Tony Adams Fronted Takeover

[IAmTheOneIanOlney]

May have missed it, but don't see it mentioned so far - James Nursey said on TalkSport yesterday that a Chinese consortium are the forerunners to buy Villa and have already been to BH and VP to have a look around.  He then also said they're looking at West Brom as well.

Which is like strolling around the Rolls Royce dealership before buying Auto Trader and looking at the Ladas.

[walsall villain]

Fair point WV but discussions ,if they have been held ,have been leaked to the press and I thought there has been time enough for Villa to issue a press statement denying or confirming talks.

So far they haven't commented upon any rumours. The recent interview with Fox seemed to strangely suggest nothing was imminent. I just hope this latest rumour is bollocks I really do.

[Ron Manager]

If there was anything in this story it would have been kept very quiet. That's how business works. A statement from Villa Park is required I think and today if possible.

[robbo1874]

I know Lerner came out with all that old bollocks about being the custodian of the club etc. but I really wouldn't trust him to do the right thing over a sale. If he got a decent enough offer that would enable him to recoup his initial outlay and a good sized chunk of his operating expenditure over the last 9 years, then I think he'd sell regardless who the buyer or the consortium is.

If i were him (no real connection to the club and getting slated by the fans and media the last few years) why wouldn't you. It would be stupid not to, from a financial perspective.

I really hope there's no legs in this story though- they do sound like an asset stripping outfit. Probably sooner take my chances with the Chinese crowd if I was making the call.

[Risso]

To be honest why would anybody with sufficient money to buy a Premier League club want to have him as the front man?

That's what I don't get. He's always struck me as being thick as pigshit.

[Chris Smith]

If this is a runner I will be interested to see how much of a role Adams really has to play. The press have latched on to it as he is the only one with any public profile but are the people putting up all that money really going to trust him with any real responsibility?

[KRS]

Fair point WV but discussions ,if they have been held ,have been leaked to the press and I thought there has been time enough for Villa to issue a press statement denying or confirming talks.

So far they haven't commented upon any rumours. The recent interview with Fox seemed to strangely suggest nothing was imminent. I just hope this latest rumour is bollocks I really do.

My take on it is that this hasn't been leaked by the club, and similarly I haven't read any direct quotes from either Smith or Adams. This is backed up in the Sky article:

Sky News has learnt that Mr Adams has been working with Paul Smith, a former executive at Chelsea FC and IMG, the sports rights agency, on a possible bid.

Neither Mr Adams nor Mr Smith could be reached for comment, while BAML declined to comment.

If neither the club or the consortium leaked this information, then who is the source?

Why would Fox comment on a bid that hasn't even been made yet? He can't be expected to comment publicly on every expression of interest as I'm sure that would be breach of confidentiality.

edit:
Obviously the media are going to be all over it if a sale of a Premier League club is linked to a well known London based English footballer...whether you like him or not, Tony Adams is a high profile London based ex-footballer, so the media will report it regardless of the facts.

[Billy Walker]

Above all else I am shocked at the timing of this announcement- I would have thought Lerner would insist on rigid NDA's given the potential effect on Sherwood and subsequently the team. I cannot see any advantage in releasing it now, what value or gain comes from it?

You're right - which suggests this "bid" has little credibility, hopefully.  I remember reading up on football takeovers last year when all the rumours about Randy wanting to sell Villa first started.  The gist of what I read was that you will never hear anything about a serious, genuine, takeover until it has actually happened.  It's possible that Adams and Smith are simply using the Villa situation to get their ideas into the media, hoping that some desperate club will come to them for funding. 

[PaulWinch again]

From the, albeit limited, information that's come about this bid at the moment it sounds like they're pretty short of cash.

[Clark W Griswold]

Not sure I'm particularly keen on the idea of the Chinese taking over either to be honest.

[ktvillan]

To be honest why would anybody with sufficient money to buy a Premier League club want to have him as the front man?

That's what I don't get. He's always struck me as being thick as pigshit.

The credentials of the group look reasonably impressive, until Adams is mentioned, wherein all credibility goes up in smoke.  He's failed as a manager and spouts a constant stream of self promoting garbage.  There's two good reasons why he's been struggling to get  back into football and it's hard to believe that a serious group of money men would shoot themselves in the foot by associating themselves with such a ridiculous figure.  Having said that, the last time I thought a rumour was far too ridiculous to give any credence to was the one about Lerner wanting TSM as manager....   

[Phil from the upper holte]

Not sure I'm particularly keen on the idea of the Chinese taking over either to be honest.

Me neither, look what happened over the road

[OzVilla]

If this is a runner I will be interested to see how much of a role Adams really has to play. The press have latched on to it as he is the only one with any public profile but are the people putting up all that money really going to trust him with any real responsibility?

Hopefully, the same sort of influence that Steve McMannaman had when he was involved in the our favourite hairdressers takeover of the Sty.

[warleyboy]

Hope the holte get there opinions across Saturday about the proposed donkey takeover.

[tom jennings III]

Not sure I'm particularly keen on the idea of the Chinese taking over either to be honest.

Me neither, look what happened over the road

Look what happened in Tibet! Not sure which of these two rumours would be worse.