[Archived] Venky's - Do You Support Them As Owners Of The Club?

[Mattyblue]

So where were we going under the trust?

Another 10th place finish and then sell your best players and come 14th and so on and so on.

Sam would have left eventually, hw was even thinking about it 2010 summer.

Even JW himself said that we needed investment and we couldn't last long term under the walkers trust you can't ignore this fact.

In 2008 The Trust reduced their cash injections.

Haven't we been here before chris!

The Trust: We didn't have a net spend from 2006 onwards when they turned off the tap, however, we had an excellent structure at the club.

Venky's: They also haven't had a net spend, however we now have a structure that is not fit for purpose and Steve fecking Kean.

We all wanted a new owners to provide funds and the club to move forward, unforunately Venky's arent providing it.

[chris]

The only time we finished below 10th in the previous five years was when JW made the rare mistake in hiring Ince. In that time we sold plenty of good players.

Stop using the word INVESTMENT when throwing money at a cause where you'll be making a loss isn't investment at all. It's benefaction, and benefactors are rare as hens teeth. How many people out there do you think want to throw money at Blackburn Rovers and make a loss? Even the Sheikhs at Manchester City have an ulterior motive - to help put Abu Dhabi on the map.

Even if Sam left, I would have trusted JW to have made a good choice in appointing a successor. Apart from Ince, Hughes Allardyce and Souness were all excellent choices for the situation we were in. Furthermore the scouting network in place at our club which helped us pick up such good bargains would still would have been in place, and we had plenty of saleable assets to raise funds.

Additionally we would have been in line with UEFAs new financial fair play rules, when the likes of Stoke would have started to feel the pinch.

How much do you want to bet John Williams said the club where looking for investment or investors and not a benefactor?

did you tell him to stop using that word?

[tony gale's mic]

How much do you want to bet John Williams said the club where looking for investment or investors and not a benefactor?

It doesn't matter whether JW said it or not, it's common football parlance to call it an investor but it's still a misnomer. Also if you genuinely are looking for money to be poured into the club its a lot better to make out its an investment rather than admitting they'd be making a loss.

But the fact remains that it's nigh on impossible to make money out of a football club, and the only "investors" who have succeeded are ones who have made a massive loss. Even then plenty have poured in lots of their own cash and seen very little in the way of on pitch success (see Sunderland).

You seem to be under the false impression that money is more important than having a good management structure at the club. It's not. Look at the net spend tables for evidence of this.

[chris]

You seem to be under the false impression that money is more important than having a good management structure at the club. It's not. Look at the net spend tables for evidence of this.

Thats not true, Sepember 2009 we had a great manager, a great backroom team and we needed to move forward and look for investment(as JW would call it).

If Blackburn are to go "somewhere" and not "nowhere" we needed more then Walkers Trust and keep the structure, I'm sure Sam coudl have gone top 6 and he would have got more money off the Venkys then the Walkers Trust.

That was the dream and probably why so many people are hopeful we get that ###### Kean out, I think he's cause unbelievable damage.

[tony gale's mic]

Thats not true, Sepember 2009 we had a great manager, a great backroom team and we needed to move forward and look for investment(as JW would call it).

If Blackburn are to go "somewhere" and not "nowhere" we needed more then Walkers Trust and keep the structure.

Venkys, I didn't know they would strip the club apart and put a clown incharge.

We'd finished in Europe several times and were consistently top 10. To go forward from there would be maybe to achieve on the levels that Villa did with Randy Lerner and O Neill (ie consistent top 6 finishes). He gave O'Neill a net spend of over £100 million over three seasons before realising it was pointless ploughing that much money in with little hope of tangible success and so cut off the supply.

Either way, you were asking for someone to make a massive loss whilst funding Blackburn Rovers. Who on earth would do that? Lerner wouldnt have touched Villa were they not the biggest club in England's second city,

[Mattyblue]

Thats not true, Sepember 2009 we had a great manager, a great backroom team and we needed to move forward and look for investment(as JW would call it).

If Blackburn are to go "somewhere" and not "nowhere" we needed more then Walkers Trust and keep the structure.

Venkys, I didn't know they would strip the club apart and put a clown incharge.

Where is 'somewhere' chris?

football has changed out of all recognition even since the time Hughes had us around the top 6.

Without a billionaire owner, we will not get in the CL or win the league. We could still win a cup as Birmingham proved. This is the reality for almost every club in England, even for those with much bigger fanbases then ours.

[broadsword]

Well, apparently Venky's saw us as an investment, in that the PR their exposure in English football would grant them, would pay back their expense several (many?) times over as they developed their chicken business.

