I just don't understand.... (8 Viewers)

mark_ccfc

Well-Known Member
A company buys the football club I support. In the space of 5 years they sell most of the players that are worth anything, 'gain' demotion to league one, build up an enormous debt, treat the fans with total disdain, take the team away from Coventry to ground share 35 miles away, and reduce the fan base from 17,000 per game to around 1500.

When interviewed Joy Seppela lays the blame clearly with the council for high rent, a rent which she was fully aware of from when they purchased the club.

Now every other article I read on the Coventry Telegraph seems to give the view that the next best action would be for SISU to buy the Ricoh. Also people on here are arguing the same. Where the heck is this coming from?

I really can't understand why any fan wouldn't feel absolute horror at the thought of this bunch of incompetents taking over a major development in the City of Coventry. I really do feel like shouting at the top of my voice whenever I read an article even hinting at SISU getting their way in this sorry affair of their own making.

At the end of the day SISU's normal business plan is to make a quick buck out of distressed businesses. Their dear hope is to get the Ricoh at a knock down price, then recoup their losses by selling it at market price.

There is the answer I hear all you pro-SISUs shout - then the club will be sold!

No I say. If this happened SISU would be recouping their money at the expense of the Coventry ratepayers. Coventry ratepayers have already saved the club when the Ricoh project was bailed out by the council. Now the people of Coventry are being told they have got to bail the club out again. Never!

This is my point of view. I will never got to see CCFC play again it is owned by SISU - full stop. If a new Coventry team was created to play in the Ricoh and were branded the new sky blues they would get my full support.

I will leave this on one note. Joy Seppela said in her latest interview that she felt empathy with the fans. The dictionary definition for empathy is:-

"Identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives."

In the same interview she says:-

"I shepherd other people’s money. I don’t have the desire to run a football club, I don’t know anything about football"

To me this says everything about the woman and the business she runs.

Goodnight. :(
 

Godiva

Well-Known Member
I really can't understand why any fan wouldn't feel absolute horror at the thought of this bunch of incompetents taking over a major development in the City of Coventry. I really do feel like shouting at the top of my voice whenever I read an article even hinting at SISU getting their way in this sorry affair of their own making.

What's the worst that can happen if Otium unite club and stadium?
If they can't make it profitable, they will sell.
If they do make it profitable they will sell.

I think to many the worse that can happen is sisu make it work, sell up and leave with a return on their investment. Even if this means leaving the club with a much brighter future than when they came in.
 

KG7

Well-Known Member
What's the worst that can happen if Otium unite club and stadium?
If they can't make it profitable, they will sell.
If they do make it profitable they will sell.

I think to many the worse that can happen is sisu make it work, sell up and leave with a return on their investment. Even if this means leaving the club with a much brighter future than when they came in.

They sell the football club but keep the stadium?
 

Godiva

Well-Known Member
They sell the football club but keep the stadium?

Who would buy a football club without a stadium?
What would sisu do with a stadium without a football club?

Why would sisu retain the stadium if all they want is make a quick buck?
 

wince

Well-Known Member
company buys the football club I support. In the space of 5 years they sell most of the players that are worth anything, 'gain' demotion to league one, build up an enormous debt, treat the fans with total disdain, take the team away from Coventry to ground share 35 miles away, and reduce the fan base from 17,000 per game to around 1500.

When interviewed Joy Seppela lays the blame clearly with the council for high rent, a rent which she was fully aware of from when they purchased the club.

Now every other article I read on the Coventry Telegraph seems to give the view that the next best action would be for SISU to buy the Ricoh. Also people on here are arguing the same. Where the heck is this coming from?

I really can't understand why any fan wouldn't feel absolute horror at the thought of this bunch of incompetents taking over a major development in the City of Coventry. I really do feel like shouting at the top of my voice whenever I read an article even hinting at SISU getting their way in this sorry affair of their own making.

At the end of the day SISU's normal business plan is to make a quick buck out of distressed businesses. Their dear hope is to get the Ricoh at a knock down price, then recoup their losses by selling it at market price.

