New takeover rumours

[nayimfromthehalfwayline]

Im extremely proud that we have built ourselves up, not had a lottery win. Its amazing that we compete considering our structure and lack of sugar daddy.

I believe the wins of clubs like CHelsea and city are comlpetley hollow and meaningless. And it would greatly sadden me to see us try to go down that route.

However, as Jimmy has suggested, if we could get a debt free stadium out of a move like this then I think I could live with it. It would, in effect, advance our current plans/trajectory by a few years - but would be the position we are aiming to get to eventually anyway.

We would also be self sufficient, after a big boost, something none of these clubs has achieved yet

 

[Bedfordspurs]

The future fan base of spurs are currently at an impressionable age where they won't care about who owns the clubs and where then money comes from. I mean my nephews who range from 5 to 11 really have no interest in the finances of Tottenham only how we do!!!

It's us old dogs that do care because of our history and emotional association with the club. I'd much rather do it the right way but my nephews don give a sh1t as its irrelevant to them. My kids won't when there old enough. That's the problem and these kids are the opportunity

 

[BrainOfLevy]

Feels unclean, I suppose. For all these years, from 1999 onwards, I've held on to the fact that we've lived within our means as a vindication of the essential goodness of our football values, a way of reminding other fans that we were where we were because we didn't take the easy way out ( if we were brick), and because of our own hard work and strategic planning (if, as is the case now, we were good).

In the end, I just don't know how I'd feel if we became a classier version of Emirates Marketing Project. I'm not one of the extremist souls who angrily declared that they'd never watch football again; I'm simply a wee bit afraid. Afraid of what I might realise.

I'd pull my jersey on, same as always. Head to the pub, same as always. Take the corner seat, same as always. Wait for my mates ,same as always.

But when the new team walks out....decked out in the same Spurs colours, but with superstars, bought with some Sheikh's cash, filling every spot on the team....

Would I still feel that pang of pride I normally feel?

I'm just afraid that maybe I won't.

I agree with that. I'd still support the team if we experienced a Emirates Marketing Project-esque buy out, by there has always been a sense of pride supporting Spurs, part of which comes from the fact that in a land where a couple of clubs have been given a cheat code, and a couple of others have far bigger stadiums and are able to compete and generate more revenue than us...it is us that are up there competing with them. And it's through sheer cleverness. Brilliant strategic planning. Not spending beyond our means, developing young players and seeing them develop into the players that the top teams would love to have. If the team was full of superstars bought because we offered them market-defying wages...that pride would be gone. I'd still support Spurs too, but if we were ever successful, it wouldn't be because we did it 'the right way' and were cleverer than everyone else, and we used our resources most efficiently and effectively, it would simply be because we joined the party because there was no other way of doing it. That's a bit heartbreaking in a way.

On the one hand it makes sense, and it's ok if we get a Sheikh to buy our club, because we won't be the first. And the reason it's kind of ok is because we are not giving ourselves a disproportionate advantage like Chelsea and Emirates Marketing Project did. We would simply be levelling the playing field and fair would be fair. But still, it would be all that much sweeter if we didn't do it with a full buy out.

However, if we did it in the way that has been mooted, with ENIC selling a partial stake in the club, and using that cash, plus naming rights to fund a team to compete and give us the stadium we need, well I just see that as another example of cleverness and brilliant strategic planning to be honest. We'd be using the value of the club in effect to make the club better, so everything has been done within our means. And certainly I would still have that sense of pride watching the team run out.

And in that sense, ENIC could sell a small stake now, to make the club worth more, be debt free and with a new stadium and competitive team in a couple of years, and then sell the rest of their stake once everything has been completed, realising the return on their long term investment.

 

[Rorschach]

If we bought the league it would mean nothing to me in the same way City's and Chelsea's victories mean nothing at all. The game is not about who is the richest, though I am not naive to think that money is not the new driving force in the game. I can stomach the sponsorship side of things as it is in effect just advertising but the whole sugar daddy phenomenon has nothing to do with football. It's just the vanity of some ridiculously rich prick who should really be using his money for something more worthwhile. You can justify it to yourself in whatever way you like but for me it would be selling the soul of the club. I'd keep a passing interest in our fortunes but nothing more.

 

[DublinSpur]

I'll be a Spurs fan until the day I die. But if we become the play-thing of some bored billionaire oligarch, my active interest in the premiership will drop significantly. Yeah, I'll keep an eye on our results and watch the occasional game on TV, but following Spurs won't be a daily part of my life. Which - from my point of view - will be very sad. But that's just how I feel about it... I firmly believe the massive influx of cash received by Chelsea, Emirates Marketing Project, PSG, etc. is destroying the sport and making a mockery of the notion of "fair competition" (which - after all - is what a sport is supposed to be about). It would be like watching the tennis at Wimbledon if 5% of the players were allowed to buy some advantage (a bigger racket, for example) that was denied to the other 95%. Suddenly the sport would have a built-in bias that had nothing to do with natural talent or hard work. I love watching tennis, but I'd stop pretty soon if that happened.

