Can I just put this out as 2 general questions : a) Does anybody here believe that Bazini is 'acting alone' b) What evidence do we really have that the club are broke? Just as a bit of thinking behind question a) 1)The guy has come up with approx £5m. (£440k + £3.5m wking cap + £1m bond). 2) He was bankrupt 3 years ago. 3) He hasn't featured in web searches apart from pre-bankruptcy stuff and Watford FC related stuff. 4) He lives in a fairly modest house in Stanmore/Bwood. 5) No bank in its right mind is going to loan a recent bankrupt £5m to invest in a football club with no security!!!! 6) No person in their right mind would invest more than 25% of their net assets in a football club. Extrapolating 1 and 6 (dodgy conjecture I know) would mean that he has amassed, under the radar, £20m in three years, and what's more, hasn't done what you or I might do and bought himself a big f- off house. I just don't see it. If we then assume that he is fronting for someone else (as I have done, rightly or wrongly) how can we have any idea of the money that might or might not be available?
This is the first thread I have seen here in a while with some well constructed arguements. I feel I fall somewhere between the pro-Bassini (if there is one) and anti-Bassini camps. There are reasons for selling our prized assets as there are reasons for holding on to them, but with Malky Mackay we have a very able fellow at the helm and with the academy producing such a crop of youngsters as we have had recently perhaps we have been spoiled. I quite understand that losing Danny Graham, as good a talisman as he was for us, isn't the end of the world others will come. Did we not feel the same when Luther went off to Italy or John Barnes to Liverpool? The sale of thes two players will give the club close to four million pounds; to either spend on new players, which in its entirity is hugely unlikely, fill the coffers for the rainy day or start to repay our earlier debts. All we need now is to get a few bargains, as DG was, for the left back position, a winger and a central striker. Unless Troy Deeny and Marvin Sordell can step fully into the latter roles. I am worried but not necessarily so as there is another six weeks to go before we need a ball to be kicked in anger, plenty of time to organise something.
I think its interesting that the club has made a public statement on the Watford website today that "No approach has been made for MM". Theres no other information apart from that! Is it because Graham Taylor/Winter and co are trying to calm the fans in the face of Bassini's slow and secretive ways? I sincerely hope that in 4/5 months time us fans are not calling for the resignation of Bassini and staging protests
Zen, it is fair to say that a lot of people are quite hard line about our esteemed owner. I am certainly one of them, and I have my fifty quid locked away in a very safe place. When push comes to shove, it's not anti-Dasani to point out that selling your best player, your best young player, and quite possibly the best manager you have had in a decade, all in one go, for less than equivalent people at clubs of equivalent standing would be sold for, is a bad thing. And it's not anti-Dasani to point out that shouting "come and bid for our players" from the rooftops is not going to drive prices up.
In one way I agree, because that will mean that the club isn't doing quite as badly as I fear. But in another way, if I am right about him, the sooner the better. The million penny question (with or without Dasani, that's all we can afford), is how long we can afford to give him.
Absolutely no idea Norway - it just doesn't stack up that it's his money. Various people have been mentioned, ranging from the plausible (Nigel Rich/SEGRO (Slough Estates)) to the dubious (The Salad Brothers) to the downright bizarre (Tom Cruise and David Beckham!!!!). Another thing - what has happened to Panos Thomas??
Funny you should say that, I was just wondering what had happened to our esteemed Knee surgeon, as he is the primary director (or figurehead) of the new holding company!
Saracens are now committed to Copthall. The prevailing feeling is that we would be doing better right now with the Russos negotiating. Anyone who could give the impression of financial strength would have helped us get better value for Buckley and Graham. If Harrow's theory is correct, it can only be Ashcroft. And if Ashcroft is directly involved, I genuinely believe that the sooner this is exposed, the better for the club. After all, what price would a billionaire with political interests put on avoiding bad PR?
Lot of conspiracy theory going on here ,all of it highly interesting ! The next couple of weeks or so should be very revealing whether its Harrows moneymen , or a couple of you have mooted that Baz is LA`s puppet ,or Baz on his own taking a punt! If MM goes I will have grave doubts about the clubs future, if all of a sudden we spend a bit of money on a player then that gives Harrows theory credence, One way or the other we will know soon enough! The other certainty there will be sweet FA that we can do about it until we know more facts!
Hi all - a few points 1) Norway - its alright we are lovers again you don't need to keep chatting me up; 2) I have not been described for a long time as having rose tinted glasses so that is really nice, 3) I was not really thinking of this as pro or anti Bassani as I suspect that almost any owner would have sold the two players we have sold for their good but different reasons - and unless Loach is now no longer in demand I am sure he could also be the subject of a bid. 4) It is good to have a discussion about the future and direction of the club and not just a series of these doom-laden "another player goes" threads. 5) My main points still stand - we do not really have a huge debt in Championship terms, we have a good manager, we have great youngsters, we must be close to break even on our running costs now, we have a fantastic Academy and we have very well informed and loyal support - these are not insignificant factors and yes the road ahead looks tough but if we behave as we have in the last two years I think we will pull through well
Can I just say that if Bassini does turn out to be a complete crook and is juust taking money out of watford I for one would be the first at the protest
"we must be close to break even on our running costs now" Think that hits the nail on the head are we close? take away the debt for a minute Are our books close to balancing? and the goal of self sustainability! What do the more accountant/business men amongst you think? "Norway - its alright we are lovers again you don't need to keep chatting me up" only being friendly mate
Oh God, don't get the FA involved! If they had it their way, they would cancel our league membership when we forget to pay the "administration fee" *wink wink, nudge nudge*
