New DIC bid in a matter of days ???

[Rashid]

If Andrew Neil says it get your house on it now. He is the most leading finance expert in the city and knows exactly what is going in.

[sonsofthedesert]

If Andrew Neil says it get your house on it now. He is the most leading finance expert in the city and knows exactly what is going in.

[Rashid]

It may have taken a little more than a "matter of days" - how I regret saying that. But in financial terms a month is not long given how long these things take... what I and many others will be proven right on though is that DIC will buy us and have been trying to do so for a number of months.

[Jayesh87]

It may have taken a little more than a "matter of days" - how I regret saying that. But in financial terms a month is not long given how long these things take... what I and many others will be proven right on though is that DIC will buy us and have been trying to do so for a number of months.

Be nice if they actually made a bid though, wouldn't it?

[sonsofthedesert]

It may have taken a little more than a "matter of days" - how I regret saying that. But in financial terms a month is not long given how long these things take... what I and many others will be proven right on though is that DIC will buy us and have been trying to do so for a number of months.

Rashid, I wouldn't take this article as fact if I were you. It is written by an ex journo who now presents Politics shows. It is just an article he will have been asked to write and based upon his own opinion and stuff he himself will have read.

[Rashid]

Be nice if they actually made a bid though, wouldn't it?

A formal bid will be made once they get the "nod" that the bid is likely to be accepted.

[Kev_81]

gillet pulled out of a radio interview on the new radio city station last week, he may well do one this week apparently. Don't quote me on it though.

[blacky]

People on here who don't believe DIC are preparing to make a bid need to take their heads out of the sand.

[Vermilion]

Here we go again, i'm not complaining though, hearing DIC are still pushing for us is a bit of a lift, the thought of Hicks in charge for years makes me sick, even the reaction from his camp annoys me, "Not selling, LFC is NOT for sale". Piss off out of our club, ok, Piss off out of Your club.
I feel that if they can pry LFC from the yanks greedy clasp, a lot of the animosity & dark clouds could be lifted from over Anfield, a new start, an end to buy out talk & lack of money, get back to Football matters. Good win yesterday, oh by the way, that Bascombe has it in for Rafa, just read some of his previous stuff, the guy has a serious problem with the Boss.

[CAD]

"The current owners paid US$340 million for the club last year; they took on US$87.7 million of debt; and soon agreed to the building of a new stadium. Now they have run out of cash and their total loans are approaching US$690 million. No wonder they need to get out in a hurry."

Sensationalism at its worst.

[dom9]

Not sure if you've seen this, apologies if you have!

BANKING & FINANCE / COMMENT /
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The beautiful game doesn’t mean beautiful profits
by Andrew Neil on Sunday, 03 February 2008

When it comes to football, normal rules of business don't apply. You think with your heart, you do the sums with your feet and your make key decisions with your best pals over dinner.

So it is with huge surprise - and more than a little concern - that I see Dubai International Capital (DIC) is preparing another bid for Liverpool Football Club. By the time you read this column, the chances are DIC's US$500 million offer will have been accepted; one of the world's most famous clubs will be in Arab hands.

But I find this deal difficult to understand for several reasons. First, let's look at DIC's current investment strategy: it has major stakes in seven companies across the globe and in another seven private equity funds. According to its own website, DIC is "focused on acquisitions of market leading companies in Europe and North America, with a proven strategy and robust management".
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I could rest my case here: Liverpool FC is an iconic football team but "proven strategy and robust management" aren't words that quite go with it. The current owners paid US$340 million for the club last year; they took on US$87.7 million of debt; and soon agreed to the building of a new stadium. Now they have run out of cash and their total loans are approaching US$690 million. No wonder they need to get out in a hurry.

DIC can argue that Hicks and Gillett have made a mess of a fantastic brand and business; so stepping in makes perfect sense. They will point out that the boss of DIC, Sameer Al Ansari, is a lifelong Liverpool fan. This is what concerns me most.

Let's look at other "lifelong fans": Mike Ashley has pumped US$500 million into Newcastle Football Club, with no sign of any return in the next five years; Sir Alan Sugar eventually had to let go of his beloved Tottenham Football Club; Mohammed Al Fayed of Harrods fames is out US$700 million and counting at Fulham Football Club.