Anyway, I know there are arguments on both sides - "it's already become more about money and less about sport", say some people, "so if we can't beat them, why not join them?" Well, that's fair enough I suppose if you care about "beating them" above all else, including above the notion of fair competition. Me? That's not the way I was raised, and I'm too old to change now. I'll never stop being a Spurs fan, but there are different levels of involvement when it comes to being a sports fan, and if we become Chelsea 3.0, my involvement is going to drop several levels. Let's just hope it doesn't happen.

 

[braineclipse]

I'd say that they would sell as they won't invest to increase the value...

Ultimately you have to speculate to accumulate and that's always a gamble. ENIC and these type of financial institutions don't gamble as a matter of course (they leave that to the banks](*,))

They can get a profit by selling now and see it go on from there. Alternatively they can keep a lesser stake which is what has been rumoured whilst someone with more disposable cash comes on board.

Thats how most major capital investments work and makes sense.

Can you see ENIC gambling 500 million that they don't have on spurs? That would include the new stadium which ultimately would never be worth the actual build costs unless it has a team that people are willing to pay to see in it

I don't think heavy investment is needed to increase the value of Spurs at the moment. Similarly to how it wasn't when Enic/Lewis bought the club.

If it's true that heavy investment is needed to increase the value, and it's a pretty big gamble as well then what makes Spurs such a great investment opportunity for the alleged new owners?

 

[Bedfordspurs]

I don't think heavy investment is needed to increase the value of Spurs at the moment. Similarly to how it wasn't when Enic/Lewis bought the club.

If it's true that heavy investment is needed to increase the value, and it's a pretty big gamble as well then what makes Spurs such a great investment opportunity for the alleged new owners?

The heavy nest men is in the stadium. ENIC don't have 400 mill sat there.

The reason that it's not a gamble for a very rich person/business is the assets value I ifs paid for outright, however with ENIC if they finance is they old they risk.

What I mean is that anyone investing will have to be doing so from a cash rather than borrowing perspective.

The reason were such a great opportunity is the size of the prize and the size of the club. Despite what people claim and think we are still massive and potentially the biggest London side which is huge globally

 

[Jordinho]

When we sign someone now it means something. We put lot of faith and love into that player, hoping he will succeed, and in turn help the club succeed, and become part of the history of the club. With a sugar daddy you no longer care in the same way, the players become dispensible objects. You know most of them are only there for the money (no matter how much they talk of a project) and will be gone in a year or two when the owner finds someone else he likes more.

 

[NaijaSpurs]

So I have been listening to Talksport and some journalist came on and said that Joe Lewis is open to the idea to selling Spurs to Nasser Al-Kharafi, a member of the richest family in Kuwait. Now a bid has not been made so there is nothing concrete. By the way I know he attempted to buy Liverpool in 2009

However there is a slight problem that concerns me, the reporting journalist mentioned that Nasser Al-Kharafi is known to be an Arsenal fan.

 

[thfcsteff]

As I sit here, I'd be sad to see it happen.

From the moment it happens, I'd be very excited, 100% hypocritical and hoping we won significant silverware.

My PERSONAL feeling is that much of the investment will be to ensure that the stadium is a debt-free concern...but let's not fool ourselves, we will all find a way to deal with it if Spurs are suddenly flush with cash!

 

[Richie]

My enthusiasm for football is waning at the moment as it is, if we were turned in to a Emirates Marketing Project type club football would cease to be my favourite sport to watch.

American sports are so superior in the way they are run, using the draft out of college to ensure the best players go to the worst teams to try and keep the field even.

As others have said I'd still follow the team, but my devotion to Spurs would certainly be diminished.

 

[Raziel]

My enthusiasm for football is waning at the moment as it is, if we were turned in to a Emirates Marketing Project type club football would cease to be my favourite sport to watch.

American sports are so superior in the way they are run, using the draft out of college to ensure the best players go to the worst teams to try and keep the field even.

As others have said I'd still follow the team, but my devotion to Spurs would certainly be diminished.

American sports are protectionism at it's worst, no promotion, no relegation, no consequence to anything but this season, hundreds of completely meaningless games for 75% of season, grounds have no atmosphere .. yeah .. don't think so mate.

Again the only issue here is the government has basically allowed a combination of mismanagement and unfair business practices to screw with sport in a way that would never be allowed in any other form of business. If RA decided instead of a football club, he wanted a car company as a toy, bought let's say Janguar and then sold cars for 5K each, he would be instantly blocked for unfair business practice, funny eh?

 

[Richie]

American sports are protectionism at it's worst, no promotion, no relegation, no consequence to anything but this season, hundreds of completely meaningless games for 75% of season, grounds have no atmosphere .. yeah .. don't think so mate.

