when (if) they are the last two standing. I don't have all the answers all as i do know is that despite his faults i back Benitez over anybody else presently in a position of power at the club, and certainly Parry.

[billybonzo]

I'll be absolutly delighted when he goes Paul. But its the man who we replace him with that every single match going red should worry about.

 

I'll guarentee you mate it will kill the working class lad going the match again.

We simply wont be able to afford it. And when the club start screeming where is our 12th man, we'll all be shouting "in the pub".

 

Dein ?

[King Emlyn]

I'll be absolutly delighted when he goes Paul. But its the man who we replace him with that every single match going red should worry about.

 

I'll guarentee you mate it will kill the working class lad going the match again.

We simply wont be able to afford it. And when the club start screeming where is our 12th man, we'll all be shouting "in the pub".

That's a major worry of course it is. As you know i'm in self imposed exile from the game at the moment but in all honesty Al i'd struggle to afford it the way things are at the moment anyway. I agree, it's only going to get worse.

[Dougie Do'ins]

So?

 

He's the manager, why should he be expected to do anything other than his job?

I thought that was one of the problems regarding his contract. The fact that he's asking for things that some see as being outside the roles of his job.

 

So what if Hicks decides to sack him ? What about the club when he's gone ? Then what ?

[King Emlyn]

Ian Ayres

*shudders*

[billybonzo]

Ian Ayres

 

Ouch

[ToxtethTerror]

Ayres would be a disaster.

[Cardie]

I thought that was one of the problems regarding his contract. The fact that he's asking for things that some see as being outside the roles of his job.

 

So what if Hicks decides to sack him ? What about the club when he's gone ? Then what ?

 

Having the final say on signings, within a set budget, is outside the role of his job?

 

He's not asking to be in control of marketing, stadium development and sponsorship, he's asking to have control of the footballing side which as a manager is well within his remit.

[Dougie Do'ins]

Having the final say on signings, within a set budget, is outside the role of his job?

Not quite as simple as that is it.

 

What about the Academy role.

[Cardie]

What about the Academy role.

 

What about it?

 

their has been more than one discussion on here about why we don't develop young players the way Wenger manages too but we don't want to give the manager the same tools.

[George Costanza]

Ian Ayres

 

Not sure if its the case now but Barwick has also been on the radar.

[Dougie Do'ins]

What about it?

 

their has been more than one discussion on here about why we don't develop young players the way Wenger manages too but we don't want to give the manager the same tools.

Well he's effectively been doing the job with his own Academy at melwood and that's produced some absolute stars.

 

So Why wont you answer about what happens to the club when Hicks Sacks Rafa.

[Jonte]

according til Liverpool.no Hicks is considering selling to a Kuwait family..

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/liverpool/4318296/Tom-Hicks-opens-talks-with-Kuwait-family-over-Liverpool-sale.html

[Cardie]

So Why wont you answer about what happens to the club when Hicks Sacks Rafa.

 

The same thing that happens when all managers are sacked.

 

Should we not sign players incase a manger is sacked?