Does anyone buy into that theory any more?

Seems like total and utter sloblock to me.

[chris]

We'd finished in Europe several times and were consistently top 10. To go forward from there would be maybe to achieve on the levels that Villa did with Randy Lerner and O Neill (ie consistent top 6 finishes). He gave O'Neill a net spend of over £100 million over three seasons before realising it was pointless ploughing that much money in with little hope of tangible success and so cut off the supply.

Either way, you were asking for someone to make a massive loss whilst funding Blackburn Rovers. Who on earth would do that? Lerner wouldnt have touched Villa were they not the biggest club in England's second city,

Venkys have made a massive loss:

26 million purchase = loss

Sam sacked 3 million loss

Jones fees to pay off bank loan at 18 million, which means they made a loss in the transfer of about 12 plus million loss

6 million loss investment in Jan 3.5 Formica and 2 million Rochina (agents fee's included).

Diouf pay off 2 million loss

Santa Cruz and J Jones 1.8 million plus 1.2 million loss

I'm sure there is more

Venkys muct be down about 50 million, minimum 40 million.

I'm sure if they had left Sam incharge or got a decent manager we would be ok with Venkys.

Kean's the problem right now and the fact Venkys are as thick as ######.

[T.J.Newton]

id like to fully support them,

but whilst they continue to support steve kean(are worst manager ever and not a very nice person), its impossible to fully support them.

[tony gale's mic]

Venkys have made a massive loss:

26 million purchase = loss

Sam sacked 3 million loss

Jones fees to pay off bank loan at 18 million, which means they made a loss in the transfer of about 12 plus million loss

6 million loss investment in Jan 3.5 Formica and 2 million Rochina (agents fee's included).

Diouf pay off 2 million loss

Santa Cruz and J Jones 1.8 million plus 1.2 million loss

I'm sure there is more

Venkys muct be down about 50 million, minimum 40 million.

I'm sure if they had left Sam incharge or got a decent manager we would be ok with Venkys.

Kean's the problem right now and the fact Venkys are as thick as ######.

They've taken on the club in the mistaken belief that it will be an investment, and that it will maximise profits for their chicken business.

The 26 million purchase doesnt count as a loss either until they sell Rovers. I'm sure they felt that they'd be able to sell Rovers off for a higher price.

Just because Venky's will likely make a loss on Rovers, it doesn't make them benefactors. It makes them idiots who thought the club could be an investment.

[whalleyrover]

I am voting NO, but hope i'm wrong and will be minded to change n the future. Ican't agree with removing all the executives and BFS with no plan in place. Our club was well regarded in football for being wellrun. The PR is absolutely shambolic - 10 months in and we have not heard of their plans for the club. Also their stubborness over Steve Kean - he nearly got us relegated last season, but is still here now after all the protests.

[daverich]

Gonna have to sit on the fence. But if venkys can show that they support the fans in our wishes and beliefs and not just ignoring us then that will go a long way to my supporting them.

They need to listen to the right people, and put some structure in place at the club because at the moment everything is a total shambles from top to bottom, they can start with getting shut of that imposter kean!

As for the debt, do we know for sure that there isn't any?

[chris]

Where is 'somewhere' chris?

football has changed out of all recognition even since the time Hughes had us around the top 6.

Without a billionaire owner, we will not get in the CL or win the league. We could still win a cup as Birmingham proved. This is the reality for almost every club in England, even for those with much bigger fanbases then ours.

I would at least like to be in a position where if we come 6th in the league and we are forced to sell Duff for 17 million, all that money is re-invested in purchases, in fee's.

I just don't think we could ever build under The Walkers Trust.

I wasc happy we found new "investors".

They've taken on the club in the mistaken belief that it will be an investment, and that it will maximise profits for their chicken business.

The 26 million purchase doesnt count as a loss either until they sell Rovers. I'm sure they felt that they'd be able to sell Rovers off for a higher price.

Just because Venky's will likely make a loss on Rovers, it doesn't make them benefactors. It makes them idiots who thought the club could be an investment.

thats true it's asset value, but I doubt Barclays gave them a £26m interest free loan, all these costs add up and they are still saying they will pump more money in.

If they are lying then they are very good actors, and I'm very sure they aren't talented actors or smart, they will make more losses.

I'd like to see what happens if Kean is sacked, that man is a poison.

[roverandout]

i have voted undecided because well im undecided, what im not undecided about is there stubbornnes in keeping hold of kean, when hes gone, i might sway slightly more towards yes. There are so many other issues though such as not listening to the fans, not being at enough games. for every good thing they do, they cancel it out with 3 bad ones.

