Both Tom Hicks and George Gillett’s takeover of Liverpool looks set to be one of the shortest in football history unless they find a way to refinance the debt that is due in February.
The entire takeover and recent spending has been funded by one single loan, with the Royal Bank of Scotland, which was used to not only pay the shareholders their blood money last spring – but cleared the reds debt and has been used on some player purchases and on-going costs.
This amount is believed to have swelled to around £350 million, although the reds are likely to be looking at a £135 million turnover this year, due in part to a long Champions League campaign and increased money from Premiership television rights.
Where exactly this money is disappearing to is anyone’s guess, as it clearly is not heading back against the reds loan.
The bank want their money back by the end of February, and the loan is currently against both the American owners. It is believed that the owners are desperately trying to push the debt on to the football club – using the assets of the stadiums, the club and effectively the players as security on the loan.
Another option is to go back to DIC, the initial Arabian investment firm who were in the driving seat to purchase Liverpool until Rick Parry (yes him again) decided to ‘switch’ sides. DIC are known to remove the current CEO of companies and bring in their own – rumours have suggested that the American pair had offered Parry the ability to stay in his job. Make up your own mind.
Some rumours have suggested that DIC could make an offer which would enable both American owners to walk away with £75 million a piece. So much for them ‘not being in it for profit’ and ‘custodians of the club for a long time’.
If there is any hope on the horizon for Liverpool fans in these uncertain times – the possible exit of Rick Parry at some stage soon is possibly the most significant.
I think this whole situation with Raffa and Hicks is spiralling out of control. This, to me, stems from Raffa’s undignified out burst to the press (not the Liverpool way) and petulence towards the club’s owners, whom appear also to be a!se-holes. Would I be right in assuming our friend Raffa negotiated a £17million transfer with Mascharano’s owner/agent on behalf of the LFC owners? Sounds a little like George Graham’s bung job! Could it be that Mr Hicks sees himself, maybe more qualified to negotiate a business deal with agents than Raffa? I have no doubt Raffa is a good coach,though extremely stuborn, but if I was looking for somebody to negotiate a deal on my behalf, Raffa wouldn’t make the list, however, Hicks would be right at the top… Come on Raffa/Hicks bury the hatchet and pull together for the common good of LFC… That is the only way the vultures of the media will stop this f!ukin circus the both of you are creating which ultimately serves only to sell papers. Maybe we should have stuck with what we had, minus Rick Parry, and soldered on… we did much better with Moores at the helm, a genuine RED! Now is the time to close ranks and let the parasites of the press reap/make up shite from elsewhere… Old Trafford maybe…
The Americans have been a disaster for LFC now it’s almost like they’ve disappeared what happened to the investment in the team that was promised under their stewardship I do not think they had much going for them except Parry and Moore’s must be wondering just how he took Parry’s word that we can’t go wrong with the Americans.
If DIC take over, it will be much better for the long term future of LFC. They have a billions of pounds and wont go scrounging to banks for money. Also, they wont go and downsize the stadium because they cant afford it. so, Parry, Gillet and Hicks just fcuk off(please)
Typical “yanks”- ALL MOUTH; get shut asap.
I hope the yanks f!ck off there full off sh!t…No wonder we cant win a game… Ass hole.. Hope DIC take over and get the cash out…
BYE BYE tom & george please please BUY BUY D.I.C. and give us a future.Parry resign NOW ur taking us down putting ur personal interests B4 this great club of OURS!!!!!!
i have heard this rumour building pace from a couple of weeks back when it first surfaced on one of the financial pages. there is a lot more to this than i first thought. i am now praying that it happens and dic come in and rid us of the three blind mice. rumour has it the royal bank of scotland’s heirarchy are looking out for lfc and want the best for the club. dic apparently see rafa as the long term answer for lfc and are prepared to give him a £50mil kitty for transfers.
