diego

Who wants to know?

Broughton has already provided for his own successful exit in the event there is no sale soon. He can walk out in August or shortly thereafter saying (a) that RBS did not find a suitable buyer in that time (b) the owners have reversed their so-called commitment not to set a reserve price or otherwise interfere in the sale. He would be paid for the time he has put in. He would lose only the bonus that would come with a sale. Not only would his reputation not be damaged if he walked, it would be enhanced. I'm sure he would prefer the sale went through to anybody (the "right" buyer is a load of shit). That way he would get his big bonus. As for his reputation in the corporate world - there are already questions over it due to his association with the shysters G & H. It is in his interest to convey the impression that he is a kind of independent arbiter and not their employee or agent - which, in fact, he is.

A question on the appointment of Hodgson and a question about Rafa. On the one hand Broughton says he expects a sale of the club soon. On the other hand he and Purslow gave a three-year - 9 million pound - contract to a new manager. Why? Isn't it likely that new owners will want to appoint their own manager? If Hodgson insisted on a potential 9 million payoff if he is sacked at the end of August why did the club not appoint Kenny or someone who would have accepted a shorter, interim appointment. What was it that Rafa asked for or said to them that caused the club to force him out and pay him off with 6 million pounds.

Point out that H &G claim they do not take a salary from LFC even though they charge exorbitant expenses and interest rates. Ask him about his compensation. Does he draw a salary? What personal expenses does he charge to the club? Does he draw performance bonuses? If so for what? Does he expect a bonus or fee or any other form of payment when the club is sold and if so how much? The same question regarding Broughton.

So the players get the credit when they attacked and won and Rafa gets the blame when they didn't attack and lost. That's almost a perfect definition of prejudice. Any other gems of logic from your Mad Hatter world?

I should have given this direct link to the Montse Benitez photo and the painting. Something nice for Rafa - Page 5 - IrishKop.com

The "we'll be back" in this item will curdle the blood of the anti-Rafa Taliban on here. I wonder if Roy will ever find himself in such distinguished company. Lovely gesture from the fans of Irish Kop This was the post. You'll have to vist the link to see the photo of Montse and the picture. Ok I've delivered the painting today. As I've said earlier it was always going to be a very long shot to actually present it to Rafa himself as he works in Italy now and I've no doubt he's very busy plotting another conquest of Europe. Anyway we went round to Rafa's again today and this time, as we had the painting in the back of the car, I rang the bell. As luck would have it Mrs Benitez (Montse) came to the gate and she was absolutely lovely! I told her who we are and what we'd done and she said she would pass the canvas to Rafa and that he'd be delighted. I told her everything we wanted to say was in the letter I'd written on behalf of all of us and I also handed her the personal letter Dave Neve had written. I told Mrs Benitez that we were all gutted about what had happened and I was chocker when she reponded 'so are we - but we'll be back'. I didn't want to disturb her busy day (she was cooking) so I left it at that and we left.

Despite your usual attempts to appear ITK you have no idea if there are any serious bidders and who they might be and when the process might begin and end. Nor do you understand the process. You seem to have gotten it back to front. If any bids will be made they will be made on the basis of the prospectus already in circulation together with updates and verbal clarifications offered by RBS to serious enquirers. If any written bids are forthcoming they will almost certainly be conditional on the bidder's detailed examination of the books and all material matters. If and when the board selects a bidder it will give the bidder preferred status for a limited time and allow it full access to the books in exchange for a confidentaility agreement. If the chosen bidder does not complete due diligence in the specified time or make a formal offer the board can withdraw its preferred status and turn to other bidders, if there are any. The process could be short or long. DIC, for example dragged it out for months and lost their preferred status. G &H moved very fast and completed the deal in a couple of weeks.

Despite your usual attempts to appear ITK you have no idea if there are any serious bidders and who they might be and when the process might begin and end. Nor do you understand the process. You seem to have gotten it back to front. If any bids will be made they will be made on the basis of the prospectus already in circulation together with updates and verbal clarifications offered by RBS to serious enquirers. If any written bids are forthcoming they will almost certainly be conditional on the bidder's detailed examination of the books and all material matters. If and when the board selects a bidder it will give the bidder preferred status for a limited time and allow it full access to the books in exchange for a confidentaility agreement. If the chosen bidder does not complete due diligence in the specified time or make a formal offer the board can withdraw its preferred status and turn to other bidders, if there are any. The process could be short or long. DIC, for example dragged it out for months and lost their preferred status. G &H moved very fast and completed the deal in a couple of weeks.

Juan Galonso not only just misidentified the poster who proudly coined the term "Anti-Rafa Taliban or ART", and then tried to brazen it out when his error was exposed, he also misidentified me as "Graham" in one of his recent posts. Was that false piece of information the product of the TLW PM circles that he says he participates in which take as their topic specific posters? How much does one have to pay to become a member of that old biddies gossip circle?

