Waterford FC Thread

skaface

All Blues players have been laid off temporarily this evening.. They were informed by Email.. Think we can forget about league football until next season.

PTH2009

skaface wrote: »

All Blues players have been laid off temporarily this evening.. They were informed by Email.. Think we can forget about league football until next season.

Not good news and Rennie is not one bit happy about it going by the stuff in the media

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020/0504/1136449-disgusted-waterford-players-staff-laid-off-by-email/

If you're need of a bit cheering up have a look at the supporters club facebook group

hardybuck

PTH2009 wrote: »

Not good news and Rennie is not one bit happy about it going by the stuff in the media

https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2020/0504/1136449-disgusted-waterford-players-staff-laid-off-by-email/

If you're need of a bit cheering up have a look at the supporters club facebook group

Absolutely horrible way to conduct business. Zero respect shown to staff and players.

Gardner

am i allowed to comment

alta stare

Gardner wrote: »

am i allowed to comment

No f off

alta stare

hardybuck wrote: »

Absolutely horrible way to conduct business. Zero respect shown to staff and players.

I agree it is bad form but the bigger picture is that the club could go to the wall so letting people go was inevitable. The way they have done it is cowardly and nothing short of disgraceful.

hardybuck

alta stare wrote: »

I agree it is bad form but the bigger picture is that the club could go to the wall so letting people go was inevitable. The way they have done it is cowardly and nothing short of disgraceful.

Arguably they should have done that much earlier to safeguard the club finances. I could understand that.

I wouldn't be surprised if the son has little or no business or life experience and got a bit too much freedom here and has made an awful error.

If I was in Rennie's shoes I wouldn't return.

debok

Gardner wrote: »

am i allowed to comment

It only took a worldwide pandemic for your "told ye so " predictions to come true. But emailing people is horrible way to do it but that's the way the world is going now unfortunately. If I was Rennie I would pack it in now.

hardybuck

Does anyone know who the potential buyer was last year?

Smell the glove

hardybuck wrote: »

Does anyone know who the potential buyer was last year?

A group of business men from the south east is what I heard but that could be absolute nonsense. Just what I heard.

Banana Republic.

hardybuck wrote: »

Does anyone know who the potential buyer was last year?

Heard it was a guy who had got a family inheritance and business and was told not to invest as all the good players were gone by the time discussions were near the end but also that the value wouldn’t fluctuate to wildly and from what I’ve been told he is still in the wings. He’s interest is purely football and not financial gain ( which is wise in the LOI) He is a good friend of an avid supporter. So I tend to believe this one. Power is in the crapper with Swindon at the moment so a sale could be done and it’s no better time.

On a side note if this is little Jacks first attempt at running a club he’s made a pigs ear of it. More interested in getting a lock in in The Factory Nightclub then making the club better.

hardybuck

Banana Republic. wrote: »

Heard it was a guy who had got a family inheritance and business and was told not to invest as all the good players were gone by the time discussions were near the end but also that the value wouldn’t fluctuate to wildly and from what I’ve been told he is still in the wings. He’s interest is purely football and not financial gain ( which is wise in the LOI) He is a good friend of an avid supporter. So I tend to believe this one. Power is in the crapper with Swindon at the moment so a sale could be done and it’s no better time.

On a side note if this is little Jacks first attempt at running a club he’s made a pigs ear of it. More interested in getting a lock in in The Factory Nightclub then making the club better.

I suppose you don't really invest in the LOI do you? It's more of a benevolent act because you're not seeing your money again!

Interesting to see Dermot Desmond invest in Rovers though - even if it's crumbs for him.

The young Power lad presumably has no experience or qualifications?

joeysoap

Q: how do you make a small fortune In the league of Ireland?

A: start with a big one


Sorry lads, I’m bored and exhausting all the threads, even the Cork City ones

hardybuck

joeysoap wrote: »

Q: how do you make a small fortune In the league of Ireland?

A: start with a big one


Sorry lads, I’m bored and exhausting all the threads, even the Cork City ones

Is there anyone in the Waterford squad that you'd like your club to sign? They'll all be free agents in a couple of weeks.

