[Archived] Rovers Might Have Been Sold?

[rovgers]

Another typically in-depth and literate article by The Scum, there...

About the same standard as their article on Pentecote!

Currant buns pentecote article!

[BuckyRover]

A tiny worry I have is if this goes ahead and somehow went badly wrong I fear what some of our 'fans' would chant after the coyle songs last season.

Out of interest do we know if Mr Syed is coming over himself?

Not as often as half the people on here.

That's my bad taste joke for this evening.

[Tom]

Well I could have phrased that one better

[Ewood and I Would]

Article in the Guardian says Syed is "only" an heir to 5bn (as opposed to the £7bn we've heard he has now). Anyway he also confirmed the £100m transfer kitty, Jesus H Christ!!!!!!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010/aug/17/blackburn-tycoon-100m-transfer

Syed said that his first move on taking over would be to hand Allardyce the kind of funds that would ensure Blackburn's place in the Premier League. "As part of our first five-year investment we will make £80m-£100m available to the manager. He has done a fantastic job for the club with constrained resources but I am sure that if he is given a free hand with the resources we can provide then Big Sam has the potential to do wonders.".

Even over 5 years that's £20m a season, not bad from what we're used to!!!

[steverovers]

Hmmmm - 80-100 million for players. Maybe we should keep our powder dry....

[Mr. E]

So when are we signing Ronaldo?

[mattyc2422]

Fingers crossed....

[unleaded]

3 X 5 year plans......

Very Intresting..............

[Wild Irish Rover]

"Every fan dreams of championships and I am no different."

From that article... Ooer! Isn't that similar to what a certain Mr Ince said at the start of his tenure...?

[bluebruce]

Very excited by most of what I've read and heard, but has nobody else noticed a key answer in the cnbc interview with Syed? I'm quoting as closely as I can..

When asked where the additional revenue stream was going to come from with his engagement with the club given that most Premiership money goes into the players' pockets and leaves little for shareholders:

"I'm not getting involved with Blackburn immediately to [get] cash in return. But on a long-term planning, yes, we could turn around this and I could expect good returns once I have good sponsorships achieved. But until then I think we need to look at long term rather than having good returns immediately."

They then pointed to the Man City example of profligate spending and asked him if he thought this type of business (football) could really generate a strong return in the short to medium term. He answered:

"Not in short and medium term but in long term yes."

They pressed him further about how difficult it is, and how many things need to come together in terms of success for this (champs league etc) and again how the players take most of the balance sheet. He answered:

"I understand, everybody should have a win-win situation. We need to definitely look into the structure more carefully, but with my financial expertise and my boys around me, we could do something and I feel [there is] potential for this club to expand in the sponsorship fees."

Slightly later talked about increasing the capacity of the ground and the crowds so the revenue stream can increase.

I mean...I know he is talking about long-term, which suggests maybe 10, 15 years, but that is him in an interview saying he thinks he can make money in the long-term. I haven't read EVERYTHING in this thread today yet (no surprise) but I'm surprised to see quite a lot of people who seemed to have watched this interview then ignoring some of the things said in it when the new comments came out on Radio Lancs etc. I'm optimistic, yes, and I was practically bouncing off the walls today...until I watched this interview for myself. It sounds as if he DOES want money from the club some day...and I don't see how that can happen.

I just hope that if/when the revenue streams don't reach the levels he hopes for, he doesn't leave us in the lurch. But, nothing we can do about it, so I'm damn sure gonna enjoy the ride whilst it lasts!!

[Mr. E]

Well I don't think this means he wants to pocket the sponsorship money. Higher profile deals will increase the revenue and help the club itself. I don't think there is anything that worrying about those comments.

As for how we should spend whatever money we are given...I think the most important thing is to stick with our manager and give him time. No way should we follow the Man City, Chelsea or Real Madrid model and start swapping our managers after every series of bad results. BFS has to stay, be allowed to form his own team, and not be constantly pestered with demands about what we should be achieving. Even if that means a season or two of patience. We need to keep our feet firmly on the ground and focus on building tight team-units full of talented hard workers. That will give the team more stability, and allow for a better connection with the fans. The results well eventually come. We have to be patient and not spend as much money as we can just because we have it.

Basically do the opposite of Man City. I remember when their new owners came in they promised Hughes they will be very patient and give him all the time he needs. Less than a year later he was sacked when City were 5th or 6th I believe.

[mattyc2422]

Well I don't think this means he wants to pocket the sponsorship money. Higher profile deals will increase the revenue and help the club itself. I don't think there is anything that worrying about those comments.

