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The biggest mistake of all


Huffton

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I'm not going to get into the whole Cortese good guy/bad guy thing, its been done to death. However the biggest mistake since then for me is who/how we replaced him.

I've no doubt KL only wants what is best for the club, its her Fathers legacy and at the end of the day she is a businesswoman, if its making her money then she's happy. Its her appointments I can't understand. Why put a shiny toothed ice hockey coach in charge when there were experienced football people available? It just doesn't make sense, and now with RK fading into the background it seems from the outside that Les Reed is running things more and more, effing poorly.

On the other side of the coin Koeman was a superb appointment, but you have to ask how much say does he actually have? Its time the owners came out and told the fans whats going on, before they completely alienate them.

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The board's main failure would be their lack of communication with the fans, but that can be resolved and, to be fair, they managed to obtain excellent prices on all outgoing players. How that money is invested is another question, and the answer to that lies at the end of the transfer window/ season.

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I'm not going to get into the whole Cortese good guy/bad guy thing, its been done to death. However the biggest mistake since then for me is who/how we replaced him.

I've no doubt KL only wants what is best for the club, its her Fathers legacy and at the end of the day she is a businesswoman, if its making her money then she's happy. Its her appointments I can't understand. Why put a shiny toothed ice hockey coach in charge when there were experienced football people available? It just doesn't make sense, and now with RK fading into the background it seems from the outside that Les Reed is running things more and more, effing poorly.

On the other side of the coin Koeman was a superb appointment, but you have to ask how much say does he actually have? Its time the owners came out and told the fans whats going on, before they completely alienate them.

 

Who do we think got Koeman to sign then if not Les Reed?

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Exactly. This story didn't have to end when Cortese went. We were always going to lose one or two eventually, but this mass exodus was entirely preventable. We could have easily matched if not bettered what we did last season by selling just a couple and investing sensibly. The board should have at least tried to convey the message that they still have plans to try and push on, even if it was with a more 'sensible' financial approach. They should have fought tooth and nail to try and keep the players, but haven't even bothered talking to them. The idea that they did all that they could to try and persuade them to stay is blatantly not true.

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and at the end of the day she is a businesswoman.

 

Pedant warning:

 

I'm not sure one describes the daughter of a business man as a business woman, especially when you take into account what happened to the swiss businesses. I think heiress is more appropriate.

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How can you say koeman was a superb appointment when we haven't kicked a ball in the new season, you could say it seems on paper a good appointment. I still maintain that KL doesn't have the best interests of the club at heart, she is merely making money as any business person would. To sell your four best players is absolute suicide at whatever price ripping the backbone out of a good team is crazy, you cant tell me morale can be good at the club right now?

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at the end of the day she is a businesswoman, .

Being an heiress does not make her a businesswoman. There is no real evidence that she has ever created serious wealth from business off of her own back. Maybe she has, but she has kept it quiet if she did. The accusation often directed at Naughty Nic is that it wasn't his money, well the same can be said about KL. She now has it purely as an accident of birth.

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Why John Williams was overlooked and the current arrangement preferred is staggering.
This has to be the biggest mistake for Williams is a Saints fan, competent and sadly he'd have been too knowledgeable to those with their own agendas.
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I posted this on 'Koemans new squad' thread but probably a better fit here...

 

It's clear that this is not a spontaneous occurrence, this has been planned for a long time which is precisely why NC left and Kat decided to appoint a motivational speaker rather than a football chairman. She thought he would be the best person to spoon feed us bullshi!t. I don't know what her motivations are but I suspect it's purely a money generating exercise now rather than progressive football club.

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I posted this on 'Koemans new squad' thread but probably a better fit here...

 

It's clear that this is not a spontaneous occurrence, this has been planned for a long time which is precisely why NC left and Kat decided to appoint a motivational speaker rather than a football chairman. She thought he would be the best person to spoon feed us bullshi!t. I don't know what her motivations are but I suspect it's purely a money generating exercise now rather than progressive football club.

 

 

agreed, this makes sense, who in their right mind would appoint krugger from a business sense?

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Why John Williams was overlooked and the current arrangement preferred is staggering.

 

Maybe John Williams didn't want the job.....Maybe he had an interview and took a look and did the same as Cortese and Pochettino....and said **** that I'm out of here.

 

As for Kat......"Lucky lotto winner" is how i would describe her.......I've seen zero evidence she has any kind of business brain....she's just been fortunate to have been an Heir to a Billionaire.

