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When Peter Met Gianni
The Birmingham Mail reported on Monday evening that talks between Peter Pannu and Gianni Paladini have begun over the sale of Birmingham City to the consortium fronted by the Solihull-based Italian. Talks are scheduled to continue into today as Paladini looks to finally complete the purchase of the club.
First of all, if you’re bored with this saga, I apologise for adding to the reams of words already written about the drawn-out epic that the sale of Birmingham City has become. I will readily confess that it’s getting to me as well and I just want it to be over now. The unfortunate reality is that whilst these talks might herald the sale of the club, it’s not sorted just yet. I’m sorry to disappoint people but even if talks do come to a successful conclusion tomorrow I suspect it’ll be a little while before the bid is formally agreed.
The problem is that favourite phrase of Alex McLeish – “due diligence”. Whilst the Italian-backed consortium have no doubt perused at length the information already afforded to them by the club they will want to see the up-to-date financials. It takes a certain kind of crazy businessman to buy something as big as a football club without properly lookimg through the books first – as Carson Yeung would probably testify. Whilst I’m guessing Paladini will have a fairly good idea of how things stand at St Andrews he and his backers will want to look at the here and now to ensure that there aren’t any nasty surprises lurking in the ledgers for them in the future.
However, all is not lost. If – and it’s a big if – talks to come to some sort of successful conclusion then I would expect some sort of announcement that Paladini has been granted exclusivity to look through the books and that a bid has been provisionally accepted providing all parties are satisfied with the period of due diligence. Whilst I think it will now be difficult to complete a takeover prior to the end of the January transfer window I would think that if the wheels were set in motion at least then it might be enough to keep the wolves from the door and to prevent the need for players to be sold – and that is key. It’s also worth remembering that whilst Blues wouldn’t be able to buy players outside of the January window that they can loan them for a couple of months afterwards and that might be enough to give us some impetus to push up the table.
Even if there is no announcement made in the next few days I wouldn’t fear the worst. Whilst Paladini is known for his rather schizoid “off and then on again” announcements about the takeover to the press it does seem that he really does want to complete it. I think it’s also evident that Paladini is now in a position of strength as Peter Pannu has had to come back to the UK to talk to Paladini and his lawyers with the potential HK deal he was banking on seemingly as dead as a dodo. If Gianni Paladini is as anxious to do the deal as he has previously made out then the ball is seemingly in his court to push it through.
The hope is now in the next few days this protracted takeover can be finally taken forwards – whilst I’m not that keen on Gianni Paladini right now I think he’s the only show in town and we’ve got to go with it lest the unthinkable happens.
Tags: Gianni Paladini, Peter Pannu, Takeover
79 Responses to “When Peter Met Gianni”
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hopefully it will be good news to give all us bluenoses a happy christmas after what we have been through since wembley kro
I really feel that our club is being passed from one bunch of crook’s to another, i have spoke to a few qpr fan’s and they have all said keep paladini out of Birmingham City. I know that we have to be sold asap, but I cant help but keep on getting these nervous feeling’s that Paladini even though he has connection’s to brum and his son is a proclaimed bluenose they are not gonna be much better for the club then carson.
I agree Marc.
Whilst I know the ‘The Daily Mirrors’ James Nursey is probably one of the most unreliable sources, have you seen his tweet from yesterday.
Tweet; “Pannu is keen to do deal with Paladini if gulf can be bridged. GP offering £17m down (over 4-5 yrs) & 13m in add-ons”
IF, and it’s a big if, this is true, you have to question the financial (or lack of it) backing of Paladini. I think even the most anti CY and PP Bluesnoses would agree that this offer is an absolute joke, and should be treated by PP with the contempt it deserves.
You have to ask yourselves, does Paladin have any credible backers? On this evidence I don’t think he has.
Plus, the comment’s he’s made over this on-off saga is amateurish to say the least.
If this offer is true, PP should tell Paladini to ‘go forth and multiply’.
I don’t get this post. Why is a £30m offer for Blues (assuming the add-ons kick in) not enough and proof that Paladini doesn’t have the backing?
I don’t think the financial weight behind the consortium can be read via the offer. Anybody wants to buy as cheaply as possible especially when it’s tens of millions.
So does this mean that Paladini is getting the club at a bargain basement price now? With ‘other offers’ now seemingly off the table does this mean he has gotten a better price for the club?
I think it’s GPs perogative to offer what he thinks the club is worth despite the ball being, apparently, in his court to complete a deal.
