Excuse my poor knowledge on

[El Jefecito]

Do you seriously think that DIC (or anybody) expected City Council to block the stadium? Liverpool needs Stanley Park and the new business and general city renewal. Are you telling me that DIC wasn't sure that it would go through and that's why they backed out last year? The fact that the planning permission has approved the plans does not increase the value. All involved knew they would and Moores sold because he couldn't fund the stadium.

350 mill? Maybe. But never 500. In the world of business you don't go around paying over the odds for companies. These guys - all of them inclucing G&H - are top professionals. They have a reputation to think about. In my experience with the few wealthy people I have meet over the years there is only one thing they value as much as their money and that's is their reputation. In the context of business that is.

For DIC to walk in now and pay 500 for something they could have bought for 290 last year is unthinkable. Nothing of any significance has changed in LFC in that period and they would be the joke of the business community. DIC - who spend the better part of two months on a due due diligence to make sure everything was in order! DIC - their Indian name would probably be "Walks with money and honour" throwing crazy money at two Americans?

Hardly.

I see it like this:

Is Hicks and Gillett in a tough spot? Will they have problems with the funding LFC and the stadium without placing the club in debt? If the answer is yes there is an opening for DIC. That is the only way I can see it happening. If this assumption is correct then DIC have the upperhand already. This makes the 500mill£ even less likely.

The whole issue revolves around placing the club in debt. That's my guess. Hicks wants to do it and Gillett doesn't. That's the rift and that's the DIC opening IMHO.

The even bigger issues are twofold:

1/ Originally they were looking for the funding of the whole stadium. Now only enough to START? Can't get enough credit?
2/ How can they spend the same on transfers as Manure as they promised if a) they can't get the loans and b) the extra revenue from the stadium is a further year off now.



Worrying times. Seems to me that we are looking at another 3-5 years fighting for 4th place. Rafa will get the blame of course!

[Iceman]

maybe H&G want to walk away with a small profit and their credibility intact

as I have said b4 its not about money......... its about Dubai

[disco]

Presumably it includes the cost of new players and 'working capital' for stadium etc. i.e. they'd have to pay off what loans Hicks and Gillett have.

Plus prpbably a little bit for getting the stadium plans underway etc.