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Once again I am bemused at what saints fans actually expect to happen when Liverpool, Manchester United and Arsenal start to make enquires into our players?

 

I'm afraid the transfers that have taken place so far, and the seemingly imminent loss of Lovern and Chambers, are all inevitable. If people still don't want to understand that then go back and read the list of clubs involved. Added to this is the power players have now - ultimately if Shaw et al. see a huge opportunity in what could be a trustingly short career they'll do everything to ensure it'll happen.

 

This criticising of the club is unfounded, and to me it's symptomatic of frustrated fans venting anger without a sense of reality of modern football and our position in it.

 

We have bought many players from teams below us in the pyramid, the likes of Liverpool will do it to us, and in turn Barcalona will do it to them.

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Oh my God! What is with all those wrist-slitters on this board?

Based on absolutely no REAL information, and with only their pathetic need to find fault everywhere with anything and anybody, they are making judgements about the abilities and actions of KL, RK, Les Reed, Koeman and anybody else who is involved with thye club. based on absolutely no reliable information, but just on rumors.

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Pedant warning:

 

I'm not sure one describes the daughter of a business man as a business woman, especially when you take into account what happened to the swiss businesses. I think heiress is more appropriate.

 

 

This is an excellent point, and one that needs to be remembered and re-iterated whenever needed.

 

Darn, I wish you hadn't mentioned it though.......I'm already struggling to keep my spirits up. :(

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Yep huge error.

 

I'm really sorry for Katharina that she doesn't have you to advise her, what with the incredible breadth of your expertise as a management consultant at the highest level.

 

Although it's too late to have prevented the club's current situation, I'm sure that now she will have seen how stupid she has been with her recent appointments, if you send in your CV, she has a chance to redeem herself.

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I'm really sorry for Katharina that she doesn't have you to advise her, what with the incredible breadth of your expertise as a management consultant at the highest level.

 

Although it's too late to have prevented the club's current situation, I'm sure that now she will have seen how stupid she has been with her recent appointments, if you send in your CV, she has a chance to redeem herself.

 

Pretty pathetic post and not surprised you didn't aim this at Badger rather than my post that simply agreed with him. I can understand why you are lashing out though since you have been made to look a tad silly for branding everyone as bedwetters when it looks like they just had a more realistic outlook thab your deluded self.

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Pretty pathetic post and not surprised you didn't aim this at Badger rather than my post that simply agreed with him. I can understand why you are lashing out though since you have been made to look a tad silly for branding everyone as bedwetters when it looks like they just had a more realistic outlook thab your deluded self.

 

So what exactly are your qualifications to pour scorn on Katharina's choice of board member? Not knowing of course the circumstances of whether an approach had been made to your own favourite candidate, and whether there were good reasons why he may have declined to accept?

 

You may believe that I look silly for decrying the likes of you to be bedwetters, that is an obvious response in a vain attempt to make yourself feel better. But likewise, I believe that the sensible people are those who will wait and see what transpires before throwing childish tantrums. That way, one can determine who in fact is the realistic one or the deluded one. You're deluded if you think that there are realistic grounds for deciding that at this stage.

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So what exactly are your qualifications to pour scorn on Katharina's choice of board member? Not knowing of course the circumstances of whether an approach had been made to your own favourite candidate, and whether there were good reasons why he may have declined to accept?

 

You may believe that I look silly for decrying the likes of you to be bedwetters, that is an obvious response in a vain attempt to make yourself feel better. But likewise, I believe that the sensible people are those who will wait and see what transpires before throwing childish tantrums. That way, one can determine who in fact is the realistic one or the deluded one. You're deluded if you think that there are realistic grounds for deciding that at this stage.

 

Why did you choose to address your questions in a sarcastic style at me rather than Badger who I just agreed with? No matter what happens between now and the end of the window, losing Chambers is disgraceful.

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The ill-informed and frankly sexist comments being thown at KL are appalling. Non of the people throwing these comments around has the slightest idea of her abilities or her business acumen. Still, when did ignorance ever stop certain posters from peddling their drivel and bile.

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The ill-informed and frankly sexist comments being thown at KL are appalling. Non of the people throwing these comments around has the slightest idea of her abilities or her business acumen. Still, when did ignorance ever stop certain posters from peddling their drivel and bile.