There is the answer I hear all you pro-SISUs shout - then the club will be sold!

No I say. If this happened SISU would be recouping their money at the expense of the Coventry ratepayers. Coventry ratepayers have already saved the club when the Ricoh project was bailed out by the council. Now the people of Coventry are being told they have got to bail the club out again. Never!

This is my point of view. I will never got to see CCFC play again it is owned by SISU - full stop. If a new Coventry team was created to play in the Ricoh and were branded the new sky blues they would get my full support.

I will leave this on one note. Joy Seppela said in her latest interview that she felt empathy with the fans. The dictionary definition for empathy is:-

"Identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives."

In the same interview she says:-

"I shepherd other people’s money. I don’t have the desire to run a football club, I don’t know anything about football"

To me this says everything about the woman and the business she runs.

Goodnight. [/QUOTE Top post
 

Noggin

New Member
What's the worst that can happen if Otium unite club and stadium?
If they can't make it profitable, they will sell.
If they do make it profitable they will sell.

I think to many the worse that can happen is sisu make it work, sell up and leave with a return on their investment. Even if this means leaving the club with a much brighter future than when they came in.

The worst that can happen is sisu liquidate Otium and Arvo get the stadium due to haveing a charge over Otium, of course if sisu paid market value for the stadium this wouldn't be their plan but presumably they are not willing to pay market value.
 

mark_ccfc

Well-Known Member
What's the worst that can happen if Otium unite club and stadium?
If they can't make it profitable, they will sell.
If they do make it profitable they will sell.

I think to many the worse that can happen is sisu make it work, sell up and leave with a return on their investment. Even if this means leaving the club with a much brighter future than when they came in.

Didn't you read about where their return comes from. Why should the people of Coventry bail out their failure with the football club? This has become a wider issue than just football. If their are negotiations for the stadium SISU will take the same stance as with the rent - they will expect the Ricoh at a steal.
 

SkyblueBazza

Well-Known Member
They sell the football club but keep the stadium?

...& charge the club £1.2m annual rent

I think the OPs paragraphs 1-3 succinctly clarifies exactly why I feel the way I do. I have lost all belief & confidence in anyone involved with SISU now. Doubt they will ever gain any respect from me in the future (still grateful for their original 11th hour rescue) other than if they actually find a genuine buyer that will put us back where we all still want to belong on & off the pitch.
 

Noggin

New Member
...& charge the club £1.2m annual rent

I think the OPs paragraphs 1-3 succinctly clarifies exactly why I feel the way I do. I have lost all belief & confidence in anyone involved with SISU now. Doubt they will ever gain any respect from me in the future (still grateful for their original 11th hour rescue) other than if they actually find a genuine buyer that will put us back where we all still want to belong on & off the pitch.

why? it's almost certain we'd have been better off if they hadn't taken us over, not for the first or second year perhaps but from then on.
 

SkyblueBazza

Well-Known Member
why? it's almost certain we'd have been better off if they hadn't taken us over, not for the first or second year perhaps but from then on.

That is not a fact so cannot be in any way certain - only a speculation which can be believed or not believed. We might well have folded just as or even more easily than if they hadn't come in. Them coming in with the 11th hr rescue IS a fact.
 

shy_tall_knight

Well-Known Member
That is not a fact so cannot be in any way certain - only a speculation which can be believed or not believed. We might well have folded just as or even more easily than if they hadn't come in. Them coming in with the 11th hr rescue IS a fact.

Don't believe they were our only option, they were robinsons and McGin's preferred option as they were willing to pay hard cash for the club, if we had gone into administration then there would have been others willing to buy the club, no club of our standing who have gone into administration have then gone on to be liquidated
 

SkyblueBazza

Well-Known Member
Don't believe they were our only option, they were robinsons and McGin's preferred option as they were willing to pay hard cash for the club, if we had gone into administration then there would have been others willing to buy the club, no club of our standing who have gone into administration have then gone on to be liquidated

None of which is fact as far as I know
 
That is not a fact so cannot be in any way certain - only a speculation which can be believed or not believed. We might well have folded just as or even more easily than if they hadn't come in. Them coming in with the 11th hr rescue IS a fact.

