The Chronicle has some really good news today – if it’s true – that Kevin Keegan will be offered a stake in Newcastle United worth millions of pounds if he returns as manager.
Johann Rupert – Chairman of Rosemont involved?
And what better way to stop him from walking out from the club again, than offering him a stake – a potentially brilliant move. And it looks like the South African consortium does indeed include the Rupert Family as we reported on Sunday , after one of our South African readers had alerted us that it seemed they could be the group.
Ashley seems willing to accept a reduced amount of around £300M, and perhaps as little as £250M so he doesn’t lose on the deal. The South African consortium are keeping their identities secret until they have studied the club’s books and reached an agreement with Ashley.
Keegan is central to their plans and the new news is that the five strong group of businessmen are prepared to offer him between 5-10% of the club’s value, if he agrees to come back. The Chronicle also does a decent job of speculating on who the businessmen may be and says Brian Joffe, 61, could be part of the group.
Joffe founded investment holding firm Bidvest and is CEO of South African football team Bidvest Wit. He buys failing companies and turns their fortunes around – so it sounds as if he’s in the right place – being after our club right now.
Bidvest’s financial controller David Cleasby said:
“I can’t talk for Mr. Joffe and that is all I can say.”
OK – well that tells us absolutely nothing.
The South African consortium are said to be ready to place £150M down-payment for Newcastle and pay the balance over the next year. As we reported on Sunday one man strongly linked with the deal is billionaire Johann Rupert, who is the current chairman of Swiss-based luxury goods firm Richemont, which owns brands including Cartier and Dunhill. He is part of the famous Rupert family of philanthropists in South Africa, and is the son of its founder.
In our piece on Sunday we said the 57 year old was worth £3.8B, and he already owns English rugby team Saracens, which he bought for £8M.
South African multi-millionaire Vivian Imerman may also be linked to the takeover, and Imerman, 53, was an owner of Del Monte before buying into Scottish whisky firm Whyte and Mackay, which he sold for £595M last year, reports the Chronicle today.
Imerman runs investment firm Vasari Global Ltd in London with fellow South African Gerald Katzeff, who is 61. However, the Chronicle reports that when they contacted Imerman, he denied being involved in a takeover of Newcastle United – but of course if they want to keep their identities secret, what else would he say?
Make no mistake these are the type of people we want to run Newcastle United, and to give Kevin a share of the club is a master-stroke. Only this morning we voiced our concerns that he may walk out again if he comes back. This is a brilliant way to keep him long term at Newcastle.
But there again we think this new group will treat Kevin with the respect he deserves. Same with Shearer hopefully, but it’s still a question if these two can work together at Newcastle.
The other thing is that the next World Cup is in South Africa, so Newcastle United could be front and center with all the football publicity South Africa will be getting in the next couple of years, and another reason why this group seem to know exactly what they are doing.
Now who are the best South African football players?
This has to be good news – if it’s all true.
Comments welcome.
213 comments so far
kingaknaa
Oct 2, 2008 at 9:12 AM
Comment #201An interesting article in the telegraph documenting the financial situation at the toon given to prospective purchasers.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/newcastle/3111878/Newcastle-United-may-look-a-circus-act-but-winning-buyer-could-have-last-laugh-Football.html
One point in particular, we were told about money owed out in transfer fees and how disgusting it was, what the money men failed to mention was the amount owed TO us which it seems is actually more than we are owed. All in all, a healthier club than has been communicated to us previously!
Jonny s
Oct 2, 2008 at 10:21 AM
Comment #202why are you lot all caught up in this whole Keegan thing? He’s clearly not the way to go and if you so called football fans think about it you’ll realise i’m right. My first point is back in the 90’s how many teams did we have to beat to the premier league? 1 Man Utd. Who had more money than us back then? Nobody! So you tell me, How on earth is Keegan gonna make a success out of us now? He couldn’t do it then and he most certainly cant do it now. The likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Chelsea, Man City, Portsmouth, Everton and countless other teams have moved on and are now better than us. You’re all clearly deluded by the whole Keegan circus. If we wanna be up there we need a proven manager, Van Gaal, Mancini, Deschamps, Van Basten, Steve Bruce, Advocaat. Please snap out of this hold that Keegan has you in. We need to forget the 90’s as grea as they were. It’s 2008 lets make a fresh and get this club where it belongs!
