Fisher on new stadium (43 Viewers)

[Astute]

No, I don't believe we will ever finance our own stadium, where did I say we would? I don't think you read what I wrote properly. I said IF the Council had waited for SISU to leave then they COULD have done a deal with the NEW owners rather than give it to the first franchise to knock on their door. That would mean that CCFC (that's our team remember) would be in its rightful place rather than some team with zero affinity to the area. No need for the new stadium nonsense then.

And you call me clueless. Fuck me.

The problem is that SISU knew what they were doing. The majority of us knew that they were throwing money away on court cases they hardly had a hope of winning. The plan was to bring CCC down with them. All councils are looking at how they can keep their budgets going with less money. But they were like many others and didn't see anyone else could be interested.

I fully agree that CCC should have waited until SISU have gone, but they have been here longer than expected already and their plan was to cost CCC millions that they don't have. And it ends up that everyone but Wasps have been shafted........as long as they can make a go of the situation. We will find out next season when their free coach travel stops. How many of them will be able to afford close to £100 per game and are happy to make their own arrangements? Or what will happen as soon as they go on a bad run? Just look at how many STH's we have this season that have stopped going that live locally.

 

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[dongonzalos]

(As seen on TV) the pitch they were playing on in FA cup was seriously cut up & Stead was getting in down the right of the defence to cross from the edge of the box.. danger man!

I know a bradford fan he stead has been a revelation for them

 

[Grendel]

Do you say this with the same certainty when you said that no-one other than CCFC would be interested in playing at the Ricoh?

There wasn't - not on the terms the club was offered - was there?

 

[Astute]

There wasn't - not on the terms the club was offered - was there?

The club?

SISU were offered several times to get round a table and negotiate. And you agreed with them that the arena was a white elephant that nobody else would be interested in. They were told that the door was open but CCC couldn't wait forever. Wasps however got round the table and negotiated.

 

[chiefdave]

SISU were offered several times to get round a table and negotiate.

Problem was CCC were claiming to be in a position of strength when they weren't. They were insistent that ACL was in great shape and was running at a profit and had no need for the club to be there as they would be profitable without us. Fisher said that wasn't correct and was ridiculed for saying so yet it turns out he was right.

They council have repeatedly refused to answer questions around a similar deal to that they did with Wasps being offered to the club and I think its pretty easy to conclude why they don't want to answer that question.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Most fans will be long gone when that happens.
5 years for Wasps to fail (not a given) and another 5 years while Sisu take the club to Northampton to get it for nothing.
Then we rent it back from Sisu and fight for incomes with their management company. Brilliant !!

Or maybe the council could just give a shit about their own city's sports teams.

 

[shy_tall_knight]

If WASPS hadn't come in for ACL, we would still be at Northampton whilst the SISU distressing tactics were in full swing, if you were a cov councillor would you have turned down the WASPS offer, gets rid of a lot of stress and prevents the Ricoh looking like a white elephant, saving money and a few political careers. However the losers being Cov Fans and SISU - CCC think this is worth it.

If the strategy of our club is based on a few more court cases and the hope that WASPS fail, we are finished.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

If WASPS hadn't come in for ACL, we would still be at Northampton whilst the SISU distressing tactics were in full swing, if you were a cov councillor would you have turned down the WASPS offer, gets rid of a lot of stress and prevents the Ricoh looking like a white elephant, saving money and a few political careers. However the losers being Cov Fans and SISU - CCC think this is worth it.

If the strategy of our club is based on a few more court cases and the hope that WASPS fail, we are finished.

Again the council could have offered it to SISU at the same price and length, and had SISU rejected it then make it public and give them nowhere to hide. Or offer it to a franchise.

 

[torchomatic]

If that was the case why were the Council talking publicly about the football club owning the Ricoh but at the same time negotiating with Wasps.

If WASPS hadn't come in for ACL, we would still be at Northampton whilst the SISU distressing tactics were in full swing, if you were a cov councillor would you have turned down the WASPS offer, gets rid of a lot of stress and prevents the Ricoh looking like a white elephant, saving money and a few political careers. However the losers being Cov Fans and SISU - CCC think this is worth it.

If the strategy of our club is based on a few more court cases and the hope that WASPS fail, we are finished.

 

[shy_tall_knight]

Again the council could have offered it to SISU at the same price and length, and had SISU rejected it then make it public and give them nowhere to hide. Or offer it to a franchise.

