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Wang Jianlin looking at 175m takeover of Southampton according to Sunday Mirror


Matthew Le Tissier

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This thread is too long to read but is there any credible source for this?

 

I thought someone made this up on another thread ? has somebody picked up on this rumour and run with it

 

Can someone summarise the 12 pages in a nutshell for me

 

EDIT...Actually for get it I have just read this

 

http://www.china.org.cn/business/2014-01/20/content_31249288.htm?

Summary: journalist reads forum fantasy; prints it

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Summary: journalist reads forum fantasy; prints it

 

You think? I think the story is crap myself, but I don't think the journo picked the story up from here. More likely NC, the way he was going on last night. Just seemed like a cheerleader.

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I think this story is a crock of sh*t.

 

Firstly, I wont believe it until the ink is drying on the contract of sale; too many burnt fingers from the Paul Allen saga.

 

Secondly, considering how quickly the sale went through when Markus bought the club, once Pinnacle had been cleared out of the way, I would have expected this deal already to be closed if "China's Richest Man" really wanted us.

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Anyone know why he left Man City after a relatively short time there...?

 

He was brought in on short term contract to sort out issues in the club.

 

Think was lack of control / processes / records and to get rid of excess squad players.

 

Maybe good contact for getting us some of Man City's spare players? Will know what club / players need.

 

Although lots of rumour, not helped by self contradicting articles in mail we don't know much. We don't know club for sale, takeover etc.

 

All we can be fairly confident of are KL and MP's comments.

 

Cortesse resigned, KL made attempts to keep him, MP staying.

 

We don't know from a good source, as far as I know, anything about NC working notice, KL wanting to sell,takeover.

 

Few days ago BBC had their football business / finance expert giving his view. No claim to inside knowledge just opinion.

 

He thought most likely reason was that NC left purely for personal reasons e.g. his view / plans changed, maybe another opportunity, family or needing change.

 

He also said that KL could sell players and pocket money. However unless she wants to get a few million short term there is no point.

 

If she wants to sell, the price could go down by more any transfer fee. The value for a buyer could be viewed as lost value in squad plus lost potential.

 

My view....NC's drive , vision and arrogance (refusal to set a limit or see other clubs as bigger) is a loss but without knowing facts, his replacement, budget or whether club for sale we cannot get too excited or depressed.

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Its in the Echo so must be true that there is nothing to see here!

 

However in other news just to soften the blow for so many disappointed souls this was at the bottom of the Echo piece

 

http://www.givemesport.com/390816-serbian-lineswoman-goes-viral-for-running-line

 

That will be in the Sun, Star, and Mirror tomorrow if not online this afternoon if the Lazy Hacks have been scanning here for titbits as another quiet transfer window day bumbles by.

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Hmmm, if I was a conspiracy theorist (which thankfully I'm not...), I would be inclined to say that denial is almost too categoric. As someone pointed out earlier (or on another thread) why would the richest bloke in China even bother rebuking a "fabricated" story in an English newspaper? How many times did Paul Allen deny his supposed interest in 2009 when the press where all over it? Oh well, at least the club is on the company's radar now even if it wasn't before...

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Hmmm, if I was a conspiracy theorist (which thankfully I'm not...), I would be inclined to say that denial is almost too categoric. As someone pointed out earlier (or on another thread) why would the richest bloke in China even bother rebuking a "fabricated" story in an English newspaper? How many times did Paul Allen deny his supposed interest in 2009 when the press where all over it? Oh well, at least the club is on the company's radar now even if it wasn't before...

 

…or this company is one of many that employ people to scan the internet for links pertaining to them, so that they can promptly categorically deny any they perceive as being negative to their brand image?

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.......

 

All we can be fairly confident of are KL and MP's comments.

 

Cortesse resigned, KL made attempts to keep him, MP staying.

 

If she (KL) wants to sell, the (Club's) price could go down by more any transfer fee. .......

 

NC resigned ... WHY ? IMHO because the Leibherrs do not want to sell, OR put any more money into the Club. By so doing, NC's dream of aiming for CL Football stood NO chance at all

 

The only way we will ever get close to that, is under NEW owners, with Mega Money as per the Man City module

 

Regretably, I honestly think we are at the limit to what we will achieve under the Leibherr reign. I fear they are not prepared to invest the Mega Money needed

 

It would be interesting to see what happens if NC came back with a Mega Deal from another source. Would the Leibherrs sell then ??

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Hmmm, if I was a conspiracy theorist (which thankfully I'm not...), I would be inclined to say that denial is almost too categoric. As someone pointed out earlier (or on another thread) why would the richest bloke in China even bother rebuking a "fabricated" story in an English newspaper? How many times did Paul Allen deny his supposed interest in 2009 when the press where all over it? Oh well, at least the club is on the company's radar now even if it wasn't before...

 

Step away from the rank stupidity of conspiracy theorists trousers - it's beneath you. "Too categoric" is in any case a meaningless phrase.

