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Civil Wars and Rumours
Rumours of change at BIH board level seem to have intensified over the last 24 hours, with various people in the press seemingly contacted with the same information – that Carson wants certain people out of the BIH board and others in. As there has been no official statement to the Stock Exchange there is absolutely no way to verify any of this and to me at least it seems that the civil war within the Harbour Centre boardroom has by no means ended.
Until there is an official announcement made to the Stock Exchange, I’m not going to go into what the rumours exactly were; I get the impression that the leak was made intentionally to cause trouble for BIH and as much as I believe in transparency and openness of what is going on I don’t think it’s right to repeat information that has seemingly been leaked for the soul reason of causing more havoc.
However, what I did want to talk about is why people are trying to leak this information – and why I don’t think it’s conducive to helping the club. I’ve often alluded to a civil war inside BIH caused by the vacuum of power at the top; without Carson as a figurehead it seems to be a continuing battle over who gets the metaphorical conch shell to make the decisions to take the company forward. There never seems to be an actual business plan in place; the company seems doomed to continually kicking the can of debt down the road without ever actually sorting out how it’s going to make money or progress.
It’s not even a simple one side versus another battle; alliances seem to shift and change with the wind and for us poor buggers back in Birmingham concerned about the club there doesn’t seem to be anyone in Hong Kong we can actually trust to be best for the club; indeed, in all these machinations the club often seems forgotten – which of course isn’t a good situation at all. For all the reassurances that the club is financially okay I have to admit that I can’t take that based on face value having seen the accounts – and for all his ranting I can’t help but wander if there is some grain of truth in what he said about tax implications etc.
What it comes down to when all is said and done is that the club needs to be sold. I think that with the right bid on the table BIH will consider it – but it needs to be the right bid and as much as Jeremy Wray wants us to believe he can do the deal until he gives BIH the information they require – proof of funds for example – they will not talk to him. Until something changes we’re stuck in this impasse with the battles raging around us – and while things have picked up on the pitch these continual battles will only undermine the fine work Gary Rowett is doing.
Tags: Carson Yeung, HK, Peter Pannu
114 Responses to “Civil Wars and Rumours”
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More depressing news from above then, but to think only three month ago us bluenoses had nothing to smile about from the boardroom or the football field at least GR has got the terraces going again with some fine management.
As you say this may be getting undermined because of them idiots @ BIH but with each passing home & away game since GR has come in you can slowly feel to club coming back to life like we have been in a coma for the last two years. KRO
I’m glad you’ve written something as your Tweets made me wonder what was going on. I’m still curious but do understand why you are not saying more. Makes me think that our aim for the season should be safety plus 10 points just in case.
Very wise there, [ Margaret ]. especially the extra 10, points,?.
Dan are you really sure that BIH actually WANT to sell?, i’ve had the feeling for a long time now that they & especially CY don’t
Your right Chris.
They’ve never wanted to sell..it was Carson’s dream to own a premier league club.
He’s not gonna give it up unless forced into a corner and has to.
I don’t know why anyone seriously believes this lot will sell.
At the end of last season they put out false rumours they wanted to sell to enhance “Season ticket”
Sales to help keep afloat the club.
They conned everyone.
Carson yeung…..jeez when is someone at the football league going to deal with him he not supposed to be running the club/bihl…until then he will continue too have his “iron grip” on the club…
When will it ever come to any conclusion,??. I still fail to see just how they can sell us, [ if they decide to ], WE, are their only reason to be listed on the HKSE, — SO how, can they sell us AND keep their listing,????????????????.
Proof of funds well that’s a bloody nerve,Sully & Goatface didn’t give a toss where or how CY financed the deal for Blues.
When will this nightmare end ?
What we should be asking is,why doesn’t Wray show proof of funds ? If he can prove he has it,then show it.
They will not let us go for along time yet, so I think we just need to forget about the muppets and thank god we have GR.
