Confimred new owners of Raeding Footbal Club

[leww_rfc]

I actually like the sound of this Indian chap. Has experience of running sports set ups and would initiate a complete shake up and change of ownership at board level.

All I see with the Israeli plan is more issues and distractions along the lines of just where is this shopping centre etc. going to be built. There are just so many issues with using the car park as not only is there the problems with dealing with the decontamination but there are also problems with the logistics of building it and maintaining a hotel and football club in daily operation. Not to mention I don't think the council would be too keen to wipe away the park and ride which I think is something they're said previously they wouldn't countenance.

Of course money talks but it's bad enough around the place on match days without adding yet more traffic into the mix.

In all fairness, other clubs which have shopping centres around them such as Swansea don't seem to suffer too badly as far as traffic goes. People tend to stay away on match days as they know it'll be busy.

[Silver Fox]

he doesn't really speak English anyway.

This is my number one reason to call shenanigans on this one

[genome]

I'm just going to make this point again. Teddy Sagi is adept at and focused on making more money. You cannot make money out of owning a football club. If he wants to buy Reading FC, it's 100% for the real estate potential that someone has highlighted to him. He will not invest his own money into the club and will have no real interest in it. He does not even especially care about football. We will not see him at games, he will not speak publicly (he doesn't really speak English anyway) and will simply leave the board in place to run the club, debt free admittedly. He has no interest in Reading as a place or the people/supporters of Reading.

Once he's made his money from what ever deal he has seen, he will sell the club and move on to the next deal.

I'm not therefore convinced he is really the kind of owner a typical football fan would want for their club.

I'm sure the club are wise enough to do their research and to choose an owner that will be good for the club in the long term. Just like they did with Zin... wait shit

[winchester_royal]

I'm just going to make this point again. Teddy Sagi is adept at and focused on making more money. You cannot make money out of owning a football club. If he wants to buy Reading FC, it's 100% for the real estate potential that someone has highlighted to him. He will not invest his own money into the club and will have no real interest in it. He does not even especially care about football. We will not see him at games, he will not speak publicly (he doesn't really speak English anyway) and will simply leave the board in place to run the club, debt free admittedly. He has no interest in Reading as a place or the people/supporters of Reading.

Once he's made his money from what ever deal he has seen, he will sell the club and move on to the next deal.

I'm not therefore convinced he is really the kind of owner a typical football fan would want for their club.

You think Mohit Burman cares about the people of Reading?

Plus tbh I'm really not sure that paying off >£20m of club debt just to secure a small piece of land would constitute a particularly astute business move.

How about we let the people who've actually spoken and listened to him make the assumptions on the intentions he has for the club?

[genome]

Remember what happened the last time we sold the club to someone who "cared about the area of Reading"?

He went to Bradfield College and everything. Or was it Bearwood?

[HoneyRoastHoax]

I'm just going to make this point again. Teddy Sagi is adept at and focused on making more money. You cannot make money out of owning a football club. If he wants to buy Reading FC, it's 100% for the real estate potential that someone has highlighted to him. He will not invest his own money into the club and will have no real interest in it. He does not even especially care about football. We will not see him at games, he will not speak publicly (he doesn't really speak English anyway) and will simply leave the board in place to run the club, debt free admittedly. He has no interest in Reading as a place or the people/supporters of Reading.

Once he's made his money from what ever deal he has seen, he will sell the club and move on to the next deal.

I'm not therefore convinced he is really the kind of owner a typical football fan would want for their club.

haha you know absolutely none of that for sure. The only reason you say about the real estate is because a journalist said it.

We know nothing of intentions.

We know he is rich. He is interested and he likes football enough to have a box at Chelsea.

That's all we know.

[RoyalBlue]

I'm just going to make this point again. Teddy Sagi is adept at and focused on making more money. You cannot make money out of owning a football club. If he wants to buy Reading FC, it's 100% for the real estate potential that someone has highlighted to him. He will not invest his own money into the club and will have no real interest in it. He does not even especially care about football. We will not see him at games, he will not speak publicly (he doesn't really speak English anyway) and will simply leave the board in place to run the club, debt free admittedly. He has no interest in Reading as a place or the people/supporters of Reading.