 

The denials are entirely consistent with a company responding to a national newspaper's speculative, unsourced reporting. I'd suggest that the fact that the company is Chinese, which Paul Allen (the last time I checked) is not, has something to do with it. State capitalism in China is going through something of a purge at the moment, at least in PR terms, in response to the Chinese Communist Party's own PR campaign against "corruption" (ie conspicuous displays of wealth by party officials and others). I doubt therefore that a Chinese company made rich on its contacts within the Party is going to want to be seen dabbling in what might be seen as the classic "corrupt" plutocrats' plaything, a Premier League club.

 

So keen away to your heart's content about this 'takeover' - just keep in mind it's a figment of your imagination.

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Step away from the rank stupidity of conspiracy theorists trousers - it's beneath you. "Too categoric" is in any case a meaningless phrase.

 

The denials are entirely consistent with a company responding to a national newspaper's speculative, unsourced reporting. I'd suggest that the fact that the company is Chinese, which Paul Allen (the last time I checked) is not, has something to do with it. State capitalism in China is going through something of a purge at the moment, at least in PR terms, in response to the Chinese Communist Party's own PR campaign against "corruption" (ie conspicuous displays of wealth by party officials and others). I doubt therefore that a Chinese company made rich on its contacts within the Party is going to want to be seen dabbling in what might be seen as the classic "corrupt" plutocrats' plaything, a Premier League club.

 

So keen away to your heart's content about this 'takeover' - just keep in mind it's a figment of your imagination.

 

Utter tosh - if anything, buying a football club and other brands is part of the country's soft power offensive as well as a way of accessing the kind of intangibles that are necessary for a country desperate to shake off the image as a cheap, low cost producer, the runt of the value chain.

 

Don't forget that Wanda Dalian bought AMC Entertainmet which is the second largest operator of cinemas in North America. Without needing to state the obvious, that's Hollywood, another cesspit of plutocratic and capitalist decadence (on your terms).

 

A corruption drive is just part and parcel of the political cycle in China whenever a new leadership assumes power. Wouldn't read anything ideological into it whatsover. The new leadership is certainly more pro-market and liberal than the commie equivalent of the two ronnies- Hu Jintao and Wen Jiaobao.

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Utter tosh - if anything, buying a football club and other brands is part of the country's soft power offensive as well as a way of accessing the kind of intangibles that are necessary for a country desperate to shake off the image as a cheap, low cost producer, the runt of the value chain.

 

Don't forget that Wanda Dalian bought AMC Entertainmet which is the second largest operator of cinemas in North America. Without needing to state the obvious, that's Hollywood, another cesspit of plutocratic and capitalist decadence (on your terms).

 

A corruption drive is just part and parcel of the political cycle in China whenever a new leadership assumes power. Wouldn't read anything ideological into it whatsover. The new leadership is certainly more pro-market and liberal than the commie equivalent of the two ronnies- Hu Jintao and Wen Jiaobao.

 

I must have missed all the Chinese nationals and mainland Chinese companies that have already piled in to own Premier League of Championship clubs. You'll find Americans, Arabs, Russians and Brits all well represented, but curiously not a single owner (Tan is Malaysian) from the world's fastest growing and second largest economy. I wonder why.

 

And if you need an explanation as to how AMC or other Chinese 'soft power' investments are different from the crazy, profligate money pit of the Prem, I give up.

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I must have missed all the Chinese nationals and mainland Chinese companies that have already piled in to own Premier League of Championship clubs. You'll find Americans, Arabs, Russians and Brits all well represented, but curiously not a single owner (Tan is Malaysian) from the world's fastest growing and second largest economy. I wonder why.

 

And if you need an explanation as to how AMC or other Chinese 'soft power' investments are different from the crazy, profligate money pit of the Prem, I give up.

 

As yet, they haven't but that's not because China's somehow different. Go global strategies in China are relatively new compared with the other countries/regions you mention. On the soft power of football, Simon Kuper has spoken extensively and elegantly about it. Will provide a link if I can find an article.

Edited by shurlock
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As yet, they haven't but that's not because China's somehow different. Go global strategies in China are relatively new compared with the other countries/regions you mention. On the soft power of football, Simon Kuper has spoken extensively and elegantly about it. Will provide a link if I can find an article.

 

I don't need convincing about the 'soft power' of football. The evidence for the Chinese buying into the Prem (as opposed to football in general) is another matter.

 

In fact, given the colossal size of the Chinese economy and its international reach, what's remarkable is how little Chinese money there is anywhere in the Prem. Swansea have a small deal with a Chinese exchange company, and Tottenham have this weird arrangement where they have two sponsors, one for league and one for cup competitions, and the smaller of those deals is for another HK financial company. Man U, for all its persistent efforts in trying to crack the Chinese market, has just a couple of small side sponsorships, one for a drinks company no one's heard of. And that is it!

 

Saints have the lowest income from shirt sponsorship in the Prem so perhaps they could tap up some Chinese sponsor. But as for a Chinese buyer to stand alongside the Man City potentate, the Tan dynasty, the Tiger man, the repeat loser from Florida and the Chelsea oligarch (add serial flakes to taste), anything can happen but I wouldn't bet on it.

