NESV/Fenway Sports Group: Owners of LFC

"If we do the best we can in all areas then in some years we might lose out on Champions League revenue but we might gain in other areas like commercial or what have you."

It worries me that they play down the importance of the Champions League because they want to do well in other areas of the 'business'. They still don't get what European football means for Liverpool. Forget the f**king finances for a minute, we have such a rich heritage in Europe.

Why does that worry you? He isn't saying we shouldn't be competitive, he is stating in case we don't qualify, we still have other areas to cover the losses of not being in the CL.

It's reasonable to protect ourselves and minimize our financial risk, or do you want us to end up in administration if we don't have a backup plan?

I think he meant it from a financial point of view (that even in the current scenario of lack of CL, we need to keep the financial aspect sound), rather than belittling CL.

And it makes sense.

 

They seem to believe that the more money we generate, the more we'll get success on the pitch instead of thinking the more success on the pitch will automatically bring in more money.

It's a cycle, isn't it? Both arguments stand ground.

I think he meant it from a financial point of view (that even in the current scenario of lack of CL, we need to keep the financial aspect sound), rather than belittling CL.

And it makes sense.

 
It's a cycle, isn't it? Both arguments stand ground.

I am not sure it does.  If we have success on the pitch, we will definitely attract more fans, sponsors, etc and make more money.   if all we do is make more money by selling every possible market exclusivity (or sub sponsor, our paint sponsor etc) the larger pool of money if indeed used to buy players still does not ensure success on the pitch.

I am not sure it does.  If we have success on the pitch, we will definitely attract more fans, sponsors, etc and make more money.   if all we do is make more money by selling every possible market exclusivity (or sub sponsor, our paint sponsor etc) the larger pool of money if indeed used to buy players still does not ensure success on the pitch.

Don't get me wrong, success on the pitch is still the bigger goal.

However, we've seen in recent times how teams with better finances leverage that in terms of transfer fees & player wages to attract bigger/better players. We have not been able to complete financially with the best of the best.
 Better players = better chance of success on the field.

From that perspective, bettering our finances should not be seen with suspicious eyes. Additionally, it allows us to expand in terms of stadium etc. too.

So, as long as the performance on the pitch remains unaffected, I don't see how looking after the business side could be a bad thing to focus on.
They could sell an "official player underwear sponsor" for all I care, as long as the additional revenue is also diverted to the betterment of the squad.

 

FSG are committed to Liverpool FC 'long-term'

Chief executive Ayre says removal of £69m of debt is another example of owners' continued support of the club

Ian Ayre says the Fenway Sports Group move in clearing £69m of debt from the club’s books is just another demonstration of their long term commitment to Anfield.

A £69m sum technically owed to FSG has been written off and converted into equity, today’s accounts reveal.

Said the Liverpool CEO: “It’s another great example of the commitment that the owners make to the club.

“It’s effectively writing off that debt for the club and putting us in a healthier position.

“They have continued to do that throughout as everybody has seen and at the same time as doing that they have put forward the first instalment, almost £50m, of additional money in for the first phase of the stadium.

“It just continues to show their commitment, making those two gestures and at the same time reinvesting all of the profit from the sale of Luis Suarez.

“It just tells you the type of commitment they have and it is very much a long term commitment.

“We see heading towards us now the arrival of this new main stand at Anfield and I think that lends itself very well to the future of the club and how long term these owners look at the club.

“That’s something that will be there forever for this football club and I like to think they will be around for a long time as well.

Fenway’s top trio were at Wembley on Sunday to see the Reds lose heartbreaking on penalties to Manchester City.

Said Ayre: “They have been to Wembley before but they certainly said for a final it was fantastic.

“I spoke to Mike Gordon on Monday afternoon and he was like everyone, disappointed at the ultimate loss but he really enjoyed the occasion and felt it was one of those things that you will always remember.

“Going to Wembley is special for anyone whether you are from Liverpool or Boston or anywhere else.

“The whole experience of the day was fantastic and the owners enjoyed it as much as anyone else.”

Ambitions remain as high as ever at Anfield

Ayre also stressed that everyone at Liverpool remains committed to winning trophies and competing at the very highest levels - including a return to the Champions League stage, which Liverpool are struggling to make this season under new boss Jürgen Klopp.

