Adam Blackmore

[shurlock]

Why? if the club makes a statement no one believes it anyway...It's all perceived as lies. I'm pretty sure they have tried to de-bunk the club is for sale angle before but people don't believe them. Also If I was trying to flog the club I'd be telling everyone in order to get the word out (like the bloke at Villa) trying to flog the club quietly don't make much sense. If the club is for sale it might not be the golden ticket some think it is we could end up with an owner that is even worse with even less cash.

 

Wrong - if we were selling the most valuable players off individually in advance of selling the club - the last and most moronic thing you could do is advertise that the club is for sale. That would weaken our bargaining position when negotiating individual fees for players no end.

 

FWIW- I don't think we're up for sale but do think the club is not in control of the situation and underestimated the snowball effects of sales on our ability to retain our better players and recruit new ones.

Edited 27 July, 2014 by shurlock

[Gemmel]

I didn't say we couldn't get a buyer. I said we are not an opportunity for anyone, unless the opportunity they are looking for is to lose money. Our next buyers will most likely have a Jeremy Peace type CEO and we'll be balancing the books again.

 

We're owned by a billionaire and people are complaining, much like Villa fans. But let's not kid ourselves that yet another billionaire is going to fly in and start paying six figure weekly salaries. They ain't.

 

True story

[Viking Saint]

Have sat on this for a while and make of it what you will....my brother's mate knows Daniel Levy well and last season, Levy told him that it is common knowledge on the Premiership owner/director circuit that Southampton FC is up for sale. I didn't disclose it on here. However I also taught the son of a Premiership club chairman who I got to know fairly well and he confirmed the same thing to me yesterday. He (and his wife!) also said that Cortese was a rude and downright obnoxious host, not exactly news I guess but this is straight from a Premiership chairman, we are for sale.

[hypochondriac]

I didn't say we couldn't get a buyer. I said we are not an opportunity for anyone, unless the opportunity they are looking for is to lose money. Our next buyers will most likely have a Jeremy Peace type CEO and we'll be balancing the books again.

 

We're owned by a billionaire and people are complaining, much like Villa fans. But let's not kid ourselves that yet another billionaire is going to fly in and start paying six figure weekly salaries. They ain't.

 

You are probably right. At least in that scenario though our expectations will be suitably dampened. The worst thing about this summer is the higher expectations last season gave everyone which makes losing everything over one summer that much harder to take.

[Gemmel]

Have sat on this for a while and make of it what you will....my brother's mate knows Daniel Levy well and last season, Levy told him that it is common knowledge on the Premiership owner/director circuit that Southampton FC is up for sale. I didn't disclose it on here. However I also taught the son of a Premiership club chairman who I got to know fairly well and he confirmed the same thing to me yesterday. He (and his wife!) also said that Cortese was a rude and downright obnoxious host, not exactly news I guess but this is straight from a Premiership chairman, we are for sale.

 

So your brothers mate knows Levy, you know another Premiership chairman and you also know a Director on the Burnley board......that's all from five posts.

 

 

Do you know Monk or Guan?

[Graffito]

Have sat on this for a while and make of it what you will....my brother's mate knows Daniel Levy well and last season, Levy told him that it is common knowledge on the Premiership owner/director circuit that Southampton FC is up for sale. I didn't disclose it on here. However I also taught the son of a Premiership club chairman who I got to know fairly well and he confirmed the same thing to me yesterday. He (and his wife!) also said that Cortese was a rude and downright obnoxious host, not exactly news I guess but this is straight from a Premiership chairman, we are for sale.

 

Make of this what you will but I think you are talking out of what you have sat on for a while.

[hypochondriac]

Make of this what you will but I think you are talking out of what you have sat on for a while.

Based on what? Why is it anymore unlikely than anything else that has gone on this summer?

[ART]

I have previously mentioned there are more ways to sell a business than an outright block sale. Selling off part of the assets for the best price (players), breaking up the reminder into affordable and interestingly priced entities such as the stadium, The Training Facilities, the business section and the football club would probably reap the most for the owner. New owners could decide to do whatever they wanted.