Whilst PP may be bullish about a certain figure I can’t understand the agenda in not selling at the rumoured 30 mil amount (although I realise structure of payment is important). Afterall, why hold onto the club and do they really think it’s worth more: we are no longer a Prem club visiting the Championship and we’ve sold much of our obvious assets over the past 18 months.
Let’s hope an agreement is quick and things start moving to prevent player sales, as part of the takeover terms.
They are two groups that in the grand scheme of the game have no money.So there talking very few millions, so its a deal that hinges on the assets ie Butland and Redmond.
Either are going to sell these players to finance going forward.
Sully you have raised a very ugly point.Both sets of investors are in the football world poor.Paladini is not in it for the long term.He wants to get the team back into the Premiership and flog us on.As long as he can do this and window dress the accounts he may be able to find a purchaser with the necessary firepower to make us competitive in the top flight.This is me on a positive day!
how do we know paladinis backers have no money ? i certainly dont know who they are do you ? besides that if what you say is true and he only wants to get us up and then sell they would have to invest fairly heavily for that to happen. what winds me up is all of this could have been sorted a month ago
kro
bluenose 11
If you was selling your car cuz u was broke would you take the first offer without waiting to see if others want to have a test drive and make an offer. Isn’t it obvious they want the best price they can get and their was other interested parties at the time. So i think naturally Paladini was not immediately accepted. If it was my car i wouldn’t let it go for much less than a fair offer. Carson is no different to anyone else.
Swissjohnny, none of us have any knowledge of the bidders financial firepower – nor their intentions.
I’m stunnded how people can come on here and offer details on the finacial status and the intention of parties they have absolutely no details about. I suspect you don’t even know who his backers might be.
No serious businessman would have a representative behave in this way.I have no ideas who his backers are but would bet you a jar of Vegamite that they are in the lower echelons of football wealth.
Ill match that with a jar of marmite
Inclined to agree with ya Aussie
I really hope this “mystery” Italian consortium are more Juventus than Genoa!!. We need someone who is gonna take us forward to the 21si century not back to the dark ages of the 80’s & 90’s like Yeung has.
I know it’s probably gonna be difficult to bring in players in January but we really could do with bringing in some pace into our defence. Also why don’t we try and bring Townsend back on loan to add another left midfielder, I know it means yet another midfielder but Hall is the only left footer we’ve got & surely he would give more options going forward. KRO
PP has gone very quiet again.
Not good news.
Art, of course he has. Nobody blabs to the media and puts delicate talks into danger by blabbing.
Why can’t Paladini say who his backers are?
Surely Pannu is gonna wanna know so guess what both, so do feckin we!
In this day and age does he expect us to be happy with that? This club we love being bought by God knows who? Straight away that’s me unhappy with him. Plus going into print saying he’s mates with the Zulus made me unhappy too, hardly a selling point is it. So not any happier at all here.
We don’t even know what Pannus selling mandate is cos remember Yeung only owns 26%.
Paul
As covered before, Pannu will sort a bid that will then have to be put to the shareholders. TBH, I don’t expect it to be a problem.
Paul, I keep agreeing with you all the time lately. I’m very dismayed at this sale to a man that seems to feel the Zulus are friends worth having, bit like Italian Ultras (not sure if i have the terms right). But im having my say and complaint now before it happens and expressing my fears. If the sale goes through i will swallow it and hope for the best and give him a chance. This my only time to express it, so just for now and this time only, will say im concerned that this may not be the right deal for the club. As always if his the owner, then i will then stand with him and support him.
People are getting wound up about getting the deal done before the window closes. Forget that, if we sell and survive then that’s what we need to do. New owners will have to rebuld regardless. This season is dead, the manager is a goner and the Butlands and Redmonds aren’t exactly pulling up any trees. Think longer term. I just hope the deal is done by June. I don’t really care what league we’re in next year as long as there is hope!
You know Thongsy, I knew there was a reason why I always liked you.
Thongs;, For once,!!. I am in total agreement with all you said above, !!.
Don’t be ridiculous we need to stay in the championship
charmer!
Morning Thongo
I bet you’re hating this recent bout of not bad football we’re seeing eh?
Bet you’re hoping for an early couple of Burnley goals on Saturday am I right?
Stupid post, stupid person.
Ah so you’re regretting your previous posts boasting to us all that you’re a boo boy?
Good lad.
The ability to change ones mind is a strength I always think.
As a paying customer I reserve my right to vent my pleasure and displeasure. Totally different to hoping we’ll lose. I’ll boo Clark win or lose though.
Why?
how stupid, had you have been a Man. United supporter when Ferguson was given the job,no doubt you would have bood him as well. He was close to being sacked in his first season. Quite obviously,you are not a true follower of football !
