A few weeks ago when Larry Ellison was being talked off I explored some links between him and Lerner. This was in the belief that Randy is going to sell us to some he knows.
Well following on from today’s announcement I have looked at any links to Philip Anschutz and then came across something.
You will know that we are going on tour to Texas in the Summer, I always held off from saying this was to new owners. Of course Anschutz owns one of the teams Houston Dynamo’s that we are playing. Well the other team is FC Dallas ….
The owner there is Clark Hunt.
Hunt also owns the Kansas City Chiefs NFL team so there is no doubt he and Randy in owners meetings have met many times. He has also owned previously the Columbus Crew and who did we play in Lerner’s home state of Ohio a few years ago ?
If you google Clark Hunt you will see his name linked with takeovers at Palace, Newcastle and West Ham, so he has had interest in English football.
Could it be we see a joint ownership between the two and do they know each other ?
The answer is a clear yes as THIS LINK shows and let me quote
The joint project is the result of a unique partnership between Hunt Midwest, a full-service real estate development company owned by the Lamar Hunt family, and LightEdge Solutions, which is owned by Qwest founder Phil Anschutz. The long relationship between the Hunt and Anschutz families helped foster the partnership.
Lamar Hunt (deceased) was Clark Hunt’s dad … the two are obviously very close, a joint bid from them is now by favourite.
Comments
309 responses to “Hunt and Anschutz the new owners of AVFC ?”
So the most important thing for us this season was survival. Why? Because it makes us a more attractive club to purchase or because it was part of the terms of the potential/actual buyer.
please bare with me now and remeber the above.
Randy strikes me as the very cautious type especially as of late and yesterdays statement was held of untill the end of season. This was obviously so not to distract and demotivate the squad from their job and survive the premier league.
please bare with this does mean something.
when you go to sell your house you do so realising it could take months maybe a year or two. And would imagine a football club to be the same. Unless of course you have a buyer. If Randy doesn’t have a buyer and has put the club up for sale then this is almost certain to take a long time. Which is why we know now we do have a buyer. As dragging this on into next season may jeopardise our premier league status as moral and future would he limited for squad.
this would loose Randy alot of money
agree tom if there is no buyer lined up it could take years. also this ffp dosnt help as no one can really come in and spend the money they would like to to get us into top 4. having said that there should be an argument that they can spend what they like and worry about the consequences later as if they are as rich as city owners they can tie them up in legal paper work for years which city might do. also it can be seen as unfair as it gives the existing sky an unfair competitive advantage and does not give a club who have a lot of money to spend chance to compete. it would stick in the crawl of the media if we nicked a top 4 space at the expense of their favourites like utd, liverpool etc
Tom, others have made that excellent point and clearly the club leaked to say no more negotiations on the playing staff as well. This again all leads to the conclusion of a quick sale and conclusion to this because as you say Randy can not afford to do otherwise.
We’re in serious doo doo I feel it in my water.
I hope your right and there is a buyer as AVFC needs massive fresh input in a lot of areas
http://www.expressandstar.com/sport/aston-villa-fc/2014/05/13/martin-swain-randy-lerner-will-find-it-hard-to-sell-aston-villa-in-financial-fair-play-era/?
Ian why would you invite lambert half way across the world to sack him. Considering Randy has been so impressed and a lot of respect for lambert surley he doesn’t land this bomb after 12 hours flying? IM convinced we are sold but not convinced lambert is gone just yet.
I did not read it that Lambert was invited, rather than he decided to go to NY on his own initiative, but either way there is a reason other than staying in the job. Compensation. Having survived in the EPL Lambert has probably fulfilled his contract obligation for this season and is therefore entitled to loss of office compensation. New owners might very well make it a condition of purchase that the sale goes through with the chair vacant, all compensation to be settled by the seller.
i think lamberk will stay until new owners are found.
he will that is obvious as someone is needed at the club because Lerner has cleared out.
http://7500toholte.sbnation.com/2014/5/13/5715014/aston-villa-sale-takeover-buyer-randy-lerner-paul-lambert
Nath I could be wrong mate sell to buy?? As for funds made available carnt see it happening. Contract talks again carnt see it until a new manager is installed if that’s the outcome??
