Dubai International to make bid for Liverpool FC

[Red Chilli]

the same beeb that said DIC were preparing a bid or us?

Yes

[Vermilion]

the same beeb that said DIC were about to buy us?

What do you mean, i'm not talking rumour, the fella from the LMA said they were in contact with Rafa now, nothing to do with the beeb just happened to be on there, I'm more interested in the LMA coming out publicly & telling everyone they are advising him on legal issues.

[kopdan]

was dissing the BBC. crossed wires me thinks

move along

oh and RC, it aint going to happen mate. Just dont see it now.

[Rashid]

http://www.petitiononline.com/leaveus/petition.html

[Red Chilli]

was dissing the BBC. crossed wires me thinks

move along

oh and RC, it aint going to happen mate. Just dont see it now.

I can't see it happening in the near future but sooner or later H&G are going to feel the squeeze on these interest payments and then things might change.
I don't think it's thr right time now for DIC, but there'll be another time around the corner.

[AFII]

http://www.petitiononline.com/leaveus/petition.html

Sorry but I can't sign a petition that say this....

I would rather see this fine club go out of existence, than let you control it anymore.

I really don't agree with that at all.

[Dhav]

Some interesting posts on Rawk, from cowtownred, who appears to be in the know:-

As advised by me old nan, oldmootownred, many years ago.

Get an early night, relax a bit, because there might be a few busy days coming up.

Wise words in the current situation, unlike the old dear, I'd also advise a few bevvies first... but there will be a very anxious 48 hours when all sorts of rumours will do the rounds, there will be uncertainty and much worry.

But the signs FOR NOW are positive. If you believe in Rafa and our future.

Thats all. Can swing both ways, thats where it is tonight.

I'm NOT setting out to worry anyone.

All I know is that the main players (come on, if you don't know who, why are you reading this?) are in negotiation.

Do I know the outcome? How the **** could I.

There will be announcements of all sorts in the next few days, and there will be moodswings to follow. Thats why I say... all options are STILL IN PLAY tonight. Relax.

Wish Shankslegend would come on and back this up.

What would you like me to tell you?

That I can interpret Hicks' thought patterns?

Or tell from the twinkle in the Sheikh's eyes what the price is?

I'm telling you they are in negotiation... a deal is not done.. if thats not enough, then follow my original suggestion.

**** sake.

http://www.redandwhitekop.com/forum/...topic=207740.0

[Venton]

Sorry but I can't sign a petition that say this....



I really don't agree with that at all.

[AFII]

rom The Times
January 24, 2008
Sir Alex Ferguson fires salvo at Anfield

James Ducker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Sir Alex Ferguson has accused George Gillett Jr and Tom Hicks, the Liverpool co-owners, of showing a lack of “class” and has condemned their treatment of Rafael BenÍtez.

The Americans will secure their immediate future at Anfield in the next 24 hours by announcing a controversial £350 million refinancing package and revealing their plans for a 70,000-capacity stadium in Stanley Park. But while that is expected to bring stability to their troubled regime, Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, has criticised them for undermining BenÍtez after admitting publicly that they held talks with Jürgen Klinsmann about the Liverpool manager’s job and said that sacking the Spaniard could have a damaging effect on the club.

Ferguson’s criticism came on the day it emerged that BenÍtez has been in contact with the League Managers Association (LMA), which said that it provided “advice, support and encouragement” to the Spaniard.

Speaking in Saudi Arabia, where United have been on a short winter break, Ferguson said: “At big clubs, it’s absolutely paramount that the board show their class. Arsène Wenger has had great support at Arsenal and I’ve had great support, too, ever since I came here. So there’s a certain type of unity there.

“What happened with [Klinsmann] was a bad piece of business on Liverpool’s part, there’s no doubt about that. That sort of thing can be very upsetting for a manager. You should allow a manager to get on with his job.

“One thing for sure is that Rafa has brought in a lot of his players because of Spanish connections. Now if an English manager was to come into Liverpool, that connection is gone. What happens then? That’s definitely an issue.”

