Turbulence (then calm sailing, then turbulence) thread.

[adz]

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/263923,ffa-were-helping-pay-lucass-wages.aspx

By Staff Writer
Feb 16 2013 14:22
FOOTBALL Federation Australia admitted today that they are helping to foot the bill to bring Lucas Neill to the A-League - but insist they offered the same cash assistance to all clubs.

The Socceroo skipper joined Sydney FC today after a week of speculation which saw him also strongly lined with Melbourne Heart as well as Brisbane Roar.

He joins Sydney on a guest contract until the end of the season after they sealed the deal this morning.

Today the FFA confessed they would also be chipping in for Neill's wage bill to help market the A-League.

“A number of clubs held discussions with Lucas and his representatives and FFA made the same offer of assistance to each club,” said FFA CEO David Gallop.

“This season FFA has been party to several arrangements covering marquee players and returning Socceroos. Our aim has been to support clubs who have made substantial investments in top quality players.

“The marquee players and returning Socceroos have added great value to the A-League in terms of playing standard and marketability. At the end of the season we will review this policy in conjunction with the clubs to ensure we are maximizing benefits for the whole league.”
Gallop said he was delighted to see the 34 year old veteran defender return to play in Australian domestic football for the first time since he was a teenager at Manly United and the AIS.

“As a Sydney junior who has seen the world through football, it’s wonderful that the journey has brought Lucas back to play for his home town club in the A-League,” said Gallop.

“In this crucial FIFA World Cup qualifying year, it will be great to see the Socceroo captain playing in front of Australian fans in our very competitive national league.

“I wish Lucas all the best in his guest stint with Sydney FC.”

... except the Mariners, of course.

 

[adz]

Apparently 1 player adds "great value" to the A-League but a whole team on the Central Coast doesn't.

 

[dibo]

Oh, and while I'm on it, the Mariners are (first-season wonders the Wanderers aside) the club who has across the history of the A-League taken most points per game, has the best average goal difference, scored the second most goals per game (behind only the prolific Melbourne Victory) and conceded the fewest goals per game.

We've got the second best home record behind Victory and second best away record behind Roar.

We have won more matches than anyone else and in 193 games taken a staggering 304 points - the first and so far only club to crack 300 points.

We're 27 points ahead of Sydney and 56 ahead of the scum over 8 years.

We're the first club to crack the top 2 three years in a row, and we'll be the first to crack 50 points 3 years in a row.

We've got better average crowds over the years than Perth, Heart or Wellington, plus of course the hapless Fury, GCU and Knights in the smallest markets of any except Townsville.

This is no flash in the pan - this is the very model of the little club that could, and did, and is, and will.

If reports are to be believed, we are running generally about a million bucks short per year, in a league where combined losses are more than $20 million. With the new TV deal we're on the verge of sustainability so our success may continue for years to come.

The cost to FFA of keeping the club afloat would be relatively small and would have a clear end-date. It's not an endless money pit, there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

If there's a club that deserves saving by FFA, it's ours.

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

Damn straight. Our record speaks for itself, and our community development only builds on that.

I wonder though - are we stretching ourselves too thin with the centre of excellence?

 

[dibo]

Damn straight. Our record speaks for itself, and our community development only builds on that.

I wonder though - are we stretching ourselves too thin with the centre of excellence?

I think it's actually the best possible attractor for future capital, and a big part of our problem is that present investors might not be willing to divest/dilute their shares in it as part of the price of new capital. They might not have a choice in the end.

Speaking simply, we won't get anywhere by standing still. Drive on, drive hard, drive fast. Make the others fight to keep up.

 

[midfielder]

FFA stabbed Con in the back.... they had Tinkler in the background... hope history does not repeat itself

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

I think it's actually the best possible attractor for future capital, and a big part of our problem is that present investors might not be willing to divest/dilute their shares in it as part of the price of new capital. They might not have a choice in the end.

Speaking simply, we won't get anywhere by standing still. Drive on, drive hard, drive fast. Make the others fight to keep up.

I agree completely, with my almost nonexistent business knowledge. Of course, you can dig yourself into a hole by overextending yourself; a few multinationals have learned that over the last few years.

