Official Liverpool FC thread

[BSN07]

Looks like these guys are here to stay. And I'm looking forward to the opportunity to learn about the club from it's dedicated fan base.

 

Guys feel free to give an outlook of the current state f the team in your opinions. Is there hope for competitiveness? Or does it need to be blown up so to speak and rebuilt?

[BSN07]

Dude you guys have Kuyt! I'm so f***ing on board! The man runs and looks like a horse! One of my favorite players to watch on the Dutch National team.

[HCallumH]

hey, Liverpool fan here.

despite what you may have read on other threads, we're not all idiotic, argumental, racist morons.

I was actually incredibly interested in the link with your club.

If the deal should go through, I look forward to how our clubs may work together.

Now, I don't know much about baseball myself - think you could educate me, and if need be, I'll help you understand football (or soccer, as you call it.)

[VinKopite]

Hi to all you Red Sox fans!

 

I truly hope you can welcome us as part of NESV if this deal goes through, and we pray it does. This alliance could form and become one of the biggest and most successful in world sport. Liverpool Football Club are one of THE biggest sporting brands in the world, with fans in every country on this planet who have so much as a passing interest in football.

 

Don't let the comments of a few taint your view, though do try and understand that in these worrying times for our club, emotions are running very high. I can say hand on heart that Liverpool Football Club is one of the most passionately and traditionally supported in the world, if not THE most passionately followed.

If you take a look on youtube for some of our big European nights, you will see the kind of thing Im talking about.

 

The "anti americans" thing does not include anyone other than specifically Gillet & Hicks who have done nothing but lie to us and burden our club with $hundreds of millions. In 2007 we had an operating debt of 44million Pounds, nothing to worry about for a club of our stature. In 2010 depending on what you read its around 250-300 million Pounds (375-450 million USD) and G&H have only taken us backwards.

Believe me, we welcome John W Henry and NESV with open arms!

 

We are heading into the most important week in our history, and Friday is the biggest and most worrying day and time for us, with the Royal Bank of Scotland being able to forclose on G&H's debt, putting us into administration with a 9 point deduction.

 

This deal goes through, you have a new baseball and Red Sox fan here... along with many others to follow I'm sure.

[HCallumH]

Hi to all you Red Sox fans!

 

I truly hope you can welcome us as part of NESV if this deal goes through, and we pray it does. This alliance could form and become one of the biggest and most successful in world sport. Liverpool Football Club are one of THE biggest sporting brands in the world, with fans in every country on this planet who have so much as a passing interest in football.

 

Don't let the comments of a few taint your view, though do try and understand that in these worrying times for our club, emotions are running very high. I can say hand on heart that Liverpool Football Club is one of the most passionately and traditionally supported in the world, if not THE most passionately followed.

If you take a look on youtube for some of our big European nights, you will see the kind of thing Im talking about.

 

The "anti americans" thing does not include anyone other than specifically Gillet & Hicks who have done nothing but lie to us and burden our club with $hundreds of millions. In 2007 we had an operating debt of ?44million, nothing to worry about for a club of our stature. In 2010 depending on what you read its around ?250-300 million and G&H have only taken us backwards.

Believe me, we welcome John W Henry and NESV with open arms!

 

We are heading into the most important week in our history, and Friday is the biggest and most worrying day and time for us, with the Royal Bank of Scotland being able to forclose on G&H's debt, putting us into administration with a 9 point deduction.

 

This deal goes through, you have a new baseball and Red Sox fan here... along with many others to follow I'm sure.

 

exactly the same for me, vinkopite; i'm already wishing them well and may even follow a few of their games - a week ago I didn't have much of an interest in Baseball, but looking at the passion and interest their fans show, I truly believe that Red Sox fans are our brothers across the water; I may follow some of their games in future!

you took the words right out of my mouth, you explained what I couldn't put into words.

hopefully what happens this week is a major partnership between two massive global sporting insitutions.

[Ride The Walrus]

Dude you guys have Kuyt! I'm so f***ing on board! The man runs and looks like a horse! One of my favorite players to watch on the Dutch National team.

 

Yes man! Kuyt's a blumming legend over here!

