Billionaire to Invest in Hibs

[Leith Green]

34 minutes ago, craigkillie said:

There is a massive difference between being at a lower rung on the food chain but still retaining the autonomy to buy and sell wherever we want and the situation Hibs are likely now in. When Killie sign a new player or sell a promising talent, the entire decision making process by the club will be about maximising the benefits to our club. From now on at Hibs, these strategic decisions are also going to also involve an element of what will work for Bournemouth or Lorient or whichever other club these guys get their claws into, and those aren't always aligned with what is best for Hibs.

See @Tommy Tappinpost above.

I dont think you (or I for that matter) understand the full ins and outs of this...............but the suggestion that Hibs have to take players signed for a minority shareholders other club is not correct.

The Gordons still have just over 50%, and the Black Knights are not even close to a controlling interest.

Lets see how it plays out before making rash assumptions - either way.

[VincentGuerin]

2 minutes ago, Leith Green said:

See @Tommy Tappinpost above.

I dont think you (or I for that matter) understand the full ins and outs of this...............but the suggestion that Hibs have to take players signed for a minority shareholders other club is not correct.

The Gordons still have just over 50%, and the Black Knights are not even close to a controlling interest.

Lets see how it plays out before making rash assumptions - either way.

My worry would be the Gordons' intentions and motivations.

I don't mean any of what I'm about to write as criticism of their character etc, but we need to be frank about the situation here. They've been left this club by a man who is now dead. In the grand scheme of things, Hibs are something they're going to sell and move on from.

With that in mind, what consitutes an acceptable (even attractive) deal for them, and what you, as a lifelong supporter, will want for your club are extremely unlikely to align.

With the best will in the world, if Hibs end up a vessel for Bournemouth to punt players to as and when they please, and ultimately with the really shitty end of a deal here, the Gordons won't care. They'll want a return on the money Ron spent on the club, and their life will go on.

This is a very big step for Hibs to take, and it's not clear what protection there is in place for the club, if any. It's also not clear where this investment will end. The Black Knights are not close to a controlling interest now. But why bother at all to just stop here and punt Hibs £6m? For what, exactly? You've always got to consider motivation.

[Mr. X]

I think you're about to go on your very own rollercoaster ride. 

Just hold tight and pray lads.

[Leith Green]

1 minute ago, VincentGuerin said:

You've always got to consider motivation

Have you really?

Without being disrespectful, but I dont think I will be taking any advice from a hearts fan, given the lack of any consideration that any of you had for things like the FTB club merger plan, the STV cash, Robinsons plans, Romanov.

(theres probably more, but I'm not really that bothered).

 

[Girth]

I (for one) welcome our new Hibs overlords. 

[BFTD]

14 hours ago, jamamafegan said:

A football finance expert is claiming this could propel Hibs to "3rd best club in Scotland" status.

Phew, for a second I was worried something might actually change at the top of our game.

[VincentGuerin]

14 minutes ago, Leith Green said:

Have you really?

Without being disrespectful, but I dont think I will be taking any advice from a hearts fan, given the lack of any consideration that any of you had for things like the FTB club merger plan, the STV cash, Robinsons plans, Romanov.

(theres probably more, but I'm not really that bothered).

 

You can play the man and not the ball if you like, but I don't think I've raised anything unusual. And you have no idea what I think about any of those things anyway. I'm not sure why you seem to always assume everything has to be a partisan issue.

And surely you can see the irony in a Hibs fan bringing up Hearts' past financial and governance woes, while seeming happy for Hibs to walk into a deal that doesn't pass the smell test with their eyes firmly shut. Do you not see that?

Back to the issue at hand; Even if Hibs finish third next year. There's almost certainly no automatic group stage football. Hibs will be unseeded in the play-offs. So, how likely are they to get that European cash? How many years does that need to take for it to be worth the investment? And even once they get in, is a share of the £4-5m Hibs might make from it really worth that kind of investment of time and money? Why?

So, there's you first issue. What's in it for Foley? This is not immediately obvious, and the idea of the European money being the big thing doesn't really last past initial scrutiny. It doesn't make sense. He'd probably be better with a high interest account.

So, what's the motivation?

Secondly, the issue of the Gordons. You've just used the fact I'm a Hearts supporter to avoid both points. That's up to you.

Edited January 31 by VincentGuerin

[Tommy Tappin]

23 minutes ago, VincentGuerin said:

if Hibs end up a vessel for Bournemouth to punt players to as and when they please

...then we'll end up with players playing at a higher level than we have now without paying for them AND have had our stadium and training ground upgraded. 

[VincentGuerin]

Just now, Tommy Tappin said:

...then we'll end up with players playing at a higher level than we have now without paying for them AND have had our stadium and training ground upgraded. 

If you're fine with that, good luck to you.

What are your views on B-Teams?

[Tommy Tappin]

Just now, VincentGuerin said:

What are your views on B-Teams?

I don't support Hearts. 

[VincentGuerin]

Just now, Tommy Tappin said:

I don't support Hearts. 

But are you in favour of B-Teams up to the level of, say, the Championship? The Premiership? Are you against them at all?

[Leith Green]

21 minutes ago, VincentGuerin said:

You can play the man and not the ball if you like, but I don't think I've raised anything unusual. And you have no idea what I think about any of those things anyway. I'm not sure why you seem to always assume everything has to be a partisan issue.

