Rumour: Hoffman and Elliot takeover negotiations (2 Viewers)

covcity4life

Well-Known Member
So what does the article from today and a radio interview do to change shooting in the dark?

That's what I don't get.

It makes a takeover sound even better with all of the promises to us fans, but how does it get the takeover any closer?

who knows? only they do

my guess is they want fans and media to be aware they are ready and willing and that sisu claims in past of proof of funds and investors cannot be used this time. sisu will know fan backlash on cards even more, whether they care or not is a different matter.
 

NorthernWisdom

Well-Known Member
A few thoughts.

It's good, in my mind, that smeone comes forward and reveals themselves. It's also good that it's not Hoffman or Elliot - it shows there are other people out there! Never heard of him before but it proves the point - why would I, until and unless he got involved? So it shows there would be others out there too. Whatever happens with this particular group, that gives us hope in the 'who would take us over?' question that gets asked. There'd be *somebody* prepared to fund us.

A few words of caution.

His business has been sold for £208mil, how big a proportion of that did he get? If he got all of it, he's in a strong position. If it was shared between 20, say, then it's still not a small wedge, but would affect his buying power in terms of how much cash he has to throw down the loo. Now as part of a consortium that's not necessarily an issue, but him breaking cover still desn't assuage the concern that the consortium doesn't have the means to fund the club going forward. Not yet, anyway.

On that note, handing Ryton over to SISU worries me, immensely. If the consortium is flush, it could buy Ryton, use it until an alternative is found, and then sell it on. To not be able to do that suggests capital may be limited, and also suggests we're in danger of repeating the mistakes that saw us end up at the RIcoh, where we sell an asset without adequately replacing it. I don't think we should accept the loss of Ryton so readily as we seem to be doing. It's ours, and it's the only thing we have, that ties us to our past... let alone use of it for training!

I'm reassured about the 'detailed discussions' about the SISU debt, bizarrely. It suggests it's not as simple, from his POV, as just handing over a relatively small pot of cash and then bogging off. It suggests a deal might be able to be worked out that keeps everyone happy. That being said, the margin is tight where SISU are happy, but the club isn't shafted.

I worry about the 'good relationships with Wasps' line. Couple that with Italia banging on, and I can understand the tinfoil, that people are trying to move SISU on for whatever reason. I agree, we all want SISU moved on, but I'd be slightly concerned that in some cases (not this chap's, I hasten to add) there might be some pushing in certain areas for reasons not necessarily in CCFC's best interests. I can already see JR9 in the offing, based on some of the statements and things that come out. If that were the case... it wouldn't be over till it was over.

On to Wasps / Ricoh. I accept pragmatically, a deal has to be done to stay at the RIcoh in the short/medium term. I'd say long-term any self-respecting football club has to be looking for its own home however, if for nothing else, as a means of cultural identity. You'd hope that as the motivation for doing this is pride in the club and the city, that philosophically he'd agree, even if pragmatically, short term, Ricoh deals have to be done.

If Joe Elliott could restrict himself to advising on who is worth forging relationships with in the city that'd be lovely. Please, please, please stop him from saying anything about the calibre of the people who would end up on the board of the football club. If he praises them, you know we're doomed!

But it does show that, even if we were to go pop, there would be people willing to come forward to ensure CCFC doesn't die completely. That's a positive thing... but with caution.
 

Nick

Administrator
who knows? only they do

my guess is they want fans and media to be aware they are ready and willing and that sisu claims in past of proof of funds and investors cannot be used this time. sisu will know fan backlash on cards even more, whether they care or not is a different matter.

Yes but a fan backlash of people saying sell up won't make them go. That's been happening how many years?

It is good we know another city fan would be involved, but the emphasis on how much he sold a business for who is that appealing to? If anything it might just make them add some zeroes on.

Proof of funds should surely be relative to the offer being made at the time? ie if they offer £3m then show they have £3m sat waiting. You don't offer £3m and then show them your bank account with £100m in it.
 

Nick

Administrator
you do if its only worth 3m in your book

this consortium will walk away if a deal cannot be done.

£3m was just an example. For proof of funds you just prove you can pay what you are offering.

You don't come out shouting you have just sold your business for £200+m when you have offered £2m and big it up with unachievable addons that both they and SISU will know won't happen. So if they have bid £2m, just show them £2m in the bank / escrow. If you do a higher bid up front, show them that.

That's not me saying he should plough every penny he ever has into CCFC either.
 

Skyblueweeman

Well-Known Member
A few thoughts.

It's good, in my mind, that smeone comes forward and reveals themselves. It's also good that it's not Hoffman or Elliot - it shows there are other people out there! Never heard of him before but it proves the point - why would I, until and unless he got involved? So it shows there would be others out there too. Whatever happens with this particular group, that gives us hope in the 'who would take us over?' question that gets asked. There'd be *somebody* prepared to fund us.

