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What If…..?

Charlie Saiz ponders an alternative scenario to the accepted Level 5 PR…..

 

In the land of “What If” things can be altered,result can be changed and fiction can become reality so………. I shall delve into the realms of imagination so bear with me on this one folks.
We skip forward to April after a successful Season Celtic have bagged title no 5 a treble and a good run in the Europa resulting in renewed optimism for the up coming Season and arrival of 2angers.
Over the course of the Season it has become apparent the Glib and Shameless one has once again managed to Hoodwink the Brothers Grim and took them to the brink of Admin 2.
Money it would appear was not forthcoming it simply failed to materialise.
Up steps Mike Ashley from the quiet confines of his Billionaire Office in Newcastle…
He’s decided to sell Newcastle Fc and put his considerable financial support into rescuing 2angers.
His reasoning being Newcastle for all the money in the world will never ply their trade in the Champions League.
He knows a £30m outlay in a newly promoted Ibrox outfit is his best bet for any form of success at that level.
He is also acutely aware Sevconians do have a price for their unwavering support that Price is spending money to buy success.
He is also acutely aware after 4 successive Charlatans in charge they know he is at least a man with his own Financial means.
St.James has a Capacity of 54,000 Ibrox 50,000 these are similar size Clubs but of course there is a far bigger wider market for the sons of darkness.
He knows European Football is far more within a cash backed 2angers than a cash backed Newcastle ie it will take alot less to achieve this North of the Border than South.
Is it beyond the realms of fantasy that Mike Ashley is simply biding his time at Ibrox until SPFL is guaranteed?
Is it beyond the realms of fantasy that the sons of darkness could change allegiance at the drop of a wallet?
Is it beyond conception a £20-30m Investment in Playing staff at Ibrox would bring relatively instant success in the top flight?
Is it beyond the realms of conception he has had this plan all along,kept his mouth shut and sat on the money he has generated from the mugs at Ibrox?
I don’t thinks so his biggest obstacle ie The GASL could well deliver it all on a plate in the next few months and weeks.
He has the cash after all and he is a shrewd operator when it comes to Finances.
You see I cannot see why he would stick around at Ibrox there has to be a Financial reason for he is no fool?
And if What If becomes a reality would this be a game changer at Celtic ?

What say you?
Hypothetically speaking of course …

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Mick Derrick
8 years ago

The big if in this big if article is if Mikey boy can sell Newcastle for the price he wants. He’s not going to give it away for buttons and he’s already lost a large amount of money when he initially purchased the club. So would he/could he sell before the start of next year. How many champions league quality players would you get for 30 million inc. wages)? what about the additional money just to run the club? 10 million+? Repairs to the stadium? Then if they do get into the champions league qualifiers and make it to the champions league proper and say drop out at the group stages maybe you get upwards of 20 million. The numbers don’t work and that’s what Mike is good at, numbers. It will never happen in a million years.

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  Mick Derrick

Apparently Malmo managed CL on a side built for £3m.
We spent £10m on the side that Lenny took to the last 16 beating Barca on the way so it can be done.
It’s more a matter of who you buy not for how much.

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

sorry £13m

Chris
8 years ago

More than a flight of fantasy, this is a very probable scenario, unless of course they go tits up before then.

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  Chris

I think he has a plan other than drip feeding from shirt sales.
After all there is more money to be made in a prosperous 2angers than a mediocre one.
He could invest £30m in the team,Youth and recoup that in 2 yeas CL money.
Then it’s just a matter of counting the cash as they return in their droves salivating at the thought of being Ra Peepo again.
A sale of Newcastle would more than cover any Investment and as suggested it’s a damn sight easier being successful in Scotland than it is in England.
Mike is brand driven you just have to look at both Stadiums to see that.
Huns are easy creatures to keep happy..just spend money and they will come..in fact take as much as you can and they will come so long as they win it’s all that matters.
Aberdeen have proved in the last 18 month or so you don’t have to spend much to be competitive in the SPFL.
He has the cash he’s minted and he is used to dealing with Multi Millions in Football.
There is a limited amount of Newcastle fans out there.
Not so for the peepo he could make a killing if he played it right.

Monti
8 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Morning Charlie,
I disagree with you saying there is more money to be made from a prosperous Sevco than a mediocre one.
I believe I’m correct in saying,that for every XXXL monkeys top they DON’T sell, Ashley has to be paid £50.50.
It matters not if they are successful or not, Big Mick get’s paid!