Luck forward to working with you guys (From a Liverpool fan)

[lfc-sox]

Another Liverpool fan here . Yes the club is currently in a mess hicks and gillet have crippled our club with debt . Players are underperforming and our manager ( coach ) Roy hodgson is under increasing pressure . However we hope that NESV can rescue us from our spiralling decline and we can refind the magic that makes us what we are . the most succesful club in england should not be down at the foot of the premier league . You see Liverpool Football club is a family and sadly its being torn apart by braindead owners . If we dont win our court case on tuesday the glory days of liverpool will be buried in the sand our star players are likely to leave and its possible the club could face administration and a nine point deduction in the league . Tales of the past would be all that we have to savour . So right now every family member is biting their finger nails and hoping to be rescued by NESV . You'll Never Walk Alone

[Ride The Walrus]

We're a club with a lot of history (Best in England), but we've not won Englands top prize (premier league) for over 20 years now, there was a lot of optimism when H&G took over, that that would change; didn't happen (duh ). We've won European Cup 5 times, more than pretty much every team in Europe, only two or three have won it more times. We're getting a lot of crap into our squad (draft, as I think you call it :wink:) that really wouldn't cut the butter pretty much anywhere COUGH MILAN JOVANOVIC, CHRISTAN POULSEN COUGH.

[Sunny]

Thanks for the welcome BSN. I'm hoping and looking forward to the prospective partnership between our great clubs. I've just been reading about the Red Sox on Wiki for the last half hour. Great reading about the 2004 comeback from 3 games down against the Yankees. Stirring stuff.

 

As for the state of our team. It's probably half way between decent and overhaul. We've some great players on our team - notably Gerrard, Torres and Reina and we've also a fair amount of internationals. Our problems are mainly twofold - we lack quality in the depth of our squad and we're just not playing well as a team currently. A lot of it is poor defensively based tactics and some of it I put down to player confidence.

 

We're a massive club going through tough times at the moment and it's been a couple of decades since we last won the league. However, we're still the most successful club in the UK, closely followed by Man Utd - the English equivalent of the Yankees. We have a huge amount of fans globally and sell more EPL shirts than any other team worldwide - with the names Torres and Gerrard topping that list. I class us as a sleeping giant - that needs the right owner. We don't want a sugar daddy a la Man City and Chelsea - those types of owners are pointless in 2012 anyway when "financial fair play" rules come into force. What a lot of us want is responsible owners who see us for the massive club we are, see us for our history and passion and put together a sensible business model.

 

What that means is two things - maximising our marketing potential - that's been improving of late thanks to Ian Ayres but we really don't take advantage of our global pull. It also means investment - sensible, sustainable investment. We need new players without doubt and possibly a new team manager. We need a new stadium. We can fill a 44,000 seater stadium easily and could probably fill a 60,000 seater quite easily if the team performs well.

 

What we want to see most of all though is some fight. That our players and owners are completely willing to fight for the cause. We can take poor results - that's part of the game - what we cannot abide is a lack of passion or effort and, most of all, being fed a string of lies by owners who seek nothing else but to gain personal profit on the back of raping and pillaging this great historic club for all it's worth.

 

Owners are entitled to a return. That can be achieved through clever investment and better management and marketing of the club. But, most of all, a return will come by breathing competitiveness and, most of all, success back into our club.

[Spudboy]

Thanks for the welcome BSN. I'm hoping and looking forward to the prospective partnership between our great clubs. I've just been reading about the Red Sox on Wiki for the last half hour. Great reading about the 2004 comeback from 3 games down against the Yankees. Stirring stuff.

 

As for the state of our team. It's probably half way between decent and overhaul. We've some great players on our team - notably Gerrard, Torres and Reina and we've also a fair amount of internationals. Our problems are mainly twofold - we lack quality in the depth of our squad and we're just not playing well as a team currently. A lot of it is poor defensively based tactics and some of it I put down to player confidence.

 

We're a massive club going through tough times at the moment and it's been a couple of decades since we last won the league. However, we're still the most successful club in the UK, closely followed by Man Utd - the English equivalent of the Yankees. We have a huge amount of fans globally and sell more EPL shirts than any other team worldwide - with the names Torres and Gerrard topping that list. I class us as a sleeping giant - that needs the right owner. We don't want a sugar daddy a la Man City and Chelsea - those types of owners are pointless in 2012 anyway when "financial fair play" rules come into force. What a lot of us want is responsible owners who see us for the massive club we are, see us for our history and passion and put together a sensible business model.

