6 Comments

1. 

   robin crimes on 26 March 2015 at 12:42 am

   In the first week of TAW Player I wanted to give honest feedback then call it a day. I don’t like that feeling of being like an 11 year old girl tweeting Gary Barlow. I feel compelled to say, though, how much I like this show. I learned a lot listening to that. It was absolutely excellent. Never mind 17p, I’d pay up to 40p for this show alone.

   I don’t understand the comments at the start of the show that FSG are content with 4th or don’t really want success. I’m confident enough to stick my head on the line and say that’s bullshit. I have ‘involvement’ with venture capitalists. Basically, they’re Dragons Den characters but look for companies who are struggling because their procedures are all wrong but have potential. I know how they think. What I’ve noticed is they run their business in the same way FSG run Liverpool. Exactly the same principles. The idea is to maximise profit or get the company really strong ready to sell but there’s more to it than that. The VC community is very tight and it’s one big game. You get respect off your peers from success stories and that’s it. Being successful becomes like a drug to them. That doesn’t mean they lose their heads in the pursuit, far from it. It’s a gradual process of building it. Once they pass £100m of personal wealth, as the ones I deal with have, then it’s not about making money. That’s a by product of their goal which is success. I clearly see that FSG are VC’s or follow the exact principles. I’m not underestimating the role of profit here but it’s primarily about success for themselves. One-upmanship on the next VC. An ego boost. There’s no guarantee they can do it but they’ll certainly try. Absolutely no way will they be content with a regular top 4 finish only.

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     GraemeR on 26 March 2015 at 2:23 pm

     Hi Robin,

     I would agree with much of what you say.

     In the case of FSG, I’m not sure what part profit makes in it, I think it is all about success, albeit success generated in on a sustainable financial basis.

     John Henry is an interesting character. It is certainly not the case that he invests purely on the basis of potential return. No one in there right mind would by a Newspaper expecting to make a profit.

     If you haven’t seen it before have a read of the piece he wrote for the Boston Globe after he bought it:-

     http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2013/10/27/why-bought-globe/QmFHhvRGFajQh1oMcAJ64M/story.html?s_campaign=sm_tw

     Cheers.

     Graeme

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       robin crimes on 26 March 2015 at 3:49 pm

       Hiya mate. Thanks for posting that link, I found it fascinating. My respect for JWH has gone right up. I can’t believe he was in Chicago at the 68 Democrats convention. Nothing makes me more angry than seeing that footage. If I had a time machine I’d go back there tomorrow, tooled up ready to fight the police. He doesn’t strike me as that kind of guy. I’m impressed!

       Yeah, regarding profit, I get what you mean. I was making the same point that success comes before profit with people like him but at the same time, when they do come to sell there will be profit and that makes the world go round. If nothing else it’s another marker of their success in their investment circles. I suppose what I’m saying is, these people are driven by success but without the possibility of profit I wonder whether they’d bother.

       I first started commenting on here in about 2011 because I couldn’t sit here and listen to people talking shit about FSG / NESV. All my earlier posts were on this subject. I’ve no real affinity towards them but I immediately supported the fact that they had a clear vision for LFC which if they succeeded would result in Liverpool being successful. A mutually beneficial situation for both the club and the owners. They didn’t make false promises or try to butter us up they just went about their business.

       You’ll probably remember from the time the manta was they’re here to make a quick buck and will strip us and sell us in a few years. With the loan they’ve just given the club, to be paid back over 5 years it’s clear they’re here for another 5 years making 10 at least. They won’t regenerate Anfield etc etc. I quite like JWH. He’s not flash and he’s not ruthless but he’s as shrewd as they come. I think that’s the best you can hope for in this age.

       I like his wife too. As a side note, I saw a tweet to her from Crazy Bob who comments on here sometimes. She put about keeping a clean sheet and he replied her sheets wouldn’t be clean after a night with him. I cringed. What must they think of the Liverpool fans? They must think we’re a right bunch of knobheads. Anyway, thanks for that mate.

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2. 

   GrkStav on 26 March 2015 at 6:36 am

   Of all people who may be relegated to the bench as a result of us potentially buying a 30 mil GBP player, it will not be Markovic. Mark my words.

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     paul on 26 March 2015 at 1:03 pm

     Don’t see you on RAWK these day. Why’s that?

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3. 

   Boat2bolivia on 26 March 2015 at 7:02 pm

   Shame. Some of my favourite contributors on this. And an interesting subject.

   But the dullest of all the dull dishwater. They Kept going round and round and then back again the other way.
   Flogging that dead horse will do no one any favours. It’s dead see. The dead horse like…it’s dead.
   Pissed off because these extra pods have got me out running again. Need to FF through them before I go out next time.
   However you’ve put the effort in so good on you for that.

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