DIC latest - the largely wild speculation thread

[Guest]

Hicks is a hard nosed businessman.He's sticking to sucking as much money as he can on this deal.

[Pablo]

It was meant to be tongue in cheek.

What a song that is though, just listening to it on Youtube now.

The Doors

[Roboklopp]

Jesus ****ing Christ Mohammed Mary Jehovah Adonai ******* Bollocks Mother****

[MrMichael]

Jesus ****ing Christ Mohammed Mary Jehovah Adonai ******* Bollocks Mother****

You're still alive, I'm confused, didn't you already hang yourself a few pages ago?

[red g]

I knew as soon as I posted **** me I should change it

[Parm]

****, gonna be some sweating going for Hicks and DIC

[Jayesh87]

Liverpool takeover: Gillett in talks to sell out

By David Bond
Last Updated: 4:47pm GMT 04/03/2008

Lawyers for Liverpool co-owner George Gillett Jr are this afternoon locked in talks with representatives of Dubai International Capital (DIC) about a £200million deal to sell his 50 per cent stake in the club.

Despite reports that Gillett and his American partner Tom Hicks had rejected a take it or leave it offer worth a total of £400m to buy them both out, the Daily Telegraph has learned that negotiations are still ongoing in London this afternoon.

Although the Texan businessman has again made it clear he has no interest in selling up, Gillett is thought to be more prepared to walk away from the club. If he agrees he stands to receive £25m for his shares.

His lawyers have been trying to thrash out an agreement this afternoon in discussions led by Amanda Staveley, the former internet entrepreneur turned financier who is a senior partner at a City firm PCP, who are representing DIC on the deal.

Despite denials from a spokeswoman for DIC that a midnight deadline had been imposed on Gillett to agree the offer, sources close to the negotiations made it clear that time is running out for him to accept. Sources said they nevertheless expected the discussions to go on late into the evening.

If Gillett turns the offer down, DIC have made it clear that they will, in the short term at least, cool their interest in the club. But, having launched two campaigns to buy the club in the last two years, DIC’s Liverpool supporting chief executive Sameer Al Ansari is unlikely to give up on his long term aim of gaining control.

Hicks, however, remains a major stumbling block to DIC gaining a 50 per cent stake in Liverpool. The owner of the Dallas Stars Ice Hockey team believes he not only has first refusal on Gillett's shares but also has the power to block who he sells to.

He is determined not to relinquish his power and even if DIC do manage to buy Gillett's shares, he is unwilling to cede management control to the Arab investment company. That could force DIC to back down as they are reluctant to enter into a deal with Hicks, which could leave the club in an even more damaging stalemate than the one which has been crippling Anfield for the last three months.

DIC have made it clear they are only prepared to cover the club's £350m of debts with Royal Bank of Scotland and Wachovia if they have control of what happens on and off the pitch at Liverpool.

This morning Al Ansari broke his silence on the saga to confirm talks with the Americans had been going on and to criticise them for being in "dreamland" over their valuations of the club.

"It's no secret that we have been in discussions with the current owners," Al Ansari said.

"It's not easy because the owners are in dreamland about valuations at the moment." Alluding optimistically to the talks with Gillett, Al Ansari added that one of the club's owners "had come out of dreamland".

Al Ansari believed he had won the battle to own the club last February, before chairman David Moores and chief executive Rick Parry had a late change of heart, favouring the American bid.

"It took me two weeks to get over that," said Al Ansari. "But it didn't dent my passion and I still go to every match when I'm here (in England)."

In the event of DIC taking control at Anfield, it is believed that Al Ansari would conduct a wide-ranging review of all aspects of the club.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/mai.../ufnliv504.xml

[Pablo]

****, gonna be some sweating going for Hicks and DIC

Hicks never stops sweating mate, he's permanently in a state of sweaty breathlessness.

[Roboklopp]

You're still alive, I'm confused, didn't you already hang yourself a few pages ago?

I had an outofbodyandneardeathexperience that told me to come back & reference all of the religious figures I had seen.

[Darkon]

Tom Hicks rules out LFC sale as DIC focus on George Gillett

Mar 4 2008
Liverpool FC owners George Gillett (left) and Tom Hicks

Liverpool FC owners George Gillett (left) and Tom Hicks _320

LIVERPOOL co-owner Tom Hicks has rejected a £400m bid from Dubai International Capital to buy the club.

