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Paladini v Pannu… Again
In a move almost as predictable as the sun rising in the morning, Gianni Paladini has again gone on the offensive in his bid to buy Birmingham City FC. Having been “insulted” by Pannu’s comments to the South China Morning Post on Saturday, Paladini has demanded two weeks exclusivity to buy the club to prove that he can.
I will confess that this whole takeover thing is starting to wear me down. You’ve got one bloke telling all and sundry here about his attempts to buy the club and one bloke over there telling anyone who’ll listen that it’s a load of baloney. In the middle you’ve got a football team that is struggling on the pitch, a club that is gasping for an injection of money and a fanbase growing increasingly worried for the future. It’s a bad situation to be in.
A big part of the problem is knowing who or what to believe any more. I’ve heard (although I will be accurate and confirm I’ve not seen the evidence with my own eyes) that Paladini has given Pannu everything that was required with regards to proof of funds etc yet Pannu has told the press that nothing has been agreed. On the other hand, Pannu has told the stock market that he’s close to a deal with a consortium in Hong Kong (making clear it’s not Paladini) – and I’m told that statement would have had to have been verified by the compliance advisors in place. Whilst there has been no evidence on these shores of a potential HK-based buyer that would suggest that there really is one.
A potential scenario is that Pannu is trying to do a deal with a company out in Hong Kong but has also put the time in to set up a back-stop in a deal with Paladini. If this was the case the last thing Pannu would need would be Paladini giving out too much details of the backup deal in place because he’d want to keep his cards close to his chest with the people in HK – and thus you could understand why he’d go mad at Paladini talking so much to the press. It’s obvious that Paladini does want to buy the club and it would make sense that he would do what he could to put the pressure on Pannu to sell to him – kinda like the bird in the hand being worth two in the bush. The problem is that this kind of theory is that it is all speculation and without hard facts none of us know for sure if this is what is happening.
There is also the question of how much all this stuff in the background is affecting the club. I don’t think I’m wrong in saying that it’s unsettled a portion of the fanbase and as other have, I wonder how much it’s affected the team. Whilst they are professionals who have a job to do there is an awful lot of players out of contract at the end of the season and speaking for myself I think I would find it hard to keep on like nothing is happening knowing my future was up in the air… and if the direst predictions are true, that potentially my pay could be delayed. I think it would be understandable if the players are affected by it and it adds more grist to the mill that it needs to be sorted quickly.
As much as people are getting bored with this whole scenario I fear that we’re by no means towards the end of it and I suspect we’re going to have a few more episodes in the whole sorry soap opera. I just hope when it’s all done and dusted it will have been worth the wait.
Tags: Gianni Paladini, Peter Pannu, Takeover
49 Responses to “Paladini v Pannu… Again”
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Similar to you al I feel paladini is there as a last resort safety net in pannu’s eyes, its obvious the current regime would prefer to sell to HK buyers. Its all got to come to a head soon so I guess we’ll know soon enough but I’m pretty confident our new owner won’t be mr paladini.
I think this could be months away from a conclusion; someone somewhere will wait for the cheapest/best price possible. This will equate to no money for Jan and saying tera a bit to Butland/Redmond.
Neither Pannu or Paladini have come out with anything concrete or remotely believable; Pannu uses barrister type talk, whilst Paladini comes across as someone who likes the sound of his own voice. I for one couldn’t care less that he’s local or that his offspring are fans. He does not conduct himself in the right way and does not personally have the funds to table a bid.
Either way the actions of the mentioned two make us look a joke. What’s wrong with discussing bids/business in private?
I don’t expect a Bill Gates type figure. Someone with decorum and the ability to treat us, the fans, with some respect would suffice.
Really enjoy the updates on Carson; looking forward to the next installment Almajir
KRO
I don’t think it’s Butland and Redmond we have to worry about leaving,more like Marlon King. We have been a very poor team this season, yet he has 8 or 9 goals to his name. If he was in a team with a proper midfield,he might have doubled that. Pannu has said, he is in advanced talks,with a Hong Kong group, if that is true ,Paladini can kiss goodbye, to any chance he had of getting Blues. I would not be surprised if Pannu is still connected to Blues, if and when the takeover goes through.
I was going to mention the wage issue,but you featured it,the fact that the players are still being payed is one of the few things going for us at the moment in this unsightly mess,the moment we hear of the wages drying up then we are going to have BIG problems.
