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Saints for Sale


Guided Missile

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Alright, you got me. This is a minor part of what I heard. The main story is that there will be a bid for Pompey next week and I know exactly who will be making the bid. Not sure how true the rumour is about Saints, but think it is very credible, given the source. The Pompey bid is definite, though...

 

Would explain why Birch has gone very quiet the last couple of weeks....as has Brian Howe...

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I'm filing this firmly in the rumour category, but I don't share the view that the club will never be sold. Cortese has done very well in appointing the right people to change the direction of the club. If we do reach the Premiership this season, the club will be worth orders of magnitude more than it is now and we'll attract more suitors.

 

My personal view is that we have done very well under Cortese's stewardship, but if you view the purchase of the club as a business investment, promotion to the Premiership constitutes a massive return on that investment.

 

I'd like to see Cortese and the Liebherrs stick around but if the day ever comes, I just don't want a Man Utd never-never job. Change is always possible, and although the content of the OP is probably a sexy rumour, I think this possibility is still a worthy topic for discussion.

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But if not a tier one the kids go cheap to other Academies - that's what all the fuss is about - This investment won't produce better players- it merely ensures we attract the kids and can keep them until they are worth something more than small compensation - that is why it's so important as a business as well as a footballing strategy - read up on the new system and you will see why we are doing this
Are we not already tier 1?
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But if not a tier one the kids go cheap to other Academies - that's what all the fuss is about - This investment won't produce better players- it merely ensures we attract the kids and can keep them until they are worth something more than small compensation - that is why it's so important as a business as well as a footballing strategy - read up on the new system and you will see why we are doing this

 

I find it unlikely that we need to spend £15m to turn our current very well regarded academy into a tier one academy, and most of the tier one thing seems to be about time spent with coaches and teachers as opposed to grand bricks and mortar developments. If we need to spend £15m to upgrade ours, then there won't be too many tier one academies in the country.

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I find it unlikely that we need to spend £15m to turn our current very well regarded academy into a tier one academy, and most of the tier one thing seems to be about time spent with coaches and teachers as opposed to grand bricks and mortar developments. If we need to spend £15m to upgrade ours, then there won't be too many tier one academies in the country.

 

Then you dont understand the new tiering system

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Alright, you got me. This is a minor part of what I heard. The main story is that there will be a bid for Pompey next week and I know exactly who will be making the bid. Not sure how true the rumour is about Saints, but think it is very credible, given the source. The Pompey bid is definite, though...

 

More details needed, over on the Cheats Takeover Saga, surely? ;)

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I find it unlikely that we need to spend £15m to turn our current very well regarded academy into a tier one academy, and most of the tier one thing seems to be about time spent with coaches and teachers as opposed to grand bricks and mortar developments.

 

It does actually require quite substantive infrastructure, yes Saints have gone above and beyond what is needed for category one status but does that matter if the owners can afford it? It is only a problem if they can't, and what evidence is there of that?

 

Plus in any case all Saints have to do is create one more Bale/Chamberlain/Walcott and that makes any investment in the training ground pay for itself. If you aren't category one, it will be nigh on impossible to attract top youth players to your club as they have first pick of the younger kids. It also has benefits in attracting and improving players for the first team. It really will prove to be a sound long term investment.

 

If we need to spend £15m to upgrade ours, then there won't be too many tier one academies in the country.

 

You are right, there won't be many. I have a copy of the EPPP document, it will be very hard and expensive for clubs to meet. Saints will be one of a select few.

 

As of last summer only Southampton, Man City and Chelsea were in line to get category one status. Which shows it is just going where the money is. I suspect Liverpool, Man Utd, Arsenal, Spurs and perhaps a few others may get it, but it won't be many.

Edited by Matthew Le God
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Isn't this kind of thread normally posted in the summer when there are no football matters to discuss and folks just want to post a wind up out of boredom? I am just going to enjoy promotion no matter who the owner is or will be.

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Aww so cute the resident mongs have nothing to complain about so once again try and create something. You just got to love ththreads that start with "heard a rumour". Especially those that talk about our owners wanting out. Didn't we have that one only a few months ago? Has it gone from an annual summer thing into an every few months thing now? **** I'm still waiting for that rumor someone said about Markus daughter selling up soon after he died. 2 years on and still waiting!

But yet again the mongos turn it into a "if you criticise us your a happy clappy" speech. No its not we're happy clappy it's simply waiting for one of these "rumours" to be right! So far pretty much none of them have! For those going deep with this I suggest you read what was said just over a year ago when "rumours" said we were for sale.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/9269293.stm

 

As others have pointed out we will be sold one day. It happens to every club. It happens to the big clubs and it will happen to us. But it didn't happen last year, didn't happen the year before that. And I bet it doesn't happen this year either. There is a reason why people don't put names with these rumours because they know it's bull****. Especially when we have such a big fan base who will hunt you down and get every last detail about you. So we will get sold one day to think not is silly. But to think this "rumour" is true is equally silly. So rather then create a new thread just bump the old ones. Must be at least a dozen of them on here and they all turned out true....