[Viking Saint]

Like I said, make of it what you will, and if you don't want to believe it, it's no skin off my nose....I don't know anybody else on this forum...as you'll see, I don't post very often and I didn't mention Burnley, so dunno where you got that from. Am only relaying what I've been told.

Try asking yourself why I'd bother making this up??

[hypochondriac]

Like I said, make of it what you will, and if you don't want to believe it, it's no skin off my nose....I don't know anybody else on this forum...as you'll see, I don't post very often and I didn't mention Burnley, so dunno where you got that from. Am only relaying what I've been told.

Try asking yourself why I'd bother making this up??

 

Thanks mate for the info. True or not, it's interesting to debate on the forum especially as it tallies with what I heard when we went up.

[angelman]

Oh come off it, this really is hardly earth shattering. It's been obvious that the club has been up for sale for a fair while, or rather basically since ML passed away. Why should you take on your father's businesses if you have no interest in them?

[hypochondriac]

Oh come off it, this really is hardly earth shattering. It's been obvious that the club has been up for sale for a fair while, or rather basically since ML passed away. Why should you take on your father's businesses if you have no interest in them?

 

That's a pretty big statement to make. I dot think it has been that obvious to be honest.

[alehouseboys]

Is this the point where NC gallops over the horizon leading the cavalry to save Saints ...again?

 

Could be...quick, get RL, AL, LS, DL, etc. on the phone...

[Rebel]

I don't know - say you sell £100 million worth of players and only spend £40 million - and cash in the remaining £60 million as a share buy back and dividends

 

The club will still have a turnover of £80 million from the TV money, match days and commercial stuff - and probably a squad worth £50 - £60 million

 

If you've put in £60 million to the club over 5 years and sell it for £60 million you've still doubled your money

 

The way I see it that what the Liebherrs are doing - getting there money back guaranteed - and then they will either sell and make a very decent profit or milk the club for the premiership cash like Lowe did - until we get relegated - a then they'll cash in on the playing assets, take the parachute money and sell the club for whatever it's worth with a stadium and academy

 

Outside of the big 5 or 6 clubs that is the only way an owner can make money - and we've just proved you can't compete so why try?

 

You need a vanity owner like Chelski or Citeh to compete - but the FFP ruled have made that impossible now anyway

[Saint_Abroad]

No one knows the payment structures of these deals, correct? If they're as bad as some have predicted then why would she sell everyone and not get the money up front? Getting it over 2 or 3 years doesn't help her.

[Sour Mash]

Like I said, make of it what you will, and if you don't want to believe it, it's no skin off my nose....I don't know anybody else on this forum...as you'll see, I don't post very often and I didn't mention Burnley, so dunno where you got that from. Am only relaying what I've been told.

Try asking yourself why I'd bother making this up??

What is the definition of putting the club up for sale in this instance? Employing agents to source new buyers?

[cellone]

 

If you've put in £60 million to the club over 5 years and sell it for £60 million you've still doubled your money.

 

 

 

Not certain about that.

[Saint_Abroad]

I don't know - say you sell £100 million worth of players and only spend £40 million - and cash in the remaining £60 million as a share buy back and dividends

 

The club will still have a turnover of £80 million from the TV money, match days and commercial stuff - and probably a squad worth £50 - £60 million

 

If you've put in £60 million to the club over 5 years and sell it for £60 million you've still doubled your money

 

The way I see it that what the Liebherrs are doing - getting there money back guaranteed - and then they will either sell and make a very decent profit or milk the club for the premiership cash like Lowe did - until we get relegated - a then they'll cash in on the playing assets, take the parachute money and sell the club for whatever it's worth with a stadium and academy

 

Outside of the big 5 or 6 clubs that is the only way an owner can make money - and we've just proved you can't compete so why try?

 

You need a vanity owner like Chelski or Citeh to compete - but the FFP ruled have made that impossible now anyway

 

Not certain about that.

 

I'd argue, with inflation, you've lost money.

[Gemmel]

I don't post very often and I didn't mention Burnley, so dunno where you got that from. Am only relaying what I've been told.

??