[T.J.Newton]

i have voted undecided because well im undecided, what im not undecided about is there stubbornnes in keeping hold of kean, when hes gone, i might sway slightly more towards yes. There are so many other issues though such as not listening to the fans, not being at enough games. for every good thing they do, they cancel it out with 3 bad ones.

great point, it is always 1 step forward 3 steps back with the venkys.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

I'm giving them more time but to date they have made some shocking nieve decisions.

They need to improve and fast.

[Veevs]

I will simply point people to the following official document.. on the official rovers site

Anyone who can agree to such a document and break most of the officially released assurances should not be trusted.

Some clips from the assurances they offered..

a - will commit funds on a consistent and systematic basis to future transfer and/or loan activity; We made more than we spent in the summer

b - intends to continue to support the existing management team and staff, and that it is committed to

the future development of, and investment in, the Club’s academy and youth infrastructure; They got rid of the management team within weeks of taking over

e - will seek to develop and improve commercial performance across sponsorship, the Club's kit deal

and general merchandising activity; Gave away the sponsorship of the club to charity

And the contractual ones..

a - the principal activity of Blackburn Rovers will continue at all times to be that of a professional

football club; IMO Rovers are now principly a marketing tool for Venkys

b - the current President, Vice Presidents and Honorary Vice Presidents of Blackburn Rovers will not

be removed from those positions before June 2011 without the prior written consent of those

individuals; How many of these are still around?

And the big quote from Mrs D..

“We are very proud to be associated with Blackburn Rovers, a team with whom we share many values

and ambitions. Going forward we plan to focus on leveraging the global influence in establishing

Blackburn Rovers as a truly global brand. We will absolutely respect the Jack Walker legacy and will be

actively supporting the organisation to ensure that Blackburn Rovers remains one of the best run clubs

within the Premier League. We are particularly pleased that the deal has full support of the Walker

Trustees, the Chairman and the management team who will of course remain in place with our full

support."

They are so proud of Rovers that they hardly ever visit despite being the owners.

As for the rest.. ALMOST 1 YEAR LATER.

• We are now looking for our third assistant manager in a year
  
• We have given away our sponsorship
  
• Transfer funds already into the net gain region
  
• We still do not have a full board of directors
  
• So far we have lost the board, some of the scouting team, the medical team, the management team and half the first team players since they took over.. that is pretty complacent by anyones standards
  
• Team is packed off to India on a PR jolly when results, fitness etc all poor
  
• Player fitness is incredibly poor
  
• Even the recently promoted head of player recruitment has left
  
• All of the major existing board team have gone, they even quoted them as running the club well prior to buying the club
  
• Results on the pitch poor currently second from bottom in the league
  
• Continued support for a very poor manager
  
• We hired a manager with no management experience
  
• Gambles on the long term future of the club by over commiting on youth players (IMO a much more balanced mix is essential) at the expense of experience
  
• Venkys marketing is now more important than results (as proven by the PR trip)
  
• Original advisors ripped them off and no longer involved
  
• A host of very strange signings like Bruno and Myles
  
• Crazy player releases like EHD and Emerton
  
• The new advisors like a nightclub owner in Dublin, an unknown Brazilian and the infamous Zhahavi now closely linked with Rovers
  
• Extreme rumours about dodgy dealing still floating around (some like the Rochina fee have already been exposed.. others apparently can't be released due to the risk of effecting the long term stability of the club)
  

[daverich]

Good post veevs, sorry but I gave it -1 by accident.

In fact I think you should forward it on to venkys!

[chocky]

Perhaps the more enlightened among you will tell us just how you will get "Venky's out", who the new buyers will be and how much those new buyers will invest in new players, academy, club infrastructure etc. It's easy to shout from the rooftops Out, out, out. But coming up with the solutions isn't. The owners have made mistakes but things will get better as they learn. Kean will get sacked if the team continues to lose.

[Baz]

I will simply point people to the following official document.. on the official rovers site

Anyone who can agree to such a document and break most of the officially released assurances should not be trusted.