And surely you can see the irony in a Hibs fan bringing up Hearts' past financial and governance woes, while seeming happy for Hibs to walk into a deal that doesn't pass the smell test with their eyes firmly shut. Do you not see that?

Back to the issue at hand; Even if Hibs finish third next year. There's almost certainly no automatic group stage football. Hibs will be unseeded in the play-offs. So, how likely are they to get that European cash? How many years does that need to take for it to be worth the investment? And even once they get in, is a share of the £4-5m Hibs might make from it really worth that kind of investment of time and money? Why?

So, there's you first issue. What's in it for Foley? This is not immediately obvious, and the idea of the European money being the big thing doesn't really last past initial scrutiny. It doesn't make sense. He'd probably be better with a high interest account.

So, what's the motivation?

Secondly, the issue of the Gordons. You've just used the fact I'm a Hearts supporter to avoid both points. That's up to you.

I'm only toying with you................chillax man

I am not daft, and we all know this could end up breasts skywards and we have to have bake sales, buy the club for a couple of million from the taxman etc.............but whatever happens, I am sure we will have some fun getting there, and if we do manage to win something along the way then so much the better.

Scottish fitba is in danger of becoming about as exciting as fucking Jackanory with one of two clubs winning the league and or cup every year ad infinitum (with the odd diddy club making the exception to the rule)

So - to chorie a phrase from @Mr. X - I will happily jump on the Rollercoaster and take our chances.

[Tommy Tappin]

16 minutes ago, VincentGuerin said:

But are you in favour of B-Teams up to the level of, say, the Championship? The Premiership? Are you against them at all?

In Vincent Guerin style, I'm going to entire ignore the content of the post and give the response I feel like giving. 

I'm in favour of winning more games/trophies than we do now and I'm against losing any many games as we do now. 

How we go about realising that, I'll leave to the management. 

Edited January 31 by Tommy Tappin

[VincentGuerin]

1 minute ago, Tommy Tappin said:

In Vincent Guerin style, I'm going to entire ignore the content of the post and give the response I feel like giving. 

I'm in favour of winning/trophies more games than we do now and I'm against losing any many games as we do now. 

How we go about realising that, I'll leave to the management. 

It's a logical question.

The fact you won't answer it is telling.

I get it, this kind of thing requires mental gymnastics to defend. You're a B-Team guy now.

[Miguel Sanchez]

As an NHL fan I've seen how a Bill Foley team operates. Las Vegas started in the 2017-18 season. They made the cup final in their first season (their success was as much the fault of ~75% of the other teams/managers in the league not handling the expansion properly) and have been a contender ever since, winning the Stanley Cup last year. 

The best way to describe their approach over that time would be "aggressive." If there was a big name signing or trade to make, they've generally made it. Because there's a salary cap in the NHL this often meant having to ship out previously important or well-liked players to accommodate the new guys. If you think football agents are a poison, get a load of this idiot.

The team has also played very heavily into the generally tacky and horrible nature of Las Vegas as a city, and the team is largely reviled by most NHL fans as a result. I can't stand them.

Obviously there's not much of a comparison to make between the operation of Hibs and a North American sports team, but for whatever concerns there are about them being a feeder team or less of a priority to the investor(s) as anyone here would like, I do think there's a decent chance they'll see a sizable, sustained boost to resources on and off the pitch. Whether or not that translates into results we'll have to wait and see.

Someone may need to educate them on naming conventions a bit though:

 

[Unleash The Nade]

Surely his children should have taken action through their Power Of Attourney

[conboyhibs]

Absolutely shocked to see the Hearts fans on here and elsewhere talk the investment down.

The truth is nobody really knows how it'll turn out but there's no reason there shouldn't be some cautious optimism among HIbs fans.
We're going to have access to additional resource in terms of finances and a wider recruitment network. I think we'll undoubtedly have to make some allowances and concessions in the interests of the wider group of clubs but I feel the positives do outweigh the negatives here. Already we've had access to a player (Marcondes) that I'd wager we wouldn't have been able to sign previously.

People are quick to cast aspersions about the motives behind it and that's fine but listening to members of the Black Knights there's a genuine want for all clubs within their network to succeed. They do have a track record of success thus far with Lorient being the obvious exception. The continued investment to improve things on the pitch at Hibs will be a drop in the ocean for them in order to have a team regularly qualifying for European football (as far off as that objective may currently be).

I'm excited to see how things unfold.

 

[Tommy Tappin]

2 hours ago, VincentGuerin said:

It's a logical question.

The fact you won't answer it is telling.

I get it, this kind of thing requires mental gymnastics to defend. You're a B-Team guy now.

When you address the points from my post a few days ago, I'll happily reciprocate. 

[VincentGuerin]

12 minutes ago, Tommy Tappin said:

When you address the points from my post a few days ago, I'll happily reciprocate. 

What points are those?

Not sure why you're making this some obtuse game. I just asked you a simple question. I don't see any reason you can't answer it.

 

[Insert Amusing Pseudonym]

4 hours ago, Leith Green said:

Have you really?

Without being disrespectful, but I dont think I will be taking any advice from a hearts fan, given the lack of any consideration that any of you had for things like the FTB club merger plan, the STV cash, Robinsons plans, Romanov.

(theres probably more, but I'm not really that bothered).

 

I get that argument, but then all of that stuff ended badly.  So anyone questioning the motivations would have been correct