Financial situation, doom & gloom reports etc

[FatTony]

As daft as this sounds perhaps the only reason they are suddenly behind Rafa again is because they knew that if he was to be shown the door at the same time they 'downgraded' the stadium plans there would be a huge amount of criticism thrown at them?

That had crossed my mind.

[Tom]

I don't think they are behind rafa again. I think they're lying. Again.

[Rocket]

The problem we have is that they've come in promising all sorts. I'm sure they did this with parry and moores to secure the deal and get their hands on the club.

Key to this:

1) They said they wouldn't laden the club with debt (looks like they are going to)
2) Rafa would be properly supported - he clearly isn't being.

.

again, decent post, but, i'm not sure about the facts of the whole thing, and i'm not, and doubt you are going to research it all.

but to me, it was quite obvious all along.

They haven't got much free "cash" lying around, it is all tied up in the various teams they own.

so the only way to support the club long term was debt.

[Tom]

Rocket mate, then they shouldn't have made a very public announcement that they weren't going to transfer the debt to the club when they bought it.

[Oberon]

On the subject of marketing this seems sensible.

or for

Liverpool will be chasing the dollar next summer on a North American tour whose aims will go beyond the making of a fast buck.

The American-owned club have been approached to provide the opposition for Major League Soccer's All-Star Game in Toronto which, injury permitting, will feature cash cow David Beckham.

The match would also please club sponsor Carlsberg, which backs Toronto FC, the side who enjoyed a commercially successful first season in the MLS this year, selling out every home game at their 20,000-seat BMO Field.


But the most interesting developments may come in Montreal, where Liverpool co-owner George Gillett Jnr already owns the Canadiens ice hockey team.

In his recent 'state of the soccer union' address, MLS commissioner Don Garber said Montreal was a leading candidate to be the one of the league's next expansion franchises.

The word is that Liverpool are also being lined up for a prestige friendly in the city's Olympic Stadium, possibly against Juventus, an event which would test the locals' appetite.

So Rafa Benitez would do well to listen patiently to plans for global domination before making his case for January spending in his pow-wow with Um-Big American Chiefs.

I don't pretend to understand the money side but I'm not scared of us taking on debt if it helps us improve.

I quite like Gillette it's Hicks I can't fathom.

[desertscouser]

The problem we have is that they've come in promising all sorts. I'm sure they did this with parry and moores to secure the deal and get their hands on the club.

Key to this:

1) They said they wouldn't laden the club with debt (looks like they are going to)
2) Rafa would be properly supported - he clearly isn't being.

To paraphrase Goebbels: "If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it people will believe it".

Truth is obviously a fluid concept for our new owners. I would take their statements of support for rafa with a huge pinch of salt. I still expect a new manager come next season.

After my numerous panic attacks when all the nonsense broke out in the press a few weeks ago I'm now pretty chilled about it all. I've chosen a lets wait and see approach but if they have bull ****ted their way into owning us then all criticism against them will be fully justified.

[kurtangle01]

That had crossed my mind.

I don't think they are behind rafa again. I think they're lying. Again.

Well...you can't put this sort of things beyond them. They are ruthless businessmen afterall and are perhaps trying to limit the damage their reputation would take.

Getting rid of Rafa and changing the stadium plans yet again in the same week could potentially be disasterous for them.

By doing it bit by bit they would perhaps be limiting the amount of criticism they get.

They'll be hoping that the revised plans will be a hit with the fans and all this will be forgotten come May...

Just an opinion of course.

[Dhav]

I don't think they are behind rafa again. I think they're lying. Again.

Gillett may be behind Rafa, but I am not at all convinced that Hicks is. Gillett seems very skilled at knowing what to say, and saying the right thing, which again makes me suspicious because you don't if he's saying it because he knows it's what we want to hear or because he actually means it.

[Tom]

I think they've sold us a dummy. Moores and Parry bought it hook line and.

I hope I'm wrong.

[Rocket]

Rocket mate, then they shouldn't have made a very public announcement that they weren't going to transfer the debt to the club when they bought it.

ok fella, i'll have to take your word for it , i honestly can't remember

[Dhav]

I think they've sold us a dummy. Moores and Parry bought it hook line and.

I hope I'm wrong.

At the risk of being accused by Niall of jumping to conclusions and generally being an embarrassment, I'm beginning to think that way myself.

[AFII]

I think they've sold us a dummy. Moores and Parry bought it hook line and.

I hope I'm wrong.

I'm believe that to or else it was a very bad managed takeover. I think Hicks for example only had two, three weeks before he decided to go in with Gillett and buy us.

I can't imagine that you can get all the answers you need in that short time about everything you need to know about football business.

They clearly didn't had any worked out business plan when they bought us. If they did have that then all the changes to our stadium design wouldn't happen because they would know before how much the different designs would cost.

Just one example, another is that they don't seem to have a clue how much football players costs, that is a thing you expect them to know when they bought us.

The whole takeover looks like it has been done by an amateur.

[Dhav]

I'm believe that to or else it was a very bad managed takeover. I think Hicks for example only had two, three weeks before he decided to go in with Gillett and buy us.

I can't imagine that you can get all the answers you need in that short time about everything you need to know about football business.

They clearly didn't had any worked out business plan when they bought us. If they did have that then all the changes to our stadium design wouldn't happen because they would know before how much the different designs would cost.

Just one example, another is that they don't seem to have a clue how much football players costs, that is a thing you expect them to know when they bought us.

The whole takeover looks like it has been done by an amateur.

At the risk of showing myself up further and agreeing with AFII, this is what I argued myself at the time - they should have undergone a much more extensive and thorough due diligence to get a full understanding of the business they were taking over

[Tom]

ok fella, i'll have to take your word for it , i honestly can't remember

It was the first interview they gave mate, as they announced they were buying the club. In fact it was one of the first questions they answered.

[mick the click]

I think they've sold us a dummy. Moores and Parry bought it hook line and.

I hope I'm wrong.

It's a very uncomfortable time for all...I hope you're wrong...but until I see some proof otherwise...I think you could be right.