Although the refinancing deal will ease some of the pressure that has been building on Hicks and Gillett, Dubai International Capital (DIC), the private-equity arm of the Arab state, remains hopeful that the Americans will be forced to sell the club in the longer term. In a phone poll conducted by the Liverpool Echo yesterday, 92 per cent of the club’s supporters contacted wanted Hicks and Gillett to hand over ownership to DIC.

Although United are also under American ownership, the Glazer family’s takeover – despite fierce opposition from some fans – has run relatively smoothly, with Ferguson insisting that he is allowed to manage without interference. But with the turmoil that has engulfed Liverpool, the United manager believes that the Merseyside club may now find that they struggle to attract leading players.

“The important thing is that big clubs should be seen to be big clubs,” Ferguson said. “Most players want to play for Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool, but when they see a club that they think is topsy-turvy, with a divide between the directors and the manager, then they might think twice [about wanting to join them].”

With Liverpool 14 points adrift of United and Arsenal in the Barclays Premier League, Ferguson appeared to echo the sentiments of many Anfield fans when he argued that their title hopes were all but over. “I think Liverpool will be concentrating on trying to win the European Cup rather than the league,” he said.

Richard Bevan, the LMA chief executive, admitted that his organisation had been in contact with the Liverpool manager. “We have provided advice, support and encouragement,” he said. “But obviously we are unable to say any more.” Legal experts have suggested that BenÍtez may have been undermined by the actions of the club’s owners and the LMA offers advice of this nature to its members.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle3241461.ece

[Red Chilli]

Stirring the pot

**** off Fergie, look after your own club you cuntilla

[Sir Bob]

rom The Times
January 24, 2008
Sir Alex Ferguson fires salvo at Anfield

James Ducker in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Sir Alex Ferguson has accused George Gillett Jr and Tom Hicks, the Liverpool co-owners, of showing a lack of “class” and has condemned their treatment of Rafael BenÍtez.

The Americans will secure their immediate future at Anfield in the next 24 hours by announcing a controversial £350 million refinancing package and revealing their plans for a 70,000-capacity stadium in Stanley Park. But while that is expected to bring stability to their troubled regime, Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, has criticised them for undermining BenÍtez after admitting publicly that they held talks with Jürgen Klinsmann about the Liverpool manager’s job and said that sacking the Spaniard could have a damaging effect on the club.

Ferguson’s criticism came on the day it emerged that BenÍtez has been in contact with the League Managers Association (LMA), which said that it provided “advice, support and encouragement” to the Spaniard.

Speaking in Saudi Arabia, where United have been on a short winter break, Ferguson said: “At big clubs, it’s absolutely paramount that the board show their class. Arsène Wenger has had great support at Arsenal and I’ve had great support, too, ever since I came here. So there’s a certain type of unity there.

“What happened with [Klinsmann] was a bad piece of business on Liverpool’s part, there’s no doubt about that. That sort of thing can be very upsetting for a manager. You should allow a manager to get on with his job.

“One thing for sure is that Rafa has brought in a lot of his players because of Spanish connections. Now if an English manager was to come into Liverpool, that connection is gone. What happens then? That’s definitely an issue.”

Although the refinancing deal will ease some of the pressure that has been building on Hicks and Gillett, Dubai International Capital (DIC), the private-equity arm of the Arab state, remains hopeful that the Americans will be forced to sell the club in the longer term. In a phone poll conducted by the Liverpool Echo yesterday, 92 per cent of the club’s supporters contacted wanted Hicks and Gillett to hand over ownership to DIC.

Although United are also under American ownership, the Glazer family’s takeover – despite fierce opposition from some fans – has run relatively smoothly, with Ferguson insisting that he is allowed to manage without interference. But with the turmoil that has engulfed Liverpool, the United manager believes that the Merseyside club may now find that they struggle to attract leading players.

