[Archived] QATAR group bid for Rovers

[donnermeat]

If the situation is as bad as people say it is then hell, I don't wanna know. I'm sure we will hear enough about it when it finally comes out.

In the meantime ignorance is bliss for me.

[Roverall]

Philip,

well done for your efforts - you have fought the good fight.

[NeRvOuS Wr3Ck]

Well if this prat wants to run our club then do it right,Sack Kean get a good manager and pump in the cash otherwise F OFF U STUBBON T**T

[thenodrog]

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.

So Anderson who has no official role is standing in the way of a potential sale because of a Svengali like influence on an impressionable stooge? Either it's good horse trading by him in trying to wring a few extra million out of the Qataris cos only a fool accepts a first bid, but even if it isn't everybody knows what makes him tick so imo Anderson will easily be persuaded to do an about face and persuade his puppet to agree to the sale should someone cross his palm with 30pieces of silver.

IF the Qatari's want it badly enough they will get it.

[Ricky]

Just one question.

Philip, did you stand to benefit financially if we had been sold to the Qatar group?

Just a yes no answer will do.

[martypellowe]

Well if this prat wants to run our club then do it right,Sack Kean get a good manager and pump in the cash otherwise F OFF U STUBBON T**T

Why pump money in when he would probably get no return and face liquidation in a matter of months?

Same goes for SK. It's becoming more and more apparent that results are not what matters any more. PL survival may not = PL survival the way things are going.

It could have been under different ownership though.

[Mr Maureen]

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

"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."

This is the way that Indian business people talk to the uneducated masses,in India.

Utter ######.

[Waggy76]

Why pump money in when he would probably get no return and face liquidation in a matter of months?

Same goes for SK. It's becoming more and more apparent that results are not what matters any more. PL survival may not = PL survival the way things are going.

It could have been under different ownership though.

If that is the case , why not sell ?

[martypellowe]

So Anderson who has no official role is standing in the way of a potential sale because of a Svengali like influence on an impressionable stooge? We all know what makes him tick so imo Anderson will easily be persuaded to do an about face and persuade his puppet to agree to the sale should someone cross his palm with 30pieces of silver.

That's assuming that money is the only driving factor.

What if his agent license was also at stake? He'd lose it quicker if Rovers were sold and rumours exposed than if he, say, kept Venkys as owners and dragged on these supposed PL proceedings to the very very last appeal?

That would work even better if he'd somehow convinced Balaji that he could fight the case and keep the club.

Hypothetical, but logical.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

He's a very clever crafty man.

I simply cannot believe this is happening.All parties have been given a chance to benefit but the loons from Pune have done it again with a little help from good old Jerome!.........

[martypellowe]

If that is the case , why not sell ?

See above

[PAFELL]

So Anderson who has no official role is standing in the way of a potential sale because of a Svengali like influence on an impressionable stooge? We all know what makes him tick so imo Anderson will easily be persuaded to do an about face and persuade his puppet to agree to the sale should someone cross his palm with 30pieces of silver.

According to Nicko today on twitter, JA are out in the cold. Wants back, but

[sweeneybrfc]

I think we all anticipated it was going to be like this... despite the initial signs indicating that it was going to be a no from Venky's, we all clung to the possibility of Venky's breaking the mould and for once in their year long tenure making a decision which made perfect sense. Alas, once again we are here, once more in state of depressive disbelief.

I cannot begin to imagine how those on here who have contributed actively to pursuing the truth and those deemed ITK must be feeling. I for one feel exhausted. It just seems we are on a continous journey of going from bad, to worse, to it can't get any worse, to ultimate low's which then turn out to be never ending chasms of unimagineable crisis. When will it end...

It seems the lunatics are most definatley running the asylum.

[martypellowe]

According to Nicko today on twitter, JA are out in the cold. Wants back, but

How strange for one of the owners especially to leave his adviser and acquaintance of a few years out in the cold. How strange indeed.

Nicko must be right though. He's a journalist. And they have no hidden agendas after all.

[philipl]

Just one question.

Philip, did you stand to benefit financially if we had been sold to the Qatar group?

Just a yes no answer will do.

No- it was never even discussed.

I acted 100% as a fan trying to rescue his club from what I perceive as almost certain disaster in the hands of the crrent owners.

[Bucks_Blue]

No- it was never even discussed.

I acted 100% as a fan trying to rescue his club from what I perceive as almost certain disaster in the hands of the crrent owners.

