The 2016 Takeover Thread

[Jareth]

Just now, hippo said:

Oh no ...you believe the themepark bit as well ? ??????/

 

#TrustInTony

[CarewsEyebrowDesigner]

[PieFacE]

It would be very "Randy Lerner" to sell us to someone who is a bit of a fraud. I expect nothing else from Randy, I get the impression he's easily romantically nourished by people who talk a good talk, like Tom Fox. It really wouldn't shock me if Dr.X has sold Randy a vision of what he wants to do with Villa and Randy has bought into it without really checking if he can back it up.

Time will tell. 

 

Gunna remain positive, but kinda expecting it to fall down like a house of cards....

[MikeMcKenna]

50 minutes ago, dont_do_it_doug. said:

Mike, I happen to have it on reliable authority that you are a reasonably successful businessman. Myself less so, but I do know that it is often prudent to agree payment terms when acquiring assets regardless of your cash flow situation. For varying reasons, some too complex for this mere mortal to care to understand. 

Could you tell me, for example, the most prudent way to take money out of China?

What I have read is that it is a cash sum up front (£75m) and an additional sum (£25m) upon promotion. Both Hollis and Xia have stated that the deal is cash. 

Yes, it could go tits. But I don't think the reasons you've given are valid concerns. 

 

Dave,

If the story about £52 mill up front is correct, my recall was obviously wrong but imho somethings about this seem all wrong. Have you ever known someone go to so much trouble to persuade the press that he has the money and outline a deal in such detail? All he has to do is persuade the PL and League to pass the "fit and proper" tests.

I cannot think of any other billionaire in the past who would show the Daily Mail a bank certificate and it feels like a parallel PR exercise. True "Billionaires" or indeed "Millionaires" do not need to prove themselves to the press and if anything the rich Chinese I have met avoid them like the plague and keep out of the spotlight as they are wary of upsetting the Communist party or bringing the country into disrepute.  Dr Xia stated in the DM article that he "would rather keep a low profile". Employing Samuelson and meeting a DM journalist at his Beijing home suggest otherwise and almost as if he is trying to hard. Why did he need to bolster his perceived wealth by saying

" that within months he will complete a $3.5bn takeover of a US logistics firm"

My business concerns are nowhere near this scale but I have known plenty of very wealthy individuals over the years but have never known one or indeed a company who would show their hand like this.

As for your question "Could you tell me, for example, the most prudent way to take money out of China?" I can only assume this is where Samuelson comes in somehow However the "cash" is probably not in China but possibly held in an escrow account somewhere in Europe. I doubt that Hollis would have only accepted a bank certificate from a Chinese bank as evidence but nothing would surprise me.

If the guy has the money, is going to invest and helps Villa return the the PL, great, but I have never been one for believing all the initial spin and IMO questioning some of the detail and those involved is entirely reasonable. If anything accepting stuff on face value is not. As the saying goes "All that glitters is not gold"

At the end of the day the fans have no influence and I only want what is best for the club. Whether Dr Xia takes over or not I will be at VP as usual next season.

Edited May 24, 2016 by MikeMcKenna

[JAMAICAN-VILLAN]

2 minutes ago, MikeMcKenna said:

 

Have you ever known someone go to so much trouble to persuade the press that he has the money and outline a deal in such detail? All he has to do is persuade the PL and League to pass the "fit and proper" tests.

Mike sorry to interject, but this was obviously due to the pelting he was getting from the British Media. He does not seem to be the most media adept person either, could have just been a genuine mistake.

[GeneralJazzman]

1 minute ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Mike sorry to interject, but this was obviously due to the pelting he was getting from the British Media. He does not seem to be the most media adept person either, could have just been a genuine mistake.

That's what I was thinking. The financial times poking at you and now Forbes regurgitating the same story a week later, feels more like a tabloid smear campaign than Financial journalism. 

Could be western media not appreciating Chinese ownership, maybe relating to the steel incident disrupting markets. 

[MikeMcKenna]

1 minute ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

Mike sorry to interject, but this was obviously due to the pelting he was getting from the British Media. He does not seem to be the most media adept person either, could have just been a genuine mistake.

You may well be right but "Billionaires" by the very nature of their wealth are rarely susceptible to media attention. They just get on with it. 

[Gary Thomas]

All sorts of characters are 'billionaires' so I am not sure it is useful to group them into one category and make assumptions about what they would and wouldn't do.  To me his actions make sense.  He's a young guy who has took over a famous English club. There have been questions raised in the media about his wealth (mostly because his money is in private, rather than listed, companies) . He is talking to the reporter face-to-face who says, "Mr Xia there are reports in the FT questioning if you have the necessary funds  - fans are worried - what would you say to them?"  What is he going to say?  "They should not worry, I have the money.......here's some proof to substantiate what i say."  Under normal circumstances I have no doubt he would avoid media attention, but perhaps he was trying to provide assurances.