For all you fans out there like me who prefer training it to driving, Bolton away rail fares are cheap as right now. The match tickets aint badly priced neither,
Barnsley has to be a drive though.
As has been said. Nobody nknows yet who is backing Paladini or how much money they have. Also, why do some people think Mr Paladini is going to sell the club later? What is that based on? All I know is that we have to have a change from the present owners asap and Mr Paladini is a football lover who lives locally.
Guys, Paladini was on Radio WM this morning. THERE ARE NO TALKS PENDING AND HE HAS NOT HEARD FROM PANNU SINCE HIS BID IN OCTOBER!!!!!!!
This is why I don’t trust him.
Why did he tell Tom Ross (because after all, Paladini is where Tom Ross got his info) on Friday when the Stephen Paladini stuff broke that he was meeting Pannu this week?
Why tell the Birmingham Mail last night that he’d met with Pannu and that he was meeting with him today?
This is descending further into farce territory.
This doesn’t surprise me!
My earlier comment about PPs silence has come to fruition.
The shambles just continues and I think it’s about time the fans voiced their opinion .
Sitting back doing nothing should no longer be an option.
Oh great, so there aren’t any talks now?
Sorry, but January is going to be hell.
I shudder to think what will happen to Blues in the coming months if a deal does not happen. PP and GP need to talk sooner rather than later. Why has PP flown back to the UK if not to talk to GP?
Because he was only in HK to advise Carson on his legal affairs.
That over he’s back over here doing feck all.
Anyone who thinks he runs the club is mad. The staff do.
But they had a meeting yesterday?
According to Mr Paladini this morning, they didn’t…
Nope, Tom Ross said yesterday that there were no discussions due yesterday and they were in for today.
I came on the sight not offering financial details but my opinion as a fan of blues for more than 40 years.I m highlighting the fact that we know CY is very low in the league of footballs money men and although we do not know the finances of Pali investors we do have is previous experience with QPR well documented.
It does not take a person to be brilliant at financial nous to see that blues are worth between 30 40 million.if you can buy them for 17mil that’s half price.
What I meant It’s lower league business for that kind of money you might as well tick along and sell players to finance going forward.
If you sell Butland and Redmond blues are still worth 17 mill so it all suggests small time stuff.
Remember Sullivan and gold bought Blues for a quid they just took on the debt.
In some ways this is similar only the debt this time is in Hong Kong.
If they had a sound financial long term plan with decent investment they would offer closer to valuation and proceed forward.
Let’s face it a premier league club from the second biggest city with tv money should be worth 100 mill.
What will Pandiani get for his money? The ground has a charge to HSBC and probably the training ground as well, title to the brand of BCFC, the club assets and debts and future income and sales (from when?). If the club sell players in this next window, can the owners take that out again if they haven’t yet entered Due Dilligence?
As for Due Dilligence, look what it did to Brucie, he still had 18 months on his contract and he turned in an unreasonable baby, toys and all!
Let’s hope the same happens to Clark, gives us an excuse to push him off…
Anyone who believes the tripe that GP comes out with should be very wary. When he was initially asked about who his mysterious backers were, he replied “They’re not well known here (in the UK) so there is no point in telling their names”. What perfect nonsense. Does he believe that no-one was capable of investigating them or their backgrounds?? Could we not research their business credentials??
If they had any substance he would have been parading them and bandying their names to all and sundry about what they would do to Blues if they assumed the reins. Please do not say they might wish to remain in the background and not attract any attention as they appointed GP as their spokesperson. And why does he need a consortium to raise an initial £17m?? Even with 3-4 people, this would equate to about £4-5M each – hardly substantial high-powered business folk who could meet the demands of a fair sized club??
Sometime ago I e-mailed PP and CY on several occasions to inform them of various events which had been arranged and attended by rich and well-connected businessmen and women from across the Midlands and UK including the Wouhra brothers and the Boparans. These fellas are worth hundreds of millions of pounds and have local connections and are actively looking to invest/make money. At that level it is all about connections and faces. Got no reply. WBA have made links with such people and their organisations. I suppose that is where having local experience, knowledge and skills comes to the fore.
All the things you’ve said of Paladini et al are true of Yeung et al. Lets just wait and see, there are no other offers on the table and we’re currently going backwards – anything is better than the mess we are in at the moment.
I am afraid that as bad as CY and PP are, GP and his firm would/could be a whole new level of pathetic, hopeless and farcical crassness.
There has to be another offer of a takeover or investment on the table because even the enigma that is CY and PP have to realise that the status quo cannot continue. If there isn’t then surely PP has/is failed/failing in his task to ‘save’ his employer Mr CY.