Off topic Almajir,but i guess Pannu will be called as a witness in the Yeung court case in the next few weeks,or is he totally in the clear,and not involved in any way/shape/form.
Its maddening for us all.
So why doesn’t Paladini just make his offer more acceptable? After all of his £30m bid, only just over half is payable up front, probably just enough to repay the loans to CY to BIHL. ie. the offer is I will repay your loans, you give me the Club, and if we do get promoted I will give you a little bit more from the proceeds I will get from selling the Club at a true market level. From a business viewpoint it is a backstop position, and Pannu would be derelict in his duties to accept it without seeing whether a better offer is available elsewhere.
As for Pannu’s statement, the fact that there are two other potential bidders rings perfectly true. They are buying a business, have signed confidentiality agreements, and have no need to publiise anything at the moment. In fact, if they are also listed they would be unable to say much about a deal they have not yet agreed for legal reasons to do with stock manipulation laws. In this vain, we knew nothing about CY’s attempts to buy the Club until his offer had been accepted in his first failed attempt for the same reason.
While I appreciate no hard news can be maddening, the fact that there is none doesn’t mean that nothing is happening. I would rather you kept to reporting facts and making reasoned opinions, than just go for the Tom Ross or James Nursey approach of reporting anything Paladini says as gospel.
So continue the good work, be patient, and whilst you wait for news, have fun reporting CY’s trial :)
KRO
If its true that the players are taking on the weight of the takeover then burke and davies look like their brokering the deal. I have never seen a player so happy to leave the pitch as burke was on sat when subbed, he looked the most relieved person in the ground. I think the only thing that will affect us on the pitch with the takeover is that, we have to face facts, for the players playing for Birmingham it is just about employment and wages. Its a job like we have a job and in this current climate, if our employer had this over hanging them then we would look for the first chance we had to get out and that time is January. January will tell us a lot about the immediate future of Blues. KRO!
The other people to mention in all this are the BCFC employees working at the coal face , in the offices, & training ground etc.
Not on the big bucks of many players but still doing a sterling job in difficult circumstances,
despite uncertain futures.
Weary , does not do this takeover saga justice..
However the irony can not be lost that we are currently approaching the Pantomime season…
Oh no it isn’t – Oh yes it is…!!
He’s behind you…..!!
Well said Blueboy re the admin staff.
There is not much in the way of good news coming out of St Andrews at present and I think until the ownership issue is resolved we are likely to just stagnate
I think most blues fans have been expecting the change of ownership saga to drag on but like me have relied on the false hope that it might get resolved sooner rather than later based on rumours in the press.
The thought of new ownership from Hong Kong fills me with horror based on the CY era experience so I hope this is just a smoke screen to try and squeeze a bit more from any bidders from elsewhere but there isn’t exactly a queue waiting to snap us up. While all this goes on the malaise within the club from fans, players and management is increasing and i fear it is likely to get worse.
I have no confidence in the management team but we are stuck with them for now and the forthcoming fixtures fill me with little optimism unless the team is somehow galvanised from within. I keep hearing suggestions about dropping players and replacing them with others but you can pick any players you like at present and they won’t win football matches unless the attitude organisation and concentration levels are spot on.
If newspaper articles are to be believed, Paladini appears to have a history of misrepresentation.
Below links to 2 articles:
The 1st, Paladini approaches Darren Furguson, the then Peterboro manager, to join Nottingham Forest in regards to Paladini’s alledged representation of a Kuwait family in a takeover of Forest.
The 2nd, The Kuwait family deny any connection with Paladini.
Deja Vu springs to mind when reading the Pannu v Paladini war of words.
The more I read about Paladini, the more I fear his takeover.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2167879/Peterborough-seeking-legal-advice-Nottingham-Forest-approach-Darren-Ferguson.html
http://www.forest.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=286365
Stalling tacticts by PP & CY in order to rinse every penny from the club…….Everytning online is 20% off and a fire sale in January getting decent money for Butland, Redmond, Davies and accepting silly bids for maybe the likes of Burke, King could raise 10-15 million. I fear a major downward spiral after christmas……KRO.
John do you really think clubs would buy our players for that kind of money, the way they are playing. Only Butland would raise serious money maybe 5 mill. Everyone knows we are desperate so would just fleece us. Kro4ever
I think he means £10-15m in total for those players.
yes 10-15 million in total for all 5 players.