Some clips from the assurances they offered..

a - will commit funds on a consistent and systematic basis to future transfer and/or loan activity; We made more than we spent in the summer

b - intends to continue to support the existing management team and staff, and that it is committed to

the future development of, and investment in, the Club’s academy and youth infrastructure; They got rid of the management team within weeks of taking over

e - will seek to develop and improve commercial performance across sponsorship, the Club's kit deal

and general merchandising activity; Gave away the sponsorship of the club to charity

And the contractual ones..

a - the principal activity of Blackburn Rovers will continue at all times to be that of a professional

football club; IMO Rovers are now principly a marketing tool for Venkys

b - the current President, Vice Presidents and Honorary Vice Presidents of Blackburn Rovers will not

be removed from those positions before June 2011 without the prior written consent of those

individuals; How many of these are still around?

And the big quote from Mrs D..

“We are very proud to be associated with Blackburn Rovers, a team with whom we share many values

and ambitions. Going forward we plan to focus on leveraging the global influence in establishing

Blackburn Rovers as a truly global brand. We will absolutely respect the Jack Walker legacy and will be

actively supporting the organisation to ensure that Blackburn Rovers remains one of the best run clubs

within the Premier League. We are particularly pleased that the deal has full support of the Walker

Trustees, the Chairman and the management team who will of course remain in place with our full

support."

They are so proud of Rovers that they hardly ever visit despite being the owners.

As for the rest.. ALMOST 1 YEAR LATER.

• We are now looking for our third assistant manager in a year
  
• We have given away our sponsorship
  
• Transfer funds already into the net gain region
  
• We still do not have a full board of directors
  
• So far we have lost the board, some of the scouting team, the medical team, the management team and half the first team players since they took over.. that is pretty complacent by anyones standards
  
• Team is packed off to India on a PR jolly when results, fitness etc all poor
  
• Player fitness is incredibly poor
  
• Even the recently promoted head of player recruitment has left
  
• All of the major existing board team have gone, they even quoted them as running the club well prior to buying the club
  
• Results on the pitch poor currently second from bottom in the league
  
• Continued support for a very poor manager
  
• We hired a manager with no management experience
  
• Gambles on the long term future of the club by over commiting on youth players (IMO a much more balanced mix is essential) at the expense of experience
  
• Venkys marketing is now more important than results (as proven by the PR trip)
  
• Original advisors ripped them off and no longer involved
  
• A host of very strange signings like Bruno and Myles
  
• Crazy player releases like EHD and Emerton
  
• The new advisors like a nightclub owner in Dublin, an unknown Brazilian and the infamous Zhahavi now closely linked with Rovers
  
• Extreme rumours about dodgy dealing still floating around (some like the Rochina fee have already been exposed.. others apparently can't be released due to the risk of effecting the long term stability of the club)
  

So your still undecided then?

Cant really add anything to your post, other than to say IMO most Rovers fans would be willing to say yes if they had kept to their initial statement, its not too late to turn things around, but it is getting close.

[Veevs]

Perhaps the more enlightened among you will tell us just how you will get "Venky's out", who the new buyers will be and how much those new buyers will invest in new players, academy, club infrastructure etc. It's easy to shout from the rooftops Out, out, out. But coming up with the solutions isn't. The owners have made mistakes but things will get better as they learn. Kean will get sacked if the team continues to lose.

Near enough impossible, given our position I doubt anyone will touch us.. however this poll is for do you support the owners.. there is nothing we can do about it unless someone has a spare 100m or so.

As fans we do not need to support the owners, take a look at the league.. how many of the clubs have fans who dislike, don't trust or simply do not support the ownersship.. football clubs are far more than the ownership in place.

I do not support them as they currently stand.. maybe they took stupid advise or maybe they thought they knew what they where doing.. but nothing short of a complete change in approach will change my opinion of them.

[sam_rovers]

At first I was really excited when Venkys took over. All things coming out of our new owners and the club were positive, they promised to leave management intact and invest modestly in every transfer window, which was more than what we came to expect from the trust. We were told that they want us to move forward slowly and maintain realistic targets. Then all of a sudden it all changed.. they destroyed the structure at the club, made us a laughing stock with ridiculous rumors, became ridiculously close with Jerome Anderson, and appointed an incompetent buffoon as a manager. I've lost my faith in the owners, they obviously don't know how to run the club, don't know the industry, and are way over their heads.

[BlueMonday]

A big fat NO from me for their Poisonous ownership of our great club.

Sell up and F**k off, because the longer you continue your clueless reign the more damage you will do.

You've had your fun, now jog on.

[John]

became ridiculously close with Jerome Anderson, and appointed an incompetent buffoon as a manager. I've lost my faith in the owners, they obviously don't know how to run the club, don't know the industry, and are way over their heads.

They were close with Anderson and Kentaro for quite a while before they took over Rovers.

[Moe]

I voted Yes. But then I guess I'd have to, seeing as I work for them.