A few words of caution.

His business has been sold for £208mil, how big a proportion of that did he get? If he got all of it, he's in a strong position. If it was shared between 20, say, then it's still not a small wedge, but would affect his buying power in terms of how much cash he has to throw down the loo. Now as part of a consortium that's not necessarily an issue, but him breaking cover still desn't assuage the concern that the consortium doesn't have the means to fund the club going forward. Not yet, anyway.

On that note, handing Ryton over to SISU worries me, immensely. If the consortium is flush, it could buy Ryton, use it until an alternative is found, and then sell it on. To not be able to do that suggests capital may be limited, and also suggests we're in danger of repeating the mistakes that saw us end up at the RIcoh, where we sell an asset without adequately replacing it. I don't think we should accept the loss of Ryton so readily as we seem to be doing. It's ours, and it's the only thing we have, that ties us to our past... let alone use of it for training!

I'm reassured about the 'detailed discussions' about the SISU debt, bizarrely. It suggests it's not as simple, from his POV, as just handing over a relatively small pot of cash and then bogging off. It suggests a deal might be able to be worked out that keeps everyone happy. That being said, the margin is tight where SISU are happy, but the club isn't shafted.

I worry about the 'good relationships with Wasps' line. Couple that with Italia banging on, and I can understand the tinfoil, that people are trying to move SISU on for whatever reason. I agree, we all want SISU moved on, but I'd be slightly concerned that in some cases (not this chap's, I hasten to add) there might be some pushing in certain areas for reasons not necessarily in CCFC's best interests. I can already see JR9 in the offing, based on some of the statements and things that come out. If that were the case... it wouldn't be over till it was over.

On to Wasps / Ricoh. I accept pragmatically, a deal has to be done to stay at the RIcoh in the short/medium term. I'd say long-term any self-respecting football club has to be looking for its own home however, if for nothing else, as a means of cultural identity. You'd hope that as the motivation for doing this is pride in the club and the city, that philosophically he'd agree, even if pragmatically, short term, Ricoh deals have to be done.

If Joe Elliott could restrict himself to advising on who is worth forging relationships with in the city that'd be lovely. Please, please, please stop him from saying anything about the calibre of the people who would end up on the board of the football club. If he praises them, you know we're doomed!

But it does show that, even if we were to go pop, there would be people willing to come forward to ensure CCFC doesn't die completely. That's a positive thing... but with caution.

Brilliant post NW. Spot on. I would've said the same, word for word but couldn't be arsed to type that much.

***doths cap***
 

Skyblueweeman

Well-Known Member
And I also agree with our Mowbray loving chum, ccfc4life.

We need to get Jim White to invite Fisher back on and grill him more on what it'll take for Joy to sit round the table with potential investors. If they can prove their worth, prove they're not 'faceless' (ironically unlike the current incumbents...), then what's to stop them talking?
 

Skybluefaz

Well-Known Member
And I also agree with our Mowbray loving chum, ccfc4life.

We need to get Jim White to invite Fisher back on and grill him more on what it'll take for Joy to sit round the table with potential investors. If they can prove their worth, prove they're not 'faceless' (ironically unlike the current incumbents...), then what's to stop them talking?
Jim White? He's uninformed on the whole situation inspite of the rantings. Shane O'connor conducted the best interviews with Labovitch I think it was at the time. I'd like him to get his teeth into Fisher.
 

Skyblueweeman

Well-Known Member
Jim White? He's uninformed on the whole situation inspite of the rantings. Shane O'connor conducted the best interviews with Labovitch I think it was at the time. I'd like him to get his teeth into Fisher.

I don't know who Shane O'Connor is so can only go on what I've heard. Jim White is well known and Talksport is national, so wouldn't harm the coverage/pressure.
 

covcity4life

Well-Known Member
£3m was just an example. For proof of funds you just prove you can pay what you are offering.

You don't come out shouting you have just sold your business for £200+m when you have offered £2m and big it up with unachievable addons that both they and SISU will know won't happen. So if they have bid £2m, just show them £2m in the bank / escrow. If you do a higher bid up front, show them that.

