…::Bapa Jali::…

nah ini dia interview-nya Gillett & Hicks di .tv…kenapa mereka tertarik sama Liverpool FC dan visi & misi apa yg mereka bawa…

First of all, why Liverpool Football Club?
 
George Gillett: Firstly, we’re not going to sit here and pretend to be the most knowledgeable of Liverpool fans because that’s clearly not true. I can say, though, that our families are big football supporters. We have been watching European football for several years and on a recent visit to this country we were advised about the possibility of meeting with the Chairman and Rick Parry.
 
Tom Hicks: I have been in the sports business for 12 years and with 162 baseball games and 82 hockey games a year, I was not looking for another team. George called me about a month ago and explained what he thought was the vision and the opportunity at Liverpool. I have followed the English Premier League from afar because some of my business friends are ardent fans of the game. When I looked into this over the past month I was awe-struck with the history and the true passion of the fans compared to other sports I am involved with. The Texas Rangers have been around for 36 years and the Dallas Stars have been around for 13 years, so to have a chance of getting involved with a team with more than a hundred years of history and with fervent fans is something which really excited me. After a couple of weeks I told George I was seriously ready to be his partner. We came over last week to do some due diligence and to meet David and Rick. We went to the West Ham game which was a good win and then the following night we went to see the new Arsenal stadium when they played Tottenham. We made our pitch to David and the board and, fortunately for us, they accepted it.
 
George Gillett: Tom and I have been involved in sports for a long time. When you sit in our little country you get an unusual perspective and probably an incorrect one, because we think our sports are pretty popular. Then you come over here and see the tribal aspects of the fans and their affection and support for the team and realise it’s a game which is watched by billions. You quickly see this is the most popular sport in the world and that this is one of the most popular clubs in the world. To have the opportunity of getting involved in this is a rare privilege.
 
It’s a well managed club but we believe we bring some experience which the management can draw on to make things even better. Tom and I are a little put off that people assume everything is about money, because we really hope we have some ideas as well as some capital.
 
Tom Hicks: We have both been involved in building and modifying new stadiums so we think we can bring a lot of good ideas to the work which has already been done which will be to the benefit of the fans and the club.
 
The reason any businessman goes into sport is because they have a passion for winning. Despite all the success I’ve had in life, nothing has given me more satisfaction on an emotional level than winning the Stanley Cup in 1999 and being able to get my hands on the trophy. At that moment my smile touched both ears.
 
(more…)

OK, ini adalah interview David Moores sama .tv masih di tgl yg sama February 6, 2007…mmhhh…mudah2an memang David Moores ini udah bikin keputusan yg tepat dalam memilih orang yg akan menjadi pemilik Liverpool FC…gue yakin dia nggak bakalan sembarangan nge-jual karena Moores adalah orang yg cinta sama klub ini…yah, fingers crossed deh… 

Liverpoolfc.tv: How are you feeling after agreeing a deal to sell the Club?
 
David Moores: It’s like a big relief. It’s been a long and arduous journey over the past three years and there has been quite a lot of pressure and stress to contend with. At the end of the day I have managed to battle on until we got what we considered to be the best outcome for the club and the supporters going forward.
 
What is it about the deal which has convinced you it’s the right one for the club?
 
There has never been any dithering on my part, I want to stress that. People know me and they know that if I had the money to afford the stadium – which is the main thing – then I would have done it myself. I wouldn’t hold the club back and I wouldn’t want to hold it back. It’s an emotional time for me because my family has been involved in this club for fifty years. We had to find the money for the stadium and players so that the manager could have good funds each season.
 
I met George Gillett in Montreal in November and I was very taken with him. What he has done with the Montreal Canadiens and the arena they have built there is outstanding. He had a bit of a tough time when he first went to Canada in convincing people, but he has won them all over and is like a God there now. He has done a tremendous job.
 