The excitement of promotion and relegation is something that American sports lack, but its far better than a sport with a glass ceiling like football nowadays. What's the point of promotion to the top flight if you just become fodder for the rich clubs when you get here? Players have a single good season and are snatched up and sat on the top clubs benches on wages you can't compete with.

Promotion and relegation are only valid concepts if a team can actually do something once it gets promoted. Sure you can point to Saudi Sportswashing Machine, but that's a big club coming back up and not a fairytale story like Blackpool or Swansea. If you think any club currently outside the Premiership is winning a top flight championship in the forseeable future, you're deluded. Quite honestly I'd be shocked if any team outside last seasons Top 8 won a title in the next 20 years, barring an oil baron opening his wallet.

At least in American Sports there is always the possibility of being the best. 2007-2009 the Oklahoma City Thunder were one of the worst teams in Basketball. Good management, 3 drafts and 4 great players later they are in the NBA Finals and will probably be the team to beat over the next 6+ years.

As I said, I'd take the american system over the glass ceiling of the Europa League any day.

 

[Spurs7891]

If it is true, I think this is the right step forward for us if we want to catch up teams like ManCity and ManU. ManCity and Chelsea have shown last season that money can buy success. If we are being honest, winning the league title and Champions League seems like an impossible dream to us now. If we want to have a chance to win them, we need to spend big to buy world class players. As ManCity and Chelsea have proven only money can lure top players nowadays.

 

[camspur]

So I have been listening to Talksport and some journalist came on and said that Joe Lewis is open to the idea to selling Spurs to Nasser Al-Kharafi, a member of the richest family in Kuwait. Now a bid has not been made so there is nothing concrete. By the way I know he attempted to buy Liverpool in 2009

However there is a slight problem that concerns me, the reporting journalist mentioned that Nasser Al-Kharafi is known to be an Arsenal fan.

Joe now talks to the dead, Nasser died in April 2011. Shows how up to date Talksport are with the news.

 

[NaijaSpurs]

Joe now talks to the dead, Nasser died in April 2011. Shows how up to date Talksport are with the news.

Actually it was my mistake not talksport's? The journalist mentioned a leading member of the Al-Kharafi family and I obviously misheard the first name. The journalist was reporting live from the UAE and was not a Talksport journalist.

 

[parklane1]

If we bought the league it would mean nothing to me in the same way City's and Chelsea's victories mean nothing at all. The game is not about who is the richest, though I am not naive to think that money is not the new driving force in the game. I can stomach the sponsorship side of things as it is in effect just advertising but the whole sugar daddy phenomenon has nothing to do with football. It's just the vanity of some ridiculously rich prick who should really be using his money for something more worthwhile. You can justify it to yourself in whatever way you like but for me it would be selling the soul of the club. I'd keep a passing interest in our fortunes but nothing more.

Could no agree more, i have been a supporter for nearly 50 years and a ST holder for many of them and the day we become a plaything for a bored billionaire will be the end for me.

 

[africanspurs]

Im extremely proud that we have built ourselves up, not had a lottery win. Its amazing that we compete considering our structure and lack of sugar daddy.

I believe the wins of clubs like CHelsea and city are comlpetley hollow and meaningless. And it would greatly sadden me to see us try to go down that route.

However, as Jimmy has suggested, if we could get a debt free stadium out of a move like this then I think I could live with it. It would, in effect, advance our current plans/trajectory by a few years - but would be the position we are aiming to get to eventually anyway.

We would also be self sufficient, after a big boost, something none of these clubs has achieved yet

what if its an outright sugar daddy take over./.......i'm talking honey and maple syrup over everything to allow for glue to stick the cash on. that type of take over

 

[africanspurs]

American sports are protectionism at it's worst, no promotion, no relegation, no consequence to anything but this season, hundreds of completely meaningless games for 75% of season, grounds have no atmosphere .. yeah .. don't think so mate.

Again the only issue here is the government has basically allowed a combination of mismanagement and unfair business practices to screw with sport in a way that would never be allowed in any other form of business. If RA decided instead of a football club, he wanted a car company as a toy, bought let's say Janguar and then sold cars for 5K each, he would be instantly blocked for unfair business practice, funny eh?

yeah, that may be the case but the business sense and fair play rules of american sports pretty much dumps all over english one

 

[Harry_Perkins]

In the 50's we had the biggest attendances in the league. So we were the richest club an could pay the biggest money

If we were, it would have been very marginal! The gate receipts had to be shared 50/50 with the away club. There was a pot for gate receipts that was shared 92 ways. It meant that the difference between the top flight clubs would have been quite small.

This is why the initial point is a bit OTT. I would say we simply got luck enough to have someone like Arthur Rowe who was willing to try something a bit different. I mean, we'd spent most of our history in the 2nd division, up to that point, with big crowds. How come we only started to make progress around that time? And it was a remarkable upturn too. Champions of the 2nd and then the 1st. I don't see how this was much to do with money. Although no doubt we became richer over this period. Either way, it is just not comparable to today. It is almost like talking about a different sport.