[Archived] Daily Mail article on the Bollywood billionaires of Blackburn

[Pete1981]

Not a bad article about our owners

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1347547/The-Bollywood-billionaires-Blackburn.html

[m1st]

I like the last sentence of the article. Best thing I've read since the Takeover was announced.

The "Daily Mail" article, that is; not the Portuguese one!

[BuckyRover]

They DO have money!

[sweet]

FINALLY!

[DE.]

Not a bad article about our owners

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1347547/The-Bollywood-billionaires-Blackburn.html

Venky Rao defend's his sister's positive stance.

'You have to be allowed to think freely and act freely in this world,' he says. 'We will try to become one of the best clubs. That doesn't mean we promise to finish top four but why would we set an aim to finish 15th to 20th? That only demoralises yourself. We should think big, aim high.

He's definitely been speaking to Vinjay

[Valois]

Not a bad article about our owners

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1347547/The-Bollywood-billionaires-Blackburn.html

Interesting piece, and kind of rain's on the parade of those who have previously said "they dont have a pot to p!ss in". Looks like they have had some lessons in PR , they come across quite well, compared to previous interviews.

Overall promising and positive stuff, although Balaji sounds and looks like a bit of a wild card, Anuradha needs to keep him under control.

Couple of highlights for me -

The VH group consists of 28 companies with a collective turnover in 2010 of close to £1billion and group profits of about £100m.

Growth is forecast at 15 per cent per year. There are no external partners and no debt.

They produce 90 per cent of the chickens raised in a country of 1.2billion people.

Also opening a Venkys XPRS at Ewood, will certainly beat the hotdogs at half time.

Certainly not chicken feed.

[philipl]

Obviously Steve Kean is going to come back from Pune with the money to buy Charlie Adam.

Valois I would be more relaxed to read those numbers in their own published accounts (which show external partners and debt) than in the Daily Mail.

[47er]

Not a bad article about our owners

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1347547/The-Bollywood-billionaires-Blackburn.html

Really enjoyed that article. Gives me a fair degree of hope that things will work out in the end. Gives the lie to the notion that they haven't enough money, thank God.

Why would anyone want 51 cars?!!!

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Not a bad article about our owners

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1347547/The-Bollywood-billionaires-Blackburn.html

Excellent read.

[67splitscreen]

Congratulations to Nick Harris, a Journo who at long last has got off his a*** and researched our owners in depth.

Those quotes on the whole are very comforting after many of the stories we have all heard breeding all sorts of theories.

Probably shifted my personal view of them another 10% in their favour.

Just sort the PR and alleged internal wrangling and we will soon be on the up.

[AJW]

it is an interesting to read what venky's have to offer, i mean i have money in the bank but am i prepared to tell you lot how much ?? no thats my business

[Tom]

Very good article on the new owners, sure it's PR for them but they come across as down to earth and positive about the club.

If we could get Adam, Jones and Rochina in it would be a fantastic window. Even the 2 without Adam represents our best window in a long time.

[philipl]

This is a very important quote from the Daily Mail article-

Quoting Mrs Desai: Just for good measure, she throws in the name of their centre-half - the much-coveted Chris Samba - as well, adding that he is a player she desperately wants Rovers to retain.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1347547/The-Bollywood-billionaires-Blackburn.html#ixzz1BBJ65eRt

This also caught my eye: The details of pretty much every Blackburn footballer, the names of their agents, their contract lengths and terms are at her fingertips.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1347547/The-Bollywood-billionaires-Blackburn.html#ixzz1BBJRdtaq

[Ricky]

Surely all that information should be at her fingertips Phil??

I'm pretty sure you'd be taking a negate stance on it if she had said she had no idea about those issues.

[cruz]

This is a very important quote from the Daily Mail article-

Quoting Mrs Desai: Just for good measure, she throws in the name of their centre-half - the much-coveted Chris Samba - as well, adding that he is a player she desperately wants Rovers to retain.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1347547/The-Bollywood-billionaires-Blackburn.html#ixzz1BBJ65eRt

This also caught my eye: The details of pretty much every Blackburn footballer, the names of their agents, their contract lengths and terms are at her fingertips.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1347547/The-Bollywood-billionaires-Blackburn.html#ixzz1BBJRdtaq

Personally I like

Venky Rao defend's his sister's positive stance.

'You have to be allowed to think freely and act freely in this world,' he says. 'We will try to become one of the best clubs. That doesn't mean we promise to finish top four but why would we set an aim to finish 15th to 20th? That only demoralises yourself. We should think big, aim high.

'One thing is sure. If we go into this with the intention of getting publicity as a motivation, it's going to fail. If I buy as the first Indian and fail, that is a huge embarrassment. We're not at Blackburn for profit or publicity, we're at Blackburn because we'll enjoy it, and to create a legacy.'

and

Walker, a steel magnate, was one of Britain's richest 30 men when he died in 2000, with a fortune estimated at £600m.