 

What that means is two things - maximising our marketing potential - that's been improving of late thanks to Ian Ayres but we really don't take advantage of our global pull. It also means investment - sensible, sustainable investment. We need new players without doubt and possibly a new team manager. We need a new stadium. We can fill a 44,000 seater stadium easily and could probably fill a 60,000 seater quite easily if the team performs well.

 

What we want to see most of all though is some fight. That our players and owners are completely willing to fight for the cause. We can take poor results - that's part of the game - what we cannot abide is a lack of passion or effort and, most of all, being fed a string of lies by owners who seek nothing else but to gain personal profit on the back of raping and pillaging this great historic club for all it's worth.

 

Owners are entitled to a return. That can be achieved through clever investment and better management and marketing of the club. But, most of all, a return will come by breathing competitiveness and, most of all, success back into our club.

 

I really like your use of prepositional phrases.

 

I think that the Henry group can fulfill all of what is needed. And most of what is wanted.

 

It's not too likely that you'll see a completely new stadium anytime soon. Dropping another

$300.-$400. mil. on a new stadium would not seem to be a prudent move. Rather, a gradual upgrade and expansion would be in order. I'm not qualified to make an assessment of the Anfield facility, but from what I have seen, the four separate structures would seem to lend themselves to upgrade with relative ease.

 

One Talksox member, ORS, is an engineer / project manager for a rather large construction firm that does things like building stadiums. It would be nice to hear what he has to say.

[a700hitter]

I hate this. I don't want ownership's attention or resources diverted by this.

[AJ2010]

Our very own thread! thanks Red Sox and hello from the a fairly anxious Liverpool fan. (decision day today)

 

I have to admit I have never really been big on Baseball, but I think the most well known team over here is the Yankees (can I say that or is it like us saying Skum United?) having read your incredible history and illustrious past I am starting to see a different story, one of a baseball team that has been through a very long spell without success and lived in the shadow of your arch rivals, one of great courage and togetherness.

 

I don't know how you guys feel about this whole possible takeover, but I really think NESV could be the right match for our club and helping us get back to where we belong, not only that but also getting involved with the community and local charities like they do with the Red Sox.

 

Even if the deal does not go through, I have found a new baseball team to follow and would like to know more about what clearly is a truly inspirational team!

 

Andy

[AJ2010]

I really like your use of prepositional phrases.

 

I think that the Henry group can fulfill all of what is needed. And most of what is wanted.

 

It's not too likely that you'll see a completely new stadium anytime soon. Dropping another

$300.-$400. mil. on a new stadium would not seem to be a prudent move. Rather, a gradual upgrade and expansion would be in order. I'm not qualified to make an assessment of the Anfield facility, but from what I have seen, the four separate structures would seem to lend themselves to upgrade with relative ease.

 

One Talksox member, ORS, is an engineer / project manager for a rather large construction firm that does things like building stadiums. It would be nice to hear what he has to say.

 

I heard about this possible upgrade to Anfield and I think it will be a much better option to build a new stadium in Stanley Park (like H&G promised) although it would be a wonderful option to just upgrade, I think the strain on the local area may be too great as it would possibly mean stretching the ground in an already enclosed area of the city.

 

The added benefit of building a new stadium would be the scope for a much larger capacity, not only to bring in more revenue but to give more Liverpool fans like myself a better chance of getting a regular seat (I think the season ticket waiting list is like 10+ years atm) and looking at what NESV have done @ Fenway park, I can't wait to see their plans for us!

[JohnShaft]

hey, Liverpool fan here.

despite what you may have read on other threads, we're not all idiotic, argumental, racist morons.

I was actually incredibly interested in the link with your club.

If the deal should go through, I look forward to how our clubs may work together.

Now, I don't know much about baseball myself - think you could educate me, and if need be, I'll help you understand football (or soccer, as you call it.)

 

You are really starting to get on my nerves calling our support like you do.

[JohnShaft]

Edit: the figures mentioned are in Sterling, for some reason the symbol comes up as ? on here

 

To answer the original query our club is rotten at it's core at the moment. It started when Hicks and Gillette got ownership from a silver spooned divvy called David moores who sold "the family silver" to two ruthless LBO merchants who put us in hock to the tune of circa ?420m from ?80m. The club can still afford to operate and pay the interest on the loan.