Broughton said that one of the reasons he and Purslow appointed Hodgson was that he was not looking for more money to bring in new players. It was also clear from the exchanges at the Press Conference that Hodgson had agreed not to involve himself in "politics" i.e. ownership and money issues. In context, the message was that Hodson had rolled over in the interviews and said whatever he needed to say to get the job. Within 36 hours - under relatively little pressure from fans and the media - he was calling for the owners to be replaced before the new season so that new owners would provide susbtantial funds for new players. Rafa was called "a toxic influence on the club" by a sneering poster on here for far less than that. We were also told by Broughton and the rest that Hodgson would be a sure pair of hands who would steady the ship. Specifically his experience, record and general gravitas would influence Gerrard, Torres and other players to stay. Within 24 hours Hodgson admitted that he had tried to "sell" himself to Gerrard, Carragher and Torres. He reported that at least in Gerard's case he got a replay of the familiar line that he wanted to see an infusion of new high quality players (which is also what Torres has been saying for some time). Hodgson sounded far from certain that his sales pitch - or grovelling - to the players had worked. So much for his fabled gravitas.

Gerrard because as a "special" player he is past it and as a captain he never had it and as an influence on the club he is a huge wet blanket. Carragher because he punts the ball too much, makes too many critical mistakes in defence, including own goals, takes two months to get fit at the start of the season, is too negative towards players and staff (other than Gerrard and cronies like ex-players Owen and Murphy), is a nattering gossip constantly feeding the tabloids - directly and indirectly - and seems to think that if he gives interviews and makes pronouncements every week then somebody will let him be manager of LFC - which unlikely event would kill what lingering interest I have.

No he wasn't. He was agitating for inclusion in the first team for a minimum of six months - ever since Rafa began using Babel and Rodriguez more, thereby squeezing his chances on the left (and centre). His agents was talking to Chelsea and other teams in Europe for most of that time. The Chelsea offer meant a longer contract and more money. Rafa sought assurances from Broughton that he would be able to use the proceeds of the sale. On that understanding he said Benni could go if he wanted. Interesting that the fee is being guarded - its going to be difficult to hold Broughton and Purslow to their word if we don't know how much they are taking in.

Go on then, tell us how logical it is to say, as Broughton said today, that it is an auction without a reserve price (so far) in which the highest bidder (if there are any bidders) will get it, while at the same time saying they will sell it only to the right buyer. Your super sharp critical faculties seem to desert you when the target is not Rafa but a member of the board who forced him to leave.

He was not towing the line but he was toeing it.

Broughton cites the fact that Hodgson is not insisting on any funds for transfers as a major reason for selecting him. I wonder how that will go down with Gerrard and Torres who are on the record as stating the urgent need for new players. My guess is that Broughton will be given an early opportunity to prove his statement today that all funds from the sale of players will be invested in the squad. He said it in his first interviews and also to Rafa, in private. Purslow has also said it and has already been proven wrong. A reasonable man (like Rafa) must wonder why Broughton and Purslow won't put it in writing if they are so insistent on it. If it is a board decision, as Broughton implies, it does not need the blessing of the owners. It just needs a majority vote. Has the board made a resolution to that effect? If not, on what authority are Broughton and Purslow making these statements? When he says funds from sales will be invested in the squad, does he mean the funds will be available to buy players or does he mean they will be earmarked for the salaries and wages of the playing staff, management and support staff?

Couldn't agree more. The Stringvest geezer is the worst offender. The only evidence he ever gives for his pompous predictions is that he heard it at work. Duh!

He won't leave because he is not good enough for Real Madrid (and cheap enough or young enough to be bought for sell-on at a profit a year later, as was the case with Owen, who was also not good enough). Absent Real Madrid he won't go to other clubs because of his inflated ego (on those days he is not depressed), his comfortable home and huge wages at LFC (where he is a big fish in a little pond) and his inability-unwillingness to learn a new laguage and adapt to a new culture.

Yes, he can. Bascombe and Purlow would vouch for that.

I'll be supporting Mexico (hopefully).

According to him it will "define his career". Which is one way of obscuring the fact that LFC have never and will never win the League while he is captain.

If the club is sold I would expect Purslow to pocket a much larger bonus than Parry got, larger even than Rafa's contractual release. I would also expect Purslow to try to insert in the sales agreement a continuing position for himself, at least as a member of the board. He might even wangle an executive position but he won't survive in it because fans will communicate their disgust to the incoming owners and new board. The latest version of the Offer for Sale prospectus must make interesting reading. One of its original propositions was that a world-class manager was in place on a five year contract and the club was organized around his vision for both the Academy and the first team. It is only a couple of months ago that Broughton was reiterating that and stating emphatically that Rafa was a good manager and the board did not want him to go. I wonder what weasel words they are using now to explain his disappearance and their inability to attract a world class manager - or any manager for that matter.

He is from the Koptalk school of journalism. He makes it up and claims he cannot reveal his sauces or his horses.

For you it is. You wait all week to masturbate over Bascombe. Have done for at least two years - at least while he has been sticking the knife into Rafa. Last week he filed a story about how annoyed he was that the young South African girls at the information desk in the swank hotel where he was staying could not tell him why the local buses were not arriving on time. He commented they were probably being paid the price of a chocolate bar. Colonial git!