Ps as for the contract talks concerning gabby I’m not particularly bothered as his days have come & gone.
Matt Kendrick damming report on lamberk. Amazing how he’s grown a pair too little too late matt. Article should have been written a year ago at least http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/aston-villa-end-season-report-7116263?
i honestly believe lerner is more calculated than this, i believe he had decided to sell aston villa before he hired lambert. paul lambert came with a reputation for working under restraints and getting results, i believe he was hired to make aston villa more attractive to potential buyers, reducing debts and running cost while keeping villa in the top flight,
so all this said, i believe the sale of villa will not happen anytime soon,the statement lerner released buys him time with fans,but lambert will again be set impossible task of running the ship without any major money if any.
ppl seems 2 b guessing and dreaming of loads of money new owner if i were to bet i would say villa will be owned by lerner and managed by lambert 4 the coming season. were will the new tv money go i like to ask ????
What’s he got to lose?? Chairman, CEO & a manager on there way out MATE the leash is now removed.
exactly which proves he bottled it before and he was dictated to by the club. he should of grown a pair and write what he wants anyway. who gives a fuck if it gets him banned from bmh its not like he can print the truth anyway. He would probably find out more off social media sites
Lerner probably thinks the decent thing would be to sack him face to face. On the flip side if his job is safe why make him travel to america to tell him.
Finally i think Dalglish was made to go to america to be sacked from liverpool
I don’t know if Billys Boots is inside the offices in B6, but the normal accountants’ activity in a take-over case is that an accountancy firm, other than the Villa auditors, goes through the books on behalf of the buyer (due diligence) and just before or just after the seller’s (Villa) auditors go through the same exercise, so as to have the same picture. I think BB posted he has seen the Auditors already, that I guess being Villa’s auditors. That would be unlikely with no buyer lined up.
Except that we’re approaching Villa’s ordinary financial year-end; not sure how they do it now, but back in the ‘old days’ [ – & when I had friends in the profession who worked for the then-auditors] you’d go in and start an interim audit before the year-end, and go back and finish it a couple of months after.
So I’d really like to know just which ‘Auditors’ were the ones that Billy saw/heard had arrived last week!
The Kraft Group
180 mill
Apparently Cadbury’s have put in a bid for Villa but it’s only a Wispa!!
hope your wrong there jaydee would be bad news
I can see it now, getting on the bus at Bournville to Villa Park with a bar of chocolate.Jay Dee Kraft’s was tacken to task over cadbury take over, cannot see them having Villa,
knowing our luck we will probably get taken over by Willy Wonka and his oompa lumpas…Oh wait!!
LOL 😀
Lambert also to lose his job
Ellison also his name keeps popping up a lot at the minute
The Kraft Group is nothing to do with Kraft Foods who own Cadbury.
Is that right Jim? I never knew that, sorry mate ?
http://www.thekraftgroup.com/
The Kraft Group would not be my first choice.
Nor mine mate just putting up a bit of info on em as I read they’ve put a bid in.
I know the league is forever changed with the FFP rules, but there is just something about The Kraft Group that makes me think of Liverpool’s situation with Hicks – Gillett. They have the money, but I’m not convinced they would be buying the club for the right reasons. At least reasons up supporters care about.
Whoever comes in I hope we get a new logo though. I’d like to see a lion with claws.
Just had a gander at Kraft New England patriots & New England revolution are a couple of theirs & either ain’t no bottom of the league fodder ie the browns.
Well the Patriots are one of the all time top NFL teams but I really do believe no one knows who will take us over apart from a very tight small circle around Randy.
Are they ?
In recent times they’ve had success with Brady, but they didn’t win a Superbowl until the 21st Century.
I actually agree with you on your latter statement so I don’t know why people are making wild stabs in the dark.
I honestly don’t think that there is a definite buyer or that any talks are at particularly advanced stages. The one thing that we can’t really accuse Lerner of is dishonesty, so why his statement of ‘I can’t offer Villa fans what they want, I will look to find someone who can for them’ is taken as ‘I have someone buying the club’ I do not know.
Vaze – As often, a very sensible point you’ve made about Lerner’s statement.
A lot of this speculation is getting too intense and people are adding 2+2 and getting 101.