Banana Republic.

hardybuck wrote: »

I suppose you don't really invest in the LOI do you? It's more of a benevolent act because you're not seeing your money again!

Interesting to see Dermot Desmond invest in Rovers though - even if it's crumbs for him.

The young Power lad presumably has no experience or qualifications?

Rovers are stinking rich and Dundalk from the European run that’s the golden goose for any investor looking to make money from the LOI as the league itself the money is pathetic. If young Power does then he’s not using any of it. Struts around each matchday like he’s the bees knees but really he’s a puppet for RUB whose hot he’s laws buried in the club and the club can’t see the woods from the trees.

hardybuck

Banana Republic. wrote: »

Rovers are stinking rich and Dundalk from the European run that’s the golden goose for any investor looking to make money from the LOI as the league itself the money is pathetic. If young Power does then he’s not using any of it. Struts around each matchday like he’s the bees knees but really he’s a puppet for RUB whose hot he’s laws buried in the club and the club can’t see the woods from the trees.

Isn't Rovers fan owned to some extent? I think this is a must have if clubs are to remain viable.

The group that own Dundalk have come under a fair amount of criticism for not putting the European money back into the club. Haven't driven on and taken it to the next level. Presumably they're in the sweet spot now being full time, securing the better players to multi annual contracts and tipping into Europe every year.

Banana Republic.

hardybuck wrote: »

Isn't Rovers fan owned to some extent? I think this is a must have if clubs are to remain viable.

The group that own Dundalk have come under a fair amount of criticism for not putting the European money back into the club. Haven't driven on and taken it to the next level. Presumably they're in the sweet spot now being full time, securing the better players to multi annual contracts and tipping into Europe every year.

From the talk I’ve seen about fan owned it’s not viable tbh, the support structures Rovers hands would bolster any fan owned initiative in that club. Dundalk still not upgrading that shack is down to the FAI not pushing them on it too, they ships withdraw the option of The Aviva until they start construction on upgrading the stadium.
As for The Blues being fan owned that’s a pipe dream under the current owners that’ll never happen. It would be nice to have a percentage stake but how would that work I dunno. How much pull do Rovers fans have?

hardybuck

Banana Republic. wrote: »

From the talk I’ve seen about fan owned it’s not viable tbh, the support structures Rovers hands would bolster any fan owned initiative in that club. Dundalk still not upgrading that shack is down to the FAI not pushing them on it too, they ships withdraw the option of The Aviva until they start construction on upgrading the stadium.
As for The Blues being fan owned that’s a pipe dream under the current owners that’ll never happen. It would be nice to have a percentage stake but how would that work I dunno. How much pull do Rovers fans have?

The board is elected from the membership.

It makes sense if you can package it right and get interest. Say 500 members took a 20% stake in the club and paid €500 annual membership (lads will pay more for golf club membership) which includes a season ticket, parking, access to a players lounge etc., that's €250k raised before a ball is kicked each year.

If season tickets are currently €220 and they sell 500 (dunno how many people buy them) that's about €140k additional revenue. If you have a lounge that sells food and drink that's another revenue stream on match day.

Not sure what the Powers are looking for to sell the club - but the above is possibly the only way they'll get money out of the club.

joeysoap

hardybuck wrote: »

Is there anyone in the Waterford squad that you'd like your club to sign? They'll all be free agents in a couple of weeks.

Kenny was supposedly looking at Will Fitzgerald when he was at limerick, but bar Sloggett and Leahy . Dundalk now appear to be signing elsewhere Flores, Patching, Smith, Colovic and a new lad none of us has seen yet Oduwa.

Banana Republic. wrote: »

From the talk I’ve seen about fan owned it’s not viable tbh, the support structures Rovers hands would bolster any fan owned initiative in that club. Dundalk still not upgrading that shack is down to the FAI not pushing them on it too, they ships withdraw the option of The Aviva until they start construction on upgrading the stadium.
As for The Blues being fan owned that’s a pipe dream under the current owners that’ll never happen. It would be nice to have a percentage stake but how would that work I dunno. How much pull do Rovers fans have?

The away end is dire, but without FAI grants ( no chance) or the local council getting involved ( they won’t) an upgrade is unfortunately not on the cards. I’d guess there won’t be much Euro money left in the pot when this all over. A lot of it went in buying out the previous owners lease and rates owed. upgrading the youth development centre and a new pitch. Football is cyclical, and now is no different.

