[Archived] The Rao's

[Leonard Venkhater]

You might consider giving up too? There are fans on here who hate what the Raos have done to our club with a passion and will take every opportunity to say so. If you don't like it, don't read it.

I guess I fall squarely into that category, although I am trying to manage my behaviour (!) I am fine with Patrick expressing his opinion, though, and I enjoy his posts...

[patrickvalery]

Hardly the end of the world as we know it. Ypur post went farther than that anyway.

If people want to criticise the Raos----let 'em. I'd hate them to think the bitterness was dying down, that was I was really wanting to say.

Im intrigued how my lost went farther tbh.

I don't think ive heard anyone whatsoever say that venkys aren't as bad as everyone says. Ive never heard anyone stand up for them and even intimate they might be good for rovers.

All this poster stated was his opinion and he got a fat eff off for his troubles. Bit extreme considering he never once defended the idiots.

Anyway, onwards and upwards.

[thenodrog]

To the point he makes though, we don't "own" the club in any sense and our only impact can be in the stadium - both positive and negative! It's hard to absorb- but when the premier league broke away, and TV money negated local fans impact on their clubs, we essentially lost "our" clubs to the world of marketing and ownership.

It's a cruel coincidence that one of the clubs that initially benefitted from this global interest is now a shell of itself after criminal negligence by owners who do not share our local love or view. When this is combined the fact we were put into the initial premier league and propped up by a rich fan who had recently sold his steel company for "a prile of 3s"...It's almost hideously ironic.

Some might say 'Live by the sword ...... die by the sword' JB.

Too many on here are behaving like juveniles whose mother has remarried, and who fully intend to hate the new stepdad on simple principle no matter how much Mum likes him and no matter how much he tries to be liked.

Post the abolishment of the max wage we became a nothing club. Small town, small minded and a bit part player in English football but we did at least have a a rich heritage as a founder member. Whooopeedoo eh?

Unfortunately 'heritage' doesn't pay any bills nor attract any decent players. Only money does that ! Jack Walker came in, we loved him like a child loves a favourite Uncle who turns up with a massive bag of sweets every visit. Opposing fans hated him and us to boot as we hate rich kids who rub our noses in the dirt, but what did we care? Did we hell. We were starved of success and quite happy to be seduced by instant but effectively UNSUSTAINABLE wealth without a thought of what came next. Live today and sod tomorrow. And there is the kicker, without someone willing to chuck money in on a regular basis it is inevitable that we will return to our rightful place in English football. Plodding around the basement divisions and hoping against hope for a decent run in the FA cup and a home draw against a Prem club of some description.

The Walker situation HAD to end cos it was always going to sooner or later. The Rao's might not be great and personally I was mush less than enthusiastic about them from day (how many on here stood and clapped them to the rafters when they walked onto Ewood whilst I stayed in the concourse sulking and sipping a pint of very bitter bitter? But in hindsight look at the other owners that we could have had.. Saeed? Shah? Yeung? Shinawatra? Tan? There loads out there who imo are worse than the Rao's. The 'new' wealth of the pacific rim, tiger economies and Russia has spawned loads of such flakes. That and the CL etc have ruined English football. We can't get rid of them cos only the lawmakers at the FA and maybe even those in the Palace of Westminster can do that. Problem is that we have fallen so far that we damned well need them and the sooner the cry babies realise that the better for all concerned.

We are effectively adrift in a sinking boat, balingb water out as fast as we can with dry land a speck on the horizon and yet some eejits want to throw away the bloody bucket.

[ABBEY]

Poacher turned gamekkeper

[thenodrog]

Are Rovers not your Club too? or am I missing something?

You said 'MY club'. I wouldn't be so presumptious and prefer to use the term 'our'. And even then it's in spirit only. Dunno about you but I haven't even bought a brick.

[Leonard Venkhater]

Some might say 'Live by the sword ...... die by the sword' JB.

Too many on here are behaving like juveniles whose mother has remarried, and who fully intend to hate the new stepdad no matter how much Mum likes him and no matter how much he tries to be liked. ...

Or

"Too many on here are behaving like anxious children, whose mother has now married an abuser. The new spouse's manipulative behaviour has engineered the mother's blindness to the welfare of her children.."

See,Theno, I can always twist your examples!

[thenodrog]

As much as I don't want them anywhere near , the decent thing would have been to at least attend the Yeovil game and show some respect to the club .

Ok pre zzzzam then

Your optimism must have been fuelled by Paul Ince in that case!

