Friday, July 2, 2010

Some of the Unanswered Questions on Purslow

This was posted on RAWK, something which should be answered. And who is this person who "was at Harvard Business School with Tom Hicks Jnr? He is indeed a long standing friend of the Hicks family with some business ties to them, as he owns and runs his own leveraged buy out company, with it’s assets all held off-shore."

FIGHT BACK, PART 4: PURSLOW IN THE DOCK - WE WANT ANSWERS!

« on: June 30, 2010, 02:01:32 PM »
Seeing all the recent developments at the club, have left most of us scrambling for answers and more confused than ever, here's some questions I think we'd all want answering by our Managing Director.

Of course, we're more likely to be answered with threats from his lawyers than a direct response from the man himself. So, copying one of the man's favourite tactics, I'm going to send the list to some of our friend's in the media - in the hope they can get some direct responses at the press conference to unveil Mr Purslow's choice of manager. But I'll add the rest of the people I think we should send the questions to in seperate post.

But firstly...
Here's the questions themselves. We have a very knowledgable friend to thank for these. Obviously they weren't drafted by me, as Mr Purslow hasn't been called any obscenities, and the questions are a bit more challenging than "Exactly how long have you been the Hicks family personal Gimp?" 

So, make sure you ask them. Of course, you can add some of your own. And you can send them to whomever you think should be answering them. But please don't get abusive or threatening... 
We have no need to come down to Cecil's level. 

But we do need to let him know that this will not stop. We will not give in until we have took back our club from the hostile invaders and their hired gimps in the boardroom. So add a little cover note, explaining this is an organised campaign that won't stop until we - the Supporters of Liverpool Football Club - are given some answers.

Ok. So, get the printer going again and let's get at it...

Dear Mr. Purslow, 
Your appointment as Managing Director of Liverpool Football Club in July 2009, was officially reported at the time as a temporary role until a long-term replacement for Rick Parry as Chief Executive is found. One year on, could you confirm the following:

1. Are Odgers Berndtson still retained by the club in relation to filling the Chief Executive vacancy?

2. If so, how many candidates have been shortlisted and/or interviewed in the last 12 months? And have you been personally involved in that selection process?

3. If not, has another executive search company been appointed or is the vacancy considered 'dormant' or 'on hold' at present?

4. Is it true that if/when this appointment is made, despite remaining at the the club as a board director, you will cease to have any direct operational responsibility?

5. Do you expect to remain at the club in any capacity once the sale of the club eventually goes through? Do you believe your continued presence will be countenanced by the fans or new owners?


In relation to the club's financial state and operational matters:

6. What happened to the significant investment you were tasked with obtaining for the club, and confirmed earlier this year as being "very likely (by) Easter"?

7. How do you account for that failure given Liverpool FC's high profile globally? Does it reflect on yourself, the owners, or the club itself?

8. Are you able to explain why you feel empowered to make football-related decisions when you have previously had zero experience in the industry, and were appointed solely on the basis of your financial background? Outside of normal MD supervisory responsibilities, would you agree your primary remit was investment not asset-stripping?

9. Do you feel it is acceptable behaviour for any senior executive at a football club to privately brief hand-picked journalists to disseminate false information via the media, in order to further their own agenda to remove key employees and spin-doctor the financial realities of the club?

10. Did you earlier this year, personally contact either Jorge Valdano, Miguel Pardeza or any other Real Madrid executive to discuss the potential availability for transfer of Rafael Van Der Vaart, without prior discussion or indeed even the knowledge of the then-manager Rafa Benitez? If so, with what purpose given it is the manager's chief responsibility to identify who to buy or sell, subject to board financial approval.

11. Why did you decide to terminate the employment of Rafa Benitez by paying out £6m in lieu of the remainder of the length of his contract, when he was already having discussions with Internazionale who according to their owner Massimo Moratti, were prepared to pay an equivalent sum in compensation to Liverpool FC for Benitez's services? Moratti had, after all, just similarly received €8m from Real Madrid as compensation for the loss of Jose Mourinho.

12. Why, having effectively placed a combined £12m in contractual fees as a debit on the club's balance sheet, did you and the board then decide it prudent to appoint Roy Hodgson as the new manager, thus requiring the club to further pay in excess of £2m in compensation to Fulham FC? Nonwithstanding Hodgson was clearly not the choice of a key member of the selection committee, and there were other far more suitable candidates available for the role who were either internal or out of contract and thus required no such payment to be made.

13. You recently stated in relation to player transfers that "no-one leaves until a new manager is appointed". So given Hodgson's imminent appointment, who can we look forward to the club selling now?
« Last Edit: June 30, 2010, 08:03:53 PM by FAT SCOUSER »

£770,000 a week in interest... enough to pay wages to 7 Nando's a week.

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