DIC are still in the wings

[martin]

Chris Bascombe, has always been the best placed insider at Anfield IMHO......and thus I am delighted to read today in his column that:

"The Dubai International Capital interest in Liverpool is all but dead, but that of Sheikh Mohammed is not.

He’s now instructed alternative Arab investment companies from his vast portfolio to make capturing a controlling interest at Anfield a priority.

It’s hoped a £240m bid for a 60 per cent stake may be enough to tempt Gillett and Hicks to sell-up — with both receiving £120m and a share of future profits.

Such a deal is still some way off, however, and for now Liverpool must head into a new campaign facing the same eternal questions."

Hope so, but don't hold your breath!

[Tes]

Dubai Holdings.

[wittsy]

If DIC or any of their side shoots/connected companies do make a move and get control does anyone know how they will run the club?

Yes they have more financial backing but is there any past models of how they operate within the sports world (I know they have dealings with the horses but that is as different as different gets)?

I'd love to see the yanks out but would like to know who may replace them!

Jas

[the dude abides]

even the devil himself would be better than this pair.

hell, the devil would at least get things done.

[Tes]

I think that's the danger that Baron Greenback and Penfold have put us, as fans, in. Whilst we need to learn from this, we can take our eye off the ball where any new suitors are concerned.

A few things I don't yet know about DIC/Dubai Holdings:

1. Will the club be purchased with debt (maybe at a better rate, but debt is debt).
2. I presume the new stadium will be purchased with debt (no problem there, it's the club's asset).
3. Will the new stadium be the Parry Bowl, the current design or will it be re-designed with any new planning application etc?
4. Will Rafa be kept on as manager?
5. Will extra transfer funds be made available, especially during the period of construction and will this be via loans from the owners to the club or an injection of non-repayable capital?
6. Will the owners look to claim a dividend to start to pay back the purchase equity they've put in (if that's how we were purchased) or will they went until such time as they sell us to get back the original investment and realise any profit?

As for the Sheik and Godolphin Stables, I think that model is a red herring. Horses are his passion and hobby, I'm not sure a football club is thought of in the same way.

[RFStyles1977]

If its true that Sheikh and Ansari really are Liverpool fans, if any of us happened to be literally rolling in millions and billions of oil dollars, wouldnt you definately want to own our club? if i had the vast amount of money Sheikh has id be in like a shot. the yanks are their for cash so go in,offer them their money back on the debts they owe, give anice tidy profit plus a percentage of the future profits of the stadium because thats what there original goal was, and then tell them that they wont be ever needed in England ever again,in fact dont even worry about the club as their percentage will keep those greedy pigs happy for the rest of their probably ten year life span.
then proceed to go out and ram every prem football fans cocky smug comments they have all personally given each and every one of us back down their throats by blowing away utd and and even Chelskis global power. we are potentially the greatest club their ever was but are sliding in to complete embarrassment.go out and destroy every competition we enter, who cares if the world hates us for the financial might we get, who gives a s*** after evry comment chelsea fans have given us over the past 4 years.its a dream, its my dream and i for one just hope and pray Chris Bascombes information turns out to be true!

[martin]

I too would like DIC/The Shake/the arab guy from Cannonball run who says "too much cous cous" to take over the club, they probably can't be any worse.

Ask yourself all this question though. In the cold light of day, if they are willing to just pump millions into LFC for no reason other than brand promotion/billionaire play thing type aspirations, then why don't they just double their bid and be done with it? Why are they trying doubly hard to get it for as little as possible, entering protracted negotiations? They have all the money in the world right? - So why don't they just use it? The thing is that although they will probably be better, no neccessarily, they clearly are also in it for making money, and I'm afraid anyone with aspirations that they will be another 'Abramovich' is deluded.

[the dude abides]

I too would like DIC/The Shake/the arab guy from Cannonball run who says "too much cous cous" to take over the club

 

yes, if they love the club so much, and are so filthy rich and desperate to pump a lot of money into the club, then why such timidness at the outset.

[Durgs]

 
Anyone who thinks the Dubai dudes would just buy the club (that should be a big IF) and pump unforseen millions into it are a couple of butties short of a picnic.....not gonna happen.

the "too much cous cous"....classic!!

[the dude abides]

and the way the sheiks and that great looking english bird that was their PR here, was fighting in the gutter with the yanks, a while back, was very un-Liverpool like.

I'd like classy owners, who keep business (and most specifically problems) in-house.

Maybe I'm naive and from a different era.  But the Liverpool of old always had a class about it.

[skippy]

You have to be realistic here. It doesn't matter how wealthy a future buyer is no one is going to come along and throw millions and millions at our beloved club. Abramovich has lent chelsea the money and no other club has an owner who just gives the club money to buy world class players. It isn't going to happen.
As for DIC or the Sheikh being fans and buying Liverpool at whatever cost, again this isn't going to happen. Its like a game of poker no one is willing to loose face. I believe the mindset of Sheikh Mo is such that he is a hard man driving a hard bargain and he is prepared to wait and wait and buy the club under his terms and not be dictated to by statler and waldorf. Its an investment and he will want returns. As Tes has stated his horse racing investment is a hobby and a passion I dont think he will view Liverpool FC in quite the same light. Look at DIC's other investments, they buy them at a price they are happy with and sell them to make profit LFC will be no different.

One other final point.........if you had money to burn wouldn't you have a box at Anfield? I know I would so why hasn't DIC or the Sheikh or his family? Maybe they aren't such big fans afterall.

[martin]

One other final point.........if you had money to burn wouldn't you have a box at Anfield? I know I would so why hasn't DIC or the Sheikh or his family? Maybe they aren't such big fans afterall.

That's a pretty fair point Skippy. I would say at least Al-ansari does attend LFC games from time to time in the regular stands which is more than can be said of 'never heard of them before Gillett told me' Hicks.

[the dude abides]

if the arab folks do attend anfield matches, the Kop should do a version of Twist and Shout.

ala     Sheik it Up Baby.

(I'll get me coat)

[skippy]

After reading dudes post I have an instant image of the kop all wearing the white robes and head gear (i'm sure the robes have a proper name). 1000's and 1000's of sheikhs.

[martin]

if the arab folks do attend anfield matches, the Kop should do a version of Twist and Shout.

ala     Sheik it Up Baby.

(I'll get me coat)

lol