The 2016 Takeover Thread

[alreadyexists]

5 minutes ago, Jareth said:

#wobble

Ha ha! Where's Daz when you need him? He could have had us wobbling all over the shop. 

[Jareth]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/7163331/Roberto-Di-Matteo-in-Birmingham-ahead-of-expected-appointed-as-Aston-Villa-boss.html

Hollis said: “The government will be involved in some way. If you’ve worked in China you will know that the government and businesses work closely together.

“It will be interesting to see if we get the President Xi of China along.

“Don’t underestimate, this is the first largest overseas investment from mainland China over here. That is huge.

“We wanted someone who could put some substance behind the promise everyone makes.

“Look at the press coming out of China last week around President Xi’s mission for China to be in the World Cup and winning it by 2050, there’s no coincidence there are agendas running in parallel.

 

Time to stop the Carson Yeung comparisons chaps.

Edited May 20, 2016 by Jareth

[lapal_fan]

9 minutes ago, Jareth said:

Time to stop the Carson Yeung comparisons chaps.

Well.. erm.. no, actually.

He's still very much open to questioning.  No one here (inc YOU) knows who this man is, what companies he owns, what his intentions are or what he actually does.

To blindly accept his custodianship would be even more stupid than to simply question him about things which really, every single fan should want to know.  Because, y'know it's "our club" and all that bollocks.

What we have learned so far, is that what Hollis has told us, not of all it is true.  Who Dr.Tony Xai is, is not at all clear, what companies he does & does not own is not true either.

There will be comparisons to other poor chairmen, until he proves otherwise.

Be optimistic by all means, but jesus christ, don't believe every word that's given to you, you'll be taken for a mug.

Edited May 20, 2016 by lapal_fan

[snowychap]

21 minutes ago, sharkyvilla said:

...Xia is the frontman for state investment.

Sadly, I'd guess it's this.

[AlwaysAVFC]

While some scepticism and caution is fine and I can see why people are worried.

We really need to wait and see what happens before firing off insults and getting the pitchforks and inflatables ready.

A little pressure for some clarity won’t hurt, but we just don’t know what is ahead, which a horrible position to be in is but that’s what it is.

[ccfcman]

Slightly off topic but it would appear the Chinese are not dicking about.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-soccer-china-stellar-exclusive-idUSKCN0YB19V

Four Chinese investor groups are locked in a more than $140 million bidding war for one of the world's most powerful soccer agencies, UK-based Stellar Group, a source said, a sign that China's appetite for sport is outgrowing trophy club investments.

According to documents reviewed by Reuters and a source with direct knowledge of the talks, bidders include model car maker Rastar Group (300043.SZ), which last year bought a majority stake in Spanish soccer club Espanyol.

A deal for Stellar Group, founded by British agent Jonathan Barnett, would be a major addition to China's fast-expanding roster of global soccer assets, which includes stakes in England's Manchester City, Spain's Atletico Madrid and a growing domestic league.

Earlier this week, Chinese entrepreneur Xia Jiantong bought struggling English club Aston Villa.

Barnett is one of soccer's so-called "super" agents, the sports world's jet-set equivalent of investment bankers, who broker multi-million dollar deals to trade players between clubs. Stellar Group was behind Wales international Gareth Bale's record-breaking 86 million pound ($125 million) move to Real Madrid in 2013.

A deal, if secured, would give the winning Chinese buyer access to some of the most connected soccer agents, and a list of high-profile players at a time when China is ploughing money into grassroots academies, television rights and transfer deals for overseas stars.

The Chinese Super League, still way behind European leagues in terms of quality and prestige, spent around 340 million euro ($381.5 million) in the latest winter transfer window, more even than the cash-flush English market.

Stellar Group could cost around 900 million yuan ($137.5 million) said the source, adding prices had only been verbally discussed. The person said Barnett was planning to travel to China at the end of the month to meet the suitors.

Reuters was not able to independently confirm the valuation.

The person, who asked not to be named because the negotiations had not been made public, declined to disclose the names of the other three investor groups.

Reuters could not immediately reach Rastar for comment. Barnett did not respond to emailed requests for comment.

The investment would be another boost to China's global soccer profile, and music to the ears of avid fan President Xi Jinping, who has made it a goal to one day win the World Cup.

Stellar Group represents hundreds of athletes, including footballers Bale and current England internationals Joe Hart, Luke Shaw, Phil Jagielka and Danny Drinkwater, according to transfermarkt.com.

[VillanousOne]

wow i know we are beaten down cynical lot with good reason, but christ you'd think Hitler had just bought us.

[Jareth]

3 minutes ago, lapal_fan said:

Well.. erm.. no, actually.

He's still very much open to questioning.  No one here (inc YOU) knows who this man is, what companies he owns, what his intentions are or what he actually does.

To blindly accept his custodianship would be even more stupid than to simply question him about things which really, every single fan should want to know.  Because, y'know it's "our club" and all that bollocks.

What we have learned so far, is that what Hollis has told us, not of all it is true.  Who Dr.Tony Xai is, is not at all clear, what companies he does & does not own is not true either.