Where the owners are based has no relevance, stability is key and is the only thing that is required a new owner with a long term plan of sensible investment.
It really doesn’t matter if the owner is UK based IMO, many of the top clubs these days are not and wont be as the finances required are beyond many.
I am going to get referred to a consultant at BUPA and see if I can get a medically induced coma, then ask them to bring me around when this sorry saga is resolved!
I’m already in a coma.
In the meantime the club is drifting towards Division 1.
Paladini will not get his hands on the club. He can shout,sing and do the tango as much as he likes and with whomever he wishes to. PP is playing him and treats him contemptously at every opportunity.
Let the negotiations get resolved as soon as can be; regardless of how complex, and let everyone move forward because this really is starting to go beyond the pale.
I just don’t trust Paladini at all. Look how relieved QPR fans were to get shot of him.
Have to agree with you there!
The sad thing is there are some good clubs out there which are on a par with us fan base and expectation wise (WBA, Fulham, Wigan, Stoke,Swansea) who seem to be well run,compete well and generally are only in the media for the right reasons. The major link that I can see between these clubs is I think that they have accountability (Peace, Al-fayed, Whelan, Coates, Jenkins) and not a group of faceless nobodies. Birmingham City could be a good stable premiership side with a decent following if we learn to accept we are on a par with clubs like the above and thats about as good as it ever get.
John;, You spoke the very words that I have been praying for for quite some time, !!.
As much as any Bluenose, [ especially after last seasons romp in the Europa cup ] would wish for that repeat of the glorious League Cup win which led to those halcyon days, Reality, would satisfy me for a while, whilst someone like those you mentioned re-built us on a ” firm footing “,!!.
If it takes a new [ decent ] owner a couple of seasons to get us ready for a steady, but relentness move up the leagues, with stability and good football playing, ?. — Then, — So be it, kro.
Everything and everyone on here are all there or thereabouts on their view about what is happening at Stans – IT IS OBVIOUS WHAT THE HONG KONG GANG ARE DOING !!!!!!!! – they care not one jot about the club – fans and employees just to get as much money for the soon to be incarsarated barber !!!! and if that means the club – fans suffering then sobeit !!!!!!! the sale will happen when and only when their wallets are full !!!!! and I am in total agreemnet about fears of the soon to be firesale !!!! unfortunately I dont believe we can be too choosy on who gets the club and one buyer is better than current regime
THIS CAN ONLY HAPPEN AT BLUES,IT WOULDNT HAPPEN ANYWHERE ELSE. AS USUAL ITS THE SUPPORTERS WHO ARE SUFFERING AND THE LAST ONES TO KNOW. I REALLY DONT THINK PANNU HAS ANY INTENTION OF SELLING TO THE ITALIAN UNLESS THEY INCREASE THERE BID. OBVIOUSLY THE OTHER TWO CONSORTIUMS ARE OFFERING MORE MONEY AND THATS WHY ITS CLOSE TO A DONE DEAL
Unfortunately, it can and does happen at other teams.
Look at Leeds United, Portsmouth, Coventry City for three.
Also – please can you turn your caps lock off when commenting? Thanks
My reading is that Paladini is not a serious bid at all in Pannu’s eyes, which is why he has been mouthing off about the Italian. It’s not edifying but then neither is it when Paladini pretends that a deal is almost done. I think Paladini is living in lala land and not to be taken serioiusly.
Pannu seems to be doing things properly and steadily which I think we need after the silliness of the past few years. It might look as if he’s hiding stuff, but honestly I don’t think he is. He is just trying to be above board. I’m not defending the guy, just saying how I see it.
My thoughts also, DoctorD, No doubts his [ P,P. ] alegiance is to C,Y. !!. but I think he is playing it straight, !!. After all, — If negotiations are in progress with others, ?. There should be a period of silence whilst discussions take place, !!.
This is dragging on and on and me down and down with it.
Is it possible that PP has the clubs best interests at heart and is brokering the best deal for BCFC in all of this? Over the last 12 months he has done a good job of keeping the club self sufficent.
Qu – Could Pannu still be at Blues once the take over happens in some capacity? Continuing his work with a better finanical structure behind him?
It is my hope that all this talk in the press is last resorts and some kind of exclusivity is granted by the time the trial starts. If nothing happens before the beginning of trial I feel nothing will be resolved until a verdict is given.
A day in the life of a blues supporter is never dull!!!!
