Takeover Rumours

I think he recognises that he has ended up with a community asset and has a duty of care to make sure that it does not come to harm and because it looks like he's not losing money on a monthly basis there's no urgency for him to sell so if he doesn't like the look of any potential buyers then he can afford to say no. The wagmi offer was obviously financially acceptable but their plan for the club going forward was utterly nonsensical with huge risk and limited long term up side, if someone else had come along with the same pot of cash and a rational business plan for the club then I think we'd have a new owner.

 

We have to use the loan market wisely next year. One of Adams’ flaws was his reluctance to use it. You could argue Bass, Pereira and Walker are all improvements but by Jan it was to late to stop the slide.

I know its a different market in the summer and some are still hoping to make the first team (whereas by Jan many know they aren’t in plans) but we need to be on the ball as it will give us a realistic chancing of improving the squad without paying big transfer fees.

 

I would have expected a non committal answer we have had good budgets year on year and not used the money wisely we lost 800k last year partly due to COVID so we need to use whatever is available much better

 

Don't know if it was just terrace talk, but I heard at the last home game that Hughes would manage next season, then he would step aside and join a consortium in buying the club. Might just be gossip but would make sense. I can't see him being in the dugout for the next 2 years.

 

Heard a few rumours a couple of weeks ago about Huw Jenkins being at one of our home games following the appointment of Hughes. Even now, it just seems strange that a manager of his calibre would chance his arm at this level with us, without some concrete assurances in place re finances or without knowing something was happening in the background. Hes allegedly quite tight with Kia Joorabchian too. Mega rich, wonder in he might be part of a consortium?

 

alternatively they have been happy and were just shit at spending it

 

There is no way that Rupp would allow a buyer to dictate the new manager and their contract until the deal was signed otherwise he could be left financing a manager he hasn’t agreed to

 

I think it is just wishful thinking with a lot of fans regarding Jenkins, me included to be honest.

Rumours probably started by some fans on no other basis than Jenkins is Welsh and putting 2 + 2 together thinking Jenkins is behind the unexpected application from Hughes.

 

Seems too elaborate to me. Why would they need Hughes to manage us before buying? And what if they didn't like what they saw? Hughes just going to bounce from one club to another?

 

I view Mark Hughes "arrival" as the "advance party". Hughes is a seriously well connected football man. If there is not someone in the background eyeing proceedings at VP I would be very suprised. Mark Hughes has single handedly put Bradford Ciry AFC back on the "football map".

 

I suggested and posted on the day he was recruited to the job, “ I wonder if he’s a Trojan horse for a consortium “

Time will tell.

 

It does seem odd yes, but if you put someone in there first, one has a head start for the actual takeover. He won’t be being paid peanuts for sure, so are we solely funding his side of the deal, or is it perhaps , maybe a proportion from outside the club?

Or it could just be QAnon gone mad?

 

Time will tell I guess, Kevin, but it's certainly taking due diligence to the extreme ha

 

Nonsense Hughes is here because he couldn’t find a team higher up and wants to prove himself again

 

Who knows?

You don’t , neither do I. People can speculate of course, for example you say an ex World Class footballer who has managed SIX clubs in the Worlds best Premier League , needs to somehow prove himself.

That’s dafter than some contributors suggesting he’s a front for a takeover?

 

He hasn’t worked for ages and I bet it’s not for the want of trying.

 

One part fact one part speculation.

 

I'm sure I read he'd applied for jobs throughout his time out and for most he wasn't even getting replies. I think he applied for the Peterborough job before McCann got it. We also need to stop thinking this idea that he's somehow doing us a favour being here. He has an excellent pedigree but he applied to us for a vacant role, we weren't chasing him like a love sick puppy. We need to be realistic, this is still the same Bradford City that has struggled for 5 years, albeit with a higher calibre of manager. Wether a change of management alone can change around this sinking ship remains to be seen. I have faith in the way Hughes wants to play but it boils down how much of that style can be accomplished by a squad a league 2 standard players. If there is an influx of better quality players I'd say yes, if not then no.

 

Some supporters are far too attached to the Mark Hughes, Premier league manager and top flight/division 1 player and are clinging on to the notion, he can turn our fortunes around.

Our hierarchy will have huge influence on our league status. I just don't envisage a change in our spending policy, so finance will continue to have a big influence on this club, moving forward.

Imagine, a Richard O'Donnel type, Theo Robinson type, a Alex Gilliead and a Oscar Threlkald type of quintet type of players. League 2 standard??

1. In my mind, 4 players in different positions, mixed bag of talent/ability but I would say, the type/mould this club MAY aspire to. Historical evidence under Rupp suggests so.

2. 8k of wages between them, maybe more? Insurance, National insurance, pension? etc... Potential wages of c£425k... Or c2100 full paying season ticket adults (that's not taking into account any taxable deduction on ST sales).

3. 6670 full paying adult season ticket holders this season (source https://www.bradfordcityafc.com/news/2021/july/city-announce-12.7k-season-ticket-sales/) Those 4 players above potentially take a 1/3rd of the revenues alone.

Incomings via ST sales, sponsorship, league membership, TV revenues v expenditure in rent, playing wages, utilities, backroom staff, maintenance etc suggests to myself that with a rebuild of this squad needed, lots of patience will be needed as we move many members of this squad on and integrate new playing staff on board. Alternatively, a big injection of ££from elsewhere, maybe our proud custodian? But you can guess my thoughts here...

So in Hughes, we need to detach his history at the top table v his unknown element of being a division 4 manager. His man management, skillset will be tested... A test, at this level he has yet to have an answer for.

A higher calibre of manager, yes on paper. But the historical evidence of L2 under Rupp must be factored in.

 

We ain't getting a influx of cash. The club is very clear that it will have to pay its own way, an admirable stance in many ways. What that does mean is that Hughes budget will be dependant on the season ticket sales and what extra monies were raised through commercial deals. Letting certain players go might give some wiggle room but as far as I've been told there are no big wage earners in League 2 terms at the club anymore. Certainly nowhere near the level of upstarts like Wrexham or Stockport.
A lot of folk take the option that the likes of Robinson, Lavery, Kelleher etc are the problem when it's not really the case. That case simply being that the first choice eleven as it stands is the problem. Unless you solve that it don't matter who fills your bench.