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  Monti

That deal has a time limit.
You control the lot then it’s quids in forever more.
Long term strategy that reaps bigger rewards.

Doc
8 years ago
Reply to  Monti

XXXL? Have they lost weight?

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  Doc

Apparently stress can cause weight loss Doc.

Monti
8 years ago

Ashley has no interest in sevco5088 being strong or successful, he is bleeding them dry through their retail sales.
Do you know it’s a fact that the Huns sell the most XXXL replica shirts in Britain? Fat bastards.
I think Dermot and Lawwell would shit their trousers if Ashley said he was taking over at the Reichstag, they don’t have the stomach to pay for a team getting into the CL just now, so what would they be like if they had a real fight on their hands domestically?

Let’s just hope Sevco go the way of their uglier big brother and join Thatcher and Paisley in Hell,soon!

Ralph, 20-30m might be enough to carry out the stadium repairs, remove the asbestos and give Kenny Miller a top up tan, but that won’t be enough to get them to dominate Celtic.

Talking of Thatcher…..strepsil dear?

COYBIG!

8 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Talking of Thatcher, remember 1988 Cup Final she was to present the trophy. Who in gods name thought that was a good idea? She got the reception she deserved. And a lot of fans showing her a red card.

Monti
8 years ago
Reply to  Jimthetim

Jim,
Who could forget it, I was only 17 then and didn’t know I was capable of such profanity.
She is where she belongs, hopefully burning and not at peace.
Me bitter?…. oh yes!

Paul reynolds
8 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Show off, I wish I had been such a young pup then, heading towards the 30’s when the “she devil” presented the trophy to Big Roy, a great day in my life it must be said!!

Monti
8 years ago
Reply to  Paul reynolds

Paul,
Lol

Mike Bhoyle
8 years ago
Reply to  Paul reynolds

Show off yersell…:0)…
I was in my mid -forties…
AW naw…
HH

Admin
8 years ago
Reply to  Jimthetim

I have the official photograph framed with Mags handing big Roy the trophy. You can come spit on it if you like.

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  Monti

So a major game changer if it transpired then Monti?

Monti
8 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Absolutely Charlie!

8 years ago

Mike Ashley has never been known for spending his own money.
If he does he would want a handsome return. A return of any kind in Scottish football is impossible.
Pearse Flynn, Livingston’s former owner once asked “how do you make a small fortune from football? You need to start with a large fortune”
Ashley has no intention of reducing the size of his considerable fortune.

Monti
8 years ago
Reply to  Ciaran

Ciaran,
Exactly!
I would however be a lot happier if Ashley took his loan back and kept siphoning their retail merchandise.
Mike Ashley is doing Sevco a lot of harm, he is squeezing them, I would only ask one thing of him…..squeeze harder!

8 years ago
Reply to  Monti

Monti I’m baffled why he doesn’t demand his £5m back. Part of the deal was he had two reps. on the board. They have defaulted on that.

Monti
8 years ago
Reply to  Jimthetim

Jim,
It’s my understanding he did ask for it back, I could be wrong on that.

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  Jimthetim

What if he’s safe in the knowledge it’s playing into his hands?
What if………..

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  Ciaran

How much has he made in retail so far?
The sale of Newcastle would generate plenty cash without delving into his own considerable Finances.
Could this be a nightmare scenario for Lawwell and co?
Or would it mean an instant return to the duopoly we made lenty off in a previous relationship with a Govan Club?

8 years ago

Couldn’t care less if we never played the team from Ibrox. Always liked the display the green brigade organised at Celtic Park 2012.

On of the ‘gravestones’ read “You wont be missed”

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  Jimthetim

It was a cracker no doubting that.
Thing is though they are coming like it or not and there is a bona fide billionaire involved at Ibrox who has the means to Invest heavily if he chose to do so.
He has a line of Credit and as far as I can tell he could buy and sell the lot 10 times over and still have money left to carry out repairs.

bgbhoy
8 years ago

who cares about them, they dont matter anymore, they are a shambles.. and the last 3 years has shown everyone in football the lenghts they would go too to try and be succesful

cheats

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  bgbhoy

Correct on all of the above but what if…

8 years ago

Can’t wait till these court cases get started, hopefully a big can of worms about to be opened. Should be good for a laugh.

jebus
8 years ago

ashley has one motivation and its his ONLY motivation…….