The Rao family are worth three times more and their business is riding the crest of the Indian economic boom.

The VH group consists of 28 companies with a collective turnover in 2010 of close to £1billion and group profits of about £100m.

Growth is forecast at 15 per cent per year. There are no external partners and no debt.

Acquisitions, including Blackburn Rovers and a new £130m vaccine plant in Switzerland, are made in cash.

The company are not listed but could fetch about £1.5bn if sold, although that is not on the cards.

With an extensive property portfolio, the family are probably worth £2bn, perhaps more.

[daveoftherovers]

Personally I like

Venky Rao defend's his sister's positive stance.

'You have to be allowed to think freely and act freely in this world,' he says. 'We will try to become one of the best clubs. That doesn't mean we promise to finish top four but why would we set an aim to finish 15th to 20th? That only demoralises yourself. We should think big, aim high.

'One thing is sure. If we go into this with the intention of getting publicity as a motivation, it's going to fail. If I buy as the first Indian and fail, that is a huge embarrassment. We're not at Blackburn for profit or publicity, we're at Blackburn because we'll enjoy it, and to create a legacy.'

and

Walker, a steel magnate, was one of Britain's richest 30 men when he died in 2000, with a fortune estimated at £600m.

The Rao family are worth three times more and their business is riding the crest of the Indian economic boom.

The VH group consists of 28 companies with a collective turnover in 2010 of close to £1billion and group profits of about £100m.

Growth is forecast at 15 per cent per year. There are no external partners and no debt.

Acquisitions, including Blackburn Rovers and a new £130m vaccine plant in Switzerland, are made in cash.

The company are not listed but could fetch about £1.5bn if sold, although that is not on the cards.

With an extensive property portfolio, the family are probably worth £2bn, perhaps more.

Liking this very much, very positive and put's an interesting slant on their risks of involving themselves in our club.

As for the Adam comments, I agree with most, he's a player and can pick a pass, but under pressure, he gifts posession, 2 of WBA's goals came from Adam getting robbed yesterday, on the up side, some of his passing was sublime!

[Majiball]

VENKYS...good read in the Mail on Sunday...feel most of the details has been here before but nobody wanted to believe it...that Nick Harris must be a Kentaro employee...

You should know!

Have you seen him at any of your staff meetings?????

[92er]

Surely all that information should be at her fingertips Phil??

I'm pretty sure you'd be taking a negate stance on it if she had said she had no idea about those issues.

I'd read the quotes last night and my reaction was a positive one towards Mrs Desai, who now seems to know a lot more what she is talking about.

My reading Philip's quotes gave me the impression he read them the same way as me.

[trs]

VENKYS...good read in the Mail on Sunday...feel most of the details has been here before but nobody wanted to believe it...that Nick Harris must be a Kentaro employee...

Nick Harris may be in Kentaros bed but that lot on the Sunday supplement this morning certainly aren't

Christ they give us as a football club and Kean a mauling.

[sweet]

Nick Harris may be in Kentaros bed but that lot on the Sunday supplement this morning certainly aren't

Christ they give us as a football club and Kean a mauling.

What was said?

[Kelbo]

Nick Harris may be in Kentaros bed but that lot on the Sunday supplement this morning certainly aren't

Christ they give us as a football club and Kean a mauling.

Have you a link please?

[HemelRover]

Have you a link please?

Sunday Supplement is a Sky Sports TV programme. And because its a TV programme the 4 journos on it are encouraged to be extra controversial to boost viewing figures.

[cruz]

What was said?

Should appear on this page soon (if you are that desperate to hear what a collection on numptys say)

http://www.skysports.com/podcast/0,20494,19913,00.html

Found this from a Chelsea fan who was ranting about some other stuff they said

"-Neil Custis should be forced to write a public apology to Steve Kean, after accusing him of going behind Big Sam's back to get his job, that is actually liable for Slander and if I were Kean watching that, I'd be on the phone to my lawyers as we speak, the numpty was rightly shot down by his journalist peers who reiterated it was mere speculation."

[Fylde Coast Fan]

Some of the nationals decided Venkys were evil the day they bought us, and the sacking of Big Sam (who they previously hated) reinforced this. Coming over here, taking our clubs...

But that's not transfer related.

On Samba to Arsenal (or any of the other players linked with them for big money) - a couple of reasonably clued up Arsenal fans I know point to Wenger comments that basically say he's looking for a short term cover CB until his first choices are fit. That seems to preclude a move for a £10m player.

[John]

"-Neil Custis should be forced to write a public apology to Steve Kean, after accusing him of going behind Big Sam's back to get his job, that is actually liable for Slander and if I were Kean watching that, I'd be on the phone to my lawyers as we speak, the numpty was rightly shot down by his journalist peers who reiterated it was mere speculation."

That is the talk though if you chat to anyone in the game....."potentially" leaves a sour taste.