The Dallas-based businessman turned down the offer on Tuesday afternoon, ahead of the midnight deadline which had been imposed today by DIC following weeks of talks.

Despite reports that DIC are willing to pay £400million for the Merseysiders, handing Hicks and Gillett a profit of £25million each, and take on all of the club's debt, Hicks' position appears as entrenched as ever.

It is understood that DIC made an offer for fellow owner George Gillett’s 50% share, which was extended to Hicks.

He remains unwilling to deal with any parties who would ask him to accept anything other than majority shareholder status, and retains the ability to veto any sale of Gillett’s stake.

Although no formal statement is expected from the American, his stance remains the same as last month, when he said: “Reports that I am about to sell my stake in the Liverpool Football Club, or to invite DIC to examine the club’s books in preparation for such a sale - like other such reports planted in the UK press in recent weeks by parties with their own self-interested agenda - are absolutely and categorically false.

“The reality is that I am personally, professionally and financially committed to the club and its supporters and that I will continue to honour that commitment to the best of my ability now and in the future.”

DIC chief executive Sameer al-Ansari confirmed this morning that he had held talks with the American pair, but a spokesman for the investment arm of the Dubai government would not confirm the size of the offer on the table.

It is believed DIC turned their attention to Gillett after finding Texan billionaire Hicks an immovable object in negotiations, with al-Ansari mocking the valuation placed on the Reds.

“It’s no secret that we have been in discussions with the current owners,” said Al-Ansari on www.skysports.com.

“It’s not easy because the owners are in dreamland about valuations at the moment.”

Al-Ansari later clarified that one of the club’s owners “had come out of dreamland”, without giving further details, although it now seems unlikely they were referring to Hicks.

Another hurdle to overcome is that the refinancing package announced on January 25 has loaded £105million of debt on to the club.

Of that, £60million is earmarked to kick-start the new stadium development plus £45million for future player transfers and to meet the club’s working capital needs.

The takeover talk is being driven by the refinancing deal, believed to only last for 18 months, and so Hicks and Gillett are soon going to have to start renegotiating the debts.

Furthermore, they are shortly going to have to go back to the banks to ask for a further £300million in loans to finance the rest of the new stadium at Stanley Park.

If Gillett does agree to sell, Hicks would have first call on buying his colleague’s stake. But that agreement is believed to only last for 90 days from when a bid if formally received.

And Hicks claims that it is “premature” to say he has already raised the money to buy out Gillett with loans from American business colleagues.

DIC may have to accept that Hicks cannot sell at the moment because he is raising money in the States by floating his entire sports empire - Dallas Stars, Texas Rangers and Liverpool.

Liverpool is the jewel in that crown, and he needs his stake in the club to remain part of his portfolio to raise further capital.

Hicks’ whole sporting empire could be put at risk if he sold his complete stake in Liverpool now.

It seems, though, that he will have to sell eventually.

The £350million re-financing deal means Liverpool will have to service £30million a year of interest, and even that deal will need renegotiating again soon.

http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/liverpool-fc/liverpool-fc-news/2008/03/04/tom-hicks-rules-out-lfc-sale-as-dic-focus-on-george-gillett-64375-20556931/

[Rafa Shankly]

Liverpool takeover: Gillett in talks to sell out

By David Bond

so discussions are ongoing with gillett but hicks can still veto the deal?

how on earth can he do that,first refusal can only last so long,beyond that how can he hold gillett to ransom?

[MattB]

This whole thing reminds me more and more of a good cop, bad cop routine. I wonder if that's a deliberate tactic from G&H...

[Pablo]

This whole thing reminds me more and more of a good cop, bad cop routine. I wonder if that's a deliberate tactic from G&H...

I dont think they are clever enough for that. In any case it would be more like bad cop, bent cop.

[Assassin]

In the event of DIC taking control at Anfield, it is believed that Al Ansari would conduct a wide-ranging review of all aspects of the club.

Meaning the exit door for Dumb and Dumber (moores and parry)

[spud_gun]

DIC will buy us for £450m