Once he's made his money from what ever deal he has seen, he will sell the club and move on to the next deal.

I'm not therefore convinced he is really the kind of owner a typical football fan would want for their club.

You think Mohit Burman cares about the people of Reading?

Plus tbh I'm really not sure that paying off >£20m of club debt just to secure a small piece of land would constitute a particularly astute business move.

How about we let the people who've actually spoken and listened to him make the assumptions on the intentions he has for the club?

You mean the same ones who made the assumptions about Zingarevich?

No thanks!

I really hope that Madejski has a whole new set of sell-side advisors & lawyers this time around.

[JIM]

Rather a problem for the board, the INDIAN wants to change the board. its like asking the turkey what he wants to do at Christmas, So how can they really vote for him? we could get the ISRAEL by default the Americans dont seem to be anywhere and no news from the also rans

[winchester_royal]

I'm just going to make this point again. Teddy Sagi is adept at and focused on making more money. You cannot make money out of owning a football club. If he wants to buy Reading FC, it's 100% for the real estate potential that someone has highlighted to him. He will not invest his own money into the club and will have no real interest in it. He does not even especially care about football. We will not see him at games, he will not speak publicly (he doesn't really speak English anyway) and will simply leave the board in place to run the club, debt free admittedly. He has no interest in Reading as a place or the people/supporters of Reading.

Once he's made his money from what ever deal he has seen, he will sell the club and move on to the next deal.

I'm not therefore convinced he is really the kind of owner a typical football fan would want for their club.

You think Mohit Burman cares about the people of Reading?

Plus tbh I'm really not sure that paying off >£20m of club debt just to secure a small piece of land would constitute a particularly astute business move.

How about we let the people who've actually spoken and listened to him make the assumptions on the intentions he has for the club?

You mean the same ones who made the assumptions about Zingarevich?

No thanks!

I really hope that Madejski has a whole new set of sell-side advisors & lawyers this time around.

Well, obviously we need to make sure we make a better decision than last time, but the point still stands. Anyone making sweeping st8ments about Teddy's intentions based on a couple of media reports needs to chill. Any person who has managed to make enough money to be a billionaire is obviously going to be someone motivated by business principles and a desire to accumulate wealth.

[Yorkshire Royal]

he doesn't really speak English anyway.

This is my number one reason to call shenanigans on this one

Well alright - I don't actually know that having never spoken to him but I am reliably told that to be the case. It's not really relevant anyway I guess.

[Yorkshire Royal]

I'm just going to make this point again. Teddy Sagi is adept at and focused on making more money. You cannot make money out of owning a football club. If he wants to buy Reading FC, it's 100% for the real estate potential that someone has highlighted to him. He will not invest his own money into the club and will have no real interest in it. He does not even especially care about football. We will not see him at games, he will not speak publicly (he doesn't really speak English anyway) and will simply leave the board in place to run the club, debt free admittedly. He has no interest in Reading as a place or the people/supporters of Reading.

Once he's made his money from what ever deal he has seen, he will sell the club and move on to the next deal.

I'm not therefore convinced he is really the kind of owner a typical football fan would want for their club.

haha you know absolutely none of that for sure. The only reason you say about the real estate is because a journalist said it.

We know nothing of intentions.

We know he is rich. He is interested and he likes football enough to have a box at Chelsea.

That's all we know.

Nah - I pretty much do know it for sure. He's rich because he is very good at making money. You don't do that with a football club. The box at Chelsea is Playtech's. They also have one at the Emirates as well. Don't believe everything, or indeed, anything the Mail says. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/alistair-osborne/9241941/Just-what-sort-of-games-is-Playtech-playing.html - Playtech did indeed get admitted to the FTSE despite stuff like that. Helps paint a more genuine picture of an individual who, as described, is remarkably adept at making money.