Probably many reasons they didn't, tired of SISU's nonsense, court cases, unencumbered freehold only offers, the only reason WASPS got as good an offer is because they negotiated it at a point where ACL were weak, SISU were no longer negotiating just distressing, clash of cultures, unpaid Councillors v private equity, lack of trust would expect the offer to be twisted and thrown back in their faces and to cause CCC even further embarrassment. Pleasure can you imagine how some of the Councillors and senior management in CCC felt pulling off this move (unfortunately at our expense also) In essence SISU's actions lead to a break down in relations and WASPS show what is capable with reasonable negotiation

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Probably many reasons they didn't, tired of SISU's nonsense, court cases, unencumbered freehold only offers, the only reason WASPS got as good an offer is because they negotiated it at a point where ACL were weak, SISU were no longer negotiating just distressing, clash of cultures, unpaid Councillors v private equity, lack of trust would expect the offer to be twisted and thrown back in their faces and to cause CCC even further embarrassment. Pleasure can you imagine how some of the Councillors and senior management in CCC felt pulling off this move (unfortunately at our expense also) In essence SISU's actions lead to a break down in relations and WASPS show what is capable with reasonable negotiation

No the only reason Wasps got it on the cheap was because SISU had succeeded in distressing ACL's business to a point where the council were keen to get shot of it. Suddenly the councillors who slammed the club for playing outside of Coventry forgot this stance and took Wasps away from their traditionally London-based support. We were told that trust had to be rebuilt before the club could entertain a stake in ACL and all the while the formalities were being completed with Wasps.

They certainly played a blinder. We are however raking over familiar ground when what would be nice to see is the club hounding Wasps for the deal we are told is there to be done. A reasonable rent in exchange for all of the revenues we generate at the ground-I can tolerate the Wasps branding if we at least have favourable economics.

 

[Astute]

Again the council could have offered it to SISU at the same price and length, and had SISU rejected it then make it public and give them nowhere to hide. Or offer it to a franchise.

City’s chief executive, Tim Fisher, insists they do not regret failing to buy the Ricoh, saying they could not agree to taking it on, as Wasps have done, not only for £5.4m but with the council’s £14m loan on the stadium still to pay. Fisher acknowledged the widespread scepticism at Sisu’s claim it will build a new stadium but said the company has recently made “giant strides” towards completing on land “on the outskirts of Coventry”, at a location yet to be revealed. Fisher said Sisu is not “playing a game” but genuinely planning to build the stadium, while enabling commercial development that will make it financially viable and produce year-round income.

 

[steveecov]

Many years ago I read a book titled "how to win friends and influence people". I'd suggest Tim gets a copy.

 

[chiefdave]

City’s chief executive, Tim Fisher, insists they do not regret failing to buy the Ricoh, saying they could not agree to taking it on, as Wasps have done, not only for £5.4m but with the council’s £14m loan on the stadium still to pay. Fisher acknowledged the widespread scepticism at Sisu’s claim it will build a new stadium but said the company has recently made “giant strides” towards completing on land “on the outskirts of Coventry”, at a location yet to be revealed. Fisher said Sisu is not “playing a game” but genuinely planning to build the stadium, while enabling commercial development that will make it financially viable and produce year-round income.

I'm sure we all expected Fisher to make a statement saying he was completely incompetent at his job and that Wasps had got exactly the deal he wanted and couldn't get!

 

[Astute]

I'm sure we all expected Fisher to make a statement saying he was completely incompetent at his job and that Wasps had got exactly the deal he wanted and couldn't get!

I thought that it was what this statement was saying.

And why keep banging on that they couldn't get it? They had a better chance than anyone else of getting the arena but fucked up big time. So some blame anyone but SISU. Where is the slightest evidence that SISU would have paid the same price as Wasps? There isn't, but you question the proof against it.

 

[chiefdave]

Where is the slightest evidence that SISU would have paid the same price as Wasps?

I would have thought submitting a bid for Higgs 50% of ACL would give an indication they were prepared to pay the same as Wasps.

 

[Astute]

I would have thought submitting a bid for Higgs 50% of ACL would give an indication they were prepared to pay the same as Wasps.

Was this the bid where they refused to pay as agreed or was it the bid where they put clauses into the sale?

 

[chiefdave]

Was this the bid where they refused to pay as agreed or was it the bid where they put clauses into the sale?

No the most recent bid. THe one Higgs rejected.

 

[Astute]

No the most recent bid. THe one Higgs rejected.

So the one with the clauses inserted then.

 

[chiefdave]

So the one with the clauses inserted then.

Which as OSB said was most likely just access to the same information that had been provided to Wasps or do you think they should have made an unconditional offer without sight of the relevant information? But that's not really the point is it, you said there was no evidence they would have purchased ACL for a similar price to that which Wasps have paid yet there clearly is as they submitted a bid.

 

[bigfatronssba]

Which as OSB said was most likely just access to the same information that had been provided to Wasps or do you think they should have made an unconditional offer without sight of the relevant information? But that's not really the point is it, you said there was no evidence they would have purchased ACL for a similar price to that which Wasps have paid yet there clearly is as they submitted a bid.