They have sold all of our playing assets anyway, there is not one player in our squad that could not be replaced, even grey at this stage of his career. Don’t get me wrong i think the lad will go on to do big things in the game and would love him to ply his trade at St Andrews for the next 5-10 years, but that wouldn’t happen even if we had a sound boardroom as money talks in football! The squad we have is solid but with good scouting network like we seem to have, then the football league is littered with these types of players & mould all that together with a top class manager with team spirit who knows where blues can go in 2015/2016 season. BURNLEY anyone !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In some respects, nothing comes as a surprise or ‘new news’. It always seems like we’ve been here before. But having said that, there HAVE been changes (Pannu losing his position and influence, Yeung ditto to an extent and more openness from the Greek PP).
I’m more hopeful than I was this times last year and I’m more confident that 2015 will see positive change. Keep the faith!!!! KRO
Now let us think, who could possibly gain from putting rumours out about problems in the BIHL boardroom, surely PP1 can not be about to regain power. If he does, does the fit and proper persons ruling apply to senior executives or is it just owners?
Good tactful post Dan. BTW …’sole reason’ not ‘soul reason’ Sorry, can’t help meself. ;-)
A little cheeky perhaps, AusieBlue, but ‘myself’…
I know – that should have read ‘AussieBlue’ (these keyboards!)
Deliberate self-mockery Geoff! Like Morcambe & Wise plays when Ernie would say ‘write proper, like wot I do.” Happy New Year! 2015 will be so much better for Blues than 2014. And in the Chinese calendar, it’s the Year of the Goat!
Morecambe……sorry….. :-)
Google or YouTube them Steve-O; you’ll have a great laugh. Sorry to refer to old time comics but some of us on here have bus passes you know!
It’s because we keep right on to the end of the road! All the best for 2015 mate.
Yes. I am slow on the uptake with irony and the like but I get the point. Good luck, AussieBlue.
Personally I like a bit of Soul.
We’ve been there so many times now that I do’nt think it’s worth even thinking about Homg Kong until there is no Hong Kong to think about. Just get on with supporting a good manager and his team. Que Sera Sera and keep right on in the meantime! Amen to that!
Never mind 7 days to go and the party starts in HK
Bloody hell here we go again
When will the Football League intervene to stop this madness ?, as stated earlier we must get safety plus 10 points
Carson yeung has his family & friends placed all over the board, it cant be hard for the
Football league to see he is still running the club from his cell .surely..!!
Dan, what is your gut feeling on the sale of the club? Do you think it will be done by the summer?
Carson Yeung pulls the strings a little bit tighter… and still the football league sit with their thumbs up their ar$es. It beggars belief.
I don’t think for one second Yeung wants to sell, I’ve thought that since the start
He’s hoping he gets off eventually (with the law change he may well do actually) and gets his money unfrozen and he can start where he left off, he loved being a football chairman and wants it all back, barring serious money he’s going to keep trying to get it back
With news of every power struggle, selfish draining of the club, the non-entity that is the accounts ..and all these twists and turns of events within BIHL (and how ‘malleable’ the law seems to be for CY) ..I just lose all sense of respect for HK business ethics.
I’m sure not everyone operates a business in a similar fashion out there, but as boring and mind numbingly tedious it is to follow, it is also quite real and dangerous for the club, and therefore us.
Even more worrying, is that no official figure of the football league is raising the problem, (even from the outset), so are just as liable for letting it happen.
Seems ironic, GR is sorting things on the pitch and giving us hope. this in turn may make the board, whoever they turn out to be, thinking that the club may just make the play offs and the Premiership and thus increasing the price or may even make them reconsider selling. we need rid of foreign owners and at least get the club under some European ownership where we can hace transparency instead of secrets, rumours and ……. Nothing!
Dan, if the FA did take action on the club, what steps could they take and where would it leave us? As it stands currently CY should not have any say on the running of the club this is clearly being over looked, how can it legally be enforced? Kro.
the useless FA could do what they and the inept Premier League did with Liverpool and sell it without the current owners permission
wonder what the chances of GR DOING A RUNNER more sacking and probably more after the new Year in the football management would GR turn down any opportunity if they came his way?//
The talk was that he was desperate for this job. I don’t think he will walk away yet,and i don’t think a Prem club would take a chance on him yet.
did we take a chance on him steve?? it was said he was unproven….. he can also walk way from his contract, not only players put themselves in shop windows so do managers… if another club thinks GR better than what they got, and again it comes down to money…………..big money….
