[Archived] QATAR group bid for Rovers

[Gav]

Venky's, on Radio Lancs, denying that an offer has been made. Of course that in itself means nothing. The Qataris aren't going to make a formal offer until they know there is a possibility of a deal.

Lets face it den, if these people are serious they'll make Venkys an offer that they can't refuse, if they're not they'll move on.

The figures quoted in the People yesterday were laughable.

[OJRovers]

Venky's, on Radio Lancs, denying that an offer has been made. Of course that in itself means nothing. The Qataris aren't going to make a formal offer until they know there is a possibility of a deal.

Hmm interesting...

Hopefully that is a "PLEASE MAKE AN OFFER" message to Qatar.

[Jackson]

How about a "Pune 12" collective statement along the lines of "we have been disappointed with the outcome", "have no faith in the current management/owners", "feel it is in the best interests of the fans, owners and club to sell" etc...

That could be peddled to all British and Indian media outlets who ran the initial visit story earlier in the year.

Just a thought.

[Gav]

The last thing we need is things in newspapers.

Didn't mean to put that...

[adsfortheblues]

To the people whom have aske me what the FA have said I will reply to you in due course just give me time.

I'm hoping I am onto something here, not ground breaking at all, but a real step in the right direction of which may ease a few nerves.

[thenonda]

To the people whom have aske me what the FA have said I will reply to you in due course just give me time.

I'm hoping I am onto something here, not ground breaking at all, but a real step in the right direction of which may ease a few nerves.

How about contacting Gordon Taylor @ the PFA?

[Rovers_786]

please someone post the venky radio Lancashire link cheers to their interview cheers.

[adsfortheblues]

Since we are playing in the Premier League is this not a Premier League issue?

FAPPT’s for the top two leagues in England are administered by the FA Premier League and the Football League whilst The FA administers the test for the four leagues below that level. Under the auspices of The FA’s Financial Advisory Committee (FAC), both the Premier League and the Football League drew up FAPPT’s which are, broadly speaking, similar to that of The FA’s.

[Steve Moss]

We have always been lead to believe that the hag was the one in charge, so what's changed?

Mrs. D has been a disaster for the club and deserves considerable criticism. But I cringe every time she's referred to as a hag or her fidelity with Kean is questioned. Surely there is enough to lambast her with what she and her siblings have done (and not done) without devolving to puerile insults?

I understand that the Walker Trust are owed monies for the sale, certainly scheduled and possibly unscheduled.

There must be a good chance that a horse and cart could be driven through the Terms of Sale agreement. The Trust could redeem themselves somewhat with application of pressure whether subtle or not !! It's the least they owe Jack given the mess we are now in.

I wish this were true. But I fear that the Walkers have washed their hands of us. It was the businesslike thing to do, which make Venkys decision not to sell at a profit all the more disturbing. I think turning a profit is quiet the accomplishment in the PL.

.... and don't forget, this is all currently unsubstantiated rumor. If us (or any of the press) could prove it, we'd have run it as news. Just because a lot of people know the rumors and believe them, doesn't necessarily mean they are true.

This is absolutely spot on. While I have trust in many who are lodging these [generalized] accusations, we should keep an open mind. They could be dead wrong.

On the other hand, Venkys could dispel these rumors in an instant. Open the books. Engage the fans in conversation. If they really want to run the club long-term they have to offer some measure of transparency as their current system is failing on a massive scale. They haven't, and so have created a large part of this mess.

Kamy and others have said they put in a bid, if they don't get a deal fast, they move on.

Which seems strange to me, multi million pound deals for entities like Premier League football clubs would be subject so some negotiation and horse trading, wouldn't you think?

I can see where time would be of the essence. They would want their chairman and staff in place well before the transfer window to evaluate the club and get in a top manager. To maximize the chances of pulling us out of the relegation mire they would need to do their transfer dealings within the first days of the window, so their [hopefully] new manager could integrate the team ASAP.

I think we've gotten used to putting things off to the last moment. The big boys don't.

but surely there is a difference between free speech and lying? everyone knows this right?

In truly free countries, there are also defenses such: 1) statements of opinion; and, 2) good faith belief that it is true (even if it is not). The UK apparently does not honor those defenses. It apparently prefers to keep the peasants too frightened to question their betters, with their tongues firmly behind their teeth. If so, it is a national embarrassment so far as I am concerned and I am shocked that at least one of your major parties has not raised the issue.

[adsfortheblues]

How about contacting Gordon Taylor @ the PFA?

Already been done

[BangkokRover]

The Football Association is not directly involved in the day-to-day operations of the Premier League, but has veto power as a special shareholder during the election of the chairman and chief executive and when new rules are adopted by the league

Taken from wiki

[rovers11]

How about a "Pune 12" collective statement along the lines of "we have been disappointed with the outcome", "have no faith in the current management/owners", "feel it is in the best interests of the fans, owners and club to sell" etc...

That could be peddled to all British and Indian media outlets who ran the initial visit story earlier in the year.

Just a thought.

I completely agree with this. Good idea. Would the "Pune 12" be interested in doing this (the ones on this board, at least?)?

[BangkokRover]

The Football Association is also a special shareholder. They have the right of veto in certain crucial areas, such as the appointment of Chairman and Chief Executive and promotion and relegation, but have no say on other areas of Premier League work.