 

Exactly. Posters (who have never met and know nothing about her or her board) saying other people (who they have never met and know about) should be running the club. Its just is risible and would be funny if it wasnt so pathetic. KL has done more for this club than perhaps anyone in its history. Markus Liebherr had the vsion but it was KL who delivered on it and is responsible for funding the rise from lg1. Reminds me of spoilt children complaining because the Christmas expensive presents werent all exactly what they wanted.

Edited by buctootim
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So what exactly are your qualifications to pour scorn on Katharina's choice of board member? Not knowing of course the circumstances of whether an approach had been made to your own favourite candidate, and whether there were good reasons why he may have declined to accept?

 

You may believe that I look silly for decrying the likes of you to be bedwetters, that is an obvious response in a vain attempt to make yourself feel better. But likewise, I believe that the sensible people are those who will wait and see what transpires before throwing childish tantrums. That way, one can determine who in fact is the realistic one or the deluded one. You're deluded if you think that there are realistic grounds for deciding that at this stage.

 

Like ripping up your season ticket? good to see you've learnt from that.

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Oh my God! What is with all those wrist-slitters on this board?

Based on absolutely no REAL information, and with only their pathetic need to find fault everywhere with anything and anybody, they are making judgements about the abilities and actions of KL, RK, Les Reed, Koeman and anybody else who is involved with thye club. based on absolutely no reliable information, but just on rumors.

 

Not quite. You are right in that we have no idea of why certain decisions have been made, be it the current appointments or not appointing Williams etc.. Indeed the current approach to selling and recruitment could very well be part of a master stroke strategy that none of s bed wetter saw coming that will yield amazing results... If it does, fair play and we I will be the first to shout about my misery and negativity being the rule of ignorance about anything to do with football.

 

But... We can only comment on what we see. We can't judge KL and the board by the reasons for the decisions, as we do not know them and they are not communicated.... So we can only judge on what're actually se happening to the squad.

 

1. IMHO, a board we greater strength and conviction and belief in their ambition, would have Ben able to convince most of those who have left or are about to to stay one more season at least.. Maybe one or even two may have gone, but with the right communication of the hunger and belief in what could be achieved, I do think we could have seen an improvement this season... Some won't agree, fair enough, but for the likes of Shaw and chambers, age is on their side....

 

2. Domino effect - think the board were naive in their thinking and not really aware that once two went the rest would want to follow. Lovren is best example, he IMHO would have stayed had we not lost all the others....chambers, Schneiderlin as well...

 

3. The mass sell off- can only speculate as to why given the premise that the accounts will be fine... With the cost incurred for Staplewood and transfers being affordable over 2-3 years spread, considering the revenue increases - so I won't, but I can't believe there is ANYBODY who thinks that even with a decent set of replacements (and we were all aware of a lack of squad depth last season, let alone for the coming one with the rate we are selling v aquiring) we will be competitive from the off...we won't. And yet we all know how unforgiving this league is... We will struggle. Some all that bed wetting ******.... Yet it's a realistic abscess meant of the squad at this time, irrespective of who else arrives between now and 1 Sept. .... REALISM, something we are told by the forum 'elite' is what is all important, and that dreams and ambition must be restricted by it....

 

KL and this board, COULD have done more to keep some of those who have left or are about to. It should be clear as daylight that the culture/ ambition or desire, is not enough to convince these players to stay. ..... But he it's OK, we must let them go if they want to play champions league.... So we had 6-7 players wanted by CL sides, yet for some we are still Too far away from such a 'mad dream' ....

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We can't judge KL and the board by the reasons for the decisions' date=' as we do not know them and they are not communicated.... So we can only judge on what're actually se happening to the squad. .[/quote']

 

Correct - we have only a tiny fraction of the information required to make an informed decision. So the only sensible course of action is to stfu and see what happens, not to bleat over and over in increasingly hysterical rants.

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It appears that the first mistake was the biggest, the selling of Rickie Lambert while he still had years on his contract, and doing so contrary to the publicly stated policy of the club while there was no manager in place. That decision signalled that if offers came in, other players would be allowed to break their contracts as well and we now know that Lallana and Shaw were given the same promise that Lambert had.

The second mistake was failing to be honest with the fans by making statements that were untrue. That created a loss of confidence in the Board which has got close to crisis proportions. Unrest amongst the fans is also likely to have an adverse effect on the players. True, there are fans on here who remain optimistic and who still trust the Board but the sceptics need to see some action in order to change their minds. We all love this club, but even the most loyal fans must have some doubts about the judgement of the people currently in charge.

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The ill-informed and frankly sexist comments being thown at KL are appalling. Non of the people throwing these comments around has the slightest idea of her abilities or her business acumen. Still, when did ignorance ever stop certain posters from peddling their drivel and bile.