MAKE AS MUCH MONEY AS HE CAN!!!

so ploughing 30m of his own money into a football club for zero return is not going to happen. Whether its sevco or us you wont see any return on your money and you would basically be throwing it away. So there is no chance of it happening.

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  jebus

So we have Celtic fans demanding our Club ploughs funds into a tilt at the “Champions League Riches” but a self made Billionaire might not try his arm at doing the same?
Seriously how much would it take to field a side capable of finishing first next Season?

He could by the logic of some on here recoup that in 2 years alone in the Champions League.
Think how much he could make if they managed to do so regularly?

yestim
8 years ago

There are a few good reasons MA would not get rid of Newcastle, 46 million of them to be precise. This is what they received last season from prize money of £3.6m, and television money making up the rest. He would need to sell a hell of a lot of XXXL’s to make up this amount of money.

Another reason is, he has no allegiance to the Monkeys, he never bought into the WATP pish, he was approached by Sir Minty Moonbeams, I think, with a view to investing.

I would predict that he will not put the squeeze on them over the £5m loan either because it weakens his profit on the XXXL’s

What if……. Ashley was just making money? hand fulls of the WATP’s money!! If Carlsberg made businessmen……

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  yestim

What id doing nothing means he loses his £5m and sales of XXL’s?
ie they go bust again.
Is it in his Interest to let that happen Yestim?
A profitable 2angers would always benefit him more than a non existent one would it not?

yestim
8 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

I appreciate what your saying, if they go under again there is no XXXL’s profit or £5m repayment of the loan. But he has security over properties, and intellectual property.

IMO he is the real king maker at Ibrokes, he has them every way they turn.

hazard
8 years ago

The CL money is nothing compered to the EPL money dished out from their TV deal.
Probably gets 5 times the amount for just being in the EPL than qual for CL in the SPL for a new club that despises him . tbh it’s not even a what if.

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  hazard

I know it’s now become a probably.

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Some Interesting reported facts:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/newcastle-united/11505163/Newcastle-United-announce-record-18.7m-profit-but-why-has-there-been-a-rise-of-25m-in-operating-costs.html

“Newcastle United announce record £18.7m profit – but why has there been a rise of £25m in operating costs?
Club insists owner Mike Ashley has not taken any money out of the business and club’s debt to him remains at £129m in the form of interest free loans”

“Newcastle United have announced record post-tax profits of £18.7m for the last financial year, but have failed to explain why there has also apparently been a rise of £25m in operating costs.
Newcastle’s turnover leapt from £95.9m in 2013 to £129.7m in 2014, an increase of £33.8m on the previous set of accounts. The reported increase in profits, though, was just £8.8m, rising from £9.9m in 2013.
According to the figures released, Newcastle’s unexplained costs are around £25m – a figure calculated when the £8.8m rise in profits is subtracted from the £33.8m increase in turnover.
A statement released by Newcastle United on Monday morning stated that owner Mike Ashley had not taken any money out of the business in that time and the club’s debt to him remains at £129m in the form of interest free loans.
Champions League is reckoned to be worth £20m this Season.”

jpm 88
8 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Below , you state that this is a “hypothetical situation DREAMED UP to stimulate a debate “,
yet here you call the above scenario ” a probably”
???????????
Which one is it ?
Surely CARNTYNE hasn’t called it correct , HAS HE!

Tyneside No1
8 years ago

Some very interesting comments, he could of course leave Newcastle, a very popular move and then move in to the new entity, with all his wealth and with the fans of the south side wanting to retain history wouldnt it be nice for all that are owed money from the liquidated company be paid back in full. This would curry favour with the establishment and Ashley would get his knighthood. Sky would be happy and Mcoist would get a tv gardeners job.
One thing though, Ashley does not do what everyone wants, He may wait until after the court case, If king is right, that could be 5 years in which case , Ten in a row here we go.

James
8 years ago

He would never put money into this Sevco entity.There will be court proceedings for years over the assets.Nobody in their right mind will put a penny into this shambles,it is likely any investor would lose evrry penny.

Doc
8 years ago

What If…
Dermot Desmond ploughed some of the annual interest/gains on his £1.3b fortune into Celtic?

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  Doc

Damn bang goes tomorrows offering……..