 

In 2009 a new face became a member on the board, in fact became MD, his name is Christian Purslow. He was a founding partner and MD in a company called Mid Ocean Finance who buy leisure businesses and install members of the executive board in MOF onto the companies board to "improve performance". He resigned his MD position and set up Mid Ocean Credit Partners who's main purpose is to invest in Bank Loans and they have access to a fund of $5b. Purslow could reasonably expect to earn ?10m to ?20m a year in his role but yet we find him as MD of Liverpool on ?500,000 a year. Doesn't seem right, does it? Anyway we had one of the top 5 managers in the world managing Liverpool, he won us a european cup and took us to another final (biggest club competition in the world) and then H&G came along. Initially he fought for money and forced them to find money for the likes of Torres, they started seeing other managers behind his back to quieten him down a bit. We needed money for players to improve and he fought for this but ultimately player investment wasn't forthcomming in line with what was required. Purslow joined the board in Autum 2009 and by January 2010 was trying to sell players but not replacing them and the manager had a right of veto. This happened with one particular player, Babel, and from that point on the mahagers fate was sealed. He had to be disposed of if players were to be sold to reduce salary and get money in from sales, short term profit increase and long term overhead reduction. This leads us to where we are today.

 

All this talk of filling a 60,000 seater stadium is nonsense too, hyperbole by the club and lapped up by some fans. They forget what it was like in the 80's and in the 90's where we would regularly get gates of 38,000. This season for some cup games we've had gates of 25,000. The 60,000 thing is a myth generated by the club saying for years they have a waiting list for season tickets of 50,000 yet if you ring them up and ask them where you are in the line they wont know because it doean't exist. Manchester Utd had 5000 unsold season tickets this season which is unheard of for them (they attract a lot of glory hunters). Building a 60,000 seater stadium would be terrible for us, imagine a stadium with 20,000 empty seats, it would be soulless.

 

On the ownership side I would like to see Share Liverpool and SOS achieve their aim of fan ownership like the German model where fans have to own 51% of the club. That would be the ideal for me and would mean we would out of the clutches of parasites and vultures.

[Sunny]

John - I can't disagree with you on the team investment side of things but I do disagree with you on the stadium thing. IF the team is playing well I think we'll fill the stadium, at least for league games - but that all depends on the team performance. Using Man Utd as an analogy for our situation is a bit far fetched. Sure they haven't hit their season ticket targets of 54000 , only 51,500 (which is higher than our total attendance) but their executive sales were right on track (something that we're particularly bad at. Bear in mind there's a recession on too. They've also had average attendances in the league of over 75,000. That's what a competitive succesful team brings you.

 

The stadium is pointless without improvements in the team but, if we had a decent side competing for things we'd easily fill a 60k stadium. We were shite 10 years ago and tickets were like rocking horse s*** then.

 

As for fan ownership - we'd all like that but given the price of the club, and ShareLiverpools model, I don't think it's achievable to date.

[Sunny]

I hate this. I don't want ownership's attention or resources diverted by this.

 

I hate the face we need new ownership. I hate the fact our new owners are lying corrupt and obsessed with getting rich and fat at the cost of our club. I hate watching a once great club being eaten away by these cancers we call owners. But, if I was a Red Sox fan, I wouldn't be overly worried - all Liverpool need is some proper strategic investment and better marketing. We're profitable now without the LBO debt. We can bring in even greater revenues which would eclipse anything the Red Sox could generate (and that's not a slur on the Sox) due to our global fan coverage. And I expect NESV will see a return on that revenue which utlimately benefits all entities under their umbrella.

[Redguard]

10.54am: Judge throws out attempt by owners to have interim injunction put on board.

 

10.50am: The injunction means the board is reconstituted with Purslow and Ayre back in place and Broughton allowed to see through the sale, reports Sachin Nakrani

 

10.49am: Mr Justice Floyd: "The owners do not have an absolute right to veto a sale."

 

10.43am: Judge rules against H&G, which means NESV deal can proceed. We will try and flesh out the details and ramifications...

 

10.42am: JUDGE RULES MANDATORY INJUNCTION WANTED BY RBS AGAINST OWNERS IS GRANTED: SALE CAN GO AHEAD

 

Here's looking to the future with The Red Sox.

[BSN07]

I hate this. I don't want ownership's attention or resources diverted by this.

 

Really a700? Thanks for being a twat on this one. If you knew anything at all about this you would understand that a winning Liverpool FC would probably net Henry and company more $ then the Red Sox could probably ever do. Liverpool FC is a top INTERNATIONAL brand. If you weren't such a doomsday-ist you would have probably realized this could expand the resources the Red Sox have at their command.