False. Rovers are the club that we all support. As far as I know (and unless you can prove otherwise) you have no ownership/majority shares and so we are all merely stakeholders within BRFC's micro-environment. You might suggest we are 'advocates', but twist it whichever way you want, we are ultimately customers.

Your post quite frankly is nonsense, as opposed to Booyaka Sha actually attempting to debate a point that is quite prominent in most BRFC related discussion. Can and will the Rao's continue to fund the club for the foreseeable future.

There isn't an easy solution to this mess and as far as I can tell there is no 'white knight billionaire' to save us on the horizon. Therefore we must consider the options. Allow Venkys to continue funding the club and HOPE that we can win promotion back to the honey pot of the PL; or tantrum, cry Venkyscum out, and end up co-sharing the Anchor ground. Which would you prefer?

The Raos' have made mistakes, there is no debating that. I believe they were well and truly taken in by that scum agent and his little puppet, and since then lurched from one disaster to another until they stumbled across the man that has spent 12months restoring a degree of pride to this club (a man that many people are still hounding out of the club despite a promising season of rebuilding and re-invigoration to the worst squad BRFC I have ever seen).

This is a waiting game and pretty much nobody on this messageboard has a clue what the Venkys are thinking. IMO our only hope now is that they can continue to fund us and hope we reach the PL in the next two years. That might then restore some of the foundations that they so crassly ripped out over the past 3 years.

FFP?

[thenodrog]

Poacher turned gamekkeper

They make the best ones remember.

[ABBEY]

They make the best ones remember.

Mmmmmm?

[thenodrog]

Or

"Too many on here are behaving like anxious children, whose mother has now married an abuser. The new spouse's manipulative behaviour has engineered the mother's blindness to the welfare of her children.."

See,Theno, I can always twist your examples!

How about when the first one left because the kids were spoilt brats who hated him too no matter how much money he lavished on them?

Mmmmmm?

You obviously prefer a colander Abbey...... I can see the sense in keeping the bucket till we get to dry land.

[47er]

Im intrigued how my lost went farther tbh.

I don't think ive heard anyone whatsoever say that venkys aren't as bad as everyone says. Ive never heard anyone stand up for them and even intimate they might be good for rovers.

All this poster stated was his opinion and he got a fat eff off for his troubles. Bit extreme considering he never once defended the idiots.

Anyway, onwards and upwards.

Well read it! Its not just about somebody telling someone else to eff off is it?

Anyway, as you say, onwards, hopefully upwards!

[EgyptianPete]

Some might say 'Live by the sword ...... die by the sword' JB.

Too many on here are behaving like juveniles whose mother has remarried, and who fully intend to hate the new stepdad on simple principle no matter how much Mum likes him and no matter how much he tries to be liked.

Post the abolishment of the max wage we became a nothing club. Small town, small minded and a bit part player in English football but we did at least have a a rich heritage as a founder member. Whooopeedoo eh?

Unfortunately 'heritage' doesn't pay any bills nor attract any decent players. Only money does that ! Jack Walker came in, we loved him like a child loves a favourite Uncle who turns up with a massive bag of sweets every visit. Opposing fans hated him and us to boot as we hate rich kids who rub our noses in the dirt, but what did we care? Did we hell. We were starved of success and quite happy to be seduced by instant but effectively UNSUSTAINABLE wealth without a thought of what came next. Live today and sod tomorrow. And there is the kicker, without someone willing to chuck money in on a regular basis it is inevitable that we will return to our rightful place in English football. Plodding around the basement divisions and hoping against hope for a decent run in the FA cup and a home draw against a Prem club of some description.

The Walker situation HAD to end cos it was always going to sooner or later. The Rao's might not be great and personally I was mush less than enthusiastic about them from day (how many on here stood and clapped them to the rafters when they walked onto Ewood whilst I stayed in the concourse sulking and sipping a pint of very bitter bitter? But in hindsight look at the other owners that we could have had.. Saeed? Shah? Yeung? Shinawatra? Tan? There loads out there who imo are worse than the Rao's. The 'new' wealth of the pacific rim, tiger economies and Russia has spawned loads of such flakes. That and the CL etc have ruined English football. We can't get rid of them cos only the lawmakers at the FA and maybe even those in the Palace of Westminster can do that. Problem is that we have fallen so far that we damned well need them and the sooner the cry babies realise that the better for all concerned.

We are effectively adrift in a sinking boat, balingb water out as fast as we can with dry land a speck on the horizon and yet some eejits want to throw away the bloody bucket.

Pretty good that, well thought out, no doubt you will get pelters from the usual sources.

Or

"Too many on here are behaving like anxious children, whose mother has now married an abuser. The new spouse's manipulative behaviour has engineered the mother's blindness to the welfare of her children.."

