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Post by garystash on Jan 25, 2018 8:23:35 GMT
This is a question that comes up a lot on the forum. I have a theory, but I thought it might be useful to debate the question.
I think Wael is not happy working in finance. His passion is for football, and he convinced his family to get involved in order to indulge his passion. He wants to build a club from scratch.
As he has said in interviews, Hani and Abdulkader see things in numbers. To them it is an investement, not a passion.
I think Wael sold the idea to them by showing them Premier League numbers - as that is what is possible.
They will know it's going to take investement to achieve that. However, as stated from the outset - they are not just going to throw money at it and hope it works.
As Steve Hamer suggested in his radio bristol interview - every pound invested will be carefully considered.
So, in a way it is a "plaything" for Wael. It does however have a serious edge and must - long term - produce a return for the family.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2018 8:30:24 GMT
A good question and I think you are right in that it's Wael who was the driving force. Hani must have bought into the 'project' at outset. Was there a trigger incident or a point at which he realised it was't a good idea and decided not to throw any large money at it? More importantly if Hani does not wish to finance significant infrastructure changes what are his future plans? Just sitting dormant is losing him money day by day. Would we have heard if the club was being touted around?
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Post by Severncider on Jan 25, 2018 8:39:55 GMT
I think the reality happened upon receipt of the Feasibility Report from the Accountants.
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Post by garystash on Jan 25, 2018 8:45:22 GMT
A good question and I think you are right in that it's Wael who was the driving force. Hani must have bought into the 'project' at outset. Was there a trigger incident or a point at which he realised it was't a good idea and decided not to throw any large money at it? More importantly if Hani does not wish to finance significant infrastructure changes what are his future plans? Just sitting dormant is losing him money day by day. Would we have heard if the club was being touted around? You know what - I think Hani is prepared to invest to see a return. However, it's about delivering what we need. Why spend £10m developing a Premier League training ground when we are a League one club? Surely makes sense to develop a training ground that's good for our current standing. Isn't that what you'd do in business? Take it in steps, not try and leap straight to the top. |
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Post by kylegas on Jan 25, 2018 9:06:01 GMT
I think they stepped into a project where a stadium was being built and the numbers would have looked very different off the back of it, now that’s not happened it must be a huge set back and things to the family may look very different now, only they really know that tho. Doesn’t mean things won’t happen.. but losing uwe will certainly push progress back a good few years
I think fans just need to get there heads around us being static for the next 3-5 years at least.
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Post by Antonio Fargas on Jan 25, 2018 9:11:53 GMT
I think the Al Qadi family were sat round the dining room table having a chat and one of them wished out loud that they could be doing something better. Now, I don't have to tell you, Gaschat, that the desert around Amman is one of the playgrounds of the ancient djinn, going back thousands of years to the time of Sinbad and Ali Baba. And, though the djinn have dwindled and faded over the years as more modern beliefs get in the way of faith in their existence and power, sure enough, one old djinn was lurking round the back of the house by the bins.
And this djinn, the bin djinn, did overhear the conversation, and as is the way of the djinn, it was obliged to grant their wishes. And first, Hani said he wished he was more strict with his money, that he had an iron grip on finances and that he would never again spend a penny that did not need to be spent. And sure enough, his wish was the bin djinn's command, and it came to be.
And then Wael spoke up. He said banking and finance was all well and good, but he really wished that he could own a football club. And sure enough, his wish was the bin djinn's command, and it came to be.
Meanwhile, Samer was getting a blow job off Keira Knightley.
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Post by Topper Gas on Jan 25, 2018 9:30:58 GMT
Any need for the last comment, even in jest, given SH has already taken the other forum to task over false accusations by a poster regarding our owners?
My take is NH/SH convinced Wael buying Rovers with pp for the UWE was a no brainer, he would effectively be getting the Mem worth £15m for a £6ish outlay, then having financed the UWE Stadium, could sell the Mem and eventually have a Championship or Premiership side worth £50m+ for virtually no outlay once the Mem was sold.
It looked a great deal at the outset, Wael did suggest it offered great value when he bought the club, but £12m+ later I do wonder what the ALQ's are now thinking, probably why they didn't just invest in a club like the recently taken over Barnsley.
