KopTalk.com Forums Football Liverpool FC Forum ED: Enjoying the World Cup with a patient smile

Just over a week ago I was feeling so down and miserable about Liverpool Football Club that I wondered if we'd ever be classed as a European giant ever again. Today I'm feeling very happy and quite excited and so should you.

The change in my mind is because we'll soon have a new manager and hopefully new owners. We could have gone through the summer arguing with each other about whether or not Rafa was the man for the job and wondering if anyone was ever going to come forward and buy the club. I was bracing myself for at least another season of Tom Hicks and George Gillett but with my sources saying that there are "very wealthy" bidders at the table as I type this, then I can sit back and watch the World Cup with hope that one day I will wake up from the ongoing nightmare I have endured since David Moores handed over the keys.

No news is good news... I think. I have no idea if the club will be sold to either of the two bidders that I claim are present but I now have hope, only the other week I had nothing.

When you make bold claims like I do, you have to repeat yourself several times because there really are some people out there that cannot read. Yesterday KOPTALK reported that Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi, Crown Prince and Deputy Ruler of Ras al-Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates, had denied having an interest in buying Liverpool. I was attacked immediately by people who thought that Sheikh Saud bin Saqr al-Qasimi was indeed Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and that Ras al-Khaimah was Abu Dhabi. The inbreds were immediately out in force paying me compliments.

But had Sheikh Khalifa come out and denied his interest in Liverpool, would that have meant that I was a liar? No, not at all. I think the majority of people understand how things work. I can bring you news and claims of what I believe is happening but I cannot make George Gillett and Tom Hicks accept any of the two bids that I believe are on the table. If Khalifa doesn't buy in and if a single quote relating to him never appears in the press, then there will be those who say I made it all up. But there will be far many intelligent people who will simply conclude that no deal was reached.

People want to see claims backed up in the press when it suits them but usually the same people rubbish the press when they hacks make claims. And how many times have we read something in the press regarding a possible takeover from someone or somewhere only to never see it materialise. When Man City was snapped up the deal came from nowhere. Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm sure it only appeared in the press 24 hours either side of the purchase.

What suggests to me that something is going down is the fact that no manager has been appointed as yet. Every day for the last few weeks we've been approaching or appointing Roy Hodgson as the next manager of Liverpool if you believe the press, the same press that the doubters are looking to for a mention of Khalifa. The journalists have so far been wrong.

If Hodgson is appointed anytime soon I think this would be a bad sign. I believe Rafa was axed to make way for a new owner. It just came from nowhere and as I've said before, I'm sure he thought he was staying. What we need to ask is if someone as wealthy or wealthier than the owners at Man City and Chelsea did buy Liverpool this summer, do you really think they'd want to appoint Hodgson?

My hunch - and please note that says 'hunch' and that I'm not claiming some inside information here - suggests that Hodgson is possible leverage for another candidate. If we're chasing someone else we have to make them think we have a hot favourite lined up as an alternative. Hodgson could also be a fallback option should one of these 2 takeover bids I know of fall through.

I'm convinced that if Hodgson is appointed soon that this would be a bad sign. No offence Roy. If we have no money, then yes bring him in by all means (although I'd still prefer Dalglish) but if we do end up stinking rich, I can think of better candidates.

I don't think we should worry. As I said recently, Purslow and Broughton are hoping to conclude a sale within 5 weeks to try and retain Torres and Co. Note that doesn't say a sale will go through in 5 weeks as people are already misquoting me. The World Cup is now underway so nothing much really affects our management situation at the moment. But we do need a new manager in place by the time the tournament concludes.

If we get to the start of the new season with no sign of any new owners, I still won't give up hoping unless of course I'm fed information that the 2 bidders I know of have walked away or been rejected. But if that happens I'm confident that I would know about it so you would do too. My advice would be to sit back, relax and enjoy the World Cup.

Every day that I wake up at the moment I actually wake hoping to see nothing in the press about a new manager or a new owner because it would simply be too quick. Someone cannot take control of the club in just a week. Remember, it was last Saturday when I revealed that Sheikh Khalifa was in talks with us and I doubt he's been at the table for much longer.

I could be wrong with my views on the management situation, these are my hunches, but I know I'm right with my claims about who is trying to buy the club.

If Hicks and Gillett reject any fair bids then the club will be pulled from them. Maybe not overnight but it would happen.

I have faith in the Liverpool FC board.

YNWA

Duncan Oldham
KopTalk Editor

Dunk, in the last two weeks, I've actually looked forward more to seeing your face, than (the love of my life) Louise Redknapp's.

Thank you big guy.

lolll

lol

neva even watched a game today cept the south africa goal live coz av been out aint missin 2mora match tho :P

I'm going to ask my 14 year old Brother to translate the above when I see him tomorrow.

lol

No news is very good news when it comes to dealing with the Arabs. The facts are

1. Broughton said when he came in that any deal would be done behind closed doors with "NO LEAKS TO THE PRESS"

2. LFC where never going to sack Rafa, Look at the backlash there is at the min, And in fairness to Rafa he has not poured any petrol on the fire. So how could support unrest be good when we are trying to sell???????? JUST MAKES NO SENCE AT ALL.
Unless you look at it this way. The club under no circumstances want leaks, Arab investors never want there bussiness out in public (That's why deals under a billion never make to the press until finalised). Rafa had and was going down the road of doing interviews and talking to the press SOO what if Inter came knocking???? Instead of looking for compensation the club said, OK how do we get out of this WITHOUT A MUD FIGHT IN THE PRESSS, RUINING ANY DEALS?????, BY LOOKING LIKE THE BAD GUY AND "ASKING RAFA TO LEAVE" Remember he only got 6 of a 16 million pay off due, AND HAS NOT SAID A BAD WORD IN THE PRESS SINCE LEAVING.
Like it or lump it Rafa was going to leak stuff, He has been doing it since he came to the club, Its the way managers work in Spain because they have no control over things.

3. all of a sudden things seam to gather pace, The best news (if all this is going on) is the owners locked out of talks. Hicks like Rafa likes to use the press. He would shoot his mouth off for sure to try and get a better deal. I know from friends i have involved in Horse racing that when your dealing with the Arabs secretness is paramount, THEY DO NOT LIKE LEAKS OR THEY DO NOT TO BE TAKEN FOR A RIDE, If they think this is happening they just up and walk away

you live in a dream world - he was asked to leave because he was asked to lie to the players by purslow, nothing to do with a takeover at all ....... the reason he is keeping quiet is because, as is common in these instances, he has signed an NDA and is not able to say a word

this rubbish about deals under a billion never making the press is just a fantasy of yours

what did Purslow ask him to say to the players?