Chris Lepowski said JP did sell us for well over £200m and that the premier league are still investigating our ownership, i wondered who raised the concern to the premier league about ownership? Surely its not just a fan messaged them and told them to look into it else you could have time wasters doing that all the time!
Its all cloak and dagger, as somebody said previous i wonder if Campbells media team (or probably himself!) put this in the media, his is the only bidder named and i wonder if he is trying to add credence by saying there are two others.
As for Lai, i dont think he has done much wrong money wise, he said business as normal and it has been, we got relegated and he cut costs which is quite normal, he is an investor not a cash point. I think had we stayed in the premier league it would of been very similar to the JP years, nothing team just trying to stave off relegation, however for him financially he took one hell of a hit within a year!
I think they probably did have some sort of rough plan when we went down by getting a director of football in, appointing younger managers, better football, etc but i think with us being promoted, covid affect, etc it seems maybe they have just decided to sell now rather than wait, hence the plan going out the window and Big Sam coming in.
I think where he messed up was his appointments, on the face of it John Williams and somebody Goodman i think it was (not Don!) should of been decent, football men, had similar roles but it went badly wrong, we had that Terraneo bloke as well, and i am not sure what this Ken bloke does.
Mark Jenkins seems to be crucial to Albion, when he left under JP we went downhill, Lai got him back, we got promoted, he left again and this season we seem a shambles, i know Jenkins is disliked by some but at least we seemed pretty efficient and knew where we stood, i havent a clue with Ken.
As for new owners, i dont see a west bromwich ambramovic coming in, we are more likely to get a Lai - an investor. In many ways for the new investor we may be better being taken over in the championship as they can buy for less and have the scope to make money if we got back to the premier league, there is always a big IF that will happen though!
Problem with being taken over as a premier league club, the profits you make are i assume not huge, for clubs like Albion who are pretty much maxed out you just small but regular profit which is okay when your in the premier league, the issue is your one bad season from that all changing as Lai can vouch for.
I would be sceptical about Burnleys takeover, borrowing large amounts of money to acquire clubs of that size (and ours) is a worry, its different if your one of the big boys, at least Lai brought us outright even with the £4m loan which is minimal in football terms. Also Derby are supposedly being taken over, its mean to of gone through start of December, it still hasnt and staff (including players) were paid late for December and still now have only received 50% and also been told Januarys wages wont arrive on time.
There seems doubt about the Arab buyer, he still owes money for fees owed when attempting to takeover Newcastle, ideally you want like Leicesters owners, wealthy but who buy into not just the club, but the whole area, community and genuinely seem to care about the club.