Loan signings will simply not be enough to push us up the table, and there simply aren’t enough decent players available on frees after January for us to strengthen with.
If the takeover isn’t completed before the end of the window, expect a finish no higher than 15th. A dull season under a clueless manager with zero funds.
Then we could, hopefully, look to sack Clark in the Summer and bring someone decent in with a nice transfer budget.
We are looking more bu****ed with each passing day. I do not believe that PP had any serious buyers waiting in the wings. Yes they may have made enquiries, but I suspect it did not go beyond that. Looks to me there has been a game of brinksmanship to get GP to up his offer. I suspect GP is wise to this tactic, and is sticking to his guns. So it looks like we’re left with him as the only serious bidder, with is invisible backers who continue to remain in the background. Either they’v got something to hide, or do not exist. GP knows that the League’s fit & proper test is worthless, so he’s not too bothered about what people think of his “backers”.
So where does this leave us. At some point GP will get his hands on the club, but only when it suits PP and CY to let go, or when their position eventually becomes untenable. Who knows how much damage will be done by then?
Terrible situation, and all Blues fans are being treated like a pile of s**t.
We are not being treated like anything – We dont count – We dont exist!
That’s one way of putting it Bluenosesol
KRC, I really believe that the day to day operations at BCFC have been handed over to the on site BCFC staff. I reckon that PP’s objectives are totaly consumed with preserving and protecting CY’s commercial interests. Many contributors to OP make pleas and complaints around the direction of the club, communications etc, but at the end of te day,they are all falling on deaf ears. We will continue to tread water at best, until some un forecast cataclysmic milestone is reached which forces the hand of those who tenuously hold power. There is no strategy, no plan, no clue!
I agree-so don’t go to the home games untill PP sorts this mess out.
Doing this will soon focus his mind as he can’t afford to lose the financial support of the loyal fan base.At the moment the fans are voiceless but lost revenue will have the desired affect.
If fans aren’t prepared to do this then hold a mass protest at the next home game.
Real fans don’t desert their club.
Just cos you don’t put a penny into the club don’t try and stop those of us who do.
A supporters group needs to start FC Birmingham.
PP is between a rock and a hard place — keeping CY in charge brings financial and legal uncertainty, while selling to GP doesn’t seem a good deal and the guy appears unreliable to say the least.
If Paladini buys the club, he will certainly offload Pannu — you can hardly see them working together can you?
So Palladini comes in, plays a blinder at the press conference with all sorts of free-wheeling chat about taking the club forward. We get our 15 minutes in the media spotlight and then the reality sets in — a new management team with their own “issues”, crazy players bought in an silly money, GP’s family muscling in on the board, and then the whole spectre of CY’s court case casting a shadow over the club. (If you think all issues to do with CY will disappear when the club is sold, think again.)
As I’ve said before, the best things about GP are that a) we know who he is b) he speaks English c) he’s European.
So why don’t you do something about it?
I have written to PP -I don’t expect the curtesy of a reply but Im not prepared to sit back and do nothing.
Are you?
Whoever buys the club – and I suspect it won’t be Paladini – will need to rebuild the fanbase. Whatever happens, we must lose this culture of booing the team. I still think of abuse hurled at the players during the first half of the home semi in the Carling Cup. Us, the fans, need to inject some positivity into the club, and deal with the problems come what may. You wouldn’t get the abuse – or the low gates – at St James Park for instance, would you?
Paladini, Shmaladini, we have to work with who we have.
Brilliantly put mate.
Had I ever booed my own team at a match my old man would have hammered me. It was instilled into most of us that you never boo your own team no matter how hard it gets. As for all the stay away wembley season ticket holders (many of who post on here) words fail me.
Could I suggest some names as to Paladini,s backers ? Enzo Ferrari, Massrati,Dino DeLaurentis,,,,,all builders of fantasy [ cars and films ],,,,,,Burlesconi and Mussolini,,,builders of fantasy empires [ like Paladini,,,,,,the Corleone family [to maintain our connections with the underworld] ] all of who are very shy of appearing in public at any time [ except Burlesconi !]
You’re forgetting Sofia Loren and the bloke from the Dolmio advert.
Can we please stop giving this pillock column inches and space on OP?!!
I think for the credibility of the situation (and Dan’s sanity) it’s not worth speculating that this prat is going to have anything to do with Blues until he’s through the door, coat hung on the hook and (rubber) cheque book out.
Until then I am sick and tired of this crap and want FACTS to prevail.
