The Takeover Thread - Recon Group - NOW WITH NEW POLL

[john e]

If there were 3 bidders and this shyster was the best of the bunch who the fuck were the other two the Cosa Nostra and isis

[Stirchley Villain]

I suggest that we send our professional reporter over to China to find out what's going on.

Isn't Dave in Cleethorpes this time of year?

[Stirchley Villain]

If there were 3 bidders and this shyster was the best of the bunch who the fuck were the other two the Cosa Nostra and isis

Cmon there's no evidence he's a shyster. Have a word with yourself.

[TonyD]

How much is he worth?    Can we buy who we want ?  Hold on to your seats I'm telling you. 

[mrfuse]

Apologies if this has already been posted, but there is also a good interview in the Guardian.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/19/tony-xia-revamp-aston-villa-top-three-world-owner

[aj2k77]

It is a good interview.

I can't believe some people are already pinning him as a schyster, based on virtually nothing.

[Monty]

Apologies if this has already been posted, but there is also a good interview in the Guardian.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/19/tony-xia-revamp-aston-villa-top-three-world-owner

It all sounds very very strange. This isn't like Sheikh Mansour or even Roman Abramovitch - you knew who they were and how secure their megawealth was. Tony, for all his right-sounding ambitions - cannot say anything like the same thing.

[paul_e]

If there were 3 bidders and this shyster was the best of the bunch who the fuck were the other two the Cosa Nostra and isis

What makes you think he's a shyster?  We're currently being run by a guy who was very high up at one of the biggest auditing companies in the world.  Do you honestly think that Hollis wouldn't spot the sort of obvious 'iffy' things that have been reported on here?

The issue is that we're struggling to find info so some people are filling the info black hole with comparisons to Carson Yeung and getting all nervous because of it.  I'm quite uncomfortable with some of it which seems to be that he's going to be shit purely because he's Chinese and operates like most Chinese businessmen.

[DeKuip]

"forget the past and think we are going to enter into a new age" isn't going to work on scarves is it?

[Jimbo]

Hollis has spoken here: http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/what-steve-hollis-thinks-aston-11356550

If Tony Xia can replicate the success he has achieved in China here in the Midlands, Aston Villa fans are in for something special.

That’s the message from departing chairman Steve Hollis who will leave once the takeover of the club is complete.

Hollis, who deserves a huge amount of credit for his part in getting a deal done, pending approval, said that Xia’s background is hugely impressive.

Over the last two decades he has worked closely with the government to help carry out a programme of moving a share of around 500 million people from rural to urban living.

“The reason we went with him is because of his background,” said Hollis.

“If you see what he has achieved in his business career, frankly it’s amazing.

MORE: Aston Villa LIVE: The latest news and reaction to the takeover

“He has been key to the development of over 60 cities in China,

“And when you look at the depth and breadth of the Recon Group, if he can replicate what he has achieved in China at Aston Villa, it will be transformational.

“That was one of the reasons why we and Randy Lerner himself is pleased he got it over the line.”

Whatever you think of Randy, Hollis is no mug and I doubt he will want his reputation tarnished by selling to a charlatan.  Whilst it's understandable that we are sceptical, I trust Hollis' ability to make this call over and above a few people with Google and a spare half hour.

Thanks for pasting the article. Villa fans should avoid clicking links to that rag.

[four fornicholl]

Apologies if this has already been posted, but there is also a good interview in the Guardian.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/19/tony-xia-revamp-aston-villa-top-three-world-owner

19th floor?  I knew he was just a chancer!

[aj2k77]

Apologies if this has already been posted, but there is also a good interview in the Guardian.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/19/tony-xia-revamp-aston-villa-top-three-world-owner

It all sounds very very strange. This isn't like Sheikh Mansour or even Roman Abramovitch - you knew who they were and how secure their megawealth was. Tony, for all his right-sounding ambitions - cannot say anything like the same thing.

I don't believe he is mega wealthy myself, but there is some wealth there in the group. How much, we probably won't get to the bottom of but what's more important is that in the short term someone is willing to pump some investment in and long term, being in the Premier league takes care of a lot of the finances. Nearly everyone makes a profit in the Premier League now.

We need desire and brains. Not neccessarily an Abramovich billionaire.

[wozwebs]

"forget the past and think we are going to enter into a new age" isn't going to work on scarves is it?

Some free Tsingtao beer at half time each game might though!

[Stirchley Villain]

Apologies if this has already been posted, but there is also a good interview in the Guardian.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/19/tony-xia-revamp-aston-villa-top-three-world-owner

It all sounds very very strange. This isn't like Sheikh Mansour or even Roman Abramovitch - you knew who they were and how secure their megawealth was. Tony, for all his right-sounding ambitions - cannot say anything like the same thing.

I don't believe he is mega wealthy myself, but there is some wealth there in the group. How much, we probably won't get to the bottom of but what's more important is that in the short term someone is willing to pump some investment in and long term, being in the Premier league takes care of a lot of the finances. Nearly everyone makes a profit in the Premier League now.

We need desire and brains. Not neccessarily an Abramovich billionaire.

Good point well made.

[Lastfootstamper]

Re King and Bernstein. Not a theory I necessarily hold to be true, just something that has come to mind.
What if they liked Our Tone's offer, recommended that we run with it, Randy dug his heels in at a price he wanted and said "no", K&B said you've got no chance of that with the club now (as good as) relegated, take it, you and the club won't get better, still said "no", they thought "well, we said our bit" and the relationship soured from there? Could explain the alleged tone of the emails.
It'd be interesting to hear Merv's take on all this.