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Aww so cute the resident mongs have nothing to complain about so once again try and create something. You just got to love ththreads that start with "heard a rumour". Especially those that talk about our owners wanting out. Didn't we have that one only a few months ago? Has it gone from an annual summer thing into an every few months thing now? **** I'm still waiting for that rumor someone said about Markus daughter selling up soon after he died. 2 years on and still waiting!

But yet again the mongos turn it into a "if you criticise us your a happy clappy" speech. No its not we're happy clappy it's simply waiting for one of these "rumours" to be right! So far pretty much none of them have! For those going deep with this I suggest you read what was said just over a year ago when "rumours" said we were for sale.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/s/southampton/9269293.stm

 

As others have pointed out we will be sold one day. It happens to every club. It happens to the big clubs and it will happen to us. But it didn't happen last year, didn't happen the year before that. And I bet it doesn't happen this year either. There is a reason why people don't put names with these rumours because they know it's bull****. Especially when we have such a big fan base who will hunt you down and get every last detail about you. So we will get sold one day to think not is silly. But to think this "rumour" is true is equally silly. So rather then create a new thread just bump the old ones. Must be at least a dozen of them on here and they all turned out true....

 

It's always hard to know what to believe.

 

I think Cortese is fantastic, but it's worth pointing out that in that interview he seems to think that aap3 are a "very important brand" and that Alex Oxlade Chamberlain won't be going anywhere.

 

Things change pretty fast in football.

 

However, it does sort of seem that Cortese is in it for the long-run. At least he doesn't give the impression that his contribution to our revival is about to reach a natural end!

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Then you dont understand the new tiering system

 

Yeah, nice try. You did see and hear Les Reed in that interview? He can't believe his freaking luck. What are doing is clearly far beyond the neccesary, even for this tier one thing.

 

Put it this way - if you are such an expert, would you have been on here complaining if the announement had us spending only five million?

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Hmmm... Believable enough :-S

 

As others have said, think an open mind is probably the best policy. FWIW, I thought the article was fairly well argued, but little that someone couldn't have come up with using a bit of common sense and deduction.

 

Guess time will tell.

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I will always keep an open mind about most things......

 

But this is a load of CRAAAP from the same idiots who are full of CRAAAP time and time again..

 

The Lowe RA RA girlz waving their little DICKS in the air ..Look at me ..Arogant ****S...

 

 

Of course something might be for sale in the future...

 

But this is not even a reasonable rumour/gossip ..THIS is Shiiite stirrers ...:p

Edited by ottery st mary
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NC will only comment on this if it needs a comment...if memory serves me correctly did he not say he does not comment

on any speculation or something like that..

 

So if there is anything to say he will say it but remain silent if not

 

As someone else highlighted, there's a couple of instances where Cortese has said something won't happen, then it does. I.e Oxo for one example.

 

Cant rely on him to give us news first if it's already out there.

 

I guess Cortese wouldn't announce what was in that article though at the risk of the deal not going through. Doesn't mean it's not true though and in progress.

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Mystery consortium in talks to buy Southampton for £25m

 

The family of late owner Markus Liebherr are ready to sell the club but the asking price has risen because of the growing expectation of Premier League status next season

 

29 Mar 2012 08:51:00

 

EXCLUSIVE

By Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent

 

A mystery consortium is in talks to buy Southampton for around £25 million, Goal.com can reveal.

 

The family of late owner Markus Liebherr are prepared to sell the club - even though the Saints are on the verge of completing back-to-back promotions and joining the Premier League elite.

 

A UK-based consortium representing three hedge funds indicated its willingness to take over the club earlier this year after being approached by intermediaries representing Southampton.

 

Negotiations have centred on the cost of the takeover, with the Liebherr family keen to recover the money - around £30m - that they have spent on acquiring and running the club over the last three years.

 

The future of Southampton has been in doubt since the death of Swiss industrialist Liebherr in August 2010, even though his business empire has been inherited by his daughter Katharina. The family have full ownership of St. Mary's Stadium, the training ground and all the club's assets.

 

Sources close to the deal expected it to have been completed by now, but it is believed that the growing prospect of a return to the Premier League after seven years in the lower divisions has raised the asking price.

 

Another complication is the position of executive chairman Nicola Cortese, who worked in the sports investment arm of a Swiss bank before taking day-to-day control of Southampton.

 

Goal.com has learned that Cortese has a 'lockdown' agreement with the club that entitles him to a fixed percentage of any sale. One suggestion is that the figure could be as high as 20 per cent.

 

Cortese is also on a contract that makes him comfortably the best paid executive outside of the Premier League and which also dwarfs most of those in the top tier, bar a very small elite.

 

The size of Cortese's salary will become clearer in the next set of club accounts, which are expected to be published in the next few days.

 

The last accounts revealed that Cortese's basic salary in 2009-10 was equivalent to £1m, although this sum did not include top-up bonuses.

 

Markus Liebherr bought Southampton in 2009 for £14m after the club had gone into administration, which resulted in a 10-point deduction and relegation to League One.

 

The 2009-10 accounts revealed that the Liebherr family had spent around £23m on buying and running the club, although that figure is understood to have now increased to around £30m.