Said Ayre: “We said when this ownership group came in that we wanted to win and keep winning and moving forward and that means everywhere in the club.

“And we are making that progress. We have a great manager now and we are making progress there as well.

“Nothing ever changes in terms of our ambitions. We always want to be playing Champions League football and that’s always our ambition. I have never known a year when it wasn’t our ambition at this club. It’s not always a reality but as an ambition it is always up there.

“And whether you speak to current manager or former managers it is always their ambition as well so you don’t have to create that pressure or expectation on a manager.

“Because a manager who is the manager of Liverpool Football Club, whether it is Jürgen or Brendan or Kenny or whoever, they always have the same view.

“Jürgen has played in the Champions League before and I know for certain he wants to play in it again. Everybody is focused on the same goal.

“As to the financial value of it, as we said, we are trying to compete with the best teams in the Premier League and the best teams in Europe and in order to do that you want to have the best opportunity to buy the best players. Sometimes that means you have got to invest a lot of money and sometimes it doesn’t.

“It is why in the round we are focused on our entire business, because if you just focus on the importance of Champions League revenue, then you might fall behind in other areas.

If we do the best we can in all areas then in some years we might lose out on Champions League revenue but we might gain in other areas like commercial or what have you.

“But the important thing is to be ambitious and be committed and keep investing and all of those things are happening and for that reason I think we are on the right track.”

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/fsg-committed-liverpool-fc-long-10973745

Not too sure how this works, massaging the figures springs to mind.

Probably for the FFP rules which is powerless anyway.

reading that reminded me of the interview on ticket prices he made days before the Anfield  walkout and the rethinking by the club on the issue
YNWA

So a £60M profit made due to Luis Suarez sale.

All pissed up the wall and on top of that the dross that were signed have increased the wage bill to £166M the fifth highest in the league.

If I wanted to sell the club, I'd clear out the debt too...

If PR from Ian Ayre is how people get their information then of course it's going to be a hostile response.

If you go to read the club documents you'd see most of this has happened already.

And when he says the club wants Champions League qualification, he uses the same reasoning any football fan would. Better competition attracts better players and brings in more money to get them. Just because he says it instead of a fan on a forum, it doesn't make it less true.

“It just continues to show their commitment, making those two gestures and at the same time reinvesting all of the profit from the sale of Luis Suarez.

Not quite the apology I was looking for Ian.

"Sorry we sold your best player and bought crap with the proceeds" might have been more appropriate. 

Can I just put this here without looking for the cowboys thread.

https://twitter.com/Corballyred/status/705319657436151808

“It just continues to show their commitment, making those two gestures and at the same time reinvesting all of the profit from the sale of Luis Suarez.

Not quite the apology I was looking for Ian.

"Sorry we sold your best player and bought crap with the proceeds" might have been more appropriate. 

Not the owners fault Brendan and the TC chose mediocrity.

Not the owners fault Brendan and the TC chose mediocrity.

But it is their policy that has contributed to the mess :-

Spending is not merely about buying talent. Our ambitions do not lie in cementing a mid-table place with expensive, short-term quick fixes that will only contribute for a couple of years.

John W Henry.

We will build and grow from within, buy prudently and cleverly and never again waste resources on inflated transfer fees and unrealistic wages.

John W Henry

So do you believe we have bought prudently and cleverly? Do you believe we haven't wasted resources on inflated transfer fees? Or simply bought mainly crap

Their policy of buying young with a resale value has failed miserably, yet the very same people who were in charge of the disaster that has been our transfer policy are still there waiting to strike again in the summer and will be using exactly the same guidelines from FSG that has led to such a comprehensive disaster since the guidelines were issued.

They appointed Brendan, they set up the Transfer Committee, they decided on our transfer policy, they should bear some of the blame... imo of course.

So do you believe we have bought prudently and cleverly?

Do I believe we bought Cleverley, yeah we probably did buy him and loaned him out, fits our M.O., not so sure who Prudently is

Agree with the rest of your post though.