I have read some say he's a front for Samuelson or a charlatan. I don't think he is.  First, Hollis would know this, surely, and I doubt he would risk his reputation - he couldn't have stressed anymore how happy he was with Tony and his ambitious plans..  Then consider Xia.  Why would a young entrepreneur like Xia, who is doing very well for himself in China, agree to take such a huge risk with his career and reputation?  He is connected to the President and if the conspiracy theories on here were true he would damage China's reputation and, as a consequence, his own career in China where personal reputations and networks matter a great deal.  You can imagine the fall out for him if this goes tits up. I honestly think what we have is a young wealthy, but little known, Chinese entrepreneur who thinks this is a good time to get into football given the trend in China, sees the growth potential and fancies the project. That's my feeling anyway.

 

Edited May 24, 2016 by Gary Thomas

[sharkyvilla]

36 minutes ago, MikeMcKenna said:

You may well be right but "Billionaires" by the very nature of their wealth are rarely susceptible to media attention. They just get on with it. 

Most billionaires are on some sort of list saying how fabulously wealthy they are and don't get this kind of attention really.  Xia's problem is that nobody knows anything about him really, hence the huge skepticism (justly IMO) and I think it's perfectly reasonable to offer proof to a journalist.  It can look a bit 'guilty' at the same time, though.  I'll feel more comfortable when the league does its checks and a manager is appointed, along with a press conference that can deal some of the issues.

[tonyh29]

53 minutes ago, MikeMcKenna said:

My business concerns are nowhere near this scale but I have known plenty of very wealthy individuals over the years but have never known one or indeed a company who would show their hand like this.

no they just leak to Hello magazine where they will be with their latest yacht and supermodel   

[Duck]

6 minutes ago, Gary Thomas said:

Then consider Xiu.

Personally I don't think it's anything to do with Mr. Xiu... 

[MikeMcKenna]

Just now, tonyh29 said:

no they just leak to Hello magazine where they will be with their latest yacht and supermodel   

Probably do or at least their PR agent does, but would they tell the press that they will be buying a $3.5 billion business in X months?

[TRO]

58 minutes ago, MikeMcKenna said:

 

Dave,

If the story about £52 mill up front is correct, my recall was obviously wrong but imho somethings about this seem all wrong. Have you ever known someone go to so much trouble to persuade the press that he has the money and outline a deal in such detail? All he has to do is persuade the PL and League to pass the "fit and proper" tests.

I cannot think of any other billionaire in the past who would show the Daily Mail a bank certificate and it feels like a parallel PR exercise. True "Billionaires" or indeed "Millionaires" do not need to prove themselves to the press and if anything the rich Chinese I have met avoid them like the plague and keep out of the spotlight as they are wary of upsetting the Communist party or bringing the country into disrepute.  Dr Xia stated in the DM article that he "would rather keep a low profile". Employing Samuelson and meeting a DM journalist at his Beijing home suggest otherwise and almost as if he is trying to hard. Why did he need to bolster his perceived wealth by saying

" that within months he will complete a $3.5bn takeover of a US logistics firm"

My business concerns are nowhere near this scale but I have known plenty of very wealthy individuals over the years but have never known one or indeed a company who would show their hand like this.

As for your question "Could you tell me, for example, the most prudent way to take money out of China?" I can only assume this is where Samuelson comes in somehow However the "cash" is probably not in China but possibly held in an escrow account somewhere in Europe. I doubt that Hollis would have only accepted a bank certificate from a Chinese bank as evidence but nothing would surprise me.

If the guy has the money, is going to invest and helps Villa return the the PL, great, but I have never been one for believing all the initial spin and IMO questioning some of the detail and those involved is entirely reasonable. If anything accepting stuff on face value is not. As the saying goes "All that glitters is not gold"

At the end of the day the fans have no influence and I only want what is best for the club. Whether Dr Xia takes over or not I will be at VP as usual next season.

I am with you on this Mike....well put.

[Gary Thomas]

5 minutes ago, Duck said:

Personally I don't think it's anything to do with Mr. Xiu... 

Damm it.....trust xui to spot it......corrected now!

[rubberman]

1 hour ago, MikeMcKenna said:

Have you ever known someone go to so much trouble to persuade the press that he has the money and outline a deal in such detail? All he has to do is persuade the PL and League to pass the "fit and proper" tests.

 

Seems a bit damned if he does and damned if he doesn't.

[Gary Thomas]

It will all come out in the wash soon enough.  I think it is the involvement of Samuelson that has a lot of people spooked - me too if I am honest, but nothing we can do now but wait and see.  Just hope Hollis and Lerner have done the right thing

[Jareth]

#XiaingIsBelieving

#HaveNoFearItsTonyXia

[ThunderPower_14]

I fully and completely understand the apprehension people have about Xia and Samuelson

 

But I can't help but remain positive about all this because it isn't Lerner. I mean, to be worse, we'd have to have owners who were actively screwing us over. That'd be fairly unlucky.

[NurembergVillan]

1 hour ago, MikeMcKenna said:

My business concerns are nowhere near this scale but I have known plenty of very wealthy individuals over the years but have never known one or indeed a company who would show their hand like this.

 

[MikeMcKenna]

7 minutes ago, NurembergVillan said:

 

Touche! But he is a bit of a one off though!