Arabs eye £500m Liverpool buy-out

[Harv]

I assume that's a joke. If not you should be ashamed.

[Chrono]

Yeah great, the man is repsonsible for financially screwing Thailand, torture, mass execution and political instability. If you want no 19 at this cost then good for you.

[Gazmo1]

In my opinion and it may have even been said before (and I have spent a bit of time in Dubai) DIC want something like Liverpool FC to promote Dubai as a destination. The oil that brought the riches is not due to last forever and to sustain themselves. For many years they have been looking at ways to attract money into the region.

They have built daft hotels, artificial islands, racing circuits, football schools, water parks, indoor ski slopes and **** loads of real estate.

As Sheikh Maktoum bin Rashid al Maktoum 'if we build, the people will come' and **** me, have they gone to Dubai. It makes you wonder how they would have tackled putting Liverpool back at the top?

A seven year plan, sounds sensible. 2 years to formulate/build, 5 years to dominate and reinforce the link with Dubai. Wouldn't you think after 5 years sustained success the club could commercially and financially fund itself after the 7 year period had ended? DIC have the publicity, we have the success. Everybody is happy.

Or would it have been? Don't shoot me, just thinking outloud.

[Skillz]

What is????

Sorry Johnny, bit late.

I was referring to DIC or the Sheik being able to influence the banks.

I know it's unlikely but I wish it was true at the moment, if you know what I mean.

[Harv]

Yeah great, the man is repsonsible for financially screwing Thailand, torture, mass execution and political instability. If you want no 19 at this cost then good for you.

i shouldnt really give you a response, because you are clearly missing the point.

But if i have to spell it out for you, what im saying is- Even with the baggage that Thaksin has (which is by no means a good thing), i would still take him over the Americans. Its not about what Thaksin has done, its about what I think of the Americans as owners of a football club.

capisce?

[Dhav]

I think it is a sad day when we say we would rather have an owner with a dubious human rights record than one who makes tactless statements to the press.

Yeah great, the man is repsonsible for financially screwing Thailand, torture, mass execution and political instability. If you want no 19 at this cost then good for you.

I'll be honest I know absolutely nothing about what Thailand and what Thakshin has been accused of, apart from hearing that he has a dubious human rights record. And if the above is what he's done then no I don't want him. Thaksin is even more out of keeping with the principles of our club than the yanks. Personally, as I've said, I think #19 is not worth Mourinho, let alone someone who has engaged in the above activities.

Apologies for that, let my incensed feelings towards the yanks get the better of me there in a moment of rage. I take back what I said above.

But I would sooner have someone like Thaskshin, who supports his manager and doesn't work behind his back, as opposed to these two clowns.

[dww]

i shouldnt really give you a response, because you are clearly missing the point.

But if i have to spell it out for you, what im saying is- Even with the baggage that Thaksin has (which is by no means a good thing), i would still take him over the Americans. Its not about what Thaksin has done, its about what I think of the Americans as owners of a football club.

capisce?

The point being that you are implying you are willing to condone human rights violations in order to have greater success for LFC. Which is a pretty sad inditement of your priorities if true. I suspect that you weren't thinking of it in those terms but really I think your agressive defense of the point is not making it look any better.

[Jayesh87]

DIC bid to buy stake in Liverpool FC aborted

Jan 14 2008

by Tony Barrett, Liverpool Echo


DIC would have bought a stake in Liverpool Football Club last autumn had they been able to agree a price with club owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett, the ECHO can today reveal.

Talks between the two parties reached an advanced stage as the Arab consortium considered buying a minority shareholding of between 10-20%.

Only a disagreement on the valuation placed on the club by its American owners stopped DIC from investing.

The ECHO understands that despite missing out on buying the club in its entirety when David Moores opted to sell his shares to Hicks and Gillett, DIC maintained an interest in Liverpool which resurfaced in October.

And when Hicks and Gillett attended the home game against Arsenal on the 28th of that month an intermediary brought the two parties together.

On the table was a minority shareholding. Initially, DIC wanted a 20% stake but Hicks and Gillett were willing to offer them no more than 10%. But a compromise of 15% was eventually reached and at that stage it looked likely that DIC would finally be able to invest in Liverpool FC.

That was until they learned that Hicks and Gillett had valued the club at £1bn, a figure which meant they would have to pay £150m if they wanted to purchase the proposed 15% stake. There was also a proviso that any such deal could only be concluded if DIC agreed to forego any voting rights.