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I must have missed all the Chinese nationals and mainland Chinese companies that have already piled in to own Premier League of Championship clubs. You'll find Americans, Arabs, Russians and Brits all well represented, but curiously not a single owner (Tan is Malaysian) from the world's fastest growing and second largest economy. I wonder why.

 

And if you need an explanation as to how AMC or other Chinese 'soft power' investments are different from the crazy, profligate money pit of the Prem, I give up.

 

Fk me, Verbs. Do you think you're addressing a congress of simpletons?

 

I really don't think shurlock's next move was to say "yeah, what about Tan, then?"

 

We're a long way from "they all look the same to me, guv". Take your ignoramus-tinted specs off.

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Lets close this one for the time being...

 

http://www.wanda-group.com/2014/latestnews_0120/641.html

 

Wanda Statement: No intention of purchasing Southampton Football Club

 

Recently it was brought to Dalian Wanda Group's attention by a Sunday Mirror's report about Wanda’s acquisition of Southampton Football Club.

We hereby clarify that:

No individual from Wanda Group has ever been in contact with Southampton Football Club, nor has any individual or third party organization been appointed on behalf of the Wanda Group to engage in contact with Southampton regarding any matters related to the acquisition of Southampton football club. The Sunday Mirror's report is purely imaginary and completely inconsistent with the actual facts.

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Its says the wanda group aren't buying us, but not their owner... Football clubs are the play things of owners, not corporations. The quotes mean nothing, other than the unusual measure taken to deny them on behalf of the corporation...

 

They won't be buying us, he won't be buying us. Thread is pretty much closed to be honest.

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Fk me, Verbs. Do you think you're addressing a congress of simpletons?

 

I really don't think shurlock's next move was to say "yeah, what about Tan, then?"

 

We're a long way from "they all look the same to me, guv". Take your ignoramus-tinted specs off.

 

It was for your benefit - I certainly don't want anyone to think there's presently more than one simpleton on here. Tan is by ethnicity and family background Chinese of course - again, for your benefit.

 

Well done. though, on addressing the actual content of the post - that the Chinese takeover is a wishfully-thought mirage. I wonder why people make up this guff? Perhaps with your insight on the general subject you could tell us.

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A good source close to people high up at Sunseeker think that deal is likely to happen.

 

Make of that what you will

 

 

But according to some experts on here it can't happen now that Wanda have issued a denial. Coz people that are about to do deals never ever issue denials.... (unless they're cleverly worded denials of course...)

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It was for your benefit - I certainly don't want anyone to think there's presently more than one simpleton on here. Tan is by ethnicity and family background Chinese of course - again, for your benefit.

 

Well done. though, on addressing the actual content of the post - that the Chinese takeover is a wishfully-thought mirage. I wonder why people make up this guff? Perhaps with your insight on the general subject you could tell us.

 

Explain why Chinese newspapers and discussion boards are not only discussing this specific rumour (by the way, they continue to do so, notwithstanding the official denial) but also the benefits of investing in overseas football in general.

 

To claim that because the Chinese haven't invested to date, they are unlikely to do so in the future when things are in flux strikes me as remarkably naive. Pointing to efforts by English clubs to crack the Chinese market is neither here or there. We're talking about the hard ownership of assets by the Chinese, though not necessarily for the benefit of ordinary Chinese.

 

When it comes to China, I suggest you stick to what you know (or what you don't know) and don't stray too far from home.

Edited by shurlock
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Well done. though, on addressing the actual content of the post - that the Chinese takeover is a wishfully-thought mirage. I wonder why people make up this guff? Perhaps with your insight on the general subject you could tell us.

 

You have to consider evidence. The main proponent of the story was unreliable, and came across like a complete Cortese cheerleader in the Talksport interview, which just seemed to be an advertisement for him and his billionaire pulling power. Since then, there have been firm denials.

 

If new evidence comes to light, such as Wang making a public statement about wanting to buy us, then I'm happy to change my view.

 

Why do people make stuff up? In this case, to destabilise, but a lot of the time, just adding 2 and 2 together and insisting the answer is 5. It'd be like someone combining your West London status with your inability to find a fiver. Someone may unreasonably conclude that you're a penniless vagrant who spends most of his time sat sullenly on London's streets, miserably wearing a sign bearing the legend "will w4nk for coins"; your only respite the three daily trips you make to the Internet cafe to compose hateful messages to the domiciled.

 

See, it's very easy to do.

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you'd think boat mfr would be more clued up re: "loose lips sinks ships"

 

Our minds are aligned today, Bear. Was going to post this myself but got more involved elsewhere.

 

Let's hope the boats don't have as many leaks as the firm, eh?

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A thread worrying/excited about a bigger billionaire coming in for us......This really has made me come to realise just how lucky we have been in the last few years. It would seem churlish for me to complain about anything really! We could have been playing Pompey in the bottom division next saturday!

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