Banana Republic.

hardybuck wrote: »

The board is elected from the membership.

It makes sense if you can package it right and get interest. Say 500 members took a 20% stake in the club and paid €500 annual membership (lads will pay more for golf club membership) which includes a season ticket, parking, access to a players lounge etc., that's €250k raised before a ball is kicked each year.

If season tickets are currently €220 and they sell 500 (dunno how many people buy them) that's about €140k additional revenue. If you have a lounge that sells food and drink that's another revenue stream on match day.

Not sure what the Powers are looking for to sell the club - but the above is possibly the only way they'll get money out of the club.

I wouldn’t trust the current owners with a fiver never mind that kinda money. To have lounge they need to upgrade the facilities. They won’t even put on matchday entertainment or anything. They’ve bought us as far as possible which I’m grateful for but it’s time to pass the torch. Plus I believe they price the previous interest by out of it but money wise I don’t know exactly the asking price. There’s a great foundation they have built in fairness, even at worst the attendance has doubled or trebled since the start.

hardybuck

Banana Republic. wrote: »

I wouldn’t trust the current owners with a fiver never mind that kinda money. To have lounge they need to upgrade the facilities. They won’t even put on matchday entertainment or anything. They’ve bought us as far as possible which I’m grateful for but it’s time to pass the torch. Plus I believe they price the previous interest by out of it but money wise I don’t know exactly the asking price. There’s a great foundation they have built in fairness, even at worst the attendance has doubled or trebled since the start.

Yeah, but whatever stake is fan owned obviously impacts the representation at board level. This isn't unusual - clubs in Germany are all 51% fan owned bar one I can think of.

Cape Clear

In an ongoing court case it seems to be anyone's guess as to who owns Swindon.

hardybuck

Cape Clear wrote: »

In an ongoing court case it seems to be anyone's guess as to who owns Swindon.

Details?

Cape Clear

hardybuck wrote: »

Details?

google is great

Dunmoreroader

hardybuck wrote: »

Details?

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/18463343.lee-power-says-swindon-town-go-administration-sale-fails/?fbclid=IwAR3_vXLFMAFT2IbdiXggIcZg1losiBOkSnPVh2OCCkrz8kXBJR7ToJleOVI

Banana Republic.

Cape Clear wrote: »

google is great

Yea and so is dropping a link to help the thread discuss it.

Banana Republic.

Cape Clear wrote: »

In an ongoing court case it seems to be anyone's guess as to who owns Swindon.

Seems crazy that no documents were signed or given after handing over 1.1m that’s just nuts, Power was savaged in it.

This is it cut down to size a bit

PTH2009

Banana Republic. wrote: »

Seems crazy that no documents were signed or given after handing over 1.1m that’s just nuts, Power was savaged in it.

This is it cut down to size a bit

Not sounding to good for us

What business person/people would take a gamble with a LOI club ?

Banana Republic.

PTH2009 wrote: »

Not sounding to good for us

What business person/people would take a gamble with a LOI club ?

The potential takeover before the start of the season was from a guy with money whose was getting involved cause he loves football more then a huge financial windfall. Perfect for LOI club, I sing think we’ll go the wall it’s foundations are good, it shows with investment Europe is definitely attainable and that would help hugely with running costs. To my knowledge the buyer hasn’t gone away at all. He was advised to sit on it, great advice in hindsight.

hardybuck

The more I read about this guy the more of a chancer he appears to be. He's appearing to be an untrustworthy character which is not the kind of person you want to be doing business with.

Does anyone know the source of his apparent wealth?

Regarding the question about investors, I think an investor could get a decent return if they can get a club into Europe once or twice and keep them in the qualifying games every year.

I'd be looking at the Shamrock Rovers model where there is a significant supporter shareholding in conjunction with some business people who can put proper structures in place and maximise revenues.

Someone with enough resources to go full time is halfway towards putting a squad together pushing for European spots. If they can get talented young lads on contracts they can hope to sell them - e.g. Gavin Bazunu.

I'd love to know what these clubs can be bought for.