Dubai International to make bid for Liverpool FC

[Vermilion]

Really? Shows how much you know about football.
All about concerntration at the highest level mate

Exactly, you can't account for or control your sub-concious, the human mind is a vast computer of cells, when a programme conflicts with another you get annomollies, faults, mistakes you can't explain. You wont even know it's affecting you at the time, but it does, take Torres, just made a big move, 6yr contract, now this happens, it took the lad years to decide to leave Spain, he would'nt have expected this.

[Red_Al_77]

A ****ing men, it isnt like thier own personal fortunes are riding on the outcome of the take over. Company I work for is currently in the middle of merger mania and we have just been told we are being sold off this year but I still do my job 40 hours a week. Using off the field problems between the owners and the banks is no excuse for a poor performance.

Have to agree with that Jim. Gerrard needs to be professional. Yes he may be worried about whether the manager is leaving or whether his partner in CM will ever be signed but that shouldn't affect his ability to play.

[Rashid]

We have to be careful not to let the players use this as an excuse. I remember Lee Bowyer having an amazing season when he was on bail for a racially motivated GBH. Some players need to grow some balls to go with their £100K pay packets. The team is playing **** because we aren't that good and the manager has maybe taken his eye of the ball while he is fighting the owners.

[barnes10]

Anyone who thinks DIC wont put the club in debt or put the debt on the club isnt thinking straight. They are an investment company and they will be looking to get the maximum return for their investment. Even if they put 500 million of thier own money in to the club, they will expect a substantial return on that investment.

They didnt pump a billion in to EADS because they like airplanes.

The Arabs will not be like Abramobitch and dump countless millions in to the club with little or no hope for a return.

its not about wanting an abramovitch tho is it. its about having the backing of a major concern rather than a couple of loan chimps. 'the ocean finance two'

[Jimthered]

We have to be careful not to let the players use this as an excuse. I remember Lee Bowyer having an amazing season when he was on bail for a racially motivated GBH. Some players need to grow some balls to go with their £100K pay packets. The team is playing **** because we aren't that good and the manager has maybe taken his eye of the ball while he is fighting the owners.

Well stated too, although I dont agree with the Rafa bit, he seems more focused on whats going on on the pitch than the others do . Rafas case is a bit different to the players as well, with the Klinsman bit thrown in to the mix.

[desertscouser]

Question for Tom, Rashid etc. Last time DIC bid for us wasn't it a joint bid with Zabeel investments? Have I dreamt that or were they involved? And Zabeel's owner Al Hashimi is supposedly a huge red. Are they involved this time round?

[Rashid]

Question for Tom, Rashid etc. Last time DIC bid for us wasn't it a joint bid with Zabeel investments? Have I dreamt that or were they involved? And Zabeel's owner Al Hashimi is supposedly a huge red. Are they involved this time round?

No. Zabeel Investments is headed up by Mohammed Al Hashimi who recently tried to buy into Arsenal and are nothing to do with DIC. They are Arabs from Dubai and that's it.

[baz87]

Anyone who thinks DIC wont put the club in debt or put the debt on the club isnt thinking straight. They are an investment company and they will be looking to get the maximum return for their investment. Even if they put 500 million of thier own money in to the club, they will expect a substantial return on that investment.

They didnt pump a billion in to EADS because they like airplanes.

The Arabs will not be like Abramobitch and dump countless millions in to the club with little or no hope for a return.

DIC certainly are investors but in a completely different way to G&H.

G&H are investors looking to make as much money as possible in the short-term for personal gain. DIC were set-up with the sole purpose (and i wrote an essay on this for a Uni assignment) of reducing Dubai dependence on Oil and also to promote Dubai for 100s or years to come.

You just have to look at the sort of companies they've been investing in to see this, they've invested in HSBC, Sony and Daimler Chyrsler (Mercedes) to name just 3. These are not companies that will produce short-term returns to justify the investment, these are companies which will provide a steady and sustainable long-term investment and are companies which are globally recognised and will promote Dubai. We are equally globally recognised and have the potential to develope in a sustainable investment too.

For a football club to be a long-term sustainable business you need to be successful on the pitch as without success you don't sell the tickets or the shirts or attract the sponsors and if DIC were to invest then im sure they'll know this.

[baz87]

They are Arabs from Dubai and that's it.

Not totally true. Last time they were looking to sell of a minority % in the club to private investors to raise equity rather than borrow the money. Not sure if they're looking into that this time.

[Pedenj]

Liverpool bidder Al Hashimi turns to Arsenal
tribalfootball.com - 00, 0000

Arsenal are subject of takeover interest from Mohammed Al Hashimi.

The Rag (I know its from that ****, but might answer desertscouser's question, plus its from everyone favorite news site) says he was the man who persuaded Sheik Muhammed Al Maktoum to make a £450million bid for Liverpool last December. Now he is looking to the Gunners to fulfil his ambition of owning a major Premiership club.

Al Hashimi, executive chairman of Dubai-based Zabeel Investments, said: "I know the owners are very reluctant to sell but I see Arsenal as a very profitable club.

"Liverpool was an opportunity which does not come along every day but we have to move on."

Al Hashimi was the driving force behind that bid, made in conjunction with the government-owned Dubai International Capital last year.