[winchester_royal]

You don't become a billionaire if you're not adept at making money..

And given that Reading FC is a business that needs to make money thanks to FFP, we could probably do with a guy who knows how to make money as an owner.

[JIM]

Sound logic

[Agent Balti]

You don't become a billionaire if you're not adept at making money..

And given that Reading FC is a business that needs to make money thanks to FFP, we could probably do with a guy who knows how to make money as an owner.

Indeed Winch, that's all a part of the FFP thing is it not? That you 'invent' your own revenue stream? By having the shopping centre and wotnot? Whilst it sounds highly dubious, we have to think outside of the usual parameters of just selling players and more bums on seats (and we can't do much of that) to make the moolah. Not saying it's not risky, it's a massive risk.

Besides, more public transport to the Mad Stad is a must. We don't 'need' parking, just means to get there. Many stadiums live without parking. Besides, it's a sodding nightmare to get out and away from the stadium.

[Norfolk Royal]

Someone expressed concern that the new owner might want to change the make up of the board. Bloody right they would if they owned the club.

[kwik-silva]

Someone expressed concern that the new owner might want to change the make up of the board. Bloody right they would if they owned the club.

It's actually one of the reasons I prefer Burman's offer

You don't become a billionaire if you're not adept at making money..

And given that Reading FC is a business that needs to make money thanks to FFP, we could probably do with a guy who knows how to make money as an owner.

Indeed Winch, that's all a part of the FFP thing is it not? That you 'invent' your own revenue stream? By having the shopping centre and wotnot? Whilst it sounds highly dubious, we have to think outside of the usual parameters of just selling players and more bums on seats (and we can't do much of that) to make the moolah. Not saying it's not risky, it's a massive risk.

Besides, more public transport to the Mad Stad is a must. We don't 'need' parking, just means to get there. Many stadiums live without parking. Besides, it's a sodding nightmare to get out and away from the stadium.

Those stadia are normally in inner-city's though. Although the Amex doesn't have much does it?

[Yellowcoat]

I always find it interesting that people who claim to be ITK often refer to articles that are at least two years old as their source of information.

[Royal Biscuitman]

Today's story 27/05/14 on getreading.... I'm sure there must be a takeover thread or two out there somewhere, but I can't find them.
http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/footb ... ng-7174832

Sir John Madejski will hold a board meeting at Reading FC today to discuss the takeover bids that are currently on the table for the club.

The issue of an unpaid tax bill will also be high on the agenda with Royals currently owing £1.6 million to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) with another payment, of a similar amount, due in under two weeks time.

With HMRC now chasing the club, it has become even more important for Madejski and the board to find a new owner.

And in the past week two frontrunners have emerged as potential new owners.

Israeli billionaire Teddy Sagi flew in for talks last Wednesday and is the preferred choice of the board to take over.

But Indian businessman Mohit Burman, who part owns the Kings XI Punjab, a cricket team in the Indian Premier League (IPL) also wants to take control at the club.

And while Sagi brings real estate plans to the table with his bid, including building a shopping centre on the car park at Madejski Stadium, Burman has a proven history in running sports teams.

As well as the Kings XI, he also has interest in badminton, hockey and kabaddi in his native India.

Burman has pledged to invest heavily in the club to help take it back to the Premier League but wants to implement a big shake-up at board level.

The 45-year-old feels it is time for a change and would like to replace some of the current directors with some fresh blood.

But Sagi meanwhile has agreed to continue working with the board should his bid be given the green light. Both offers are for just £1 but will also see the club's debt, totalling around £21m, wiped out.

Although Sagi and Burman are the frontrunners to take over, interest also remains from consortiums in America and Ireland.

[Reading4eva]

Finally the end of Howe. I am starting to prefer Burman's offer. How much is Sagi going to put into the footballing side or is he just going to build a second Oracle on the Carpark?

[Pepe the Horseman]

I always find it interesting that people who claim to be ITK are full of shit.