KRO
Trial starts weds – no chance !!!!
There is a rumour that Mrs Choui (chow) is the other party in Hong Kong.
The problem is she has had many dealings with Carson in the past, so if BCFC was sold Carson would still have a link to club. They would prefer to sell to her than Paladini
KRO
I’d be very surprised if she was
Re Retfordblue –
I too have wondered if there is a HK group takeover, would PP continue in his current role at BCFC.
Paladini has watched Blues more than Pannu. I am fed up with the secret manner of those from HK and I am with the Italians from Solihull at this point.
P,P. has spent a lot of time in Hong Kong, Sorting out that B,I,H. crap company, !!!!.
Well he must have money, and good intentions if he’s been to a few matches, thats good enough for me…. I’m converted!
Blue in Spain;, Converted to whom, ??.
Being a Paladini supporter……….. Not!!! was in reply to Eric.
For me it’s pretty obvious that Pannu wants to stay involved in the Club, hence him wanting the HK consortium to take over. This is also why he shows such contempt to the Paladini consortium.
Paladini has made it clear that his consortium wants to have control of the club by January to avoid any player sales to keep the club afloat and in fact will offer Butland and Redmond new contracts. I dont believe this is hot air from Paladini and lets hope that Pannu is mindful of this and has either the mystery Hong Kong party or the Paladini consortium in place very soon.
Relax guys, the Independant Directors will commission their own advice and report back.
I have a gut feeling that there is another offer simmering in the background, watch this space..
Paladini doesnt have the money required I know…Those he fronts for have and I’m comfortable with that provided there’s enough of it. But for Pannu to make remarks about those who haven’t got the money…!!!??? He’s got some neck, they bought this club with F.A. in their pockets. Hope buyers don’t wait for administration
Given the precarious league position it would put us in for anyone to wait this out until we go into Administration I would consider it insane for a buyer to want to start life at Blues as a potential League 1 club with no players of note (Butland, Redmond, Burke, Davies et al gone or sold).
Therefore I am hoping the HK consortium(s) exist, are serious about tabling a REASONABLE bid and not that laughable sum that Paladini has dreamed up, so we can move forward as a club in January.
As most business deals are done without any public knowledge of the transaction until its made, I would say its very unlikely Paladini will ever own Blues….and thank Christ that’s likely to be so.
If motivation to play is foundering due to job uncertainty then I think we need to remind our beloved squad that they’ll be much better off showing success on the pitch to a potential new owner, so they get offered contract renewals.
It’s a case of shit or get off the pot for all Blues players, Lee Clark, Peter Pannu and ANYONE wishing to buy the club, cos all of the above have to work if WE are to work.
KRO
I am not %100 behind Paladini but must say at least he talks to us – more than Peter Pan and the Barber has ever done – I also have Big doubts about Hong Kong investment – I have mixed feelings for peter pan But never never forget he is the Barbers assistant and I would much prefer British based investment
I am amazed people are questioning if there is a HK consortium. of course there is! It has been announced to the HKSE.
To me Paladini should go away and stfu.
When Pannu talks he says it as it is, not the BS paladini keeps feeding you.
I’ve recently had a look on the website of Blues Supporters’ Trust. I’m absolutely sure the new board that now represents the Trust comprises of very passionate Blues fans who want the best for the club.
However, I can’t see anywhere on the website any reference to the Trust trying to put pressure on the club’s owners to make any sort of statement regarding the takeover saga and the club’s future.
I can’t believe I am the only one who is wondering about this.
as a fan i dont care how much the club goes for because we are not going to see any of that money. We need a owner or owners who can give us stability and a steady future. if it takes us 5 seasons to get back to the premier league so be it. Dont take the whole pannu vs paladini talk as tho pannu is looking out for the club, hes brokering the best deal for yeung not the club. There seems to be a lot of blind loyalty to pannu when really since the start hes told us bits and drabs. Yeung brought him here so as soon as yeung goes he can go too.Start a fresh!!!!
I doubt very much there is any blind loyalty to Pannu, the majority of us are just sceptical about Paladini. Lets face it the way he’s behaved trying to scare the fans and bleating about hurt feelings, along with his history it’s not surprising we are sceptical!
Why can’t we get Mittal intested -.he has more money than Roman and would be buying into a huge Indian fanbase in Brum – BCFC could then tap into India the second biggest population in the world and a surging economy