 

[Gratis]

for some reason I can't paste into this forum from my phone, no idea why. if I could I would add a link to the Geelong Advertiser talking up Geelings hopes of being an A-League clubs 'saviour'
I would express my thoughts on this but no one needs to read number of expletives in my rant

 

[Tassiemariner]

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2013/03/20/361429_local_sports.html

 

[Gratis]

cheers

 

[dibo]

The club's in debt. The club has made operating losses, year on year, for five years and I gather from various conversations at the time even the surplus that was made in 2007/8 was carefully crafted and more of a PR thing than any indication that we were actually running in the black.

Just re-reading this:

Arnold's pledge came amid news the embattled club's investors -- Mike Charlesworth, chairman Peter Turnbull and Western Sydney Wanderers executive chairman Lyall Gorman -- were last night locked in a meeting in a bid to resolve issues surrounding a revamping of the Mariners' ownership structure.

According to ASIC records, Turnbull, Charlesworth and Gorman jointly own 64 per cent of the club through the investment trust that owns the club's Centre of Excellence at Tuggerah on the NSW central coast.

Englishman Charlesworth is understood to be interested in taking over the controlling interest in the Mariners and their considerable debts with a view to injecting much-needed funding and providing immediate cashflow to ease the club's financial burden.

Turnbull has reportedly indicated he is prepared to move aside for the sake of the club.

So Turnbull, for his faults, appears open to his fate. He's poured $6 million of his own money into this club and helped keep the wolves from the door in the toughest times.

Charlesworth wants in - that's pretty clear.

If the condition of him taking over is that he takes on the debts in return for equity, well that's the business world! Debt for equity swaps are commonplace!

If the third party - obviously Gorman - won't take the deal, we've got a problem.

Here's a guy who is now running a rival club, and he's holding the one person who's ever been *named* as a potential saviour (as opposed to chimeric Russian or Asian consortia) to ransom.

Conflict of interest much? Gallop should fire him. It's f**king ridiculous.

Lyall Out.

 

[yellowcake]

My exact thoughts too. But...
Unfortunately Gallop can't tell Gorman what to do regarding his private investment.
Unfortunately Gallop can't fire Gorman for working in the best interests of WSW.

Sad irony if we're screwed by someone who initially was an integral part of our organisation (but wouldn't be the first time)

 

[midfielder]

Just confirming .... Charlesworth is from the Coast with no plan to move us.

 

[dibo]

My exact thoughts too. But...
Unfortunately Gallop can't tell Gorman what to do regarding his private investment.
Unfortunately Gallop can't fire Gorman for working in the best interests of WSW.

Sad irony if we're screwed by someone who initially was an integral part of our organisation (but wouldn't be the first time)

Someone whose position surely came on the condition that whether he held a stake or not, he was miles removed from operational or business matters and played a dead hand. Here he's no longer playing a dead hand. He can't - it's a takeover offer. It's not possible for him to not be conflicted, and as FFA's employee (they are the 100% owner of WSW) who is influencing the survival prospects of another club in FFA's competition, surely he's got to go.

Just confirming .... Charlesworth is from the Coast with no plan to move us.

He's a UK businessman, but he's held stock in CCM for a long time now.

The *only* reason you'd up stumps from the Coast is that CCM died and you're taking the licence and building a new club elsewhere.

Charlesworth is apparently looking to 'buy' the Mariners' debts in return for the shareholding - he's trying to resuscitate the club. In those circumstances you wouldn't be moving the club.

 

[Gratis]

nor is it worth moving with the CoE coming into play

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

So does the thread need to be renamed to 'Mexican investor action'?

 

[adz]

The Mexicans want to steal the club, not invest in it...

 

[dibo]

i figure the new name suits pretty well.

 

[Capn Gus Bloodbeard]

stupid idea....a club relocation wouldn't work, the community won't have ownership

 

[midfielder]

Dibo thanks for that info on Charlesworth I guess he is the guy from Sheffield United that invested in the COE about five years ago and formed the sisiter club relationship..

On the Geelong thing ... Heart IMO should be on the phone now ...