Philip, as others are seemingly questioning your integrity, I would like to go on record to thank you on behalf, I am sure, of most Rovers fans for all your efforts, I always find your posts and input to podcasts both interesting and enlightening, as you have both the knowledge and inside information.

Thank you for putting your time and efforts into trying to save our club.

[PAFELL]

How strange for one of the owners especially to leave his adviser and acquaintance of a few years out in the cold. How strange indeed.

Nicko must be right though. He's a journalist. And they have no hidden agendas after all.

I have just mentioned what was said.

I think my stance with regards to venkys, JA and Kean has been known for awhile. After all I have lost count times I received 'requests / complaints' to support each of them via PM's. Told I was negative etc etc.

My stance remains, I want them all out. Even though there are rumours, counter rumours, things hard to seperate from what is truth and false. Often hard to to decide who to believe.

[pick32]

The simple thing to do would be to boycott the games a club is nothing without its fans, but the lack of culture and the impact of it being an old industrial town has lead to a sheep mind set were everyone lives in there own little routine and burros there head in the sand. Lets not go to the games, hand out leaflets at match days making people aware, get the media fully on board all go watch accy or even mill hill instead. Of course it will effect the players but i would rather sacrifice them results to get the message across.

[philipl]

According to Nicko today on twitter, JA are out in the cold. Wants back, but

I was among those posting JA was now bannished but then who popped up other than JA with Balaji in the Rovers' Directors box for a League Cup game- just the two of them together laughing together and having a ball of a time.

Subsequently a spokesman for Mrs Desai was emphatic in telling me JA was still advising the family and that JA and Balaji are good friends going back at least three years before any idea of buying a club was ever mooted.

My understanding is that JA was out in the cold relative to Pini Zahavi but whenever questions are asked about what happened prior to Mrs D's disenchantment with him, only JA is still around to ask so he gets asked. Apparently, there is an awful lot of questions of this nature being asked at present.

With Mrs D apparently now bannishing herself from Rovers, presumably Balaji will bring his pal back in from the Nixonian cold?

[martypellowe]

I have just mentioned what was said.

I think my stance with regards to venkys, JA and Kean has been known for awhile. After all I have lost count times I received 'requests / complaints' to support each of them via PM's. Told I was negative etc etc.

My stance remains, I want them all out. Even though there are rumours, counter rumours, things hard to seperate from what is truth and false. Often hard to to decide who to believe.

Don't get me wrong, you've talked a lot of sense, especially over the last 48 hours.

I wasn't saying you agreed with Nicko. I was just summarising that it does seem strange how Nicko of all people is adamant that JA is out in the cold when so many other reports say he's still very active. Strange indeed.

[AlanK]

No- it was never even discussed.

I acted 100% as a fan trying to rescue his club from what I perceive as almost certain disaster in the hands of the crrent owners.

Quite frankly I don`t care if you stood to make a million as long as it benefited Rovers.

[broadsword]

'tis a conundrum, to be sure.

[BangkokRover]

Just one question.

Philip, did you stand to benefit financially if we had been sold to the Qatar group?

Just a yes no answer will do.

Funny how that was the first question in your head and not Thanks for trying Guys

[hi-jaq]

Right okay I need people to back me here I have had a discussion this afternoon with Mark Alford deputy sports editor of the daily mail.

He has said he is more than willing to issue a statement in the paper which come from US the rovers fans.

Whether it's back page stuff depends on how in depth and heart felt (his words) we go into our position.

Who is with me?

I'm not sure what I can do, but I feel compelled to try & get involved in something... I would go as far as Guerilla Warfare if it was to help???!!!

If you want to PM me with what your ideas are or what you are trying to do, I'll call on every resource available to myself to help as much as possible!!!

[thenodrog]

The simple thing to do would be to boycott the games a club is nothing without its fans, but the lack of culture and the impact of it being an old industrial town has lead to a sheep mind set were everyone lives in there own little routine and burros there head in the sand. Lets not go to the games, hand out leaflets at match days making people aware, get the media fully on board all go watch accy or even mill hill instead. Of course it will effect the players but i would rather sacrifice them results to get the message across.

Never ever thought I'd suggest this but if the flowers dont work we should consider placing groups of pickets, one after another to picket supporters on their way to the ground and persuade them to turn around and preferably join them in picketing for the good of the club. Lets see how this fabled Indian pride copes with the spectacle of a Prem match played in front of empty home sections. Desperate times call for desperate measures.