Please please PLEASE utter no more words about this clown until you have nailed on proof there’s something meaningful happening.
In the meantime don’t panic about a January fire sale, as we have nothing worth selling right now that any sane person would buy. Butland is doing OK, Redmond doesn’t really feature, King won’t move due to age/reputation, and everyone else is not really of interest.
Pray for sanity to prevail.
Breaking News; Paladini & Pannu spouting yet more rubbish.
If they were two 7 yeard old kids I could understand. Either a deal has been done yonks ago and Pannu is waiting to see if anything else drops, or Paladini is mouthing off far too early. It’s a bit like choosing between Jeremy Clarkson & Kelvin Mackenzie.
Both of these chancers are making our club look like a circus; some transparency is all we ask for.
Enjoyed the article as ever
KRO
Could it be possible that Paladini is doing a tongue in cheek piss take denying talks took place just as Pannu previously?
bluenoseneil is right. There are no facts to any of this. I came to the conclusion a long time ago that the amount of factual evidence presented in the media, blogs and forums is inversely proportional to the number of comments such as the long list above. We none of us know a damn thing so why don’t we just wait patiently for this takeover to happen or not?
Ah Hallelujah!! Looks like there are more than a few people praying at ‘my’ church. Let’s ignore false prophets until the Chosen One is revealed.
Relgious simile? Yep, it’s near Christmas. Deal with it ;p
KRO
Taking a worse case scenario, !!. What if, NO sale occurs with Palladini [ please god ], and that there is no one else aching to buy us, ?.
Is it possible that we COULD just soldier on through the rest of the season, Frankly speaking, — I would prefer that we stumbled to safety, — around 17/18 th place, therefor giving some months grace to see off C,Y’s, court case, and hopefully clearer air to smell the coffee, ????????.
Almajir – do you think with the amount of players out of contract in the summer, this will also be factored into PP/CY’s decision to get rid of the club quickly (before summer). Because if they don’t sort out contracts they’ll all leave for free and we will hardly have a playing staff?
This is the worst news we could’ve possibly hoped for.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/20767767
I thought we were genuinely in with a chance there…..
…and I think this makes VERY interesting reading too.
Don’t cry at work…you’ll embarrass yourselves…
http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/birmingham-city/kader/verein_337.html
It’s obviously a ‘spoof’ website! ha! How can they value Butland at 800, 000, but Caldwell at 1.2 Million? Errrrrrr…no, don’t think so.
…Zigic is worth ‘more’ than Butland???????????? ha ha. That table would make any bluenose either laugh or cry. (interesting).
Anyway, shouldn’t the title be …’If Peter met Gianni’? I’m really starting to believe that if PP met GP, he would give him a proper slap first. Well, it’s quite obvious that the media are just as bad at making blues look complete idiots ..oh, and GP is seemingly quite good at being one himself …at times …when he wants some newspaper space …for his very secret friends …who have lots and lots of money.
I think this particular Paladini issue has seriously damaged any chance of anyone else buying the club (if there was such a buyer / or buyers, and he he seems to be his own worst enemy too. I’m not holding any hope at all in this guy and ‘consortium’ being succesful. PP is probably looking at BCFC as a business to take care of, making sure it doesn’t go into administration, and also actively seeking investment, let alone preparing for a sale.
My guess is if we are sold on the back of an empty promise of capital, it’s his head on the block. The guy has kept us out of administration so far and yes it hurts, but we are functioning. For what he has achieved I give him that much. As for communication, well, we all know that as well. Come January, we will know how in the s**t we are when players are going to go.
What we dont have are facts, and until we do, speculation will prevail. Personally, I’ll still vent my frustration, but not lose faith in Birmingham City.
PP is back in Brum for the office Xmas party. Which boss would miss that ? Happy Christmas everyone and KRO!
On a lighter note, the Vile’s highly intelligent Belgian striker thought Birmingham was in London.
The world we live in eh! lol.
January sales, you get the best bargains after Christmas and most things are now made in China.
It all makes sense. GP doesn’t have to meet with PP he could buy the club on line.
When will people learn that as fans we are the LEAST important factor in all of this. You will know what is happening and who is involved when they are ready to make every man, jack in the country aware. We are the general public, they owe us nothing, will give us nothing in the way of information BY DESIGN.
I just hope that if a deal is agreed between PP and GP that the FA don’t fail us yet again by letting a pennyless excuse for a millionaire pas their ‘Fit and Proper Persons’ test. I really feel that the FA have got a lot to answer for in letting people such as CY purchase a football club……they shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near chess club, let alone a football club!
KRO…..May All Your Christmas Wishes be Blue!!