Mike Bhoyle
8 years ago
Reply to  Doc

Doc…I don’t think that he made that much money from “The Israelites” ..
It was a big hit yes…but no that big.
HH

jpm 88
8 years ago

Charlie ,

flagged up this potential danger in diary of Wed 16 Sept ,and pointed out that this was one of the reasons why our CL Qual failures might be so costly.2 yrs CL money would be a great hedge against this scenario , irrelevant to results in that competition.
Interesting that you paint a scenario of THEIR billionaire doing just what many on here have advocated OUR billionaire do.
Yet , for their scenario , you don’t claim it to be the road to ruin, in the way you have for us , when the likes of Monti advocates our billionaire backing us financially.
Or does ” accepting we are where we are” only apply to us?
This isn’t intended as a dig or argumentative , I just see a contradiction with what you’ve said before ; if I’ve read it wrong then apologies and I’m happy to be put clear.

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago

This is a hypothetical situation dreamed up to stimulate a debate.
I would not condone our Club going doing this route under current circumstances.
I’m not adverse to Celtic spending money bud I just don’t think it wise we do as it stands.
All I have done is perhaps highlight a twist contrary to what as Ralph eluded to the current spin emerging from the King backing Level5.
Just a bit of fin mate to perhaps expand a few minds.

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

fun’

jpm 88
8 years ago
Reply to  Charlie Saiz

Thanks for clearing that up Charlie ,
so no contradiction in your stance then 😉

As for Ashley, who knows what’s in his mind ; not even sure he’s decided yet.Though your hypothetical scenario may have “legs”.
As a Celtic man I’d rather him not be involved with this new club, or at least ,not in a positive way.
In fact ,I’d rather them fold completely , permanently.
( There’s maybe another hypothetical scenario we could all debate , for fun ,once we’ve finished with yours.)
Maybe would eventually lead to our route out of Scottish football?
Debate ?
Anyway HH to wee Ryan Christie ,and come on Celtic , score for fucks sake.

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  jpm 88

I’m fairly firm on our own position bud I can see both sides of the argument and there are merits in both however the Board who are in control of what happens see it as they do.
Until that alters then all it is is a debate.
I don’t see a route out of Scotland in the foreseeable future unless thee is a split in Europe ie a Seperate League sets up for the League being left behind like ours Sweden Norway etc.
No way the lesser Clubs in England would vote us in they know a Club with our Support and infrastructure would quickly join the elite down there with the added Finances.
We’re unfortunately a victim of circumstance outwith our own control.
This is why the powers at be at Celtic are maintaining a firm grasp of the things they can control.
Money being the primary one.

Chas D
8 years ago

Who cares ? Hypothetical situation ? Not interested in Huns Newcastle or Ashley, we are Celtic!

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  Chas D

Off you fuck then.

Devoy45
8 years ago

Ashley could get or now gets, far more from Newcastle tv rights than he would ever get from the Sevco Huns in the Champions League.Also, there is so much legal confusion about Sevco that any businessman like Ashley would not get involved until the mess is finally cleared up and that might take a decade or so according to Phil Macghiollbhain and others. Howeverm I would like to Desmond plough a bit more of his vast fortune into some luxury goods for the bhoys: a good striker who gets us thirty goals or even someone as good as Bellamy was, or Robbie Keane to prevent 0-0 scoreless draws when we have twenty chances on goal. A very good striker will convert half his chances. That’s we need; that’s what we don’t have.

Finally, ‘Michael’ is a good Catholic name. Like the lad who stole Trevelyan’s corn. If Ashley is a Fenian like us, how would that go down with the FOD? They’d have to change the lyrics to some of their wholesome songs. They often refer to that ‘thief’ Michael! He wouldnae be pleased.

Carntyne
8 years ago

What if Charlie Saiz is working for level 5 and this is just a load of total bollocks?

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  Carntyne

You mean like hypothetical bollocks?
You may well be onto something here Carntyne….

dan docherty
8 years ago

Big small medium whatever the size no one with sense spending their own money until outstanding cases and appeals are settled
Then the gold diggers move in

bigbananafeet
8 years ago

I’ve ofetn wondered myself why is he keeping them on the long finger. If he was really pissed off with them then demand the money back, take action or something. But he has sat quietly in the background giving the current board enough rope.
Your nightmare scenario might well come to pass but I hope his long term plans are to sell Ibrox and Albion car park to a housing constructor and liquidate the company, after getting as much out of it as possible. I can only dream.

Charlie Saiz
8 years ago
Reply to  bigbananafeet

So do I bud but I cannot help but think he’s in it for the long haul sick to death with moaning deluded Geordies?

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