The fact is sisu took over some of the debt, just look at the accounts from 2006 onwards. If the club had gone into bust the bank would have sold to the highest bidder and got back some of their money. We would have been docked points by the league which looking back would have seen a better future for the sky blues than the so called 11th hr saviour sisu.
 

bigfatronssba

Well-Known Member
OP I couldn't agree with you more.
 

SkyblueBazza

Well-Known Member
The fact is sisu took over some of the debt, just look at the accounts from 2006 onwards. If the club had gone into bust the bank would have sold to the highest bidder and got back some of their money. We would have been docked points by the league which looking back would have seen a better future for the sky blues than the so called 11th hr saviour sisu.

That there would have actually been any bidder is again speculation though isn't it?

The administration & docking of points would leave in a better position is exactly the same kind of speculation a fair number on this forum had before we DID go into administration...& that's been a fail thus far hasn't it?
 

CJ_covblaze

Well-Known Member
Meanwhile the previous bidder to SISU (Alki David aside) hasn't done too bad and seems more than credible & respectable in worldwide football business http://www.city-soccer.org/contact/
 

SkyblueBazza

Well-Known Member
Their was a group call the manhattan group (a english family) They pulled out as the owners wanted to much money .

That doesn't mean the bank would have found them to be the highest bidder nor that we would be any better off now than we are...IT IS JUST SPECULATION (in hindsight).
We are what we are, & we are where we are. Hope for the future not wish for the past!
 
That there would have actually been any bidder is again speculation though isn't it?

The administration & docking of points would leave in a better position is exactly the same kind of speculation a fair number on this forum had before we DID go into administration...& that's been a fail thus far hasn't it?

Leicester were bust and they got a buyer, Southampton went bust and they got a buyer, as shy_tall_knight has written no clud our size has closed down, so forget that sisu were our saviour it is one of fishers fairy stories.
 

CJ_covblaze

Well-Known Member

SkyblueBazza

Well-Known Member
Leicester were bust and they got a buyer, Southampton went bust and they got a buyer, as shy_tall_knight has written no clud our size has closed down, so forget that sisu were our saviour it is one of fishers fairy stories.

Fisher has no bearing on back then whatsoever. Leicester & Southampton whilst arguably similar stature might well have entirely different financial structure to us both then & now so it's not THAT simple at all is it?
The only true fact is that we are where we are.
 

SkyblueBazza

Well-Known Member
Got there just before I did!

But THEY didn't rescue us did they? They didn't put their money where their mouth was - wanted the by then distressed club on the cheap...SISU-eque style...so speculating that we would have been better off is your choice. Not CCFC's reality!
 

CJ_covblaze

Well-Known Member
But THEY didn't rescue us did they? They didn't put their money where their mouth was - wanted the by then distressed club on the cheap...SISU-eque style...so speculating that we would have been better off is your choice. Not CCFC's reality!

Just making the point. Given the record of what Hopkins and his associates have achieved since then it's more than reasonable to assume we would be better off than where we are now had things worked out differently back then.

Lets face it, it's almost certain is that no matter who took over they would of been hard pressed to get us into a worst position than what we're in right now.
 

SkyblueBazza

Well-Known Member
Just making the point. Given the record of what Hopkins and his associates have achieved since then it's more than reasonable to assume we would be better off than where we are now had things worked out differently back then.

Lets face it, it's almost certain is that no matter who took over they would of been hard pressed to get us into a worst position than what we're in right now.

You think it "reasonable to assume" - I don't...simple as that, each to their own.
 

bigfatronssba

Well-Known Member
Fisher has no bearing on back then whatsoever. Leicester & Southampton whilst arguably similar stature might well have entirely different financial structure to us both then & now so it's not THAT simple at all is it?
The only true fact is that we are where we are.

Surely then it can be equally argued that Higgs and the Council also saved the club back in 2003?
 

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