He turned down other jobs before we went in for him Mark.We didn’t have the choice that Premier clubs have. That’s why i don’t think a prem club would take a chance on him. Next season if he continues to do well and things don’t improve at Blues,could be a different matter.At this time,i don,t think he will be leaving us.
Well done, Mark, for trying to snuff out the only glint of hope there is at BCFC right now.
well looks like a busy week for Carson , so was the email put in domain to cause the maximum disruption……….the wheels in wheels will certainly be turning, where will probably be lots of fun in the boardroom, abstains, certain people not able to attend, looks like the deadwood going to be removed……gosh the suspense…… maybe your third book Daniel Carson limousine into stans….and sits in his Director’s box….. …….now that be sight to see i bet that will sell a few tickets..
Only so we can hurl abuse.I don’t think CY will ever be welcome back at St Andrews.
He wouldn’t have the Guts Mark
All these rumours & boardroom wrangling reminds me of my Dog Spike . In this cold Weather there is no chance you can can get him out. Just like Spike they need a kick up the Arris to get them out!
What would the board do with all them millions
If they did the unlikely and won promotion????
I said before as long as the league fees are paid on time the football league don’t care it’s clear to see that Carson yeung is in charge and making the decisions at bih and bcfc I think the fa choose to ignore it as for gary rowett I think a better proposition will come and as the club is run now who could blame him every manager under the yeung regime as gone and done a runner except lee Clark and he had to go because relegation meant less money for the club I also think Jeremy Wray should show his hand and stop leading the fans up the garden path we get enough of that from hk how difficult would it be to show bih who would finance the purchase of the club and wether they actually have the money it’s not rocket science
Lee Clark taking Blackpool down, staffs favourite chris houghton taking Brighton down and blues making the playoffs are my three new year resolutions, also drinking more alchohol, going to more away games as well as all home games and wishing all blues fans wherever they may be a great new year and lets hope that all the ones I’ve mentioned come true, happy new year and love you all on this site. Kro and have a great evening.xxxxxxx
Not sure there is any point in wishing ill to Clark and Hughton (not Houghton).
Also, Blues will also surely need to get active in the new transfer window before they could hope to sustain any realistic possibility of a serious challenge for the play-offs.
We won’t get the play offs Geoff. I’ll be happy with a comfortable finish to the season. We all know deep down that we’re stuck in this division unless things change at board level.
Totally agree. Until this club gets proper investment, a struggle to stay in the Championship is the best we can hope for. Even if we did fluke promotion, what then? The following season would be bloody to say the least.
I agree. I would think the majority of Blues fans would settle for mid-table security for this season and then take it from there (i.e build on the improvement).
Unfortunately Geoff,GR won’t be able to do it alone.
As I’ve said before Dave, I support them whilst they’re here, but after they’ve gone I couldn’t care less about any of them, that includes managers and players. I don’t wish any of them any ill will, I just don’t think about them.
TF ?
That’s a different case, as I’ve said before. TF gave us nearly a decade of service and deserved his move.
People can say what they like about Hughton.But we haven’t been as good since he left.And at the moment that includes GR.
totally agree some of the best football I have ever seen at st Andrews was played by hughtons teams.
He also had a much better side than we have today.
Mr Pannu spinning his evil web again?
Why don’t they have a shoot out???…that should sort it!!
I am pleased for Chris Hughton that he has got the Brighton job. Chris is a genuinely nice guy and I was disappointed when he left for Norwich.
I didn’t blame him for leaving as it was his chance of managing in the Premier League. It didn’t work out for him, but I hope he does well at Brighton.
Must be honest I never really Rated Hough ton, he had a decent side here and didn’t do the job, he left for the Premier league and he wasn’t up to it that’s the way it goes.
Their is decent player available for loan. Jacob Murphy he was with Blackpool but Clark ,sent him back to Norwich for having a defeatist attitude he was going on Social media telling everyone they were going to lose all the time.OMG Dont know if I should laugh or Cry.
Disagree there Tony. I don’t think many expected the Play offs that year.And we only missed getting out of the Europa group stage because of what now looks like a fixed game.
I disagree that Hughton didn’t do a decent job. He won a Manager of the Month award. We reached the 5th Round of the FA Cup only losing to Chelsea after a replay. Reached the Group Stage of the Europa League and finished 4th in the Championship.