We’ll find out soon enough if there really have been any serious approaches, although my gut feeling is still that this is going to drag on for weeks, if not months…
Lol…so what is this post (your post) all about?
You really are a screwed up young man!
Kraft did only buy then in 1994, 1990 they went 1-15, They’ve won the Superbown 3 in 4 chances, they went unbeaten in a season, he’s kept the same coach since 2000, built a brand new stadium for them in 2002, Brilliant ownership. He was also a season ticket holder since 1971 before buying them. Founded the Revolution, He also wanted to invest into Liverpool before Gillett and Hicks took over there.
Is it true Herd is quitting football because Bent was shagging his missus (edit-allegedly)
Pffffftttttt…..!!!!!
Allegedly helenius
http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/27391542
Just gonna leave this here as well.
Didn’t help Cardiff, Fulham or Norwich this season though…
Nope, but it helped Swansea, West Bromich and Crystal Palace this season.
I’d say it helped Palace for sure (but Pulis is an experienced PL manager), Swansea and WBA were still shit with new managers, and they weren’t in the relegation zone when those manager changes were made. Steve Clarke did a fantastic job at WBA last season, and he was booted to be replaced by Pepe Mel who I believe has been fired right? WBA finished in a far worse position than last season after Clarke was shown the exit door, hence the sacking of Mel.
Monk did OK and has been offered a deal, but Swansea were never in trouble really. He’s a cheap option for Swansea. The reality is that the 3 teams that changed managers when they were in trouble got relegated…
Telegraph’s claiming Lambert’s going to receive funds, despite links to managers to replace him, but will also have to get rid of some of the players he bought that have rarely featured. They also claimed Lerner’s annoyed by how many players Lambert wanted to buy, and did buy… So I do think that says something about Lambert.
They also said who’s going to come to is with the uncertainty.
Indeed. It does amaze me with the supposed contact for the Saint Etienne’s manager, the reports Faulkner and Lambert will walk away. Who knows.
Seems we’re linked with Cresswell from Ipswich. Seems about right that we should take a punt on another left back from the Championship to see if we can make that work. Do we not have any left backs in our academy? Couldn’t be any worse than what we have purchased…
Neil he’s becoming abit of a regular every closed season, just another name that falls flat on its arse mate.
Anyone we are linked with at the moment is total bollox I’m amazed anyone reads this rubbish. Even of we sign someone it will be after the World Cup the earliest. Lamberk will have fuck all money if he stays and we will be in free fall next season as I can’t see takeover happening for a very long time
There have been many references to the FFP rules here in the last few days, and how they would be a barrier to any potential buyer who might want to pump a few £00m into Villa [if only…].
But apart from the Mancs trying to drive a legal coach and horses through them, did anyone see the report earlier today that Leicester’s owners are willing/ planning to spend “£180m” over the next three years to try and crack the top 4 of the EPL and qualify for Europe?
Now I can’t see Leicester being able to match even Villa’s comparatively poor commercial revenues, at least in the next few years, so why would their Thai owners want to spend that sort of cash if they were going to be barred from the competition even if they managed to qualify?
Because any punishment would be challenged for years after by their lawyers. Like what city are doing. They will only be fined and have numbers reduced anyway so no big deal. This ffp is total bollox and will not stand up in European courts as it is anti competitive. City will prove this with an army of top lawyers
This is all very worrying. Clearly, if Lerner has a buyer lined up we may get a deal very soon, and this will clear up the uncertainty. If he hasn’t, we could be in real trouble.
Lambert will keep his job. There is no sense in Lerner sacking him and appointing someone else.
Lambert will know he is probably going to lose his job when a new owner comes in and will either jump ship (if he can find another job) or wait to get paid off.
The players will know the club is up for sale, and that the manager is probably on his way so will they be committed? Any that are out of contract are a problem for Lerner Does he give them new deals when a new owner will probably fire Lambert and bring in a manager who wants to overhaul the team anyway?
Faulkner is on his way too, just a question of when.
Lerner will need to protect his investment while spending as little as possible.
Would that lot give anyone confidence that next season we won’t struggle even more?
Lerner has given the fans what they asked for, a statement as to his intentions. Unless a buyer is lined up I wish he had kept his mouth shut.