“The important thing is that big clubs should be seen to be big clubs,” Ferguson said. “Most players want to play for Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool, but when they see a club that they think is topsy-turvy, with a divide between the directors and the manager, then they might think twice [about wanting to join them].”

With Liverpool 14 points adrift of United and Arsenal in the Barclays Premier League, Ferguson appeared to echo the sentiments of many Anfield fans when he argued that their title hopes were all but over. “I think Liverpool will be concentrating on trying to win the European Cup rather than the league,” he said.

Richard Bevan, the LMA chief executive, admitted that his organisation had been in contact with the Liverpool manager. “We have provided advice, support and encouragement,” he said. “But obviously we are unable to say any more.” Legal experts have suggested that BenÍtez may have been undermined by the actions of the club’s owners and the LMA offers advice of this nature to its members.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle3241461.ece

Interesting that Ferguson says if we were to be managed by an English manager. Does he know something or heard a rumour because G&H talked to klinsmann who obviously isn't English.

[Dhav]

Stirring the pot

**** off Fergie, look after your own club you cuntilla

It's true that he needs to **** off out of it and mind his own business, but he does make some pertinent points

[AFII]

From The Times
January 24, 2008
Refinancing deal will keep Rafael Benitez on the back foot
Oliver Kay

Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr will secure their immediate future at Liverpool in the next 24 hours with a £350 million refinancing plan that will bring much-needed stability to their troubled regime at Anfield and leave Rafael BenÍtez more fretful than ever about his position as manager.

It emerged last night that BenÍtez has been in direct contact with the League Managers Association in recent weeks, in the belief that his position at the club had been undermined by Hicks’s revelation that he and Gillett had held talks with Jürgen Klinsmann, the former Germany coach. Klinsmann has since agreed to take charge of Bayern Munich from July, but BenÍtez recognises that his prospects at Liverpool are bleak, particularly now that the American owners’ refinancing deal appears to have ruled out the prospect of an immediate sale to Dubai International Capital (DIC).

DIC, the private-equity investment arm of the Dubai Government, could still come to BenÍtez’s rescue, but any hopes of an immediate takeover are likely to be dashed when Hicks and Gillett secure their long-awaited refinancing plan. The deal was in jeopardy earlier this week, but the co-owners firmly expect that the plan – agreed with the Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia – will be in place either today or tomorrow. They will also reveal the latest proposals for the club’s new 70,000-capacity stadium on Stanley Park.

The refinancing deal will ease some of the pressure that has been building on Hicks and Gillett, who have been persuaded by Rick Parry, the Liverpool chief executive, and David Moores, the former chairman, not to place the entire debt against the club.

Approximately half of the £350 million will go against the club, with the remainder being placed on the parent company, Kop Holdings, but critics of the American tycoons are still unconvinced that there is a workable plan in place with regard to the additional funds that are needed to build the new stadium at a cost of £300 million.

Liverpool are thought unlikely to proceed in the near future with any move to secure the services of Javier Mascherano, the Argentina midfield player, whose 18-month loan from Media Sports Investments (MSI), which owns his “economic rights”, expires at the end of the season. BenÍtez wants the club to pay £17 million to sign Mascherano on a long-term contract, but one of the player’s agents, Walter Tamer, has suggested that the 23-year-old will leave, with clubs in Italy and Spain prepared to meet MSI’s asking price.

Mohamed Sissoko, the Mali midfield player, also seems destined to leave Liverpool, having declared that he expects to join Juventus in the coming days.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle3241307.ece

[Dhav]

The refinancing deal will ease some of the pressure that has been building on Hicks and Gillett, who have been persuaded by Rick Parry, the Liverpool chief executive, and David Moores, the former chairman, not to place the entire debt against the club.

what a victory for Moores and Parry that is. :whatever: ****ing muppets.

[kurtangle01]

No doubt the stadium designs will be released with much fanfare tomorrow and Parry will tell all and sundry that these are the first tangible sings that G&H are in it for the long haul.

When you consider that there's no funds in place for the stadium it's hard to see if it'll ever be built.