on my knees praying
a bright red future
Rick Parry is a disgrace and has a lot to answer for its clear for all us liverpool fans to see that when it came to picking the new owners he simply picked the owners that were willing to keep him in the job,he’s let us down on so many things now at this stage its becoming embarrasing,it’s clear he hasnt got what it takes to move forword with the club so lets get him and his american money grabbers out before they do anymore damaged to this special club and with a bit of luck DCI will be willing to do business with LFC again so fingers crossed Parry hasnt burned all our bridges with them
What I would really love is for the club to remain in American ownership – but not in the hands of Hicks and Gillett: the club should be sold to Paul Allen. He owns my other favorite team, the Seattle Seahawks, and has been a literal godsend since he swooped in and saved the team from moving to LA nearly ten years ago. He also owns the Portland Trailblazers of the NBA and has had great success there. He currently just joined the ownership group of the new MLS club beginning in Seattle in 2009, so he clearly has an interest in soccer (excuse me…football…I’m American…forgive my vernacular). He has an obvious interest in English soccer/football as there was once rumor of him buying Southampton:
His time of ownership of the Seahawks has been their greatest and most successful period in franchise history, including our first Super Bowl appearance. The beauty of Paul Allen ownership is that he is a smart businessman and is smart enough to know that you get basketball people to run basketball organizations and you get football people to run football organizations – not business people. On top of all this, he also presided over the building of a new stadium for the Seahawks, which is one of the premier stadia in the NFL; so he’d clearly be able to do the same for Liverpool. Anyway, I know all this is dreaming because he’s never been mentioned or rumored to be involved. But, the fact is he runs a first-rate company and has more money by himself than most any investment firm with his billions. I guess what I’m saying is, even though I enjoyed the idea that Liverpool was in American hands since I am an American, money and a smart guy behind the club who knows well enough to put a good, smart football guy (i.e. not Rick Parry) in charge is exactly what we need. So hopefully that’s what DIC would be. If only my dream could come true.
Look what you did Parry. You clearly picked the wrong owner and liverpool pays the price. DIC ftw!
Lets just hope that DCI do take over and get rid of at least one American chancer and also Parry. Makes one wonder why Parry backed the Americans – not really. Then maybe things can settle down and we all start supporting the manager and get rid of the remaining deadwood.
Tom and Gerry (G&H) were never,are and will never be good for LFC. They can only redeem that by getting OUT of the club and the sooner the better. They came in with all sorts of promises, making right noises to take the club even higher and were welcomed with open arms by all with LFC at heart. Take TWO headstrong owners with equal say on the club and a suspect working relationship and you have a recipe for disaster. Look at what has happened to RB and the playing unit… completely distabilised even the strongest person will be affected by what has happened in the last few months.
They should leave and take Rick Parry with them, enough said about him!!!!!!.
Yes, lets move on and get things back on track with the vision of moving into the new century!
l for one personally hope that our Americans “custodians”, do sell their interest in Liverpool Football Club. l was gutted when the initial DIC bid collapsed and l hope that reports are true and they once again look to buy the club. Ever since Hicks and Gillette have came to the club there has been nothing but bickering and in house fighting that in over 25 years of following the club l have never seen. Ofcourse they are in it for the money and could saddle the club with huge debt. DIC are a better option who have the financial clout behind them and at least know something about the game. Slick Rick, it is time you retired please.
Come on arabs, out with parry,hicks and gillet. Give our coach the money, and start with the stadium. At least with the arabs we wont wait another 20 years for the new stadium
hopefully this is true…maybe then we could give rafa the credit he deserves, instead of unfairly comparing the amounts of money he has had to spend with the other sides in the top six…i for one do not want jose the disgusting little runt as our manager…he has proved nothing except he can spend cash, insult the game, lfc fans, lfc, and that he would not return us to the glory days – i often think its strange that the same people beating rafa over the head about his negativity come to the conclusion that jose is somehow more positive!! he’s a bloody translator for f**ks sake
whats happening to this once great club? manchester united are pulling away in there fast car again.