As for how we should spend whatever money we are given...I think the most important thing is to stick with our manager and give him time. No way should we follow the Man City, Chelsea or Real Madrid model and start swapping our managers after every series of bad results. BFS has to stay, be allowed to form his own team, and not be constantly pestered with demands about what we should be achieving. Even if that means a season or two of patience. We need to keep our feet firmly on the ground and focus on building tight team-units full of talented hard workers. That will give the team more stability, and allow for a better connection with the fans. The results well eventually come. We have to be patient and not spend as much money as we can just because we have it.

Basically do the opposite of Man City. I remember when their new owners came in they promised Hughes they will be very patient and give him all the time he needs. Less than a year later he was sacked when City were 5th or 6th I believe.

Hear hear!

[Bobby G]

Interesting that he expects us to be challenging for success after 8-10 years, which makes you think he isnt out of his mind. I am sure many other potential owners would talk in a more deluded fashion to grab the headlines.

[Paul]

If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

You'll have a hard time getting anyone to agree with you jim. I do but I suspect we are the exception. Syed has talked of making Rovers "title contenders" again. Fair enough, great ambition but City have spent £350m and not come close to it yet, they remain a joke club. If we all want Rovers to go down this road fine, I am very concerned because the outcome is predictable. Perhaps Martin O'Neil is looking for a job??

I think the current PL owner who Syed maybe sounds most like emulating hopefully is Randy Lerner. He's been great for the club, quietly provided lots of cash for them over the years. However in O'Neill they had a manager who was very good on the pitch but in the transfer market spent £130m over four years and recouped just £40m.

If we spend more money we have to accept we will be making losses on some players, which is something that's been unfathomable for us to contemplate these last few years. However it's realistic to hope that if we spend £100m over a period of time (say 4-5 years) which is what Syed has proposed, we could sell some on at profit, make losses on some and retain some and at least get £70-80m back to spend again, although hopefully on top of a base of increased revenue from higher PL placings (which could provide £3-4m a season), longer cup runs, UEFA cup runs (maybe £1-2m) and better marketing (who knows).

Whilst not actually improving the ground itself, Lerner has made several improvements around the ground. I went to Villa Park for a Rovers game with a Villa fan friend of mine and he said Lerner had spent £3 million buying back and/or refurbishing (can't remember which) the famous Holte Pub near the ground. That has a really significant place in their history and for an outsider not even from England to come in, realise its significance and spend the money which has meant a lot to Villa fans is something which shows a large degree of understanding about the club rather than just treating it as a plaything.

Sorry to pick this particular post TGM but it represents a recurring theme on here - we can do it the Rovers way. I'm sorry this just doesn't make sense. Would Fergusson, Wenger, the various recent managers at City, Chelsea etc be spending obscene millions on transfers and more on wages if this "new way" could work? Nobody won anything by bringing in players, grooming them and selling them at a profit.

I agree with your view on Lerner and how he has made Villa look a real PL club with the Holte etc. the ground looks fantastic. Just a shame the manager quit, the team has won nothing, Milner is leaving, Friedel is rumored to be next and the owner is demanding players be sold as he's doesn't want to fund more signings. Ten days ago I would have said Lerner was the best example of a foreign "investor" a club could have - just shows how wrong you can be.

Wo Wo Wo....hang on.

"an initial transfer pot of between £80-100million and clear the club's debts of around £20million as part of an overall investment of £300million during the first five-year phase of a 15-year masterplan."

£300 million in the first five year phase?! Hells bells!

Balotelli - £22.5m and £3m / year on a five year deal. That's the first £37.5m gone. I read somewhere we are going to "invest" £30m a season so just one player puts us in to the second year's budget. This is what we are competing with if Syed is serious in saying he wants to make Rovers "title contenders."

Lets get a grip on reality.

[Iceman]

3 x 5 year plan, making us self sustainable? Sounds very much similar to the plan Uncle Jack (R.I.P) had in place.

We have struggled for long enough now, if everything works out well, then it really is our time again to be up there.

[PAFELL]

3 X 5 year plans......

Very Intresting..............

What I also thought interesting is that he wants to do things in and around the ewood park area. Be curious to know what he intends there. Maybe a railway station at Ewood park. Maybe even creating work in the area.

What ever developments he intends, Jack Walker statue has to remain, as do the roads around named after him.

A new chant would be needed by us, apart from 'only one Jack Walker' which as supporters we must retain. But would a new owner also deserve their own chant, in acknowledgement of what they are doing? Interesting times ahead.

[Miker]

Balotelli and Manchester City aren't a good example. What they're doing is a complete joke. They're building a collection, not a team.