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Post by Antonio Fargas on Jan 25, 2018 9:37:16 GMT
Any need for the last comment, even in jest, given SH has already taken the other forum to task over false accusations by a poster regarding our owners? Which comment? |
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Post by mjhgas on Jan 25, 2018 9:50:21 GMT
I'd suggest that he found out quite quickly that football is for the super-rich.
Give or take half a dozen teams in the Championship and L1, you could draw a line under the Championship and shut the doors on the rest of football.
The reality is that we can't and most likely won't ever compete.
Not sure what people expect.
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Post by garystash on Jan 25, 2018 10:17:16 GMT
I'd suggest that he found out quite quickly that football is for the super-rich. Give or take half a dozen teams in the Championship and L1, you could draw a line under the Championship and shut the doors on the rest of football. The reality is that we can't and most likely won't ever compete. Not sure what people expect. Maybe once the infrastructure is up to scratch, there will be injections of cash in the playing side? |
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Post by Henbury Gas on Jan 25, 2018 10:25:15 GMT
How long did it take for AFC Bournemouth TO evolve from locked gates/shut out to what they are now...
How long have the Family had to Evolve Bristol Rovers FC
Maybe we need to judge progress against the AFC Bournemouth timeline and not our fans requirement
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Post by wertongas on Jan 25, 2018 10:27:04 GMT
I think Sevencider knocked the nail on the head when he said the feasibility study finished UWE. Wael was quite enthusiastic about UWE until the study results came out, then everything went quiet and the new gates went up at the entrances to the mem , a sign that we were not going anywhere fast. However from what I have been told when the old guard were in talks with the family they had feeling at the time that the family might not be going ahead with UWE. I also wrote to Hamer sometime afterwards and things appeared doubtful. Taking out the Wonga loan what really caused all our problems, it left the club on the edge and in a financial mess so the old guard had to sell the club. The moto of all this is never a borrower or lender be when you are unsure if you can pay back your loan!.
My concern now is over proposals to build new toilets and shop. Surely such buildings would be built into any new stands, this suggests that we are unlikely to see any major building of stands any time soon. As far as evolution of the stadium is concerned it is going to be very slow I am afraid. Still there is one bright spot we still have DC and as he Says OUR SUPPORT IS SUPERB.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2018 10:44:13 GMT
I think they stepped into a project where a stadium was being built and the numbers would have looked very different off the back of it, now that’s not happened it must be a huge set back and things to the family may look very different now, only they really know that tho. Doesn’t mean things won’t happen.. but losing uwe will certainly push progress back a good few years I think fans just need to get there heads around us being static for the next 3-5 years at least. Personally I find it hard to believe that they went from being on the verge of buying Gillingham to rocking up at the mem with the cash needed to fund the build of the stadium regardless of Sainsburys. I would see it a lot differently if they specifically targeted us at the outset. My supposition is that (rumour and innuendo alert!) there never was any stadium happening from the start and the deal was quietly put out to pasture in a way that saved face (they never travelled to Jordan?!). Hamer himself has made noises recently that the AQs have not progressed the club as he initially thought. So yes, it is mere supposition at this point, but my prediction is that the club was bought because it was cheap and a leg up into English football politics/networks. A light refurb of the mem is all we will get and I await the day when they admit that there are actually no plans for any further development of the stadium and thats our lot unless someone wants to pay stupid money to take us on. The aspect that counters that narrative is why keep adding debt to the club if they have no way of improving revenue streams to clear it? That either shows some inkling of confidence that they can make the club sustainable or the fact they have it secured allows them to tread water for a bit while they figure out what to do with us. |
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Post by patchwaygas on Jan 25, 2018 10:46:29 GMT
The frustrating thing is the potential for a club like Rovers is enormous. We are in the 7th largest city in England, and growing. The fan base is large and incredibly loyal, Bristol is a good place to live and therefore attracting good players shouldn’t be a problem (as long as we can afford to pay them!) and the City hasn’t ever had a top flight team except for a couple of seasons in the 70s.