 

Maybe you could shut us all up and point us in the direction of her previous achievements in the business world?

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It would have been such a quick and easy win for the club to appoint John Williams, he was even interested and wanted the role. But looking back now, we wanted a mouth piece in that role. Someone who can spout **** and get paid for it, and just agree to whatever goes on.

 

Why would you turn up the opportunity to appoint a very experienced and highly respected football chairman, and then appoint a hockey coach and motivational speaker instead, it simply doesn't make any logical sense - which is why it wasn't made as a footballing decision, more as a PR job. It's all becoming clear now.

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Correct - we have only a tiny fraction of the information required to make an informed decision. So the only sensible course of action is to stfu and see what happens, not to bleat over and over in increasingly hysterical rants.

 

Er.... This is fan forum... You know where different opinions are presented. One persons stfu, is another's head in the sand.

 

jeez some of you are so sensitive to any expression of concern over what is happening... You on the fricken payroll or something? It can't be because you are that naive surely, or maybe it's denial ?

 

The eh smart action is not to stfu, but to discuss the various opinions on a 'discussion' board. If you don't like what you read then surely the smart thing to do is provide a balance and intelligent reply to try and convince others that they are mistaken, of f*ck off and let folk debate without the childish and pathetic constant whinging about other folks opinions not being the same as your own... You just sound like a 5 year old who can't get their way....

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Er.... This is fan forum... You know where different opinions are presented. One persons stfu, is another's head in the sand.

 

jeez some of you are so sensitive to any expression of concern over what is happening... You on the fricken payroll or something? It can't be because you are that naive surely, or maybe it's denial ?

 

The eh smart action is not to stfu, but to discuss the various opinions on a 'discussion' board. If you don't like what you read then surely the smart thing to do is provide a balance and intelligent reply to try and convince others that they are mistaken, of f*ck off and let folk debate without the childish and pathetic constant whinging about other folks opinions not being the same as your own... You just sound like a 5 year old who can't get their way....

 

I thought you liked to be In possession of all the facts before casting judgement, otherwise you give the benefit of the doubt. That's what you always told me every time I criticised Cortese. What's changed Franco?

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Er.... This is fan forum... You know where different opinions are presented. One persons stfu, is another's head in the sand.

 

jeez some of you are so sensitive to any expression of concern over what is happening... You on the fricken payroll or something? It can't be because you are that naive surely, or maybe it's denial ?

 

The eh smart action is not to stfu, but to discuss the various opinions on a 'discussion' board. If you don't like what you read then surely the smart thing to do is provide a balance and intelligent reply to try and convince others that they are mistaken, of f*ck off and let folk debate without the childish and pathetic constant whinging about other folks opinions not being the same as your own... You just sound like a 5 year old who can't get their way....

 

You got Tourette's Frank? You've already said you've got no idea whats going on, but you dont let that influence your behaviour. Perhaps you're unable to control it? An opinion is one thing. Random venting is another.

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Totally agree - her father was the business man not her.

Her father was one of 5 heirs to Hans Liebherr's business empire.

 

there's little evidence that Markus was any good at anything other than spending his share on his hobbies.

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Why did you choose to address your questions in a sarcastic style at me rather than Badger who I just agreed with? No matter what happens between now and the end of the window, losing Chambers is disgraceful.

 

Because I read your post first. As simple as that. In response to the Chambers thing, on the face of it your response was fine until you said "no matter what happens". What if Chambers was bring sold to make way for us signing Phillip Lahm for instance? Of course it probably isn't going to happen, but it illustrates a "what if" that presumably would have you eating your words. In the absence of any evidence of what is intended towards replacing him, any opinion that losing him is disgraceful is currently unfounded.

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Her father was one of 5 heirs to Hans Liebherr's business empire.

 

there's little evidence that Markus was any good at anything other than spending his share on his hobbies.

 

I'm sorry, but you're entirely wrong. As I understand it, Markus declined taking his share of his inheritance and built up his own fortune with his own company Mali.

 

This from his obituary in the Telegraph:-

 

Having become extremely rich as a result, Hans moved the company's base of operations to Switzerland in the early 1970s to avoid inheritance taxes; he died in 1993, leaving an empire with more than 30,000 employees around the world. All five of his children had initially joined him in the business, but his second and third sons, respectively Hubert and Markus, in due course handed back their shareholdings and struck out on their own. Control of the Liebherr group remains in the hands of their siblings, Willi and Isolde.