New "value" top 10 by Forbes

1) Real Madrid 3.26billion (£2.13billion)

2) Barcelona 3.16billion (£2.07billion)

3) Manchester United 3.10billion (£2.03billion)

4) Bayern Munich 2.35billion (£1.54billion)

5) Manchester City 1.38billion (£905million)

6) Chelsea 1.37billion (£898million)

7) Arsenal 1.31billion (£859million)

Liverpool 982million (£644million)

9) Juventus 837million (£549million)

10) AC Milan 775million (£508million)

Mancs sprinting away from us and worth 3 times as much as us now

New "value" top 10 by Forbes

1) Real Madrid 3.26billion (£2.13billion)

2) Barcelona 3.16billion (£2.07billion)

3) Manchester United 3.10billion (£2.03billion)

4) Bayern Munich 2.35billion (£1.54billion)

5) Manchester City 1.38billion (£905million)

6) Chelsea 1.37billion (£898million)

7) Arsenal 1.31billion (£859million)

Liverpool 982million (£644million)

9) Juventus 837million (£549million)

10) AC Milan 775million (£508million)

Mancs sprinting away from us and worth 3 times as much as us now

Does this take into account the debt? I suspect it does not.

Does this take into account the debt? I suspect it does not.

Probably not Pups but then again; like with all 'property' (or 'investments' if you prefer) the debt owed only really comes into play when the 'owner' sells.

If a house is valued at £300k then it's a £300k house - it doesn't matter how much of a mortgage is still outstanding: providing the person responsible for the mortgage can still meet payments. And... with their massive income Man U can.

It is more than likely that, when the Man U carpetbaggers decide to sell, the difference between debt and top line (i.e. profit) will be a smaller, in terms of percentage, than our very own carpetbaggers but other than that [investors' profit]: debt on value is irrelevant.

Our landlords use our rent money to pay down their small mortgage and paint the odd door/mow the lawn/keep the house tidy - with no further investment; have watched their house grow in value. Loyal tenants happy to stay in a nice, safe, clean house with no real aspiration - that's us, that is. When the time comes to sell; the tenant won't prosper.

But it is their policy that has contributed to the mess :-

Spending is not merely about buying talent. Our ambitions do not lie in cementing a mid-table place with expensive, short-term quick fixes that will only contribute for a couple of years.

John W Henry.

We will build and grow from within, buy prudently and cleverly and never again waste resources on inflated transfer fees and unrealistic wages.

John W Henry

So do you believe we have bought prudently and cleverly? Do you believe we haven't wasted resources on inflated transfer fees? Or simply bought mainly crap

Their policy of buying young with a resale value has failed miserably, yet the very same people who were in charge of the disaster that has been our transfer policy are still there waiting to strike again in the summer and will be using exactly the same guidelines from FSG that has led to such a comprehensive disaster since the guidelines were issued.

They appointed Brendan, they set up the Transfer Committee, they decided on our transfer policy, they should bear some of the blame... imo of course.

It's disheartening and a bit F***ing crazy that, after all this time, you [we] still need to explain that to people s@int.

Surely to F**k; three and a half years later, with everything that has been said - by Luis Suarez; by Steve Gerrard; by Brendan Rodgers and by John W Henry, in that letter... no F***ing one can be left in any doubt. 

It's almost like: "If I pretend I didn't/don't see it then it doesn't really exist.".... Scary sh*t.

 

Got to love the Daily Star. Apparently FSG are in advanced talks with somebody from the Middle East about a takeover

Got to love the Daily Star. Apparently FSG are in advanced talks with somebody from the Middle East about a takeover

I take it that's there April Fools joke for the day!!

I take it that's there April Fools joke for the day!!

Most probably is. £650million takeover apparently!

I take it that's there April Fools joke for the day!!

No doubt mate. It's hilarious to see the likes of the Express taking it serious and writing their own articles on it

No doubt mate. It's hilarious to see the likes of the Express taking it serious and writing their own articles on it

Not giving the story any credibility whatever but that could be an eventual scenario for NESV/FSG/JWH&Co severing all ties with Liverpool FC.
Somebody putting forward an offer that reflects the true value and marketable potential of the club.
That would of course present a considerable profit on the peanuts they acquired the asset that is LFC for.

and we are there