Wonder why they never submitted a bid for the councils half?

 

[Astute]

Which as OSB said was most likely just access to the same information that had been provided to Wasps or do you think they should have made an unconditional offer without sight of the relevant information? But that's not really the point is it, you said there was no evidence they would have purchased ACL for a similar price to that which Wasps have paid yet there clearly is as they submitted a bid.

Wrong.

SISU said that they wanted to work with Higgs. That is what the clauses were about. But who in their right mind would want to work with someone like SISU after they had done everything they had?

 

[duffer]

Wonder why they never submitted a bid for the councils half?

Because no bid was invited. Let's not pretend that the same offer was made to the club as to Wasps, we all know that simply didn't happen. ACL wasn't even put up for a public sale; CCC decided they wanted to sell to Wasps, and did it behind closed doors whilst telling the club that time was needed to build trust before ownership could be discussed.

Whether that was the right thing to do or the wrong thing to do can be argued all day, but that's what happened.

 

[Astute]

Because no bid was invited. Let's not pretend that the same offer was made to the club as to Wasps, we all know that simply didn't happen. ACL wasn't even put up for a public sale; CCC decided they wanted to sell to Wasps, and did it behind closed doors whilst telling the club that time was needed to build trust before ownership could be discussed.

Whether that was the right thing to do or the wrong thing to do can be argued all day, but that's what happened.

What route are you trying to take this?

Door is still open. We won't wait forever. Just a couple of comments from AL. So if it wasn't offering the chance to talk what are you going to try and make out it was?

 

[Grendel]

Wrong.

SISU said that they wanted to work with Higgs. That is what the clauses were about. But who in their right mind would want to work with someone like SISU after they had done everything they had?

The deal was always to buy 100% for wasps - only an idiot would assume otherwise.

 

[bigfatronssba]

Because no bid was invited. Let's not pretend that the same offer was made to the club as to Wasps, we all know that simply didn't happen. ACL wasn't even put up for a public sale; CCC decided they wanted to sell to Wasps, and did it behind closed doors whilst telling the club that time was needed to build trust before ownership could be discussed.

Whether that was the right thing to do or the wrong thing to do can be argued all day, but that's what happened.

You still didn't answer why no bid was made for the councils half.

 

[Broken Hearted Sky Blue]

Problem was CCC were claiming to be in a position of strength when they weren't. They were insistent that ACL was in great shape and was running at a profit and had no need for the club to be there as they would be profitable without us. Fisher said that wasn't correct and was ridiculed for saying so yet it turns out he was right.

They council have repeatedly refused to answer questions around a similar deal to that they did with Wasps being offered to the club and I think its pretty easy to conclude why they don't want to answer that question.

So Fisher knew they weren't profitable and what did he do about it? Did he put a bid in for it? Tell you what he did do kept telling everybody that would listen that there was nothing to buy. So he and his boss fucked about thinking how clever they were hoping to get it forever cheaper and then what happened?

 

[Grendel]

You still didn't answer why no bid was made for the councils half.

Hell had frozen over.

 

[bigfatronssba]

Hell had frozen over.

Ok, but why was no bid made?

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

Hell had frozen over.

Funny!

Meanwhile Tim absolutely no progress has been made towards a new stadium but the decline in the football club is dramatic and showing no sign of abating.

Great work tit

 

[shy_tall_knight]

We are all Cov fans, some are CCC ratepayers others are not but whilst so many on here have an anti-CCC agenda on here when will they ever admit that SISU's strategy just backfired on them in epic proportions and we are left in a legal / hoping WASPS fail limbo whilst the club goes down the pan and 1,000's of fans desert the club.

It got personal between SISU & CCC, in my line of work that happens often and we change the personalities and go on a charm offensive, Northampton the biggest error of judgement in the club's history after leaving Highfield road.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

We are all Cov fans, some are CCC ratepayers others are not but whilst so many on here have an anti-CCC agenda on here when will they ever admit that SISU's strategy just backfired on them in epic proportions and we are left in a legal / hoping WASPS fail limbo whilst the club goes down the pan and 1,000's of fans desert the club.

It got personal between SISU & CCC, in my line of work that happens often and we change the personalities and go on a charm offensive, Northampton the biggest error of judgement in the club's history after leaving Highfield road.

That would be what virtually everyone here thinks.

 

[Astute]

That would be what virtually everyone here thinks.

If that is the case why do some try to blame CCC for the state of our club?

 

[skybluetony176]

Ok, but why was no bid made?

That's how councils work offcourse, they're a dictatorship. No wait, it's the other one. Democracy.

 

[Grendel]

That's how councils work offcourse, they're a dictatorship. No wait, it's the other one. Democracy.

Oh good tony so I'm sure if you ask minutes of the meetings relating to the deal and any other details they will provide full democratic public disclosure.