See,Theno, I can always twist your examples!

You also need to add the abuser may well have been, no, has been well and truly abused by the one you cant mention (Kentaro mob) works both ways

[den]

Jimmy - is there any evidence that they "are" funding us now? I would be a much happier bunny if there was factual evidence of their wealth (as so many fans tell us) and there was also evidence that they will write off the debt. There isn't a shred of evidence for that, is there?

[Jimmy612]

Jimmy - is there any evidence that they "are" funding us now? I would be a much happier bunny if there was factual evidence of their wealth (as so many fans tell us) and there was also evidence that they will write off the debt. There isn't a shred of evidence for that, is there?

''This is a waiting game and pretty much nobody on this messageboard has a clue what the Venkys are thinking. IMO our only hope now is that they can continue to fund us and hope we reach the PL in the next two years. That might then restore some of the foundations that they so crassly ripped out over the past 3 years.''

Edited Den.

You're right there isn't any evidence to suggest so. I'd still be prepared to take the risk rather than hounding them out of the club as some on here would like to; because ultimately without them we would be completely screwed anyway. A touch of 'Better the devil you know' on my part I suppose.

[lraC]

Lots of great points made above. I started watching Rovers in 1973 aged 8 when we were in the old Third Division. Whether I own the club or not, is irrelevant, as my I judge my weekends as bad or good, based on that weekends result. That's the feelings I have for the club, entrenched into me from all those years of following the fortunes good, or bad. I always refer to the Rovers as 'us' if I am chatting to a floe fan about us, because Rovers are my family, again, that's just how I feel.

When I first started watching football, the first division, was just another planet, so far away was it from us. At least back then though, at the beginning of the season, it was hard to say, who would win the league and who would be relegated. I remember Ipswich, Derby and Forest all lifting First Division title and also Man United, being relegated. It Football doesn't feel the same anymore and this was summed up by the importance to me of this weekends F A cup, feeling like, just another televised game. Compare that to the 1973 final, which was the first I ever watched, when the might Leeds United, were beaten 1-0 by lowly second division side Sunderland. A game I will never forget and the sight of The manager Bob Stokoe and keeper Jim Montgomery at the end, dancing a jig of delight on the pitch at the end showed exactly what it mean to them.

I may be a touch sentimental here, but that's how it was!

[Leonard Venkhater]

Pretty good that, well thought out, no doubt you will get pelters from the usual sources.

You also need to add the abuser may well have been, no, has been well and truly abused by the one you cant mention (Kentaro mob) works both ways

Even if we are correct in the idea of the Raos themselves being screwed, their own victimhood(!) could never excuse them, though, could it it?

Take their very first promise to leave the management structure in tact-broken in a few days They were in a position of power and they continued to collude and cover for the (other) abuser, leaving "the kids" at risk....

[yoda]

You need to research Venkys holdings and learn a little about the indian upper class culture.

FFP aside, whatever money Venkys have put in or will have to put in until our overpaid non-playing Kean "investments" run out of their contracts and we have a more respectable wage bill befitting our current league position, Venkys HAVE that and more and I very much doubt its a huge worry for them even now.

That said, as others have stated its unlikely that they will want to continue pumping money into the club if they realise that the chances of top flight football on our budget (with the FFP restrictions) is unlikely, then the various doom scenarios could become a possibility and in that, the Dingles promotion might give Gary more breathing space and leverage to say yes its very possible seeing the lack of facilities and structure the Dingles have at their disposal and still managed to do it.

The immediate worry has to be what effect financially we are faced with when FFP hits us. I do believe GB will have told Venkys that he won't be needing to do any business come January and I see us utilising more of our own youngsters in the forseeable future. But a stiff penalty from the FFP could be what changes Venkys mind about whether they WANT to keep bank rolling their "baby".

But mark my words theirs little doubt in my mind that they do have the finances to bank roll us for a long long time. The real question is whether theres enough incentive for them to keep doing it and I'd say unless we're at least in the playoffs next season and looking good to go back up again within a few seasons, then No.

As I said, I'm confident they have the resources at their disposal. They also appear - at least for the time being - to continue to bank roll us (not saying they are happy to be doing it but I very much doubt its on the top of their worry list either and in the twisted world of business it would surprise me if they aren't taking advantage of the many tax loopholes available whuch I'm sure their finance pwople would be aware of.

Our immediate worry is how they react to any FFP penalties and in the long term how long it takes for them to work out thr mathematicals on our chances to play top flight again. I'm in the doubters camp on that one and if we have a bad season this next year especially with the impending embargos, it could trigger them having to rethink whether they want to keep feeding this cash hungry venture.