 

In City circles it has been known for some time that Southampton have been up for sale.

The Liebherr family are based in Switzerland and said to have little interest in either football or owning a club.

 

Southampton did not deny that senior officials are in talks to sell the club when contacted by Goal.com, although a spokesman refused to comment publicly.

 

Hmmm..."a consortium of hedge funds".....*dislike* :(

Edited by trousers
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£33m for just the new equity stake, add on the initial purchase and investment costs, this '£25m' figure is absolute pie in the sky....

 

I swear some people on here must be fecking stupid! Cortese goes on record today, saying he's trying to build something for the future and then lol, the next minute a rumour that we're for sale in a couple months!!

 

There's no shortage of bollix floating about out there no doubt but why give this evidently turdsome piece of crap credence by posting it on here???

 

Surely people must have some functioning brain cells left surely?!!

 

Why, indeed...

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Club's accounts published = press working out how much has been spent = sale value = SOUTHAMPTON IS WORTH THIS MUCH AND EVERYONE WHATS TO BUY A BIT OF THE SUCCESS PIE!

 

Typical rubbish journalism trying to fill up a slow news day as the articles produced show that the reporter knows NOTHING. An "unnamed source" = made up

 

All of the facts in the story are already publicly known so the journalist is just rehashing a chinese whisper and passing it off as news. All it needed was a purple monkey dishwasher at the end of the article to show its real credibility.

 

For now its clear money has been invested and the Saints are going forward, why would they sell?!?!?

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Hmmm..."a consortium of hedge funds".....*dislike* :(

 

Indeed. I really do not like the sound of that. Hedge funds dont have the slightest interest in football, only returns. This sounds like SISU mark 2.

 

They will borrow the money to buy the club then hang the debt on the club, Like Glazer at Manyoo. We will be in debt all over again.

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Hedge funds dont have the slightest interest in football, only returns.

Then again, some would say the Liebherr estate, since Markus' death, have exactly the same interests.

 

From a fans point of view, the two main aspects to any sale are: How much money does any new owner have to invest if required, and who is in charge (and are they competent)?

 

Whilst the answer to the latter question remains Nicola Cortese, then I'm pretty sure he would ensure the answer to the first question is 'more than enough'.

 

All SISU did was answer those two questions with 'not enough' and (arguably) 'the wrong people'.

 

I'm no fan of hedge funds, but it all comes down to the money, and the person in charge of the club/money.

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Wayne Veysey was the author of KP book.

http://www.amazon.com/Kp-Wayne-Veysey/dp/1848187017

 

 

He also made predictions for the 2010-11 season

"Liverpool were going to be taken over by the Chinese and that Torres would be the top scorer in the PL"

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Club's accounts published = press working out how much has been spent = sale value = SOUTHAMPTON IS WORTH THIS MUCH AND EVERYONE WHATS TO BUY A BIT OF THE SUCCESS PIE!

 

Typical rubbish journalism trying to fill up a slow news day as the articles produced show that the reporter knows NOTHING. An "unnamed source" = made up

 

All of the facts in the story are already publicly known so the journalist is just rehashing a chinese whisper and passing it off as news. All it needed was a purple monkey dishwasher at the end of the article to show its real credibility.

 

For now its clear money has been invested and the Saints are going forward, why would they sell?!?!?

 

Why would they sell?

 

Because the owner lives in Switzerland and is reportedly not really interested in football or owning the club?

 

Because we are probably at the position of maximising the return on the money that has been spent out?

 

Because maybe NC has fulfilled his friend's dream, maybe he doesn't want to spend any more time in football (or in England?), and maybe he is in-line for 20% of the selling price?

 

None of these are reasons that the club will be sold today or tomorrow but I thought it was a well-written and balanced piece and to say 'why would we sell?' is surely to put one's head in the sand. There are three big reasons why we could be sold if the price is right.

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Why would they sell?

 

Because the owner lives in Switzerland and is reportedly not really interested in football or owning the club?

 

Because we are probably at the position of maximising the return on the money that has been spent out?

 

Because maybe NC has fulfilled his friend's dream, maybe he doesn't want to spend any more time in football (or in England?), and maybe he is in-line for 20% of the selling price?

 

None of these are reasons that the club will be sold today or tomorrow but I thought it was a well-written and balanced piece and to say 'why would we sell?' is surely to put one's head in the sand. There are three big reasons why we could be sold if the price is right.

 

Spot on.

 

And let's face it, if the club were to be sold, how good does that look on Cortese's CV? As I've said before, he has done a tremendous job from a business investment point of view. Not only has he improved the club's stature, it looks like he may reach the five year plan target with a couple of years to spare.

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The key in all this is that it should be outlawed by the footballing authorities that clubs can be leveraged for purchase - for me that is the one thing I find worriying about clubs that are potentially for sale - the rest of it, good/bad, owners is part and parcel of the game and you need a slice of luck, but its this leveraging that is the problem. In a way, Saints were leveraged in that the originla 14 mil purchase price/payy off for Barclays and aviva was up until today on teh books as a loan from the owner....

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