Seeing his passion and what he has achieved was impressive. I liked his bubbliness. He’s a character who is just very passionate about sport. He isn’t dour, he’ll be very forward and will tell it like it is. I know less about Mr Hicks but I also know he is very passionate. George is a very bubbly character who wants to see Liverpool winning everything. Trophies are what he is after.
 
When we were contemplating the two bids and decided to give DIC the exclusivity, George was very gracious and wished them good luck. He said he had immense respect for Dubai, that they were good people and that he wished us all the best for the future. I told George we couldn’t see where he would have enough money for the stadium and players going forward and, to his credit, he went away and came back with Mr Hicks who is another very passionate sports person. Between the pair of them, I feel we have got very strong owners going forward. I believe that these two men will want to win things. They have proved that with their respective clubs. They are in it for the long term because they are involving their sons so you can plan for the future. This isn’t someone coming over just to make a quick buck.
 
(more…)

akhir-nya sempet nge-blog jg…

setelah ber-minggu2 berasyik masyuk sama pihak DIC, tanpa di-sangka2 ternyata justru George Gillet & Tom Hicks yg berhasil nge-lobi David Moores…rada2 aneh sebener-nya…DIC yg butuh sekian minggu masih blom jg bisa tapi George Gillett yg dateng untuk ke-dua kali-nya (kali ini bareng Tom Hicks) yg justru kesampean beli Liverpool Football Club…kenapa…? apakah pendekatan secara western masih lebih efektif drpd lobi2 yg di-lakukan sama orang2 timur…? dunno…

anyway, setelah baca2 seperti-nya duo ini mengerti banget sama tradisi-nya Liverpool FC dan nggak bakalan nge-ganggu banyak sama kinerja yg udah berjalan di bawah David Moores…mudah2an emang kenyataan sesuai sama kata2 manis yg keluar…

berikut adalah kutipan komen2 dr pihak2 yg ber-nego…kutipan2 ini muncul untuk pertama kali-nya secara resmi di .tv February 6, 2007…

ini adalah komen pertama dr David Moores ketika Liverpool FC secara resmi menerima tawaran Gillet & Hicks: “I believe this is a great step forward for Liverpool, its shareholders and its fans. This Club is my passion and forms a huge part of my life. After much careful consideration, I have agreed to sell my shares to assist in securing the investment needed for the new stadium and for the playing squad. I urge all my fellow shareholders to do the same and to support the offer. By doing so, I believe you will be backing the successful future of Liverpool Football Club.
 
"I am also delighted to accept the offer from the Hicks and Gillett families to continue my involvement in the Club by becoming Honorary Life President.”

Rick Parry pun ikut komen: “This is great for Liverpool, our supporters and the shareholders – it is the beginning of a new era for the Club.
 
“The partnership created by George and Tom is very special. They are bringing to the table tremendous and relevant experience, a passion for sport, real resources and a strong commitment to the traditions of Liverpool. Their approach represents exactly the sort of genuine partnership that Liverpool has been seeking over recent times.
 
“We know that George and Tom want a long-term relationship with Liverpool and that they also understand the importance of investing in our success both on and off the field. They have made clear their intention to move as quickly as practicable on the financing and construction of our proposed new stadium at Stanley Park and also to support investment in the playing squad.
 
“This has been an important time for the Club. We now have the right partners for the future. I am absolutely certain we have now ended up in the right place, with owners who will help the Club succeed and prosper.”

nggak ketinggalan Gillet & Hicks pun ikut komentar untuk pertama kali-nya di .tv: “Liverpool is a fantastic club with a remarkable history and a passionate fanbase. We fully acknowledge and appreciate the unique heritage and rich history of Liverpool and intend to respect this heritage in the future. The Hicks family and the Gillett family are extremely excited about continuing the Club’s legacy and tradition.
 
“We are particularly pleased that David Moores and Rick Parry will have a continuing involvement in the Club. For us continuity and stability are keys to the future.”