Premier League Home Page

[davulsukur]

please someone post the venky radio Lancashire link cheers to their interview cheers.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15722809.stm

Co-owner Venkatesh Rao told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It's not true and nothing is going to happen like that. We've had no offer and we're not interested.

"We're here to stay with the club. We're not interested to give it to anybody. It's like our baby."

He added: "Money is not everything to us. The passion is there and we don't want to let the fans down.

"We have not come here to fool around. On a serious note, we love our company, we love our club and we love our fans."

[adsfortheblues]

The Football Association is not directly involved in the day-to-day operations of the Premier League, but has veto power as a special shareholder during the election of the chairman and chief executive and when new rules are adopted by the league

Taken from wiki

Half true

[booth]

If it was fact then you'd have proof.

I'm not saying it isn't true, but its hardly fact until you can prove it.

Some of you wouldn't believe anything even if I posted a photograph of Balaji taking the prince for a spin in his lambo. You'd say I photoshopped it.

[Steve Moss]

Co-owner Venkatesh Rao told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It's not true and nothing is going to happen like that. We've had no offer and we're not interested.

"We're here to stay with the club. We're not interested to give it to anybody. It's like our baby."

He added: "Money is not everything to us. The passion is there and we don't want to let the fans down.

"We have not come here to fool around. On a serious note, we love our company, we love our club and we love our fans."

1. Then why is Steve Kean still manager? If money is not the issue, and you aren't here to fool around, why not get someone competent in as manager?

2. You don't have footballing fans (except Burnley), you haven't earned any. The club has fans. There is a difference.

[J*B]

Co-owner Venkatesh Rao told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It's not true and nothing is going to happen like that. We've had no offer and we're not interested.

"We're here to stay with the club. We're not interested to give it to anybody. It's like our baby."

He added: "Money is not everything to us. The passion is there and we don't want to let the fans down.

"We have not come here to fool around. On a serious note, we love our company, we love our club and we love our fans."

We're not your fans, you prick.

[Rovers_786]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15722809.stm

listen to them saying there not selling up and due back in Blackburn in couple of weeks.

And if you are worried, Rao do the right thing sack kean and prove to us than you not here to trash the club you got the funds.

And bring back John Williams and Tom Finn and start rebuilding everything up but I guess there will not listen to my advice.

[philipl]

I think many of you will understand when I tell you that both Kamy and myself are feeling utterly gutted today.

An initiative was taken in the face of knowledge about the club (some public, some not) and others joined us in helping the project. The objective was simply to resolve the perpetual crises that have typified the Venky's ownership in the past year by finding new owners who could give Venky's an honourable exit, remove the existential risk we perceive the Rovers are facing and put the club on a financial footing which I would describe as "Trust plus". In other words be secure with a realistic but small annual cash transference into the club.

Initially we succeded beyond our wildest dreams in raising finances for the project but that very success resulted in the project going outside of our management of the process and our ability to use "local" knowledge in trying to maximise the chances of success. The source(s) of the money understandably and rightly took control.

At the same time what had set out with modest ambitions of being a project of tens of millions became a stunning hundreds of millions.

I doubt the project would have moved as quickly as it did had the research not found that a sale of the Rovers was already under way to a purchaser we had no idea even existed when we reported in podcast 14 that there had been three approaches to Venky's and a fourth (which was "us") yet to show their hand.

Doubts about Venky's willingness to sell evaporated and an incredible generous bid was lodged on Friday last week. Andy Cryer broke the story on Saturday evening when it became clear that someone in Venky's themselves had already leaked it to the British press and then there were follow-up stories in the People and Mirror which from my perspective were entirely fair and accurate.

Sadly despite all indications that Venky's had been united in their desire to sell, a four hour telephone conversation from Jerome Anderson to Balaji appears to have changed all that. The family commendably operate on the basis of requiring unanimity in decisions like this and prima facie Jerome Anderson had secured his dissenting vote to frustrate the sale.

Obviously everyone acts in their own self-interest but I suspect I understand why JA saw such a desperate need to frustrate the sale. Not least because I now expect that the non-sale and continued Venky's ownership could be turned and used ruthlessly against the Venky's family's interests. This is my personal opinion and not one I have yet had chance to share with Kamy.

As for the Rovers, our poor dear club has ended up the innocent victim in all this. For my part I need a bit of peace and quiet to think through the lessons, the consequences and the opportunities (if any) of the mind blowing and mind numbing decision by Balaji to vote the way he did.

[Emge]

Venkatosh: "We're here to stay with the club. We're not interested to give it to anybody. It's like our baby."

Someone call child welfare!!

[BPF]

"We're here to stay with the club. We're not interested to give it to anybody. It's like our baby."

Time to call Social Services?

Venkatosh: "We're here to stay with the club. We're not interested to give it to anybody. It's like our baby."

Someone call child welfare!!

Great minds Emge...

[chris]

well thats the end of that hope.

forget about it.

[jannerman]

I think many of you will understand when I tell you that both Kamy and myself are feeling utterly gutted today.

Snipped for brevity.

Didn't think it could actually get any worse - how one individual can wield that kind of power over the club is absolutely shocking.

Been struggling to take it all in this weekend, and now I genuinely can't.

Despicable human beings the lot of them.

[sijoco]

He added: "Money is not everything to us. The passion is there and we don't want to let the fans down.

"We have not come here to fool around. On a serious note, we love our company, we love our club and we love our fans."

Really???