One thing I will say is I very much doubt Venkys are in any way worried about writing off these losses and walking away. Like most of the billionaire club owners, this was an expensive toy that they thought would bring prestige and honours acquisitioning and due to their gross mismanagement that appears unikely to ever happen anytime soon.

So the only real question is: Will Venkys eventually walk away and when?

Only Vemkys can answer that question and history tells us that even if they came out and said it again that they have no intentions of walking away, very few would believe them anyway.

As supporters all we can do is support the club and hope we can turn it around again or bury our head in the sand with wild fantasies of fan buy outs and competing in the cash mad football world with peanuts in our pockets.

The truth is we will be far worse off if Venkys leave now. The best thing we can do for our club is leave the finances to the those who have any influence on them and get behind the team where we can make a difference.

Indian upper class culture!

I have worked in the area and partied at some of the top tables in and around Pune, anyone below the immediate (caste) "level" is expendable, when the Rao's speak you do as required or leave.(ie JW etc) The Indian way of the rich new money people. (they know best)

What makes you sure about the finances? lots of finance people who post on here have done a lot of research into the Rao's finances. Are there a lot of beds in the Pavilion in the hills of Pune stuffed with rupees?

All GOOD business people are concerned about losses, to say the Roa's are not is bunkum.

Wild fantasies about buy outs! the only reason the Rao's are still here is because they refuse to talk to anyone interested in taking the club on.

Leave the finances to the people who have an influence on them! you threw that one in as a joke right, It is precisely those people who got the club in this mess.

I would not question the support base, they always get behind the team, especially when treated correctly. (but without doubt they are seen as not at the right social level in Pune, hence the the strategy of divide and conquer)

Think you need to report back to Pune matey, with a good old local saying

Not all daft that slavver

[BooyakaSha]

Yes *yawn* because I must be related to the Raos or on their payroll right?

[AggyBlue]

What makes you sure about the finances? lots of finance people who post on here have done a lot of research into the Rao's finances. Are there a lot of beds in the Pavilion in the hills of Pune stuffed with rupees?

I not so sure either.

When they bought the club didn't their businesses show profits (can't remember if they were Net or Gross) of under 10M for that particular financial year?

Now that maybe fabulously wealthy by Indian standards but they are mere paupers by Premier League standards.

[BooyakaSha]

"the only reason the Rao's are still here is because they refuse to talk to anyone interested in taking the club on."

And pray tell where were these billionaire saviours all those years WT were desperately trying to offload us to anyone willing to stiff up the moolah?

I keep on hearing about these wonderful people who are prepared to step in and save the club but I have yet to hear how much these saviours are prepared to stump up to do it.

The reality is there isn't anyone with the financial clout to make Venkys part with the club and take over the debts. Anyone who thinks they would just hand over the keys for a pittance is seriously deluded. There's more chance of them selling off anything of value and leaving a shell in administration before that happens.

You say you've partied with the top in Pune like you know how things work at that level. If that is the case you should be well aware of how important pride and maintaining respect within their own is to the likes of Venkys.

You assume that I am an admirer of Venkys just because I don't come on here spewing bile or insulting others for posting their views but have you considered where we might be if Venkys pull the plug this season?

[ABBEY]

You assume that I am an admirer of Venkys just because I don't come on here spewing bile or insulting others for posting their views but have you considered where we might be if Venkys pull the plug this season?

We would be in a position of rebuilding the club from top to bottom,wherever that mey be bring it on!

[BooyakaSha]

So you would rather we end up in administration than stay with the Raos?

Strewth!

[chaddyrovers]

Abbey, are you happy for Blackburn Rovers to go bust and restart in north West counties league or conference league? Just to get rid of Venkys as Rovers owners.

[den]

The reality is there isn't anyone with the financial clout to make Venkys part with the club and take over the debts. Anyone who thinks they would just hand over the keys for a pittance is seriously deluded.

And if Venky's think anyone is going to pay them to take the club, they're deluded. They do believe that though, don't they. Probably because they paid money for it whilst there were other interested parties at the time. Different club then though. There is no value there now. If they really do have mega money, they're not showing that they have the least idea how to use it. Either way, they are going to lose an absolute fortune. Great business minds have they?

[AggyBlue]

Abbey, are you happy for Blackburn Rovers to go bust and restart in north West counties league or conference league? Just to get rid of Venkys as Rovers owners.

Other clubs that have gone bust haven't dropped that far. I'd start again in Div 1 to get rid of them, no problem