I'm expecting modest investment from Syed. Continual investment into our youth system and giving a chance to emerging players like Olsson and Jones, but also buying some good players that aren't on ridiculous wages and aren't demanding too much as a transfer fee. Aston Villa and Everton have done it well. Birmingham are now doing a reasonable job as well. Buying decent players, but not going overboard.

We still won't be able to bring in the better players, as they'd undoubtedly prefer more spectacular locations such as London and Manchester and Madrid.

[PAFELL]

Interesting that he expects us to be challenging for success after 8-10 years, which makes you think he isnt out of his mind. I am sure many other potential owners would talk in a more deluded fashion to grab the headlines.

Maybe I am alone in this, but even with the huge investment possible coming,even though much welcomed and needed. I would not want the club to go on a mad spending spree. Currently Rovers have a good squad, young players starting to make their mark. But it requires a little bit of tinkering. I thought the way Rovers defended on Saturday was the best for awhile. Jones as the holding midfielder, surprised me. I would like Rovers to progress on the current model they have now. The difference being they would have the financial clout to compete. Look at the bargins Rovers have in the squad now, Samba, Olsson, Jones, Kalinic (who will come good). I would hate Rovers to go out and spend wildly which would prevent such players from even getting a look in.

Even though Rovers have not been able to invest heavily in players for a few seasons, they have been able to build a team. Man city are not a team yet, just a set of individuals. I thought Spurs battered those so called big players the other day. Rovers are a family club, built and brought up the right way, which is what should continue.

[PAFELL]

Balotelli and Manchester City aren't a good example. What they're doing is a complete joke. They're building a collection, not a team.

I'm expecting modest investment from Syed. Continual investment into our youth system and giving a chance to emerging players like Olsson and Jones, but also buying some good players that aren't on ridiculous wages and aren't demanding too much as a transfer fee. Aston Villa and Everton have done it well. Birmingham are now doing a reasonable job as well. Buying decent players, but not going overboard.

We still won't be able to bring in the better players, as they'd undoubtedly prefer more spectacular locations such as London and Manchester and Madrid.

Totally agree. Build up the team slowly and not the mad way of man city.

On another note, when Jack started to build Rovers, he had to invest heavily, there was no choice. The stadium, training facilities and players to get Rovers into the premiership. That part has now been achieved. Maybe the Riverside stand is the next piece required. But until more folk come to support Rovers from the local area, instead of going to man u, liverpool etc, I see no point in building the Riverside. As all that would do is show empty seats. Though for looks wise it would be good to redevelop the Riverside, which would then had Syed's name on it I suppose if he takes over.

[Bobby G]

I dont think spending 15-20 million a year would be considered "mad" by any stretch of the imagination. It allows us to sign one excellent player or maybe 2 very good players, or maybe even 3 good players within that budget, give or take a little depending on market values. However, importantly, it will allow us to COMPETE for players which we have not been able to with teams like Villa, Everton, Spurs, etc...We used to be able to do that about 6 or so years ago, probably ending under Souness.

[donis1410]

I think that with this talk of a £100 million transfer budget when/if the takeover goes through then I think we need to be both careful and realistic in not just splashing the money for spending its sake and we do not allow ourselves to be taken advantage of just because we have money.

[Bobby G]

100 million is over 5 years! That is not overly extravagant.

[tchocky]

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/transfer_centre/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/10/08/17/SOCCER_Blackburn_Syed.html

[Ricky]

Is that the first time we've heard that he's been following us for 10 years?

Every time I read articles like that I get a little tingle down my back. He refers to Sam as 'Big Sam' none of the corporate Mr Allardyce stuff from him.

I hope and pray he's good to his word because we will have some very exciting times ahead if he is.

I agree with earlier comments that we have some very good players coming through and it looks like mr Syed agrees with this point from his comments. Just add somegood young players to the squad and see where that takes us.

There's no reason why we couldn't emulate the success of Tottenham and push the top 4 with some key additions to our squad. I just hope we don't see Season Ticket prices emulate Tottenhams!!

[bob fleming]

If something sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

Be afraid, be very afraid.

If this was AN Other club I'm sure we'd all be sat round now shaking our heads wondering what it's all about. "Another Portsmouth in the making?" £100m over five years?!? Sponsorship will account for that? I doubt it.

Still, there's little you or I can do about it is there? There are people who get paid an awful lot of money to make sure that this is being done for the right reasons and for the long term future / stability of the club. What that club will look like in 15 years time I have no idea. Radically different I'd imagine.

Strap yourselves in and hopefully we'll enjoy the ride.