 

 

 

 

 

 

For all the Liverpool FC fans please ignore a700. He is the resident "Scrooge" when it comes to this sort of stuff.

[BSN07]

10.54am: Judge throws out attempt by owners to have interim injunction put on board.

 

10.50am: The injunction means the board is reconstituted with Purslow and Ayre back in place and Broughton allowed to see through the sale, reports Sachin Nakrani

 

10.49am: Mr Justice Floyd: "The owners do not have an absolute right to veto a sale."

 

10.43am: Judge rules against H&G, which means NESV deal can proceed. We will try and flesh out the details and ramifications...

 

10.42am: JUDGE RULES MANDATORY INJUNCTION WANTED BY RBS AGAINST OWNERS IS GRANTED: SALE CAN GO AHEAD

 

Here's looking to the future with The Red Sox.

 

Cheers mate :thumbsup:

[Redguard]

Cheers mate,

 

Just waiting for the dust to settle, they'll be getting blitzed on the town tonight, me too. Big game at the weekend. Loads of lads boycotted everything since G&H came to LFC, but that's all about to change. Just waiting for John Henry to flesh out the details and join the dots. The shackles are off and hopefully we'll get back in the groove - winning trophies.

[Ride The Walrus]

John - I can't disagree with you on the team investment side of things but I do disagree with you on the stadium thing. IF the team is playing well I think we'll fill the stadium, at least for league games - but that all depends on the team performance. Using Man Utd as an analogy for our situation is a bit far fetched. Sure they haven't hit their season ticket targets of 54000 , only 51,500 (which is higher than our total attendance) but their executive sales were right on track (something that we're particularly bad at. Bear in mind there's a recession on too. They've also had average attendances in the league of over 75,000. That's what a competitive succesful team brings you.

 

The stadium is pointless without improvements in the team but, if we had a decent side competing for things we'd easily fill a 60k stadium. We were shite 10 years ago and tickets were like rocking horse s*** then.

 

As for fan ownership - we'd all like that but given the price of the club, and ShareLiverpools model, I don't think it's achievable to date.

We'd fill a 60K seater. Seen how many are on the season ticket waiting list!

[AJ2010]

Apparently John Henry is in attendance at the LFC board meeting in London tonight, here goes...... well I guess it's mid afternoon in Boston now.

[Ride The Walrus]

Apparently John Henry is in attendance at the LFC board meeting in London tonight' date=' here goes...... well I guess it's mid afternoon in Boston now.[/quote']

 

H&G sueing RBS (bank) 1.6 Billion Dollars, claim to have an injunction.

 

God hope Texas has no say in England. :(

[Redguard]

NESV also named on The Temporary Restraining Order......

 

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Football/Clubs/Club_Home/2010/9/17/1284753717927/Tom-Hicks-and-his-son-006.jpg

[Fuzzy Dunlop]

What a pair of greedy no-class snake like ****s that pair hicks and Gillett are. Hateful bastards. The f***ing irony of these two describing the court case as an 'epic swindle'!!!

 

f*** i am pissed off.

[flred]

NESV know about US law and how the system works. The fat-man now has two legal forces against him, and that Texan judge will probably regret his involvement.

[Redguard]

I don't know why NESV was included in the TRO. It just seems like sour grapes from someone who can't accept that there are others in this world who try to do the decent thing and they (G&H) are just abusing the system. Moving on; this is just a temporary set-back, annoying, but justice will prevail.

[daveymac]

I don't know why NESV was included in the TRO. It just seems like sour grapes from someone who can't accept that there are others in this world who try to do the decent thing and they (G&H) are just abusing the system. Moving on; this is just a temporary set-back' date=' annoying, but justice will prevail.[/quote']

 

 

This clown Hicks just seems to blunder from one screw up to another. NESV will hang him out to dry. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. If Hicks was a Brit, he would be sectioned under the mental health act for his own protection. :thumbsup:

[daveymac]

I don't know why NESV was included in the TRO. It just seems like sour grapes from someone who can't accept that there are others in this world who try to do the decent thing and they (G&H) are just abusing the system. Moving on; this is just a temporary set-back' date=' annoying, but justice will prevail.[/quote']

 

 

 

You want justice, Billytry this mate. http://www.punchinthefacebook.com/punch/united-states/hicks