 

Thread: The "What striker should be get in after/if Osvaldo has left in the summer" thread

by Viking Saint Replies87

Views5,034 Friend of mine is on the board at...

Friend of mine is on the board at Burnley...they're pretty much expecting Ings to be gone this summer whether they go up or not

 

That's two Premiership Chairmen and a Championship Director you know....... your very well placed.

 

But of course you never mentioned Burnley...........

[Batman]

Big Adam on twitter adamant that Cortese has left a huge vacuum. May have been a nightmare to work for but was a very strong leader of the club.

 

Stating the obvious that we seem rudderless at the mo

[hypochondriac]

Big Adam on twitter adamant that Cortese has left a huge vacuum. May have been a nightmare to work for but was a very strong leader of the club.

 

Stating the obvious that we seem rudderless at the mo

 

The problem IMO wasn't so much that cortese left but that we have clearly failed to replace him with anyone even vaguely competent.

[LostBoys]

There is no relegation in the NHL. I think that Freddy thought that the £85m TV money would just continue and that no one else would want a slice of it like every Championship club and every club that were below us. Naive and taken to the cleaners albeit with money in the bank.

 

Assuming Chambers goes tomorrow followed by Morgan later in the week even with some replacements it is difficult to see how we can stay in this division.

 

I do not know about the Club being for sale - some elements tie up others do not.

[andoru]

Clear the debts, remove the liabilities. Put the club up for sale with it's own stadium, own training ground - all paid for. If there is a positive to swing, that is an amazingly attractive proposition for any mega rich person to be offered. A PL football club with no debt and top class facilities.

 

We need to stay in the PL though, enormous gamble what we're doing.

 

I'm not convinced it would be that straight forward. Randy Lerner is having a hard time finding a buyer for Aston Villa, and we're not all that different in club size from them. Nobody who buys the club can come in and do a City or Chelsea now, that is, throw lots of money at the team. So it wouldn't be as much of a toy as those two clubs are for their owners. It would have to be run as a sensible business, and football is no way to make money.

 

In a strange sort of way, I can actually see Saints being more of an attractive proposition at Championship level. It would be cheaper to run day to day, because player wages are lower. The club could keep producing Academy players to sell as a revenue stream to replace some of the lost TV money, and gate receipts wouldn't be hugely different. Enough fans would still turn up, and there are a few extra matches in the second tier as well. And as I said, the club wouldn't need as much income to run at that level anyway. They'd only need Championship-quality players to maintain a mid-table position, meanwhile behind the scenes the latest youth star is being developed and then sold for £10+ million. Of course, I hope this is not our future.

[Convict Colony]

This is the time for us to become the Red Bull Saints

 

http://www.saintsweb.co.uk/showthread.php?45145-The-Red-Bull-Scenario#.U9W-KoCSwXI

[Fitzhugh Fella]

Yesterday he was moaning that we hadn't gone stateside to do preseason games. He has always seemed like a very tabloid local journalist.

 

 

He commands a lot of respect and I for one happen to think he is speaking more honestly than the club who, don't forget, told us Chambers and Lovren were missing last Friday due to illness

[JoeShmoe]

I agree with Blackmore in this case, you don't sell 4/5 first time players I'm rapid succession with rumours abounding about others and don't make some sort of statement to fans. Can only hope there are 1 or 2 new in this week

[CB Fry]

There is no relegation in the NHL. I think that Freddy thought that the £85m TV money would just continue and that no one else would want a slice of it like every Championship club and every club that were below us. Naive and taken to the cleaners albeit with money in the bank.

 

You seriously think RK believed there was no relegation and no other clubs are trying to get into the Prem?

 

All right then, if it makes you feel better.

[Crab Lungs]

Big Adam on twitter adamant that Cortese has left a huge vacuum. May have been a nightmare to work for but was a very strong leader of the club.

 

Stating the obvious that we seem rudderless at the mo

 

Been saying it for months. Also, check my first pm again :-)

[corky morris]

His points last night were about communication. It was Saints who ushered in a near era of open communication. They have failed miserably in that respect. To me he appears to have a genuine concern for Saints.