 

Markus went on to build the Mali group of engineering businesses, based in Fribourg, specialising in "common rail" fuel-injection technology for diesel engines, and also manufacturing off-road vehicles. Little was known of his private and family life, but his wealth was estimated at around €3 billion. The club said that he had carefully laid out plans for its future during his last illness.

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:lol:

 

Of course, as I've explained many times before, I have never ripped up any ST I've held. There was one season when I didn't renew it, but still attended most matches until things got so bad under the Dutch clowns that I joined a growing boycott in an effort to get rid of Lowe and the Quisling. I immediately renewed when Lowe was history.

 

That doesn't stop the hard of thinking like Dorkish repeating the fallacy in the expectation that it will pass into folklore as a weapon of insult to please his little band of simple-minded acolytes.

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Her father was one of 5 heirs to Hans Liebherr's business empire.

 

there's little evidence that Markus was any good at anything other than spending his share on his hobbies.

 

Hmmmm apart from the fact he handed his shares back and then created his own fortune.

 

 

You obviously have your finger on the pulse................. ***t

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Her father was one of 5 heirs to Hans Liebherr's business empire.

 

there's little evidence that Markus was any good at anything other than spending his share on his hobbies.

 

You must be really stupid..... I mean really really really stupid, stupid as in bordering on needing help. The sort of stupid that shouldn't be allowed on the internet.

 

How can you just make such a sweeping statement without having the first clue about what you are talking about?

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Of course, as I've explained many times before, I have never ripped up any ST I've held. There was one season when I didn't renew it, but still attended most matches until things got so bad under the Dutch clowns that I joined a growing boycott in an effort to get rid of Lowe and the Quisling. I immediately renewed when Lowe was history.

 

That doesn't stop the hard of thinking like Dorkish repeating the fallacy in the expectation that it will pass into folklore as a weapon of insult to please his little band of simple-minded acolytes.

 

Of course Les, its all all made up. :rolleyes:

 

Dorkish, get me everytime that one :lol:

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I'm sorry, but you're entirely wrong. As I understand it, Markus declined taking his share of his inheritance and built up his own fortune with his own company Mali.

 

This from his obituary in the Telegraph:-

 

All the information we have came from a dodgy article on a nothing website, which was quickly repeated everywhere after the takeover.

 

I can't see that the Telegraph have done any real investigation into it. There's not a lot to find tbh.

 

There were a couple of news articles about Markus buying the WIFAG factory, which was quickly corrupted into the concept that he had bought WIFAG, which looks to have gone a different way and been acquired by polytype(IIRC)

 

There is some evidence of MALI attending a couple of conferences before Markus passed on, but since then it appears to be just a web site advertising the WIFAG factory for sale and now showing some diesel engines. But shows few signs of a prospering company.

 

Hmmmm apart from the fact he handed his shares back and then created his own fortune.

 

 

You obviously have your finger on the pulse................. ***t

What evidence of this is there? the return of shares in the 1990s was reported on that dodgy website i already mentioned and appears to have just been lifted by other sites and newspapers from there. There is now a similar article on a more authoritative website stating that he returned "most" of his shares. We don't know the terms of the return of shares. Nor should we presume does the writer of the article. He remained a director of LIEBHERR into the mid 2000s however,

 

A 3bn figure for his net worth appears to have been plucked from somebody's arse as well.

 

You must be really stupid..... I mean really really really stupid, stupid as in bordering on needing help. The sort of stupid that shouldn't be allowed on the internet.

 

How can you just make such a sweeping statement without having the first clue about what you are talking about?

I'm saying there's little evidence Markus was a successful businessman. That's true. There's nothing solid to draw that conclusion from except for his ability to buy the WIFAG factory, a couple of small german tractor manufacturers, and SFC, then continuing to invest in SFC

 

MALI was not a household name and there is no evidence as to its value. I've not checked for absolute evidence that Markus inherited a 1/5 stake in LIEBHERR but it stands to reason and fits with inheritance laws in that part of the world.

 

Not sure why you're being so abusive tbh.

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I'm saying there's little evidence Markus was a successful businessman. That's true.

 

Not sure why you're being so abusive tbh.

 

The guy who bought our club, started its renaissance and whose money is still funding it is dead. You have zero evidence that he wasnt a successful businessman beyond supposition. So why impugn somebody who has done so much for this club based on nothing at all? Im not sure what reaction you expected tbh.

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