Comments on: The Truth About MSI and How West Ham Could Afford Tevez and Mascherano

By: rich

rich — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 17:18:03 +0000

according to todays times, west ham are paying half of the players wages and have not paid a fee at all for them. The contracts stipulate that they remain at west ham for at least a year after which they can be sold to whoever MSI decied to seel them to, west hame will receive no fee for the sale. The times also claims that each player has a contract that says they must play if they are fit, this apparently was one of the reasone Portsnouth , who were also offered them, turned the deal down, as the contract was too restrictive. Obviously if they play well, then its no problem to start them every game, and it could be great for West Ham this season, however if they don’t work out, then west ham still have to play them, which wouldnt be so good. After the year is up, one assumes that if they have settled well in the premier league, they will be sold to another club for a huge amount of money, leaving west ham without them or any fee. If they fail then presumably they will be taken off elsewhere to try again. It could be a great thing for west ham, it could also be a disaster

By: Jon

Jon — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 05:20:26 +0000

The way I see it is we (west ham) have 2 superb players at the club who are owned by MSI. MSI are a business and therefore are about making money. West Ham were the most suitable team for these 2 players as we will give them first team football, we are an attacking team (crown pleasing) and have a pretty big fan base. All of this will increase the players reputations and value. MSI can then sell them on to one of the ‘big clubs’ and make buckets of money.
Its also good for west ham though as we get these 2 world class players for a few seasons and hopefully more will be attracted to us. Plus as Tevez is the Argie hero at the mo it will certainly raise our profile over there.
The only thing im worried about is the talk of MSI taking us over, although we will have 100m to spend, I really dont want to be called a glory hunter like the chelsea fans. Would be nice for West ham to win something though…ha

By: James

James — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 17:49:20 +0000

Kia Joorabchian is not a West Ham fan, he supports Arsenal. This has been well documented. MSI have allowed the players to come to West Ham for two purposes:-

1. It will give them an opportunity to effectively pay for the debt side of any consideration West Ham would seek as part of any takeover. They will still need to stump up the goodwill to the shareholders. This will enable them to stump up less cash for a takeover. Once a takeover is completed, I have no doubt that at some point MSI would want to realise the value of these two players (bought by MSI for ?30m), take the profit (realisable value less west ham’s ?24m debt), pocket that profit and leave west ham’s balance sheet healthy. This then puts them in full control of a West Ham side without debt. From thereon in, I would presume they believe they can make sufficient future profits from a developing side with regular european football and new tv monies.

2. Should the takeover fail, then I am sure the players will be moved on in order that they realise the full value of the players exactly as above except that West Ham will receive nothing but will have had the benefit of effectively ‘loaned’ players plus MSI have had an opportunity to enhance their players values by having them play in the shop window most likely to enhance their values.

MSI’s risk is that the players do not cut it in the premiership. West Ham’s risk seems minimal except for the obvious mistrust of new owners. We would have that same mistrust for any other new owners.

Should West Ham be purchased by MSI, they will undoubtedly have an ability to wash some of their monies through a legitimate UK enterprise using large amounts of monies that a football club permits them to do unlike many other businesses.

As a Hammers fan, I have no fears about all of this. No-one can just become a Chelsea now. It’s been done. All the other clubs can do is seek to compete. This would ultimately make for a more competitive premiership with the likely champions being less than a 2 horse race, rather a five/six horse race. Football has been becoming more and more high finance, this is just another step towards that and I for one will be glad that West Ham may not be left behind.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 14:27:09 +0000

Let’s look at the main players…

Terry Brown:
An accountant, not a football man. Has staunchly kept to business models when all around are in uproar. Selling the “crown jewels” that played so direly as a team as to earn relegation, is a great example of this. The club was left with enough breathing space to rebuild the squad, get the right manager in and come back up. Has virtually sealed the new stadium deal to the point where no money is being spent in Upton Park. It’s the training facilities that are getting the makeovers.
I can’t see him suddenly making a poor financial decision that would leave the club with nothing to show after a year or so of these 2 players hanging around. It must be a bigger deal…

Alan Pardew:
A great club manager but more so a team coach. To let 2 foreign speaking megastars come into his tight nit group of young British players and then watch them walk away a year later having upset the apple cart would seem very improbable. West Ham exist on team spirit and endeavour.
But then, perhaps it was not his decision…

MSI:
Mysterious, well not really. A business like any other. They are well funded and use their muscle to prise open opportunities. So what are they up to…?

Shop window - Sell both players on in a years time:
Simple, but seems a little strange. Surely the best “shop window” is the Champions League. Their value appreciation is directly proportionate to the competitions they appear in and the TV audience that they reach. Might as well cash in on them now. Or are they more useful as bargaining chips?

Takeover - Opening gambit from Kia and colleagues:
I look at West Ham and see almost a brand new brand, ready to be taken forward. A London team with a talented young (future England?) manager, established back in the top flight, attractive long history and providing England with 1966 World Cup Heroes, New Olympic Stadium on the way, Transport links to Europe etc etc the list goes on and on.
My hunch is that the trail back to MSI never really went cold after the last round of negotiations last season. This good relationship that Kia has mentioned between him and Brown may have allowed a more clever solution to the takeover to be devised back then. One which we are now beginning to see and one that will come with a raft of contingencies in case those pesky governing bodies ever become involved.

