How do you shame someone who has no shame?
Do you honestly think they give a sh*t what anyone thinks of them?
They live in a bubble, and couldn't give a toss about the club, or us the fans - all they care about is the money they are making from us, and that's why it's important to hit them somewhere they understand. In their pockets.
The press also don't give a F**k - an ex-player whose name is sh*t said after a 6 minute protest, "can we get on with the football now"
they'll spin it any way the can to sell more papers - but we'll never get the coverage that the red knights get, simply because our cause doesn't make the press barons as much money as reporting on united does.
Their fans are "heroic"
What we get is calls to shut up for the sake of the club.
Absolute bollcks, and more proof of the press agenda.
I understand your point. Certain actions can and will hurt the club. I am not for a total boycott of the team. That is something which can very easily backfire and hurt the team more than anything.
However, if done right a media campaign CAN work. Whatever our feelings our towards the press and we know how they fu**ed this club in the past. But bad PR is Bad PR. Thats why clubs have public relations directors and media consultants. I would bet my life that H&G have skeletons in their closet. Whether its shady business deals, or stock and trade manipulations or a dead hooker in a hotel room..whatever....Bad press is not good for any team or anyone. Its finding out, getting the bad information and then publishing it.
Do you honestly think that if thousands of Liverpool supporters were to demonstrate or rally outside Anfield that the press would just ignore it. No way. Papers love dirt,love scandal and love the little guy vs the big guy. Personally Hicks and Gillete probably dont give a F**k, its apparant in the way they conduct themselves...but bad press is a killer.
Remember when Hicks Jr. told a fan to "F**k off" in an email? He was fired from the board and the club. He was Director of the club. It worked. It got one of them out.
Dont underestimate bad PR in the day and age of instant information and instant news. Companies spend millions on PR firms and spin control of bad press. It works. We need to find a common ground which shows support for the "Team and Club" and what it represents and an action that goes against the Ownership.
I think the answer could come from the initial deal itself. When they took over they were supposed to build a new stadium..that was a clear and well known stipulation in the contract and lease of the club. I think if the FA got off its ass and pressured H&G to either sell the team entirely or refinance with solid investors and REAL CASH. No more loans or fu**ed up bonds and stock transfers or whatever they do. Personally, I dont think the FA will allow probably one of the top 3 clubs in the world to go downhill because the owners failed to follow through on their agreements to Liverpool and the FA. If the FA is the governing body of Football in England then they need to come out, make a stand and side with the supporters. Its apparent that H&G failed to fulfill their end of the agreement to the FA. So where are they and what are they going to do.
Does anyone know if a copy of the contract/deal is online or printed somewhere for people to look at?
I would be very Interested in reading that and finding out exactly how they were allowed to buy the club after having such a horrible record of running Sports teams. Here is a brief lesson on how BAD Hicks is at owning a sports franchise:
CORINTHIANS
Before he took over, Corinthians won the league in 98 and 99. They were the top club in Brazil and one of the best clubs in the World. Then Hicks bought and of course promised "Corinthians" a new stadium. This was a successful club playing in the top league in Brazil. So what does he do? He changed the team colors and crest, added sponsors to the shirts turning the players into walking billboards. After a few years he never built the stadium, the team had a massive debt and horrible financial troubles Hicks "Retired" from the club and they ended up relegated to the lower divisions. He took the best club team in Brazil which won the League 2 years in a row.Had 26 national cups. He buys them and in 4 years they go into massive debt and end up in relegation.
TEXAS RANGERSHe bought the team in 98' they won the division in 98/99 then went downhill. Have never made the playoffs since and are currently $600 Million in debt and cant sell the team because they are in such a financial mess that the league wont approve any sale until Hicks pays back some of the debt. Another failure and sent the team into a financial mess.
Now Liverpool...Hicks said in an Interview he believes the club is worth 4 times what he paid and would only sell it for that amount. Which means he wont sell unless he gets approx 876 Million pounds or $1.7 BILLION US DOLLARS. He said that the club has TRIPLED in value since he took over. He honestly believes that.
I want to know why the FA allowed him to buy one of their top clubs, the most known football club in the world. They had to have seen what he did to Corinthians. How do you allow that too happen? I blame the FA as much as I blame H&G. Especially when he comes to the table with no cash and only has loans and bonds and whatever these guys have that allow them to continue destroying companies and franchises. Why aren't they forcing him them to sell the team? Plus, If he thinks he tripled the clubs worth in the last 3 years he is completely, insane. How does he justify it? Where exactly does the tripled worth come from. He never built a stadium, haven't won the league, wont sign top players or give Rafa money to spend.
Thats like me just saying my car is worth $100,000 dollars because I say it is. Its only a 2001 Jeep but I say its worth 100K. He can say the club is worth 100 Trillion dollars...so what. Its what people are willing to pay. Its like collecting a comic book. The first Batman comic just sold for a Million dollars at auction. Right now its worth a Million dollars because someone paid that, in actuality its worth about 5 cents.Its just an old comic made of paper. But, again the super rich have inflated ego's and make worthless sh*t valuable. Van Gogh paintings are 100 million, why? its a 140 year old painting with about $1 dollars worth of paint and canvass. But because some jerk-off paid $100 million for it, it is now "valuable".