As for leaving for a better payed job…Shock Horror!!!
Hughton is a Londoner and a Spurs fan and has no allegiance to Blues.
No sorry guys but as much as I like going to Brighton and Blackpool ime not in a million years wish them both well including there managers, I hope they both go because that gives us more chance if staying up so by wishing them well could be bad news for us, they wouldn’t give a shit if we got relegated so dont expect me to show any compassion for them even if there NICE guys, not my way ime afraid and it’s doom and gloom ime praying for and safety and a push for the playoffs for us. Kro
If Chris hughton was after the blues job when Gary rowett got it why did he leave in the first place it was for the money ok Norwich were in the premier league but were never going to get champions league or any trophy it’s always for money lets see how far we can go with Gary rowett he’s doing a good job lets support him so he stays and hope we are not in the championship too much longer Bruce mccleish hughton and Clark are all gone kro Gary rowett and the players and the rest will take care of itself we have no influence over that but we can make Gary rowett want to stay at our club kro
Houghton didn’t give a FF when he came back for Redmond at a knockdown price ..his job was with Norwich and to get the best for them..I hope any other manager in the Championship flops dismally it means we have a better chance of survival till we get shot of the gangsters in HK.
How many times will people spout this rubbish ? He was fed a load of BS by Pannu,including the promise of new owners. Well,where are these new owners ?
To right Peter, it’s the here and now that counts and Gary rowett is our ONLY concern now as managers go and couldn’t give a monkeys toss about any other manager and will never ever wish them well and that will apply to rowett as well when he leaves blues because that’s the way it is, wishing our former managers well when there going to our league rivals doesent wash with me so let’s wish the fans, the manager and the team along with the staff all well and the rest can go jump ship for all I care!! Kro
God help GR if he decides to move on in the future. How dare anybody leave the mighty BCFC. IT’S A JOB.
Happy New Year to everyone!!!
Birmingham City have rejected a £1.5m bid from Bournemouth for winger Demarai Gray – SSN
Staffs- on here at just past midnight….? Nuff said.
As for gray, I rarely believe SSN, but there will be bids for sure. So, it will test if there really is enough money to get past Feb or not. I think GRey only has to look at BUtland, Redmond and Ademeymi to look into whether it is better to wait and gain experience, even if it is until May.
Ohhh, I didn’t know there were restrictions. Just past midnight is as good a time as any. Why, were you tucked up in bed by then? :)
Blimey staffs, only a bit of banter- take a chill pill!
He don’t like it .
Duh. There was a smile at the end.. or hadn’t you noticed? I suggest it’s you who needs the chill pill.
Told Ya
A smile die not make all the other text a joke, but no problem. Happy new year to you staffs, but perhaps there is something in you are never wrong ….. (If I put a smile here is it better)
Yes staffs the bidding just started. Me thinks gray would prefer to play premiership football?
Mark stop sh-t stirring, Grey is an unproven kid with potential, he wouldn’t get into any premier team ,just on the bench he may as well stop here.
My feeling can blues turn 3 or 4 millions when those bids come in????
I don’t think blues will let gray go for less than 3 million but I hope he stays and Randolph stays and Morrison signs today and we get a couple or three players in who can push for the first eleven and not just squad players and then we really can push on but we won’t know until the end of the month so fingers crossed but turning down 1.5 million for gray is a good sign in my opinion. Kro
Be surprised if we get £4 mill for him at this time. Apart from Reading i don’t think he’s been that special.He’s only potentially a good player at the moment.
The same as Mutch, Butland and Redmond. They’ve hardly pulled up any trees since they left. I think it all depends whether Gray wants to stay and progress, or if he’ll be dazzled by the dosh.
Thing is Staffs,those three were forced out. Gray has a choice. If he has any sense,he will stay for another couple of years.He’s being offered a pay rise,so hopefully he’ll stay and become the player he can be. Unfortunately for us,one day he will go.I’m pretty sure he doesn’t see his long term future at Blues.
Well this is what I was thinking steve. If Gray does go, will it be his choice or the club’s? Surely, if the player has half a brain, he’ll know he’s better off staying put, at least for another year or two. But, if the club really does need the money… who knows?
