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

[SAS]

Very interesting, looking forward to the venky`s outlet in ewood.

I feel that Venkys could have a very successful operation in england with the Xprss.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

Have you a link please?

If you've got iTunes, they usually release the TV programme on there as an audio podcast.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

The comment made by one of the Journalists on the Sunday supplement this morning.He was commenting about the way our club is now being run under Venky's:

''I can see Blackburn in a couple of seasons being mid-table in the Championship,playing infront of 10,000 crowds.AND THEY'LL FULLY DESERVE IT''

I was gobsmacked,totally unnecessary and out of order.

[Tim Southampton Rover]

I could understand the media slating the team when Big Sam left but since the rumours of Ronaldinho came out, the media have gone from questioning their motives to being totally disrespectful not just to Venky's but to Blackburn Rovers Football Club. The only reason is surely because we're a small town club in a league full of "big" clubs. Have they forgotten that we're one of the most successful teams in the history of the Premier League and also in the history of English football?

It's just made me get more behind Venky's and I am also hoping it will push the club closer together to prove them all wrong.

[cruz]

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."

If you've got iTunes, they usually release the TV programme on there as an audio podcast.

Link in first quote

[Mattyblue]

We will NEVER EVER be forgiven for 1995, the journos have been waiting for this moment for a long time.

Now I have no issue with quality journalism exposing Venky's, Kentaro or whoever, that is in all our interest. However, this slating of our football club on the basis of innuendo stinks to high heaven.

[Valois]

I could understand the media slating the team when Big Sam left but since the rumours of Ronaldinho came out, the media have gone from questioning their motives to being totally disrespectful not just to Venky's but to Blackburn Rovers Football Club. The only reason is surely because we're a small town club in a league full of "big" clubs. Have they forgotten that we're one of the most successful teams in the history of the Premier League and also in the history of English football?

It's just made me get more behind Venky's and I am also hoping it will push the club closer together to prove them all wrong.

Agree. You only have to look at the way things have been going at Newcastle, and West Ham, and they dont get half of the slating Rovers have got recently.

I agree the timing of the sacking of Sam was all wrong, but look at the way Newcastle dealtwith Chris houghton, and West Ham with Avram Grant.

I think a large section of the media have always had a problem with Rovers been in the PL, buying the title, been a team full of bruisers, not plaing attractive football.

[bellamy11]

We will NEVER EVER be forgiven for 1995, the journos have been waiting for this moment for a long time.

I've always wondered why people have this viewpoint. Why would journalists have a problem with us winning the title in 1995? Doesn't that make for more interesting stories? Even if they, for some reason, did not like it, why would that manifest itself in the form of hate 15 years later? Why would they care?

[Mattyblue]

I've always wondered why people have this viewpoint. Why would journalists have a problem with us winning the title in 1995? Doesn't that make for more interesting stories? Even if they, for some reason, did not like it, why would that manifest itself in the form of hate 15 years later? Why would they care?

Clubs like ours are not allowed success, we should be 'plucky' like Blackpool and then crawl back under our stones. Breaking the hegemony of the 'big' clubs in the 90s unleashed no end of @#/? upon us.

[cruz]

I've always wondered why people have this viewpoint. Why would journalists have a problem with us winning the title in 1995? Doesn't that make for more interesting stories? Even if they, for some reason, did not like it, why would that manifest itself in the form of hate 15 years later? Why would they care?

Because 'massif clubz' like Leeds and Sheffield Wednesday should be in their 'rightful place' in the premierleague

[trs]

The comment made by one of the Journalists on the Sunday supplement this morning.He was commenting about the way our cclub is now being run under Venky's:

''I can see Blackburn in a couple of seasons being mid-table in the Championship,playing infront of 10,000 crowds.AND THEY'LL FULLY DESERVE IT''

I was gobsmacked,totally uneccessary and out of order.

They also came out with that classic about Sam attracting thousands more through the turnstiles. Nothing to do with cheap season tkts eh?

The fact is people where actually stopping going because of the dross on show.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I could understand the media slating the team when Big Sam left but since the rumours of Ronaldinho came out, the media have gone from questioning their motives to being totally disrespectful not just to Venky's but to Blackburn Rovers Football Club. The only reason is surely because we're a small town club in a league full of "big" clubs. Have they forgotten that we're one of the most successful teams in the history of the Premier League and also in the history of English football?

It's just made me get more behind Venky's and I am also hoping it will push the club closer together to prove them all wrong.

It counts for nothing in their eyes Tim.As far as their views are concerned we are a small town, small time club who have no right to challenge the 'BIG BOYS'.

What ever happened to championing the little guy or under dog?