[Lallana's Left Peg]

His points last night were about communication. It was Saints who ushered in a near era of open communication. They have failed miserably in that respect. To me he appears to have a genuine concern for Saints.

 

He also believes that the number of players leaving could have been quelled with stronger leadership as well. But some people on here refuse to believe that the moment a bigger team wants a player he always leaves.

[OldNick]

An incredible proposition to lose a load of money, yes.

 

If some Chinese/Arab/Russian gazillionaire nutcase wanted to buy a provincial club with limited brand potential to waste millions on then yep, Saints is an incredible proposition.

 

Beyond that, I'd advise that nutcase to buy Leeds United instead. Maybe Newcastle.

i can see your point, but isn't the massive tv income a great lure. There is not getting past that we are a provincial club, but the structure and set up is better than Leeds, and of course we are still in the PL

[Window Cleaner]

If Katrina was going to sell, why would she intentionally make us less valuable?

 

She's making us more valuable, or Hofstadter is anyway. In all the ML/KL combination have ploughed about 50 million into the club, that will be taken back very soon, debt will be reduced as will salarial mass. The shell of the debt free company,given our facilities and revenue stream will bring an easy 100 mill or so on the market,a club worth more is hard to sell actually. It's all going swimmingly and money will be made, that's what this present team is all about.

[Window Cleaner]

Big Adam on twitter adamant that Cortese has left a huge vacuum. May have been a nightmare to work for but was a very strong leader of the club.

 

Stating the obvious that we seem rudderless at the mo

 

In fact the old adage "Be careful what you wish for" springs to mind here. It's like Libya really, or Egypt or Iraq.

[CB Fry]

In fact the old adage "Be careful what you wish for" springs to mind here. It's like Libya really, or Egypt or Iraq.

Or nothing like that, at all, really.

[CB Fry]

i can see your point, but isn't the massive tv income a great lure. There is not getting past that we are a provincial club, but the structure and set up is better than Leeds, and of course we are still in the PL

 

Anyone interested in us because the TV money is a "great lure" isn't going to be investing millions to fund a CL push, then. They'd have to run it like other non-billionaire clubs are run, like WBA.

 

The point is there is no great money to be made once you're in the Prem and you are a middling club, like us. With a Leeds you could "double the value" of the club like people like to say Cortese did with us, just by securing promotion.

[Window Cleaner]

Or nothing like that, at all, really.

 

I was referring to the power vaccuum in those states leading to disorder. Not that the club is like those states.

[hypochondriac]

Anyone interested in us because the TV money is a "great lure" isn't going to be investing millions to fund a CL push, then. They'd have to run it like other non-billionaire clubs are run, like WBA.

 

The point is there is no great money to be made once you're in the Prem and you are a middling club, like us. With a Leeds you could "double the value" of the club like people like to say Cortese did with us, just by securing promotion.

 

But we could still attract a new owner then? And therefore it isn't completely mad to say the club may be up for sale?

[Window Cleaner]

But we could still attract a new owner then? And therefore it isn't completely mad to say the club may be up for sale?

 

Think we'd be a good buy at 100 million or so myself, Lerner wants in excess of 200 million for Villa and I think they have some debt issues as well.

[saint_ed]

Just thought I'd throw in a scenario that goes against the general assumption of MARKUS' intentions for the club.

 

Markus Liebherr bought the club with the very well documented '5 year plan'. Nobody knows exactly what was at the end of this plan. Could it be that in actual fact the plan all along was to sell the club once it has established itself in the Premiership for a significant profit - he was a very shrewd businessman after all and I simply don't believe the line that we were given when Markus first took over that he fell in love with the club from afar and Cortese fancied working in football. We keep being told that KL is committed to following her fathers wish.

 

After becoming attached/engrossed/obsessed (take your pick) in his role at the club Cortese tried to talk KL out of initiating the sale process last winter, which she wasn't having any of it. He eventually was forced out for going against the original plan of building the club up in order to sell. Don't forget, Nicola also reassured us that he had back up funders in the wake of Markus' sad passing.

