Stefan Rupp

Yes, he would have been and failed. NEXT!

 

Look, nobody wants Rupp to sell to the first bidder regardless, that stopped when he actually supported the club and steadied the ship - which he has done, at least for the time being.

But the club should be publicly up for sale if Rupp's only intention is to recoup his investment. I can't think of a single reason for Rupp to NOT put the club up for sale UNLESS he's here for the long haul - and by long haul, I obviously don't mean getting into the Championship and cashing in.

I'm very disappointed with Stefan Rupp's current position and the way the club is being viewed, and will continue to be very disappointed until Rupp comes out and pledges himself to Bradford City. Is that so much to expect from the owner?

Bradford City is a part of the heart and soul of thousands of people, an ambivalent owner just isn't good enough. But nor, I suppose, is it presently a total disaster.

 

There is no suggestion from either Ryan Sparks or indeed others like John Dewhirst who has met him that his only intention is to recoup his money. They both say he is determined to get us back to what we were and there won’t have been many clubs splashing out five figure fees on players as we did in the last window. As long as he doesn’t interfere with team selection which there is zero evidence that he does ,supports Sparks which apparently he does totally, and funds our losses why are people so desperate for change. New owners which would almost certainly be a consortium of local businessmen, as I don’t think rich Arabs are interested in us, would probably get rid of Sparks who is a breath of fresh air and run it their way. So who knows how it would leave us.

 

Someone wanted the cash to build a palatial pad in Spain

 

Or pub in Wibsey?

 

I agree he has said he wants us to get back where we were at the moment we seem set up to give it a go so let’s see what happens. If he achieves that he may sell up or not but as you say the only people likely to take on the club are very likely to run it in the same self sustaining way

 

It also says a lot about his backer, why didnt Stefan question the situation, unless again he conned Stefan that Rangers and Blackpool were not the right clubs.
Someone posted the other day Rahic is still living in Baildon he's got some balls, football fans are not renowned for being forgiving when their club is threatened as it was before Stefan said he would do what he could to rectify Rahics time at the club.

 

No No No!

 

You can sell a business without announcing it is up for sale, if he did that current and prospective new players, sponsors, employees would all be wondering about where it leaves them. The ideal scenario is working in the background, some M&A solicitors doing the legals and then an announcement that surprises everyone except those involved in setting up the deal. That’s the way we acquire and sell businesses.

The second point is who is buying league football clubs at the moment? Sunderland went through but that’s the exception. Wigan have been in administration for nearly a year. The PL is becoming a closed shop with a few yo yo clubs, the championship needs money chucking at it if you want to thrive. The Derby owner reckons to have lost £200m. If we get promoted and there is a clear path for fans to return in substantial numbers the market might open up a bit, but unless you’re mad, have money to burn or are a super fan, nobody is buying football league clubs at the moment.

 

If and when he gets us to the point of being a League 1 promotion contender, then he's back to a neutral position. Until then, he has to be in the red, surely? Yes the outlook looks positive for the first time in a while, but we've got so much to do. I think some feel promotion this or next year is an inevitability - but it isn't.

He's got a hell of a long way to go before we can start with the platitudes, and I think he'd accept that himself.

 

He has made mistakes, He has admitted as such, He is trying to put things right even spending money, Lets get behind him FFS

 

Burnley were bought out, which makes two big purchases - one doing very well, one doing very badly.

Is there any evidence to suggest buy outs have slowed this year? How many are we expecting?

That Wigan haven't been bought out shows there's nobody looking to take a side from admin with the typical 1 quid buy out price; more bang for your buck buying a side that's stable, even though the price is higher.

I'm not going to argue with looking for buyers in the background as long as it's happening, but every time there is talk of am interested party people like @wetherbywhaler get the rocket launcher out. I don't want to hear an endless stream if excuses for why Rupp isn't selling the club, but if it is all part of the plan, fine.

Out in five or in for twenty, it's up to Stefan.

 

I'm behind him. I'm just not going to credit him until he starts taking this club forward in a way that matters. Promotion being the first real milestone.

 

I see your point. As a "hands-off" manager would you agree he is trying to take the club forward with what he has done already this season?

 

I suppose that depends on whether you assess it on the basis of the season as a whole, or since T&S came in. Recent signs are more promising and it would seem that Sparks has a remit and is being empowered to take the club forward. But I think it'll be Sparks who takes us forward rather than Rupp. I'm not saying Rupp will stand in the way, but neither do I think he's going to invest in driving us forward either. We've clearly taken a hit on revenue this season and its likely that Rupp has underwritten some of that, but for me, Rupp only starts to get credit if he's actively seen to contribute towards success over then next couple of years. The last 12 games have been much better, as is the outlook of the club under Sparks, but its still very much outweighed by the last 3 years, that's all I'm saying.

 

I ca

Can't disagree with any of that. I think the main reason for failure has been the team under Rupp, right down the manager and players. Now he is partly to blame for being so disinterested as to allow or be persuaded by a succession of poor appointments.

 

Burnley ? You'd be happy for a similar arrangement?

 

The whole buying with borrowed money thing?

I don't know, because I don't know how that is going to play out for teams like Burnley or Manchester United.

It seems unlikely someone would go that route for a much, much less expensive club like ours - but I suppose it's a possibility if we got to the Championship.

It should be worth noting, the subtext there is that if Rupp DOES get us to the Championship, and if that IS when he chooses to sell up (for a profit or to recoup his investment), then the Burnley/Man Utd model of a buyout becomes exponentially more likely.

I would hazard to suggest that if that model of buyout is something City fans DON'T want, then perhaps we also don't want Rupp building us up to sell us in such a manner.

In any event, how would we guard against such a thing?

 

Back to where Div 1 at least midtable is fair.

We shouldn't be in div 2 in the face place and he is 50% to blame no matter what.

 

See this is just the bollocks the club or fans don't need to hear.

Wigan do have interested parties and a deal should be going through this month.
Charlton have been overtaken
Sunderland have been overtaken by a 23 year old.
Wrexham have been overtaken
Burnley have been overtaken.
Leeds UTD have sold more shares to the 49ers owner.
Liverpool FC will soon have more investment.
Everton building a new 52k stadium.

Buying football clubs isn't like buying houses in which you might get 20 plus people wanting to buy the same house but to say no one is buying football clubs or investing in them is utter nonsense.

Seriously!!