I guess it’s watch this space. I’m a Hammers fan and watching Mascherano and Tevez run out in claret and blue will bring the same warm glow to me as watching Futre and Di Canio once did.

By: gazhammer

gazhammer — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 14:01:52 +0000

Your forgetting that there were teams interested in these players anyway and who’s to say that Tevez and Mascherano will have such a good season at West Ham anyway. This would be a very chancey way to do business in my opinion, as well as the obvious “May not cut it in the Prem” scenario, there is also a chance that both players could pick up serious injuries, then where would MSI be ?.

People really should think before spouting out any old crap really!!!.

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 13:19:04 +0000

There’s undeniably something fishy about the whole deal, not least because of West Ham’s refusal to divulge any details of the terms. But, as good as articles like this are at stimulating debate, they’re founded on little more than speculation. We’ll see - the truth will out eventually.

For me, it boils down to this. As a Newcastle fan, would I have been happy to have had Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano come to Tyneside, even if they might leave in the January transfer window and even if we weren’t going to make a killing on them (having paid below their market value in the first place)? The answer to that is a resounding “yes”. So - enjoy, Hammers fans. Meanwhile, we’ll have to make do with Antoine Sibierski…

By: Xammer

Xammer — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 12:48:03 +0000

It’s all speculation. No-one outside the ‘inner circle’ of those involved in the transfer actually KNOWS what the real deal is. Why shouldn’t these players WANT to come to West Ham? If the ‘big’ clubs are the be-all and end-all then why don’t everyone support them? Has it actually occurred to anyone that these two players really do WANT to play for West Ham?

Whatever the deal, it was a great bit of business by West Ham and they should be congratulated for the work done bringing World class players to UP.

I reckon it’s a new mentality at West Ham and that bringing in such players is a major step to raising the club’s profile internationally. This is the platform on which more world class players will be added and just as Chelsea did with bringing Ruud Gullitt to SB, West Ham have done so with Tevez and Maschereno.

Who do the pundits think they are questioning the Argentinians decision to go to UP? This will give hope to many other clubs that it is possible to break the cartel and monopoly of an inner-circle of European clubs that are trying to dominate football.

Personally I think that West Ham have taken not only a bold step, but knowing the board at West Ham, a secure one for the club too. I’m glad I’ve got home & away season tickets as this will be a great season for us and tickets will be like gold dust.

The deal will also profit West Ham immensly considering the shirt sponsorship expires at the end of this season and sponsors will be more willing to part with bigger notes if Tevez and Mascheleno are running around the pitch wearing their logo. I reckon the shirt sales will be pretty lucrative too, my guess is that Argentina shirts (their blue one is almost identical to the new Hammers away kit) will be stocked at the Hammers shops and fans will buy them and wear them.

Don’t underestimate the merchandising potential of these players, Real Madrid recouped their ?24m they paid for Beckham by merchandise sales in the far east alone. Footy is massive business in more ways than just player sales, tickets and TV.

So get used to it folks, West Ham are entering the hallowed ground of the ‘big clubs’ and they’re gonna have to move over and make room.

C’MON U IRONS !!!

By: Gaz Latic

Gaz Latic — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 12:44:41 +0000

Do i sense some west ham fans feeling slightly agrieved about this “truth” being publish? In all honesty I think that West Ham have been taken to the cleaners with this deal, of course it could all be folly and the deal may be proper but that seems less likely now. With ?30m release clauses mooted to be in both players contracts it may seem good business but from what i’ve read, not just from here but also from the Brazilian press in how the deal has affected Corinthians, West Ham won’t see much of the cash.

Maybe next time they should stick to genuine players who dont have these parasites attached

By: spyinthesky

spyinthesky — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 12:29:55 +0000

Some very interesting comments I think and I believe that it is true that we Maybe even MSI know the end game of this yet. I believe the safest bet is that this is toes in the water stuff from all concerned and what happens next depends on what happend over the next few months (maybe season). The valuation of West Ham at the moment is almost inpossible to gauge because of the potential as others have mentioned of the Olympics. It is highly unlikely that a bidder and Brown would agree on that valuation and indeed it could be anything from less relatively than at present to potentially equal to (at least) that of the big boys.

So this move could be one of many things but I agree simply a shop window makes little sense when you consider the risk of injury and relative failure in the premiership regards these guys value. Personally I think it has that plus to do with the close examination of the potential and addable value to the club prior to a possible new interest in taking a stake in it or complete take over. It is certainly true that if they just upped and left next year with nothing added the club would be in a very uncomfortable position probably an untenable one so I would suspect that Brown has decided that that is only a minority risk in this great scheme of things.

By: EEWH

EEWH — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 11:50:03 +0000

i feel like they are poison to football and are using west ham to gain a stepfoot in the EPL. ALL THE CLUBS SHOULD STAND FIRM TO ERRADICATE THIS SCUM FROM FOOTBALL. its killing our tradition and football will become a closed game with only the bigger clubs able to buy success (a bit like chelski).
what i have read sounds like they treat players like meat and its going back to the slave trade. (i dont know if Tevez and M signed a deal for life with them and a gettout clause of 50 million?)
As a West Ham fan i feel we must keep to our Academy and make profit ourself.

feel free to enlighten me if you feel i have written anything wrong.