We would need significant investment in players and infrastructure to get there but the potential is massive. The Bournemouth owner is worth more than Ambrovich so that comparison is probably a bit unfair.
We will never realise our potential under the Al Qadis but we could be a steady League 1 club which is better than where we were a few seasons ago, and where we have been for most of our history.
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Post by Antonio Fargas on Jan 25, 2018 10:48:29 GMT
I think Sevencider knocked the nail on the head when he said the feasibility study finished UWE. To be honest, I think that's the wrong way of expressing it. The feasibility study was just an exercise in obtaining the facts. The facts turned out to be the UWE deal wasn't very good for the club, and UWE weren't inclined to change the deal enough to make it good enough for the club. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2018 10:48:55 GMT
I think Sevencider knocked the nail on the head when he said the feasibility study finished UWE. Wael was quite enthusiastic about UWE until the study results came out, then everything went quiet and the new gates went up at the entrances to the mem , a sign that we were not going anywhere fast. However from what I have been told when the old guard were in talks with the family they had feeling at the time that the family might not be going ahead with UWE. I also wrote to Hamer sometime afterwards and things appeared doubtful. Taking out the Wonga loan what really caused all our problems, it left the club on the edge and in a financial mess so the old guard had to sell the club. The moto of all this is never a borrower or lender be when you are unsure if you can pay back your loan!. My concern now is over proposals to build new toilets and shop. Surely such buildings would be built into any new stands, this suggests that we are unlikely to see any major building of stands any time soon. As far as evolution of the stadium is concerned it is going to be very slow I am afraid. Still there is one bright spot we still have DC and as he Says OUR SUPPORT IS SUPERB. Interesting, adds credence to my theory. |
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Post by Henbury Gas on Jan 25, 2018 10:53:44 GMT
I think they stepped into a project where a stadium was being built and the numbers would have looked very different off the back of it, now that’s not happened it must be a huge set back and things to the family may look very different now, only they really know that tho. Doesn’t mean things won’t happen.. but losing uwe will certainly push progress back a good few years I think fans just need to get there heads around us being static for the next 3-5 years at least. Personally I find it hard to believe that they went from being on the verge of buying Gillingham to rocking up at the mem with the cash needed to fund the build of the stadium regardless of Sainsburys. I would see it a lot differently if they specifically targeted us at the outset. My supposition is that (rumour and innuendo alert!) there never was any stadium happening from the start and the deal was quietly put out to pasture in a way that saved face (they never travelled to Jordan?!). Hamer himself has made noises recently that the AQs have not progressed the club as he initially thought. So yes, it is mere supposition at this point, but my prediction is that the club was bought because it was cheap and a leg up into English football politics/networks. A light refurb of the mem is all we will get and I await the day when they admit that there are actually no plans for any further development of the stadium and thats our lot unless someone wants to pay stupid money to take us on. The aspect that counters that narrative is why keep adding debt to the club if they have no way of improving revenue streams to clear it? That either shows some inkling of confidence that they can make the club sustainable or the fact they have it secured allows them to tread water for a bit while they figure out what to do with us. Funniest post on here today - keep it up ! |
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Post by patchwaygas on Jan 25, 2018 10:55:33 GMT
All the speculation as to why they bought us, when will the stadium be built, when will the training ground be ready and lack of transfer activity could all be put to bed if only Wael could communicate the grand plan, and then we would all know what to expect. Why doesn’t he do this?
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Post by barumgas on Jan 25, 2018 11:01:08 GMT
Or alternatively why did the chicken cross the road?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 25, 2018 11:02:11 GMT
All the speculation as to why they bought us, when will the stadium be built, when will the training ground be ready and lack of transfer activity could all be put to bed if only Wael could communicate the grand plan, and then we would all know what to expect. Why doesn’t he do this? Exactly! How quick a win would it be to at least outline a plan so we can have confidence in them? If you don't actually have a plan there is nothing to reveal is there. Personally at this point I would just love to hear from the council people or local residents they consulted with about what was discussed- haven't heard a peep! Nobody seems able to corroborate that anything is actually happening with regards to a stadium redevelopment. |
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