There will be comparisons to other poor chairmen, until he proves otherwise.

Be optimistic by all means, but jesus christ, don't believe every word that's given to you, you'll be taken for a mug.

The point was about this being mainland china's first largest investment - Carson Yeung was a completely different kettle of fish. Compare aware to all other chairmen though dude, it's a free country!

[Lerner's Driver]

11 minutes ago, Jareth said:

Hollis said: “The government will be involved in some way. If you’ve worked in China you will know that the government and businesses work closely together.

Maybe RECON has been 'chosen' to purchase the Villa as a way of penetrating the English market - hence the lack of transparency. Sounds pretty Bond like, but who knows.  

[Dante_Lockhart]

Why can't we ever have anything nice?

[KSV]

24 minutes ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

For me it's pretty black or white. He's either a total fraud, or what you suggest is the case, a business man with state connections and ultimately, state investment behind him.

exactly. Were either... going to be filthy rich or shits going to hit the fan. 

This is Aston Villa. We know what will happen next.......

[lapal_fan]

5 minutes ago, Jareth said:

The point was about this being mainland china's first largest investment - Carson Yeung was a completely different kettle of fish. Compare aware to all other chairmen though dude, it's a free country!

Comparing to other chairmen is all's we can do!

For both good or bad..

I don't understand why you're so apposed to people asking questions about the man who now owns the club (and by this, means he can do whatever he wants with it).

You might not have a football club to support if worst comes to worst (more or less impossible, but it could happen, we don't know either way).

[Richard]

2 minutes ago, lapal_fan said:

I don't understand why you're so apposed to people asking questions about the man who now owns the club (and by this, means he can do whatever he wants with it).

Just to be totally accurate he does not yet officially own the club

[omariqy]

The Government are involved in as much as they have allowed funds to leave China and permitted the deal. From what I hear they won't be actually giving money to AVFC directly. I was concerned when I did my initial research on Xia.  I am even more concerned now.

[Jareth]

Just now, lapal_fan said:

Comparing to other chairmen is all's we can do!

For both good or bad..

I don't understand why you're so apposed to people asking questions about the man who now owns the club (and by this, means he can do whatever he wants with it).

You might not have a football club to support if worst comes to worst (more or less impossible, but it could happen, we don't know either way).

But I'm not! I only said that comparing Tony to Carson Yeung is a bit ludicrous, one is backed by the Chinese government, the other wasn't. I agree that the press retractions have led to a #wobble, but it doesn't change a great deal since this all began - we have been sold, the books have been checked, the buyer has been convinced. Were it Paul Faulkner handling the negotiations I would be firmly in your camp. 

[Gary Thomas]

14 minutes ago, bobzy said:

Well my concern (and comparison with Yeung) is about the unknown entity that is Dr Tony Xia and his supposed company(ies) - how they operate, what they turnover and basically the lack of any real information we're getting.  Again, with Yeung, he promised transfer fees from the off and failed to deliver, basically lying the whole way through it all.

All I will say is at the time your comparison (what your wrote) said nothing about supposed companies, how they operate, what they turnover etc.  Your were simply comparing Tony Xia to Carson Yeung because of what he stated as his ambition for the cub.  In your words were "Didn't Carson Yeung say similar stuff when taking over the poo?"  My point was lots of new owners say similar things, that's a pretty lazy comparison. You said what Carson Yeung said was exactly the same.  I said OK.  Lets move on.

[villan-scott]

Everyone jumping on these quotes from someone only known as Mr Jin from a telephone conversation? Calm down people, let's see what happens. Who is Mr Jin? What makes him more credible than Xia or Hollis?

As has been stated, the Chinese are secretive, there's more to it than meets the eye I'm sure. 

[KSV]

So can this deal be blocked? What would that mean? Lerner be the owner still? What an absolute farce this club has become. Bring back Doug. 

[Mark Albrighton]

This thread. 

I wonder what stage we're currently at...

 

[mjmooney]

Chinese government backing makes it better? Not in my opinion. Somebody upthread said I should like this because I'm "a red". Actually, I'm a democratic socialist - Old Labour, 1945 style. China is a one-party dictatorship with an appalling human rights record, playing the capitalist west at their own game - and winning.

For those who say the British and US governments aren't squeaky clean either, I agree - and I don't want them controlling AVFC any more than the Beijing lot. 

You may be surprised to know I actually liked Randy Lerner. Sadly, he was an incompetent, but I think his motives were good. Sure, he would have liked to make money out of Villa, but that wasn't his main aim. Tony Xia and his mystery backers, I don't know about, but all the talk seems to be about property acquisitions, portfolios, msg and 'health products'. Aston Villa will be just another product, possibly just a back door to some state backed wheeler dealing in Birmingham property. I guess you could say (several on here have) "Who cares, if Villa get a shitload of cash?" Well, I do, for one. 

If we must have an overseas owner (and I still hate that word), I would prefer another Lerner-type - just one with a few more brain cells. Dr. Xia may have those brain cells (although his football related quotes so far make me wonder) - I'm just concerned about what he's going to do with them. And who may be pulling his strings. 

 

Edited May 20, 2016 by mjmooney