 

That would explain Cortese's burning desire to feed prior warning about players leaving through his trusted media monkeys.

 

As I say, just a thought...

[CB Fry]

But we could still attract a new owner then? And therefore it isn't completely mad to say the club may be up for sale?

Haven't suggested we're not or we can't. I always thought they would sell at the end of our first season up which would have been the perfect high point to sell on. Now, slightly less so.

 

Just that it isn't that attractive an opportunity really - much like Villa aren't either. Whoever buys us is more than likely going to have to run us sustainably.

[tttdcs]

Just thought I'd throw in a scenario that goes against the general assumption of MARKUS' intentions for the club.

 

Markus Liebherr bought the club with the very well documented '5 year plan'. Nobody knows exactly what was at the end of this plan. Could it be that in actual fact the plan all along was to sell the club once it has established itself in the Premiership for a significant profit - he was a very shrewd businessman after all and I simply don't believe the line that we were given when Markus first took over that he fell in love with the club from afar and Cortese fancied working in football. We keep being told that KL is committed to following her fathers wish.

 

After becoming attached/engrossed/obsessed (take your pick) in his role at the club Cortese tried to talk KL out of initiating the sale process last winter, which she wasn't having any of it. He eventually was forced out for going against the original plan of building the club up in order to sell. Don't forget, Nicola also reassured us that he had back up funders in the wake of Markus' sad passing.

 

That would explain Cortese's burning desire to feed prior warning about players leaving through his trusted media monkeys.

 

As I say, just a thought...

 

According to Nicola (at fans dinner club) he promised his family they would return home after 5 years, so perhaps everything has gone to plan and this is just the final stages of maximising the profit before selling the club.

The so called fallout with NC/KL could be the perfect way for Nic to save face on the pipe dream he sold everyone? Just another thought .......

[saint_ed]

According to Nicola (at fans dinner club) he promised his family they would return home after 5 years, so perhaps everything has gone to plan and this is just the final stages of maximising the profit before selling the club.

The so called fallout with NC/KL could be the perfect way for Nic to save face on the pipe dream he sold everyone? Just another thought .......

 

I don't think its a staged fallout, but it would perhaps add weight to there always being a plan to sell at the end of the 5 year plan.

[Window Cleaner]

Haven't suggested we're not or we can't. I always thought they would sell at the end of our first season up which would have been the perfect high point to sell on. Now, slightly less so.

 

Just that it isn't that attractive an opportunity really - much like Villa aren't either. Whoever buys us is more than likely going to have to run us sustainably.

 

Plenty of people have more money than good sense actually, as long as some idiot oliogarch or never never airline owner has profit from eleswhere to sink into some personal fantasy football clubs will find buyers. I mean look at PSG, sanctioned for financial non fair play what do they do, the spend 40 million £ on David Luis, and they'll sign Di Maria on loan for 15 million € a season. FFP means nothing to them unless the sanctions become prohibitive, reducing their CL squad to 21 instead of 25 means nothing whatsoever.

[Saint86]

The most deafening thing at the moment is the silence.

 

And I'm rapidly coming to the conclusion that the only credible explanation for it is that some time after the end of the season Katharina pulled a 180 and decided that football isn't for her.

 

I really believe that she had the best of intentions to honour what she knew to be her father's wishes, but the starting point had to be re-taking ownership of the Club from Cortese.

 

She came to games and by all appearances enjoyed them. She put her own people in - good people, honourable people - and they have been eaten alive by the sharks who infest the game these days (which include her own manager and players). And the only one of the inner circle who knew anything about football didn't have the skills to hold things together - and might even have been a root cause of the problem. That's when she realized she'd lost control.

 

I'm sure she wishes us nothing but the best, and will do what she can to leave us in good hands, but for me her deafening silence is the loudest statement of all.

 

Unless Katharina speaks up within the next few day, I'd say she's a goner.

 

Jesus Christ, seriously. The Liebherr's have been notoriously quiet the entire time they've owned the club.

 

Why don't you just wait and see what happens over the next few weeks. We are rolling in it, have a great academy, good players remaining and a very well established manager with world class pedigree as a player. We are being linked with a lot of quality players and it could be a very exciting time.

