From the Official Site:- 14th August 2017 A letter to the fans of Southampton Football Club from Katharina Liebherr... I am pleased to confirm that talks to bring in a new partner to our club have been concluded. Following extensive and fruitful work, we are entering into a partnership with the Gao family and I am excited about what we will achieve together. Today is the start of a new and exciting chapter for our club. Mr Jisheng Gao and his daughter, Mrs Nelly Gao, with whom I have built a close relationship, share our values and ambitions. As a team, we will strive to build upon the strong foundation that is in place towards sustainable long-term success. Mr Gao, Nelly and I have full trust in Ralph Krueger and his management team. We wholeheartedly support their plans to follow the Southampton Way in the years ahead. But for now it is business as usual at Southampton Football Club and we must allow everyone at the club to focus on the first few weeks of the new season. I would like to thank the passionate supporters of the club for their ongoing loyalty and faith, and I look forward to seeing you soon at St Mary's. We March On. Katharina Liebherr Statement from Mr Jisheng Gao I am honoured and humbled to become a partner of Southampton Football Club alongside Katharina Liebherr, who, together with her father, has been such a great steward of the club, its growth and success. Together, we have the passion and motivation to build on Southampton’s excellent progress in recent years as we look forward to an exciting next chapter for the club.
Pretty much standard PR for media / customer (fans) purposes; especially the highlighted, which is just to create a nice warm fuzzy feeling. There's no way partner ever equates in a 80/20 shareholding, unless something has been specifically written into the contract, which no sensible business person would do.
The new owners are just being sensible...maintain the status quo until you have a grasp of the situation. Doesn't mean they aren't paying attention to a valuable investment.....we'd hope.
Speaking from my experience of Saints affairs, we never do what is expected, whether that be results on the pitch or in business affairs, so any reference to the norm or following what others do must always be taken with a pinch of salt. Is there another Club in the World that uses this much secrecy over their affairs. Even the top Clubs usually give plenty of feed back to the fans that ask the questions. MI5 could take lesson from this mob.
Know where you're coming from but I think you're looking too much, for something which isn't there Don. I tend to agree with Fran above but hey ho, virtually every post on this site & obviously this thread, are just individual opinions. None of us know, even the ITK's, who don't get much right either I'll sign off now. Cheers.
