dubai_phil

Some of today's stories There is no reason to hope - Avram Grant - oops http://www.dailyexpress.co.uk/posts/view/155919/Avram-Grant-rages-at-Portsmouth-board-/ More on Azoughy http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/david-conn-inside-sport-blog/2010/feb/03/portsmouth-mark-jacob-premier-league All of the news http://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/Football/Premier+League/Portsmouth That Guardian article makes pretty harsh reading TBH

Which reminds me.... Must be getting close to the time to remind the club that TSW needs to borrow SMS again in May for forum match 2.

That was a great post CL. The only point I would nudge back on is the roll of Al Fahim. Some are playing him as the "unfortunate" in all of this. He first came to prominence when he "brokered" the Man City deal. That deal involved a very professional lady by the name of Amanda Staveley (who allegedly had access to an incredibly helpful address book from an "ex" boyfriend of high standing). Whether Amanda used him to get to Sheikh Khalifa or vice vera, SBT was a middle man who set himself up (for about a week) as the "Big Man" In the case of the botched takeover, EVERY sensor down here screams the same allegation allegedly. Which is that SBT was a middle man again. The ONLY description of what happened to SBT that I can give you guys is to think of whacko and Bournemouth. He thought it was all done, he talked to the press and whoosh, the backers walked out on him. The DIFFERENCE was that the PL smelt a huge rat with regard to SBT's backer whereas whacko just "made it all up" (in forum folklore) The MINUTE that SBT got rumbled he tried to switch to his mysterious Swiss investment fund, that was so transparent even I saw through it let alone the PL. SBT still thought he could take the deal to someone down here who looked to publicly buy two clubs in the past year or so, only to find out what I (and any other REAL businessman down here) could have told him which was that the "boys at the top couldn't play" any longer. So, he should NEVER be regarded as an innocent victim, in fact much of this mess is BECAUSE he botched this up. A lot of my anger and bitter postings (bile as our few friends called it) is because he has brought this place into disrepute. I'm pretty sure others "up there" down here (so to speak) think the same way of him

Bloody Hell, John Terry's wife hasn't hung around, she only landed in Dubai yesterday

thanks CL, good one

Theoretically could be Liverpool or Man Ure Possibly Hull (but you did mention the word "big" Wigan aren't that solid these days nor Bolton, and the money men at Sunderland haven't seen much return so far for all they have pumped in. Football is a mess, it's been commented on and written about for a long time now. The only reason I would be happy to see the skates disappear was IF it meant that the whole damned mess was cleaned up and they start again using some of Platini's ideas. They have to be the last time that such a wholesale disasterous joke can be allowed to happen. But of course it won't get cleaned up. Would be like Turkeys voting for Christmas

Nice idea. Well done, happy to buy one when next back. The cynic in me will then open a sweepstake to see who is the first to say... "Clearly the recession is hitting football hard as Southampton struggle to find headline shirt sponsor for next season." Or "Clever way of covering up another snafu in the commercial department" :-)

A very valid and sensible point Mero, one which I have a concern about as well. A public company must publish accounts and so the fans can see what is going on (more fools to your lot for not "revolting" earlier). In the context of a private company however, without published accounts we as fans don't actually know HOW we are being funded. ML has plenty of cash and Southampton FC are spending it, point is that we don't actually know at this time whether ML has put the cash in as equity or as loans. In theory we could also be racking up debt, the cash flow at the moment is good enough and may even cover the spending, but I would like to know just how we are being financed, just in case something goes wrong. The big difference between the two operations though is professionalism at Board level and a large helping of common sense, so I'd like to know but I don't worry about it. As for your lot, they are fighting fires and hanging on for the White Knight to come in and buy them. Trouble is the longer you stay at the bottom and with other clubs strengthening around you it becomes a harder and harder sell. Right now you're about as good an investment as the Haiti property market

http://www.championshipmanager.co.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.1562 Oh I LOVE the last line - respect to whoever pulled that one off!

Shhh That's agent whacko's job, it's supposed to be a secret

Insh'allah, no problem habibe, of course the money will come, no problem. Why you think not paying for some days is bad? ha, in Dubai we no pay people since last September, they love to work for us for nothing just the same as at home. These are just small technical details, come have a coffee, have you seen my Racing Camels?

Not to mention the technical fact that the loan window stays open for another month or so

Crikey I thought OtteryStMary had been quiet the last couple of days Now we know why. Great plan OSM, nick the cash, buy the club then make them even worse. We salute you

Would be funny if the phone was cut off due to unpaid bills so the fax couldn't be sent to confirm the transfer of Begovic.....

Shooting it off too early. Think there are pills for that these days :smt036

The Pork Steaks were well worth missing the anti-climax of Draino for

stuck this on the skate thread interesting... we've spent almost 10% of the total

Actually... They did damn well to get as much as 5mil for Kaboul - seems only the few's owners have no idea that football is stuck in a massive recession... Also puts our efforts into perspective - around 2mil or more spent - that's 10% of the total window spend so far!

Pok Steaks with Jamaican Jerk Marinade topped with Honey & English Mustard have to cook slowly in the oven or they go rock hard. Green Salad with home made Pesto, Olive Oil & Apple Cider Vinegar (with a dash of lemon) already to go. BUT will it be done in time. Turn the Pork time

You know what? I don't give a sh!t what sort of fan others think I am. What I DO know however is that if the title of this thread comes to pass then I will have to lay out around 1200 quid extra in airfares on top of my last airmiles to make THREE trips back for Wembley matches.... (having been to SMS twice for the non maths based yoof) Just like buses aren't they - you wait something like around 30 odd years and then they all come along at once. Anyway hasn't anybody ever told you lot about counting chickens and eggs. We ain't anywhere near there yet. Dodgy decision, bad bounce. Wait til it happens it's getting boring

Time is fast approaching, the F5's are wearing out Who will be the one? Were you watching when it happened? Where is your sick note? What was your hard luck story? What lessons can we learn for when we reach 15,000? My excuse - off to cook dinner & Pilchards is being Julie Andrews today and climbing every mountain in Wales or something.

Someone go and wake FF up, I know he's getting on a bit these days like many of us and he's probably having his mid afternoon snooze with his pipe & slippers on :-) Not long to go to the historic moment And hitting 10,000

Seeing as there are now only 120 posts to go, I think we should ask the Mods for an intervention. As this thread is legendary, and as it was created at the time based on some (what turned out to be) pretty good ITK info from an Industrial Unit in deepest Hampshire, perhaps as it would be an historic occassion, we should ensure that FF gets to post the magical 10,000th in honour of this auspicious occassion. As that post is also likely to co-incide with the end of the transfer window with very little sales made, it could also be the beginning of the end game for the few... So Mods whadda think? close the thread at 9999 to allow FF to post for history before re-opening?

from the Beeb link

Not completely necessary. If the agreement is (for example) 750k now, 750k at end of this season and 1.5 mil at the end of next season, then as that money must be paid to the PL, it would be possible for them to use that as security with an invoice discounting type company or a "loan shark" and receive the full amount now, although they would be paying between 12 & 20% interest which would be discounted from the amount they get now.