That's not me saying he should plough every penny he ever has into CCFC either.

did he say anything about his business or did the local media actually practice some journalism?

details get out,they always do
 

Captain Dart

Well-Known Member

Captain Dart

Well-Known Member
According to you this is all part of a planned and coordinated conspiracy set to distress CCFC so that a wealthy consortium can buy the club on the cheap.
What I see is a club run into the ground by the current owners where fans in their droves have given up going, not through any coordinated boycott, but simply because they have lost hope and faith that things will ever get better.
From the very start of Hoffman's interest you have been completely negative towards him and the bids he has made. Another investor appears on the scene and you can't accept this as being good news, it is all part of "the conspiracy", the "hidden agenda" that you constantly hint at and only you can see.
I don't think there is any conspiracy but if there was and this group were using tactics to get at Sisu and ultimately take control of the club then I would be supportive of what they were doing.
Back in the real world almost all City fans would welcome new owners with open arms. It is only you and a few others who see intrigue where there is none who try to put a dampener on what can only be good for CCFC.
Of course you will say that you, like everyone else want Sisu gone. This certainly does not come across in the way that you try to disparage those who protest about Sisu and the things they have done or those who are trying to buy the club.
Top post.
 

Skybluefaz

Well-Known Member
I don't know who Shane O'Connor is so can only go on what I've heard. Jim White is well known and Talksport is national, so wouldn't harm the coverage/pressure.
Used to be on BBC CW, he's moved on now. The difference is that he seemed to understand the full situation. Yes Jim White has the profile but he just gets a bit ranty about stuff he doesn't understand. Then the whole Talksport listener base gets the wrong idea on the situation. To be honest if this takeover happens it'll be between Sisu and The consortium behind closed doors. Radio interviews will have naff all bearing on it.
 

Nick

Administrator
Used to be on BBC CW, he's moved on now. The difference is that he seemed to understand the full situation. Yes Jim White has the profile but he just gets a bit ranty about stuff he doesn't understand. Then the whole Talksport listener base gets the wrong idea on the situation. To be honest if this takeover happens it'll be between Sisu and The consortium behind closed doors. Radio interviews will have naff all bearing on it.
Agree, he seemed to give all sides a grilling and was in and around it from the start.

Jim white suggested sisu pay for everybody to go to Wembley..

Anybody know if o Connor is working at another station or anything?
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
I am saying there will be more to it as there always is.

The massive U turn from hoffman wanting to be private and the 208m when trying to make offers of 2m seems strange.
So we have Joy saying offers were crap. We have Joy releasing the offers to the Observer. We have Joy saying she wanted to know who was offering what and proof of funds. We have Joy refusing to negotiate or say how much she wants.

Then we have one of those say who he is and show he has a few quid. Suddenly it is his fault if we don't sell many season tickets.

Your PR is as bad as it is from SISU Nick.
 

Sky Blue Kid

Well-Known Member
Yes but what does selling the fans the dream do? Every city fan wants a full stadium, every city fan wants to win every week, every city fan wants owners who will plough money in and never want it back. I want that, but what good is telling me that but what's the call to action? If there was a "but for you fans to help we all need £500 now" then it's different.

Again, you are taking this article on it's own rather than a bigger picture.


As has been pointed out to you on many, many occasions, and what you always do.
giphy.gif
 

Irish Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
Jim White? He's uninformed on the whole situation inspite of the rantings. Shane O'connor conducted the best interviews with Labovitch I think it was at the time. I'd like him to get his teeth into Fisher.
I disagree. Shane O'Connor interviewed Fisher several times and I always felt that he got off easily. He was never and as far as I am aware, has never been pressed for example on what happened to all of these sites he was looking at or on the FOI questions put to local councils which would have shown up his lies. The only interview where he seemed to be made uncomfortable was one by Lorna Bailey after the Worcester cup defeat. I would love someone to take him to task and not just accept his first glib answers
 

Nick

Administrator
So we have Joy saying offers were crap. We have Joy releasing the offers to the Observer. We have Joy saying she wanted to know who was offering what and proof of funds. We have Joy refusing to negotiate or say how much she wants.

Then we have one of those say who he is and show he has a few quid. Suddenly it is his fault if we don't sell many season tickets.

Your PR is as bad as it is from SISU Nick.
Again, you are just taking the one article rather than everything...
 

Astute

Well-Known Member
Again, you are just taking the one article rather than everything...
And you are blaming him for trying to get us not to buy season tickets from one article. So what is your point?

He has said his sons have already got one. Now if he had said his sons wouldn't get one until SISU have gone I would agree with you.

So should they keep quiet like it seems Joy wants or should they bring it into the open like Joy did?
 

Captain Dart

Well-Known Member
A few thoughts.

It's good, in my mind, that smeone comes forward and reveals themselves. It's also good that it's not Hoffman or Elliot - it shows there are other people out there! Never heard of him before but it proves the point - why would I, until and unless he got involved? So it shows there would be others out there too. Whatever happens with this particular group, that gives us hope in the 'who would take us over?' question that gets asked. There'd be *somebody* prepared to fund us.

A few words of caution.

His business has been sold for £208mil, how big a proportion of that did he get? If he got all of it, he's in a strong position. If it was shared between 20, say, then it's still not a small wedge, but would affect his buying power in terms of how much cash he has to throw down the loo. Now as part of a consortium that's not necessarily an issue, but him breaking cover still desn't assuage the concern that the consortium doesn't have the means to fund the club going forward. Not yet, anyway.