At that point, DIC pulled out of the talks insistent that the club had been overvalued, particularly as Hicks and Gillett had purchased it for just £218.9m (including £44.8m of debt) just 10 months earlier.

The new £1bn valuation was based on what Hicks and Gillett estimated the club would be worth once the new Anfield stadium was built – a valuation which DIC felt was over the top.

The ECHO understands that if Liverpool FC was put up for sale DIC would again be willing to make an offer.

But, contrary to newspaper reports yesterday, no official offers for the club have been made and no meetings are planned between Hicks and Gillett and DIC.

Hicks told the ECHO: “The speculation in the London tabloids on Sunday morning is more rubbish.

“George and I have no interest in meeting with DIC or selling our shares to them.

“We are amazed at how silly rumours find themselves in print in the tabloids.”

Hicks and Gillett have until the end of February to complete financial restructuring, as they seek to transfer £350m of debt incurred in the purchase and running of the club onto the club itself.

It has been reported that should they fail in their efforts to repay the estimated £350m acquisition debt when it is due in six weeks time, there would be the possibility of the running of the club being taken over by the Royal Bank of Scotland, to which the debt is owed.

But sources close to Hicks insist it is only a matter of days before a financial restructuring deal is in place and plans for the long awaited new stadium are released.

If the restructuring deal is concluded later this week it is highly likely that both Hicks and Gillett will have had to use some of their own personal equity to secure the loan as the credit crunch has made borrowing money much more difficult and costly than it was just six months ago.

But until any such deal is signed, Liverpool’s fans will wonder what lies in store for their club.

A late bid by an interested party which could result in Hicks and Gillett diluting their stake in the club cannot be ruled out. But time is running out and, according to Hicks, neither of them is looking to sell, anyway.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0...name_page.html

[Harv]

The point being that you are implying you are willing to condone human rights violations in order to have greater success for LFC. Which is a pretty sad inditement of your priorities if true. I suspect that you weren't thinking of it in those terms but really I think your agressive defense of the point is not making it look any better.

****ing hell.

where have i said i condone what Thaksin has done???????

What im saying is that i hate the yanks so much, that i would possibly take Thaksin over them. I dont like Thaksin at all, but i like his style so far in running his football club.

jesus

[dww]

I'll be honest I know absolutely nothing about what Thailand and what Thakshin has been accused of, apart from hearing that he has a dubious human rights record. And if the above is what he's done then no I don't want him. Thaksin is even more out of keeping with the principles of our club than the yanks. Personally, as I've said, I think #19 is not worth Mourinho, let alone someone who has engaged in the above activities.

Apologies for that, let my incensed feelings towards the yanks get the better of me there in a moment of rage. I take back what I said above.

But I would sooner have someone like Thaskshin, who supports his manager and doesn't work behind his back, as opposed to these two clowns.

[Chrono]

i shouldnt really give you a response, because you are clearly missing the point.

But if i have to spell it out for you, what im saying is- Even with the baggage that Thaksin has (which is by no means a good thing), i would still take him over the Americans. Its not about what Thaksin has done, its about what I think of the Americans as owners of a football club.

capisce?

Do you capisce that I think you're an idiot for thinking higher of what equates to a dictator over some americans who have poor judgement and financial clout?

[Hot Carl]

Do you capisce that I think you're an idiot for thinking higher of what equates to a dictator over some americans who have poor judgement and financial clout?

there is alot of aggression on here today and you have been one aggressive MOFO throughout this thread. i like all this aggression and passion rock: :rocvk:

maybe harveybirdsman has been a bit flippant but surely everyone can see the point hes trying to make. stop taking him so literally.

although the aggression can continue, i like it.

[Guest]

Do you capisce that I think you're an idiot for thinking higher of what equates to a dictator over some americans who have poor judgement and financial clout?

Please, stop this now. He's made a mistake, move on mate. No need.

[Harv]

Do you capisce that I think you're an idiot for thinking higher of what equates to a dictator over some americans who have poor judgement and financial clout?

[Chrono]

there is alot of aggression on here today and you have been one aggressive MOFO throughout this thread. i like all this aggression and passion rock: :rocvk:

maybe harveybirdsman has been a bit flippant but surely everyone can see the point hes trying to make. stop taking him so literally.

although the aggression can continue, i like it.

Haven't really been aggresive. I asked if it was a joke and got a patronising response. For the record I don't want the owners hanging around.