Football, whichever way you look at it, is not a business in which you will make money quickly. Which is why I fear Ansari and Co will come unstuck.

Their current investments abroad have all so far been admirable and with a clear profit return path. Take one of the most recent, a US$1.2 billion stake in Alliance Medical, a company which specializes in providing outsourced diagnostic imaging such as MRI scans.

DIC can open up the huge Middle East market. Nothing wrong with that - after all, that's what DIC exits for: to get into businesses, turn them around and get out.

But Gillett and Hicks got into Liverpool, realized they couldn't turn it around and got out in a hurry: the demands of 40,000 fans every weekend, the national media, the cries for new players and a new stadium, proved too much and too expensive.

Sameer Al Ansari is about to experience all this first hand. Football fans taking over football clubs have historically been marriages made in hell. Ansari is a smart man - if anyone can break the mould, he can. But I wouldn't hold your breath.

Andrew Neil is the former editor of The Sunday Times and chief executive of BSkyB. He is currently chief executive of Press Holdings Media, chairman of ITP, chairman of World Media Rights and a presenter of This Week (BBC1) Daily Politics (BBC2) Straight Talk (BBC News24).
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Where did he get that from?

[BobTheCharmer]

I've never known so many blokes openly admit they want 'dick'. Gaylords the lot of you.

I'm curious as to why you think that having a load of arabs in charge will be any better. If they do come in I hope they don't give rafa a huge transfer budget because a) I don't trust him with it and b) we'd be no better than chelsea.

We've had more than enough money to justify seeing a huge difference in the performances on the pitch. I just don't see it. Still no obvious attacking pattern. Chapter should be closed and on to a new one.

[Dan]

I've never known so many blokes openly admit they want 'dick'. Gaylords the lot of you.

I'm curious as to why you think that having a load of arabs in charge will be any better. If they do come in I hope they don't give rafa a huge transfer budget because a) I don't trust him with it and b) we'd be no better than chelsea.

We've had more than enough money to justify seeing a huge difference in the performances on the pitch. I just don't see it. Still no obvious attacking pattern. Chapter should be closed and on to a new one.

A load of Arabs in charge is a dam sight better than the **** that we have running our club at the moment.

You dont trust Rafa with a huge budget?
The same Rafa that has brought in:
Pepe
Agger
Arbeloa
Alonso
Mascher
Lucas
Crouch
Torres
Benny

and each and everyone of them are quality players and deserve a place in our team

Add to that this list:
Pennant(on and off, maybe not good enough but can do a job)
Skrtel (great potential)
Babel ( could become a fantastic signing)


And please dont make yourself look like a dick by mentioning the likes of Josemi and Morientes because we all know about them.

Why on earth would you not trust him with the money?

[Rafa Shankly]

I've never known so many blokes openly admit they want 'dick'. Gaylords the lot of you.

I'm curious as to why you think that having a load of arabs in charge will be any better. If they do come in I hope they don't give rafa a huge transfer budget because a) I don't trust him with it and b) we'd be no better than chelsea.

We've had more than enough money to justify seeing a huge difference in the performances on the pitch. I just don't see it. Still no obvious attacking pattern. Chapter should be closed and on to a new one.

np better than chelsea

and no offence mate but the why do you want the arabs thing has been done to death.

[Rowan]

A load of Arabs in charge is a dam sight better than the **** that we have running our club at the moment.

You dont trust Rafa with a huge budget?
The same Rafa that has brought in:
Pepe
Agger
Arbeloa
Alonso
Mascher
Lucas
Crouch
Torres
Benny

and each and everyone of them are quality players and deserve a place in our team

Add to that this list:
Pennant(on and off, maybe not good enough but can do a job)
Skrtel (great potential)
Babel ( could become a fantastic signing)


And please dont make yourself look like a dick by mentioning the likes of Josemi and Morientes because we all know about them.

Why on earth would you not trust him with the money?

I wouldn't actually class Morientes as a bad buy. I don't think anyone could have predicted how that one would ultimately turned out and I, for one, was very excited about his signing and with his pedegree expected more than he ultimately delivered.