On that note, handing Ryton over to SISU worries me, immensely. If the consortium is flush, it could buy Ryton, use it until an alternative is found, and then sell it on. To not be able to do that suggests capital may be limited, and also suggests we're in danger of repeating the mistakes that saw us end up at the RIcoh, where we sell an asset without adequately replacing it. I don't think we should accept the loss of Ryton so readily as we seem to be doing. It's ours, and it's the only thing we have, that ties us to our past... let alone use of it for training!

I'm reassured about the 'detailed discussions' about the SISU debt, bizarrely. It suggests it's not as simple, from his POV, as just handing over a relatively small pot of cash and then bogging off. It suggests a deal might be able to be worked out that keeps everyone happy. That being said, the margin is tight where SISU are happy, but the club isn't shafted.

I worry about the 'good relationships with Wasps' line. Couple that with Italia banging on, and I can understand the tinfoil, that people are trying to move SISU on for whatever reason. I agree, we all want SISU moved on, but I'd be slightly concerned that in some cases (not this chap's, I hasten to add) there might be some pushing in certain areas for reasons not necessarily in CCFC's best interests. I can already see JR9 in the offing, based on some of the statements and things that come out. If that were the case... it wouldn't be over till it was over.

On to Wasps / Ricoh. I accept pragmatically, a deal has to be done to stay at the RIcoh in the short/medium term. I'd say long-term any self-respecting football club has to be looking for its own home however, if for nothing else, as a means of cultural identity. You'd hope that as the motivation for doing this is pride in the club and the city, that philosophically he'd agree, even if pragmatically, short term, Ricoh deals have to be done.

If Joe Elliott could restrict himself to advising on who is worth forging relationships with in the city that'd be lovely. Please, please, please stop him from saying anything about the calibre of the people who would end up on the board of the football club. If he praises them, you know we're doomed!

But it does show that, even if we were to go pop, there would be people willing to come forward to ensure CCFC doesn't die completely. That's a positive thing... but with caution.

I looked up the company, he is one of 4 active Directors of a company that paid out £14M dividends last year, but the owners are some Hedge Fund.
 

NortonSkyBlue

Well-Known Member
I think that some on here are going to miss Sisu.
A consortium comes forward and tries to get us out of the claws of these despicable owners and they themselves are questioned on tactics, how they presented themselves, who is involved, depth of pockets etc...... I for one am delighted that Coventry City have fans who are prepared to stick their necks out to save us from 9 years of abject misery and put not 299 pounds on the table but millions and millions and I am 100 per cent behind their push to get this over the line and I don't give a shit how they do it as long as they end up owning the club.
 

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
I think that some on here are going to miss Sisu.
A consortium comes forward and tries to get us out of the claws of these despicable owners and they themselves are questioned on tactics, how they presented themselves, who is involved, depth of pockets etc...... I for one am delighted that Coventry City have fans who are prepared to stick their necks out to save us from 9 years of abject misery and put not 299 pounds on the table but millions and millions and I am 100 per cent behind their push to get this over the line and I don't give a shit how they do it as long as they end up owning the club.
Don't see what's wrong with asking questions about our potential new owners or their methods. I'm desperate for them to succeed because I don't think we're too far of rock bottom at the moment but asking questions about the potential owners doesn't mean people are going to miss sisu.
 

NortonSkyBlue

Well-Known Member
No, it doesn't. It's a lazy way to 'win' on the Forum.
What a really disappointing response from a decent poster. It really beggars belief that a guy with proven funds "outs himself" to us and the owners and he is challenged to his net worth, was he advocating a boycott? I don't agree with the way they are going about things..........FFS its their money, their tactics to use they see fit and frankly I am only concerned that the outcome results in these guys owning the club.
Win on the Forum? come on Torchomatic, what is there to win? I support a league 2 side who have been stripped of its dignity, its assets and been usurped by a nomadic Rugby club.
There is one thing that I have been given by Hoffman and this guy and that is the hope of a better future.
 

torchomatic

Well-Known Member
What a really disappointing response from a decent poster. It really beggars belief that a guy with proven funds "outs himself" to us and the owners and he is challenged to his net worth, was he advocating a boycott? I don't agree with the way they are going about things..........FFS its their money, their tactics to use they see fit and frankly I am only concerned that the outcome results in these guys owning the club.
Win on the Forum? come on Torchomatic, what is there to win? I support a league 2 side who have been stripped of its dignity, its assets and been usurped by a nomadic Rugby club.
There is one thing that I have been given by Hoffman and this guy and that is the hope of a better future.

A more 'disappointing response' is suggesting some people will miss SISU which is patently untrue. As I said, lazy.
 

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