Kenny Huang linked to Liverpool takeover

[Ted]

When's that second piece from, lads?

[piscinin]

Didn't a board meeting take place yesterday in London?

 

Semantics by the looks of it. Hicks and Gillet weren't there, so I guess it wasn't a board meeting.

[Dougie Do'ins]

Liverpool Echo - Liverpool FC - News - Offers on the table in battle for Liverpool FC ownership

 

LIVERPOOL Football Club has received a number of firm takeover proposals, Anfield officials have confirmed.

 

The club released a statement following a key board meeting in London yesterday which followed two weeks of intense speculation about potential bidders, including Chinese mogul Kenny Huang and the Syrian businessman Yahya Kirdi, as well as unnamed others.

 

Liverpool's statement read: "The Liverpool FC Board has reviewed a number of proposed bids for the club at a meeting held on Friday.

 

"The Board will continue to act in the best interests of Liverpool Football Club and its supporters, doing all that it can to ensure that the Club is ultimately sold to a buyer who has the resources and real commitment to give it a long-term, stable and secure funding position for its plans.

 

"The sale process is continuing. However, its timing and outcome remain uncertain.

 

"In the meantime, we will not comment on rumour and speculation."

 

The development is a positive sign that there is at last some formal substance to the Anfield sale process, with declared bids and letters of intent from several parties now vying to buy out Americans George Gillett and Tom Hicks, now on the boardroom table. Anfield officials made it clear after news of interest from Huang and Kirdi emerged that they wanted to see potential investors "show them the money" and had grown weary that the process was being played out in the media.

 

However, the club’s senior executives, led by Chairman Martin Broughton, Managing Director Christian Purslow and Commercial Director Ian Ayre, will take all the time they need to evaluate each offer thoroughly.

 

Though the Reds are still hoping for a swift resolution to the process, it is being stressed that the greatest priority above all is to ensure the club moves into the right hands, given all the controversies and broken promises of the past three years.

 

There is a determination to ensure that not only do bidders have the money to back up their now formally declared interest – but that they will deal with Liverpool’s debt burden, commit to finally building a new stadium, and prove worthy and responsible owners of the five-times European champions.

 

All of those criteria mean that a decision on a preferred bidder – should one eventually emerge – is still a matter of days, possibly even weeks away.

 

All the while, pressure is continuing to mount on Tom Hicks and George Gillett.

 

The Royal Bank of Scotland will call in their debt of £237m on October 6, rather than facilitate another re-financing deal.

 

Hicks and Gillett could also be hit with a £20m fine in charges by the RBS if Liverpool is not sold before the end of August.

The bit in red. Been a change in stance there. It's gone from 'can call in their debt' to "wiil call in their debt"

 

Very interesting.

[StevieH]

The bit in red. Been a change in stance there. It's gone from 'can call in their debt' to "wiil call in their debt"

 

Very interesting.

 

Lets hope that RBS follow it through if we get as far down the line as the 6th of Oct without being sold. I just hope that someone else doesn't step in and take over the loans.

[Guest davelfc]

Semantics by the looks of it. Hicks and Gillet weren't there, so I guess it wasn't a board meeting.

 

Doesn't mean much these days, they could have been on the end of a web cam or a phone or had representatives there.

 

eeeuuurgh, just pictured those two on a webcam.

[Dougie Do'ins]

When's that second piece from, lads?

It's whats up on the Echo web site Ted. Don't know what they have gone to print with. Will let you know when I go for the papers.

[gkmacca]

I always thought it would be unwise for any bidders to be at the match tomorrow. There'd be chaos with the media trying to get to them.

[Dicko]

All the while no one's talking about the fact that we've signed two of the previous manager targets, a 30 year old danish midfielder, a free transfer for a man who's knee has been completely rebuilt on a four year contract and a reserve keeper.

While spending just £10m.

One day before our first match and we probably need a left back as the club seem determined to get rid of Insua and a new striker.

 

One wonders if people would find this acceptable if there was no takeover news?