TOON SA!!
Oct 2, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Comment #203I have been a toon supporter now for 15 years,and i would never have believed they could be owned by South Africans. It this go through i will feel so proud. Hopefully then there can more supporter clubs started here,i dont know of any one in SA. Only Chelsea,liverdrool,Man @U and Arsenal. Would love to watch a game with fellow toon sa supporters.
Dondatta13
Oct 2, 2008 at 12:03 PM
Comment #204Stardust …. So you support a shirt? lol
I support NUFC meself like…
Toonja Boy
Oct 2, 2008 at 12:27 PM
Comment #205STARDUST / SPYRO = COWARD!!!
CANT EVEN USE THE SAME NAME!!!
CHARLO
Oct 2, 2008 at 12:37 PM
Comment #206Jesus this is the worst nufc blog debate ive ever read it has turned into a repetetive argument going round and round and to make it worse the name calling has started,come on guys grow up
peter watson
Oct 2, 2008 at 12:48 PM
Comment #207I have supported Newcastle from my first match
at the age of 8 with my father, a total now of 55
yrs,I have I imagine like all supporters been both elated and stressed out on many ,many occasions over all these years.
I am at the age of 63 now and find the possibility that Newcastle could be owned by a South African group in particular the people being mentioned as exstremely positive as I have spent the last 34 years living in South Africa and am aware of these peoples achievements and what they could bring which is brains and common sense this normally relates to success something which appears to be lacking both inside and outside Newcastle at present.
Toon_Phil
Oct 2, 2008 at 1:12 PM
Comment #208I’ll say it again since no one took notice yesterday!
IT WAS ON SKY SPORTS NEWS YESTERDAY THAT THE RUPERT GUY WAS NOT INVOLVED!
Dondatta13
Oct 2, 2008 at 5:41 PM
Comment #209Peter Watson, agreed!
What NUFC dearly needs but has been seriously lacking is …. common sense, good post!
JakartaDean
Oct 2, 2008 at 5:44 PM
Comment #210You don’t mix shareholdings, of any significant fraction of the total, with employees. What happens when performance suffers, and it’s time for the former golden boy to leave, but he owns 10% of the firm?
Nobody would offer their own money to get into that situation, it’s ridiculous on the face of it.
Sounds like garbage to me.
peter watson
Oct 3, 2008 at 5:59 AM
Comment #211If it is the South Africans who are the successful purchasers I would doubt very much that they would give a shareholding to Keegan as a enticement,they may offer some sort of incentive bonus,at the end of the day if the conditions upstairs are right I would think there would be a number of candidates equaly as good as Keegan who may be a little less tempremental/volatile if things get tough at times and who are less likely to run away.Keegans ability is not in question but his sympathy demands may be.I may be wrong but most managers are fired for non performance or to cover up a poor boardroom in Keegans case I dont think he has ever been fired as he has always managed to leave/disappear in time ,interesting ?
Magents
Dec 1, 2008 at 3:33 AM
Comment #212Anyway I thought I should let you know aobut Some very good South African players on come up
1. Elrio Van Heerden (Club Brugge, Belgium). The Maradonna of Belgium. To he’s the Maradonna of the World. Undoubtedly the best player out of South Africa. Will put Man U Ronaldo to shame with speed and skill. Check some of his goals on Youtube
2 Teko Modise (Orlando Pirates, SA) . Creative Genius is currently being targeted by Olympiakos from Greece and Westbromwhich Alboin from your country. He’s 10 times better than Pienaar can shoot like no one I’ve seen lately.
3 Kagiso Dikgacoi pronounced Dee-haa-shwa (Golden Arrows,SA) Defensive Middlefielder. The next Makelele. Very commanding in the middle of the park, works like a horse and is just pure class mate!
4. Tshepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa, Israel) Left Back. One of my fav Bafana bafana players. He deserves better than Israel. Consistent Left Back who is mad quick can attack and score as well.
5. Bryce Moon (Panathaikos, Greece) Right Back. One our new weaponry in the Bafana arsenal, he just move to Greece where he’s had immediate impact and nearly brough Inter down in their first game of the CL.
Magents
Dec 1, 2008 at 3:35 AM
Comment #213Oops !Dikgacoi might sign for Fulham pending a work permit .