Al Hashimi's closest aides confirm he has convinced the Al Maktoum family to back his latest move for the Gunners.

But a bid still needs the financial muscle of the Dubai government.

The Gunners board are already involved in a power struggle with American Stan Kroenke, who paid £65m for a 10 per cent stake in the club.

[dawmdt]

Vaguely connected for those that are interested (basically saying Wachovia have had a ****e year financially)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idUKMOL26705420080122

[desertscouser]

No. Zabeel Investments is headed up by Mohammed Al Hashimi who recently tried to buy into Arsenal and are nothing to do with DIC. They are Arabs from Dubai and that's it.

You're right about Arsenal but wrong about their involvement in DIC's last bid. I vaguely remember reading it and a quick search on google brought up the following...

http://www.arabianbusiness.com/index...ticle&id=14125

Zabeel is mystery Liverpool FC bidder
by James Bennett on Sunday, 10 June 2007
Mohammed Al Hashimi, executive chairman of Zabeel Investments, bid for LFC.Zabeel Investments was part of the Dubai-led consortium that failed to buy Liverpool Football Club and was prepared to buy 20% of the business, it has emerged.

Mohammed Al Hashimi, executive chairman of Zabeel Investments and avid Liverpool fan exclusively revealed to Arabian Business that the private equity and investment business was planning to purchase 20% of the club if the deal went through in February earlier this year, while the remainder of the club would have been acquired by Dubai International Capital (DIC).

"Liverpool was an opportunity and you don't see opportunities like that come everyday but we have to move on," he said.


Al Hashimi refused to answer why the bid failed and added: "that question probably shouldn't be posed to me, it should be posed to the people who decided not to do the deal".

On February 6 it was announced that the Zabeel/DIC bid had failed. The club was instead bought for US$432.9m by Dallas businessman, Texas Rangers baseball team and National Hockey League Dallas Stars owner Tom Hicks and his friend and Montreal Canadiens hockey team owner George Gillet. Liverpool is the third FA Premier League outfit to fall under US ownership alongside Aston Villa and Manchester United.

"Mr Hicks and Mr Gillet got a great deal on Liverpool and they'll do well," said Al Hashimi. "These people are businessmen, they know how to run sports clubs and institutions well. They're in the industry and they wouldn't have moved that fast to do a deal if they thought they couldn't make money out of it.

"I wish them the best of luck. I congratulated Liverpool FC CEO Rick Parry when they did the deal with the Americans. It's business, we move on. We continue to be good friends. He invited me to the Champions League Final against AC Milan. It was an interesting time but we have to move on," he added.

Since the failed bid speculation has mounted over which potential parties could bid for Arsenal Football Club. Asked whether he would look into investing in the north London team Al Hashimi refused to deny a future bid, and said that it was a "very profitable club" but that its board was "very reluctant to sell".

"A US gentleman recently purchased 10% of the club for US$65m, that makes the club worth US$650m, that's hefty. But it has ample real estate around the surrounding area and they've just redeveloped Highbury Square," he said.

"Think of what the existing shareholders at Arsenal paid and what their shares are worth now. Even the smaller clubs are being bought left, right and centre. But look at the Premiership, it's revenues are set to double next year, there must be something going on and money to be made.

"There's a reason why Showtime paid US$120m, these people aren't stupid. They're going to benefit, maybe not directly but from the amount of viewers or other areas," he added.

The former CEO and founder of Amlak Finance, who resigned from the company in March to concentrate on Zabeel, said that he would also consider investing in Amlak. "Of course they are a good investment but so are a lot of companies in Dubai. Amlak is a great investment, so is Tamweel, so is Emaar," he added.

[Rashid]

Thanks for that DS I didn't realise that at all. Hands up. He seems to be a massive LFC fan too...

[Jimthered]

DIC certainly are investors but in a completely different way to G&H.

G&H are investors looking to make as much money as possible in the short-term for personal gain. DIC were set-up with the sole purpose (and i wrote an essay on this for a Uni assignment) of reducing Dubai dependence on Oil and also to promote Dubai for 100s or years to come.

You just have to look at the sort of companies they've been investing in to see this, they've invested in HSBC, Sony and Daimler Chyrsler (Mercedes) to name just 3. These are not companies that will produce short-term returns to justify the investment, these are companies which will provide a steady and sustainable long-term investment and are companies which are globally recognised and will promote Dubai. We are equally globally recognised and have the potential to develope in a sustainable investment too.

For a football club to be a long-term sustainable business you need to be successful on the pitch as without success you don't sell the tickets or the shirts or attract the sponsors and if DIC were to invest then im sure they'll know this.

Excellent post

I dont think LFC are in the same revenue group as Sony/HSBC/DCM but I see what you are saying, the quality of the investor makes a big difference. The point myself and several other posters have been trying to make is that they are very serious investors and will not simply throw millions and millions at the club without a return.

The big difference between DIC and G&H is that they have shareholders to report to, and if my understanding is correct, those shareholders being the Royal Family of Dubai

[Jimthered]

Thanks for that DS I didn't realise that at all. Hands up. He seems to be a massive LFC fan too...

Looks like Bascombe didnt think about that then