Well loads wanted Lerner out. He’s selling, you got your way. But this time is why i asked way back when, who is there available and realistic to take over? No one could answer. This is why. There is no one. We’re stuck now. We’re going to be like this for years now. Just look at Everton. How ling have the been up for sale. You have your cake now people. Eat it. And watch the club really die.
True but we were shit with Lerner at the helm and if we have to go backwards to go forwards so be it. We had to go down to div 3 not that long ago to rebuild us in to European champions. Might have to do the same again.
there is just no logic in that thought at all oohahh! you can’t stand the mediocre football under Lerner so you want him to sell even it means we get relegated down 2 divisions and watch mediocre football for 3,4 god knows how long many years at a lower level?
so what you are saying is no more rubbish football, we want rubbish football in the offchance that will result in better football in a few years time .. maybe ..
Lower division football can be more entertaining. Some of the games we played in div 3 were great to watch. At least wev a better chance of winning most of them
Colonius it’s not just the elite leagues you get good entertaining games.
no no don’t get me wrong, I have nothing against the lower league especially in terms of entertainment!
But in terms of an exciting future for villa and the possibility of winning a major trophy, and to use the most overused word on a football forum ever, “ambition” in the sense that most football fans use it, – ie spending money.
you won’t see that in the lower leagues, also, whereas there are 40 ish games in a season there are always duds .. i would wonder would you prefer the 15- 20 thousand strong crowd yawning at a 0-0 at huddersfield or bournmouth or would you prefer the same duds with 35 plus crowds against an everton, southampton west ham?
If you think our best players are sold on now, would you like them to be picked off a few years earlier?
and would you trade this potentially indefinite fate instead of giving an owner/manager another season in the prem?
I dont think i ever want villa to suffer relegation, to me its just not a viable option in the mega money world with twice as much peril as any real merit, like blood letting of the middle ages.
it could just as much as kill you or prolong your the healing as anything else.
and its quite drastic.
Leeds and wolves still get crowds of nearly 30k not much less than us now. We have to accept it that’s our level now championship football/league 1 is where we are. Look at the players Wev got they would struggle to get into most championship teams. At least it gives us a chance to have a better cup run. Be great going to windswept terraces again like the good old days. The smell of piss, sweat and blood dosnt get much better IMO
Ps we are hardly entertaining in the prem. at least it’s proper mans football than airy fairy prem rubbish
So Randy buys the Club throws shit loads of money at it (in the form of loans to maximise his investment by breaking into the CL) and it all goes horribly wrong so he cuts down on the spending to Championship level as opposed to have a long term strategy to recoup this money then cuts tail and runs.
And that’s all the fans fault? OK whatever.
Thanks for f**k all Randy.
Jimt I am sorry mate, Everton are ran far better than the Villa hence their premiership standing and Manager. Whereas Villa have an absent owner who resigned by email from the comfort of his home, a clueless CEO and an incompetent Manager…. Its ever likely Fans wanted a change.
Ian are you still confident we have a buyer. The more i think about it the more i don’t believe it. To many reports not giving any clues or hints. Im 50 \50 now and if i do t see or hear anything leading by next week then i think we may have a problem. Lamberts visit to America sounds more like a pep talk to sweeten lambert up and convince him to stay until sold. Surley Randy is not the nieve to think someone will pop up out of the blue?
My assumption is Lerner does have interest, maybe even offers from certain buyers, but has since casted a wider net to either gain more interest and/or drive the selling price up. Much like Ellis (and everyone else), I would love an oil baron to take us forward, but I’m just not seeing it right now. For me, Anschutz is the most promising name so far.
problem was under learner there were no football men no one that understood how a football club works just a shower of muppets this cannot be allowed to happen again need someone on the board that understand how football business is conducted i just have a bad feeling we are stuck in limbo now and will be for a while . If lambert is left managing the team and gets say a 10 million budget the prat will just go out and buy million pound players on 15- 20 grand a week the bloke doesnt have a f…..g clue
But if there are strict salary caps then even if you wanted to spend £10m on one player, he isn’t going to get the salary he’s looking for as a ten million pound player.
Maybe Lambert just hedges his bets as it’s his only option…