I have to admit that the apparent dislike and ignorance towards our great club does get to me at times..its totally uncalled for.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

Clubs like ours are not allowed success, we should be 'plucky' like Blackpool and then crawl back under our stones. Breaking the hegemony of the 'big' clubs in the 90s unleashed no end of @#/? upon us.

Dont take it so seriously. No one hates us for winning the league. If Blackpool got an extremely wealthy benefactor and won the league I dont think anyone would hate them for it. The manner in which Venky's have gone about themselves over the past month has invited criticism but so what? You hear journalists criticise many clubs but when its about Rovers it all becomes personal and stems from us winning the league? I think not.

[NookRover]

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.

Put egotistical, I love the sound of my own voice, muck raking jernos in front of a camera and that's what you get! And your Sky Sports loving armchair football lover will lap it all up! I'd rather buy a season ticket at 'Turf than watch and take to heart anything said on that programme!

[Mattyblue]

Dont take it so seriously. No one hates us for winning the league. If Blackpool got an extremely wealthy benefactor and won the league I dont think anyone would hate them for it.

You reckon? The media want the percieved big clubs to be at the top- bigger crowds, more glamour, more papers sold, more coverage.

Blackburn Rovers 'spending outside their means' is against all that and the media will let everyone know it.

[OhmiBRFC]

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."

How far in? Does anybody know?

[BuckyRover]

You reckon? The media want the percieved big clubs to be at the top- bigger crowds, more glamour, more papers sold, more coverage.

Blackburn Rovers 'spending outside their means' is against all that and the media will let everyone know it.

Exactly. I would say Man City's pursuit of Kaka was more outlandish than our pursuit of Ronaldinho. Yet we get criticised and they do not.

[philipl]

Exactly. I would say Man City's pursuit of Kaka was more outlandish than our pursuit of Ronaldinho. Yet we get criticised and they do not.

Oh come on- City were a laughing stock for that and got ripped to pieces by the media for it.

Anyway if you look on the New Era thread you will see that the "no external parties and no debt" line in the Daily Mail article is not true with links to Venky's own web site to show it.

In terms of borrowings to issued equity they have a gearing ratio of 10 and at least 44% is held by external parties.

[trs]

Put egotistical, I love the sound of my own voice, muck raking jernos in front of a camera and that's what you get! And your Sky Sports loving armchair football lover will lap it all up! I'd rather buy a season ticket at 'Turf than watch and take to heart anything said on that programme!

Apart from the odd one ie Henry Winter, they are the most egotistical (as you say) and arrogant set of tossers I ever heard and seen on tv.

The term makes your blood boil comes to mind.

Oh and Nicko of course,the other odd one

[Hughesy]

In terms of borrowings to issued equity they have a gearing ratio of 10 and at least 44% is held by external parties.

Do you have proof that the 'external parties' isnt related to them? Through another company name or a family member?

[philipl]

Do you have proof that the 'external parties' isnt related to them? Through another company name or a family member?

Yes, they would be prosecuted for false accounting and thrown off the Bombay Stock Exchange. Besides which the shares are on open sale in the market- the evidence is their stock market price which has been drifting downwards since they bought Rovers.

Go to the last section of this data and you will see the free float is 43.88% That means 43.88% of the shares in Venky's India are not in the hands of the Rao family.

[roversmum]

They own all the rest of their companies, though, don't they?

[philipl]

They own all the rest of their companies, though, don't they?

We don't know because they are not pubic.

But we do know the "no debt no external parties" line is inaccurate and that the biggest number in their web sites for the size of VH which holds everything is $600m which is very different from the Daily Mail's claims.

Nicko stated they are clearly smaller than the Walker Trust and he tends to have the inside track on them more than most.

[roverwhelmed]

I'm glad there are rare bits of positivity from the media, the Rao's come across very well in the article, finally. It is good reading, and that's from someone who has completely ignored all media coverage, aside from the 11 o'clockers from Nicko!

With regards to the Sports Supplement comments, they're just ridiculous. Sick of the portrayl that we don't deserve to be where we are. We deserve it as much as any other club.

It ignites my passion more every time I read/hear something negative about our great club.

[imy9]

We don't know because they are not pubic.

But we do know the "no debt no external parties" line is inaccurate and that the biggest number in their web sites for the size of VH which holds everything is $600m which is very different from the Daily Mail's claims.

Nicko stated they are clearly smaller than the Walker Trust and he tends to have the inside track on them more than most.

I seem to recall Nicko stating that the members of the group purchasing Rovers are worth BILLIONS. We do not know who is behind the group, we know who the Rao family are but what of others?

Venkatesh Hatcheries owns lots of land in India, other businesses and land deals which is owned by the Rao family, this is the private company which I presume is making the bulk of the profits and is is debt free. This is guesswork but then so is looking at a listing company owned partly by a family and determining their wealth (thats not a dig at you Phillip)