[StevieH]

All the while no one's talking about the fact that we've signed two of the previous manager targets, a 30 year old danish midfielder, a free transfer for a man who's knee has been completely rebuilt on a four year contract and a reserve keeper.

While spending just £10m.

One day before our first match and we probably need a left back as the club seem determined to get rid of Insua and a new striker.

 

One wonders if people would find this acceptable if there was no takeover news?

 

I am concerned going into the new season that 12 months on we are still yet to sign a quality striker that can cover and compliment Torres. I also think that we lack a decent left back and a left winger as well.

 

However, clearly the main focus of the football club is elsewhere at present.

[Medazza]

G&H may have been there via video link? If we can do it at work then I am sure Liverpool can? Is there also not the possibility that knowing they are going to be outvoted 3-2 by the rest of the board that they see no point in attending, and are focussing on manipulating the process via people like Kirdi?

 

Sods laws says we are going to have a really strong start and then lose 10 points in October!

[piscinin]

All the while no one's talking about the fact that we've signed two of the previous manager targets, a 30 year old danish midfielder, a free transfer for a man who's knee has been completely rebuilt on a four year contract and a reserve keeper.

While spending just £10m.

One day before our first match and we probably need a left back as the club seem determined to get rid of Insua and a new striker.

 

One wonders if people would find this acceptable if there was no takeover news?

 

'tis true. There was an interview on the offal with Hodgson yesterday and when asked about strikers, it didn't seem like a high priority with him, spoke about it being impossible to not have a step down from Torres and how we didn't yet know just how good Ngog and Babel could become.

 

I was thinking that better be your poker face.

[Guest davelfc]

All the while no one's talking about the fact that we've signed two of the previous manager targets, a 30 year old danish midfielder, a free transfer for a man who's knee has been completely rebuilt on a four year contract and a reserve keeper.

While spending just £10m.

One day before our first match and we probably need a left back as the club seem determined to get rid of Insua and a new striker.

 

One wonders if people would find this acceptable if there was no takeover news?

 

There does seem to be an incredible 'honeymoon period' for Hodgson. I think it's a combination of resignation we have no cash, or that the owners will/have taken it, anticipation we will be taken over and have cash (even if this turns out not to be so) Then of course there's the natural honeymoon period that all managers get when they take over at a club.

 

Without wanting to start a big argument about our previous manager, if we had not experienced a managerial change then I am guessing most forums would have exploded by now.

[Dicko]

I am concerned going into the new season that 12 months on we are still yet to sign a quality striker that can cover and compliment Torres. I also think that we lack a decent left back and a left winger as well.

 

However, clearly the main focus of the football club is elsewhere at present.

 

Evidently, and the supporters too it seems.

The day before our season starts though? I think questions need to be asked of Purslow & Broughton now.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Evidently, and the supporters too it seems.

The day before our season starts though? I think questions need to be asked of Purslow & Broughton now.

 

Not much Purslow and Broughton can do if there's no money?

[Dougie Do'ins]

Evidently, and the supporters too it seems.

The day before our season starts though? I think questions need to be asked of Purslow & Broughton now.

Wht kind of questions ? It's not as if they've been of the radar lately, is it ?

[Dicko]

Not much Purslow and Broughton can do if there's no money?

Quite.

[Dicko]

Wht kind of questions ? It's not as if they've been of the radar lately' date=' is it ?[/quote']

 

Ask questions about the team, the squad. Focus on that, we are one day away from our first league match and we still have no cover for Torres or a left back or left winger as Steve pointed out.

 

If the takeover speculation wasn't happening would you or anyone find that acceptable?

[JER]

Lets hope that RBS follow it through if we get as far down the line as the 6th of Oct without being sold. I just hope that someone else doesn't step in and take over the loans.

 

Can't see that happening - they both seem to be in serious trouble and even Ocean Finance would bulk at lending to them. Once RBS own it they will sell it on a knockdown price, so can imagine the temptation of buyers to wait. One thing that bothers me is RBS's inclination to offer favourable new credit to potential owners, leaving us open to a clown like Kirdi fronting a faceless consortium which includes Gillett (who I actually think is the more dangerous of the two.)

