American Investment
all going into DC United not us, if there is any truth in this story:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/mesut-ozil-representative-set-exploratory-18853892
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/mesut-ozil-representative-set-exploratory-18853892
Comments
There are ways of getting a return and that is by paying a dividend to all the shareholders including the Trust but so far, no dividend has been paid for the last 5 years.
Of course this is correct but as said above, Phil Sumbler said it again at the meeting in the Landore club last week, there is no evidence of any money being taken out, the Trust rep sees the monthly management accounts and any missing money would stand out like a sore thumb.
If any of the conspiracists has any evidence whatsoever, why not get in touch with the inland revenue, the PL and FA big wigs, the fraud office or any body you may think would be interested, you'd be wasting you're time on a myth.
It also devalues the club which again is bot in their interest as they want to get rid of it when it’s in the black. Stop scaremongering for gods sake
They have been quite clear - they THINK nothing untoward is going on, but until they get to see the full accounts with no NDA they cannot unequivocally confirm that is the case.
Until then, you and the other little Hitlers who want to stop people asking questions need to get back in their box.
There will always be suspicion for as long as Kaplan and Levien want to operate without full transparency.
I am quite sure the investors do want a return on their investment and I am also quite sure Kaplan and Levien have no desire to spend time locked up, so why would they go down the embezzlement route as some on here seem convinced is happening.
What I do know is we have owners who promised the next level and have not been able to deliver this and so what, how many football club owners have failed to deliver on their promises (we all need to move on from that statement)
I also think they didn't really factor in relegation (remember this is not an issue in the US) and expected to be able to run the club without investment and take big dividends from the premier league cash and we all know how that worked out.
I really think they are attempting to sort out the mess relegation has caused and the appointment of Trevor Birch is the best move they have made to this end.
I suppose time will tell the whole story but overall I think they made an investment that has not worked out and some poor decisions (Excluding the trust, Bob Bradley, keeping Huw Jenkins, pearlman etc..) which have exacerbated the situation.
To use your terminology are not the people making accusation without any evidence also little hitlers who need to get back in their box?
I also dont think Birch would be there if there was any hint of these unsubstantiated accusations were going on. He'd not risk his footballing credibility or his livelihood as an accountant if there was any money laundering or fraud involved. And he would know the ins and outs of the moneys coming in and out of the club.
As for the Americans sticking around - I see 3 possibilities.
1. we get promotion. they look to get a quick exit and their money back.
2. we get promotion, and they think they think they can make a better fist of it and make money they thought they were going to last time around.
3. The Trust take them to Court. They look at the numbers and try and sell up and get out of Dodge asap, if the losses they make are less than it would cost them to settle the Trust's claim. Only flaws there would be is either the Trust gets the court to block the sale (not sure if that is even possible); or how they would attract a new investor with that hanging case over them - who would be liable / what disruption would it cause to the new owners' plans?
If only Huw had recognised that trying to run the club and cash in his chips at the same time was a huge conflict, and that he was majorly out of his depth - I am convinced that we could have BOTH developed and consolidated as a club, on a "leaner" budget, while Huw achieved his windfall.
There was no need for his vanity and subterfuge that ultimately proved to be our undoing.
Ok, perhaps my choice of moniker was a little harsh but I stand by my point.
What exactly did Big Oak say that warranted a ton of bricks?
"There are over 30 shareholders in the fund each looking for a return."
Not much to argue with there.
"so far they are doing just that."
That could be read in a number of ways without being taken as a suggestion they're siphoning money off.
"This season over £30 million from sold players plus £60 million parachute payments"
Factually correct on the player sales aspect, the parachute payments bit is wrong, it's about half that unless of course it's a very clumsy way of adding together this year and last year in which case he's about £10m short. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premier_League_parachute_and_solidarity_payments
So, from where I'm standing not a lot wrong there to be honest. Certainly not worth the kind of slapdown and suppression of debate around it that you and others seem to be heading up.
As I posted the other day, no one on here really knows exactly what is going on, but shutting down debate and stopping people asking questions of what is not a very transparent operation is certainly not the way to go.
Finance, by its very nature has to stay confidential, I'm not siding with Kaplan or Levien but they have asked for the Trust to sign an NDA so that no information is leaked, the Trust have said no, it won't sign so there's an impasse.
However, I have said my point over and over again that to move money out in a fashion that some are suggesting is embezzlement and whoever does that will spend time in the slammer, your conspiracies are guess work, at best.
If you have any evidence then why not call in the fraud squad, PL/FA, Inland Revenue or anyone at FFP, they'd be happy to listen.
Well said, like you, I'm also a realist and have never been called a little Hitler just to score a point
The facts remain:
- You have no more evidence it isn't going on, than I have evidence to prove that it is.
- The owners continue to deny the Trust Director access to the full, detailed accounts without signing an NDA first. That behaviour is, if we're being generous, extremely odd. At worst, it is opaque, dishonest and the actions of people who have plenty to hide.
So, sorry, but I will continue to call it out every single time I see it from you and others because it is a fairly blatant attempt to shut people down who retain a healthy suspicion of what is going on. It is healthy to continue to ask questions of incompetent owners who have ruined the club over the course of their 3 year tenure.