 

I hope she doesn't read the forum and realise what a bunch of ungrateful bedwetters saints fans are in general tbh. She would sell up.

[S-Clarke]

Jesus Christ, seriously. The Liebherr's have been notoriously quiet the entire time they've owned the club.

 

Why don't you just wait and see what happens over the next few weeks. We are rolling in it, have a great academy, good players remaining and a very well established manager with world class pedigree as a player. We are being linked with a lot of quality players and it could be a very exciting time.

 

I hope she doesn't read the forum and realise what a bunch of ungrateful bedwetters saints fans are in general tbh. She would sell up.

 

Not sure who is being ungrateful? We're just sitting here and watching our entire team being sold, with no sign of any replacements. Anyone who is right now trying to throw a positive spin on it is sat with their head in the sand. Fact.

 

And who's rolling in it, exactly? Not us, I wouldn't have thought. She probably is, though.

[once_bitterne]

Not sure who is being ungrateful? We're just sitting here and watching our entire team being sold, with no sign of any replacements. Anyone who is right now trying to throw a positive spin on it is sat with their head in the sand. Fact.

 

And who's rolling in it, exactly? Not us, I wouldn't have thought. She probably is, though.

 

It's nice that Kat has FINALLY found one of her father's companies she can turn a profit with.

[Batman]

Not sure who is being ungrateful? We're just sitting here and watching our entire team being sold, with no sign of any replacements. Anyone who is right now trying to throw a positive spin on it is sat with their head in the sand. Fact.

 

And who's rolling in it, exactly? Not us, I wouldn't have thought. She probably is, though.

he talks abotu being rolling in it as if it is his money.

as for Koeman, his playing reputation means little as a manager in england.

[buctootim]

I hope she doesn't read the forum and realise what a bunch of ungrateful bedwetters saints fans are in general tbh. She would sell up.

 

Absolutely. If people are upset now they'd be suicidal at the reality of life without an owner who has pumped in at least £60m over the past five years.

[angelman]

Jesus Christ, seriously. The Liebherr's have been notoriously quiet the entire time they've owned the club.

 

Why don't you just wait and see what happens over the next few weeks. We are rolling in it, have a great academy, good players remaining and a very well established manager with world class pedigree as a player. We are being linked with a lot of quality players and it could be a very exciting time.

 

I hope she doesn't read the forum and realise what a bunch of ungrateful bedwetters saints fans are in general tbh. She would sell up.

 

 

 

Because I imagine that a lot of people have stretched themselves to buy a ST to be entertained by SFC and are now questioning whether they have been duped and are going to get a far inferior "product" to what they were expecting.

 

As for waiting a few weeks, why bother. You can't change things, so why worry. Come ST renewal next year, that is when you can make your decision.

[Saint Without a Halo]

a few people on here have been saying they have seen tweets about this

 

if anyone cant see we are literally open for business for anyone worth a few bob then they need their eyes testing

after morgan goes, we hit the more fringe players (chambers) and those injured (rodriguez)

makes sense why fonte and cork have NOT been offered new contracts. as they would be worth a fair bit in wages

 

IMO, the club is ripe for sale, we will sell circa £135m+ worth of players, throw in the huge TV deal, pay off the transfer liabilities owed this summer and the remainder of the training ground, spend about £40m more on players, say the right things, continue to make the old boss look bad and placid saints fans will love it

 

that is ny view from what I have read and info off people ITK

 

 

All the evidence to date points to this!

 

Here is my take

 

NC's option of spend more improve the team increase the price of the club, fan base and assets and sell higher

KL and advisors view that NC's plan was a gamble. Better to cash the assets in whilst they still have value and sell the club for a lot less

 

Basically NC was up for the gamble KL was not (it was her money after all) however the danger she faces is that the value of the club could drop by more than the cash raked in on the players especially if Koeman fails to keep us up! Also its possible the KL board only wanted to make a few sales however it was so inexperienced that once they started selling they did not know how to stop the rot setting in!

Edited 28 July, 2014 by Saint Without a Halo