[Barnesey]

And on a positive note, we have got Aurelio and Insua at LB as well as Agger and Kelly as cover. With Jov and Cole added to last year's squad we can look at Kuyt as cover for Torres even if we write off Babel and Ngog. Dont think we can do much better up front although I would like to see Figeroa brought in.

 

This squad actually looks half decent. If the key players stay fit and Woy can instill some confidence this season can be more like 08/09 rather than 09/10.

[JER]

There does seem to be an incredible 'honeymoon period' for Hodgson. I think it's a combination of resignation we have no cash, or that the owners will/have taken it, anticipation we will be taken over and have cash (even if this turns out not to be so) Then of course there's the natural honeymoon period that all managers get when they take over at a club.

 

Without wanting to start a big argument about our previous manager, if we had not experienced a managerial change then I am guessing most forums would have exploded by now.

 

He is also very good at media stuff - he has a no bullshit persona which is refreshing after Houllier and post 2007/08 Rafa

[zigackly]

Dicko, it may have escaped your attention, but we are paying £2.5M a week to RBS for the privilege of existing. Clearly the football is completely secondary to sorting out our finances which can only happen with new owners. We can't survive until the end of the season if we don't sell the club. So although it's unsatisfactory not being able to buy the players we need, it's hardly the end of the world if we have to go into the season with the current squad. The end of the world will come soon enough if the club isn't sold.

 

Besides which, have you considered that there may be two sets of targets lined up; one set for the current finances and the other after a buyout? Perhaps we are waiting to see what we will have to spend.

 

Certainly there's still time before the end of the window to bring a couple in.

[stringvest]

Evidently, and the supporters too it seems.

The day before our season starts though? I think questions need to be asked of Purslow & Broughton now.

 

Purslow and Broughton are dealing with businessmen who know that the likely purchase price of the club will fall week on week until October. There's a game of brinkmanship going on until one party makes a formal offer, at which point any other offers will be flushed out and the auction proper begins. This will definitely happen before the end of Nov, and will mean we will have money in the coffers for the next transfer window.

 

Broughton has at least identified where the interest is - at least two or three genuinely interested parties. He has been in dialogue with these parties, but while they have declared a real interest and have obviously discussed numbers, they are not prepared to make a formal offer while the price is certain to drop further. What is the other option? throw his toys out of the pram and say the sale is over because no-one is prepared to commit to a formal offer yet?

[stringvest]

There does seem to be an incredible 'honeymoon period' for Hodgson. I think it's a combination of resignation we have no cash, or that the owners will/have taken it, anticipation we will be taken over and have cash (even if this turns out not to be so) Then of course there's the natural honeymoon period that all managers get when they take over at a club.

 

Without wanting to start a big argument about our previous manager, if we had not experienced a managerial change then I am guessing most forums would have exploded by now.

 

You're right there - the first half of the season in the financial doldrums, no Gerrard, Torres or Cole (or even Aurelio)? Sniping and backbiting in the press every day? Manager threatening to upsticks every other day? Likelihood that we'd be in the bottom half of the table by December? We'd have been truly fucked.

[Anubis]

The post from RAWK (Bamba?) intimated that Twit & Twat were going to 'get shafted', and RBS made that statement regarding facilities for new owners. Now The Echo are saying that RBS will call in the loan. I wonder if they've made it clear there will be no more extensions for T & T, but at the same time are sending out the message to new owners that they'll back off and facilitate the short period necessary to get the papaerwork sorted out if a last minute sale has gone through in october.

[Spy Bee]

There does seem to be an incredible 'honeymoon period' for Hodgson.

 

How can it be an incredible honeymoon period when he's won his only two competitive games. You can only judge him on his signings (or lack of signings) once they have actually played for the club. If they don't work then you judge him, but maybe they will.