Lets hope he stays as you say ..but if they sell then the going rate is paid for him..we have let too many go for the price of a jar of beetroot and a peperami stick!! The Vultures know we are strapped
I hope Gray doesn’t go too, but, when was the last time a young player stayed and progressed at the club? If he does go, I would hope that Rowett would get at least a decent chunk of the fee to improve the squad. He might even be able to afford some of those players he’s talked about.
And maybe a loan back.
I think that will depend on who buys him. If it’s a premier club, yes, I can see a loan-back being part of the deal… but a Champs club will want to play him I would think.
I don’t think he will go to a championship club. I think he’ll want an established prem club. Most Championship clubs come straight back down.
As much as it pains, I suppose you can’t blame a player if a Prem club comes calling.
nice new year message from panos and seems very sincere.
And positive.
Encouraging that he is regular at Wast Hills..Fat Pete would only have been there for the canteen…did BIHL get a job lot of Glasses or did Fat Pete leave a pair behind when his head outgrew them…… they seem the same ??
Why has a man like Dave Whelan accepted this ridiculous charge against him?.I would tell them to shove it and walk away.
Compelling a man like him who has achieved so much to an education program is scandalous just who do these cretins think they are?.
We are British and have a sense of humour, it seems everyone gets offended these days, everyone wants to be a victim.
Could not agree more Tony, white people can be ratualey abused and turn a blind eye but other races after make an issue with it, does my head in to be honest,it’s ok one way but not the other,. Pathetic!! Kro
Just because people turn a blind eye doesn’t make it right. Ridiculous comment. Then,what do you expect from somebody that gets the spelling of the word racially so wrong.
And i can honestly say that as a white Englishman,i can’t remember knowingly being racially abused.
Steve, did I say turning a blind eye makes it right..NO… my wife works for an a stablished road accident company and gets constantly abused over the phone by African and Asian people because she’s doing her job .. She makes no issue with it even though all calls are recorded but the other way around???.. Silly comment my arse, don’t insult my intelligence!! Kro
Ratually ? it,s not hard to insult your intelligence. If your wife is being Racially abused and does nothing about it,she has nobody to blame but herself. I didn’t say that you said turning a blind eye makes it right.I said it doesn’t make it right. Jeez.
Exactly my thoughts, Tony, tho I honestly think was the tipping point was his comment about Jews more than the Chinese. Seems to be an agenda to class any comment about Jews as anti Semitism , which is a daft state of affairs. And as you say, I would tell them to stuff it and walk away.
Because he made comments which were incredibly offensive, tasteless and showed him to be a dinosaur?
It’s not about “being a victim”, it’s about people growing up and learning that what they say has consequences – particularly in the public eye…
Well hes done ok in life being a dinosaur how dare they tell an Englishman to be taught the error of his ways. the thing is these people who are allegedly abused never complain its the politically correct whites who do that.
Whatever happened to sticks and stones?. they are only words for christ sake, I get offended when I phone Birmingham city council and speak to people who can barely understand English I come off the phone raging at what has become of this Country.
Whelan has been publicly caught out making anti-Jewish and anti-Chinese remarks and anybody who wants to defend somebody like that must be just as socially backward.
Well I would defend him.
You’re obviously a feckin retard Tone
Proves you right Geoff.
Get back to your “Daily Mail”.
Ignorant “Daily Mail”-type ranters like you are ten a penny. You have now even degraded yourself by grovelling to a bigoted loser like Whelan.
you don’t know what newspapers people read
The “C” word is as offensive to Chinese people as the “N” word is to black people.
last time Steve, my wife, myself, my son and anybody from any background should be proud of who they are and if words mentioned by other races upset you then take issue if it makes you feel better but my wife laughs it off because that’s all it is WORDS .. What’s the saying .. Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.. That use to be the case years ago but now.. You can’t say boo to a goose ….Jerez!!!
Everytime I see a goose I shout BOO !! at it…dirty f*****s s**t everwhere!!
Blimey, Blackpool shifting players out already . Three gone today. If injuries hit, they are going to need a good few players.
Denny Johnstone just scored his 4th goal for Macclesfield.