ANy rumors about this Billionaire talking with Titans
He seems keen on buying a club, he is loaded we should let him have the Titans
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ANy rumors about this Billionaire talking with Titans
He seems keen on buying a club, he is loaded we should let him have the Titans
I think he seems very keen on the knights but that's just media speculation
Send him a tweet on Twitter. He is always on there.
I think he has been good for Salford. And has been giving the RFL a shack.
But we might turn into being a bit of an outspoken club. And we need to be careful cause goal one is to recapture the Gold Coast people.
I also think the NRL will be wary of outright owners or big share owners. And would prefer a team of investors balanced with with board governance.
I think he has been good for Salford. And has been giving the RFL a shack.
But we might turn into being a bit of an outspoken club. And we need to be careful cause goal one is to recapture the Gold Coast people.
I also think the NRL will be wary of outright owners or big share owners. And would prefer a team of investors balanced with with board governance.
Interested: British billionaire Marwan Koukash (right) want ownership of an NRL team prior to next season. Photo: Getty Images
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By ADRIAN PROSZENKO
Marwan Koukash is prepared to pay cash up front in an attempt to fulfil his ambition of purchasing an NRL team before next year's kick off.
Koukash already owns the Salford Red Devils, saving the Super League club from financial ruin, and has now turned his attention to an Australian club.
While the British billionaire wouldn't divulge the "two or three clubs" he is in discussions with, Newcastle are believed to be among them.
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Like Nathan Tinkler, whose tumultuous stint as Knights owner recently came to an end, Koukash said he would be prepared to provide a bank guarantee to allay concerns he wouldn't be around for the long term.
"If it needs to be done, I'd do it," Koukash said. "People only need to look at the level of investment I put in Salford to see that I would do that.
"I've been working on two or three fronts. Obviously not everything is in my hands, it's in the hands of other people as well. I'm just trying to see if something can be finalised at the start of next season.
"I've had discussions with [NRL CEO] Dave Smith and [NRL's head of club services] Tony Crawford. That's up to them to decide, it would be great to have the support."
Koukash is the ultimate rags to riches tale. Palestinian born, as an eight-year-old he had to walk with his family for three days without food after the family farm was bombed.
He didn't own a pair of shoes until he was 12. Today, he is worth an estimated $3 billion, with most of his wealth derived from the establishment of a corporate training company.
During Tinkler's reign, there was a disconnect between the Knights and the community of Newcastle.
However, Koukash said he never forgot the fans, pointing to the fact he is setting up a Salford advisory panel comprised of supporters.
"Most importantly, I am a guy who listens very much to the fans," he said.
"In every business I have, I've always consulted with the customers and rugby league is no different.
"For example, I don't have a boardroom full of [Reds] directors advising me what to do.
"Instead, I'm going to [implement] a fan's panel. There are about 200 applications I have received and I'm going to choose about 12 of them, who will be advising me on issues within the club.
"I'm somebody who is a lot closer to the fans and I'm also a great believer in sometimes you can't buy success. It's something you need to develop, especially in a game like rugby league.
"I think that's the best model, there's no one closer to the action than the fan."
With the majority of NRL clubs operating at a loss or just breaking even, it would be difficult for the ARLC to knock back Koukash's millions.
But the racing magnate, who is expected to again enter runners into the Melbourne Cup, could find privatisation a tough sell after the Tinkler debacle.
It's understood the NRL won't be rushing into any decision, particularly in relation to Newcastle given the governing body is still sourcing independent directors for the club.
"I hope they do [give the green light] because it's a competition I admire," Koukash said.
"Since I started in rugby league in this part of the world I've always had ambitions to grow the game here to compete with the NRL. If you can't beat them, you might as well join them."
WHO WANTS TO BE BOUGHT BY A BILLIONAIRE?
The clubs most likely in Marwan Koukash's sights.
NEWCASTLE: The most obvious target for a takeover following Nathan Tinkler's demise. However, Novocastrians are sceptical about the private ownership model following the bitter experiences under the Hunter Sports Group's ownership. The NRL is partly filling the ownership void at present and has slated its desire to offload the club to a suitable investor. Self-made billionaires with a penchant for horses and footy clubs could be a tough sell to Knights fans at present.
CRONULLA: Have lurched from one disaster to the next and are without a major sponsor for next year. The ASADA scandal has conservatively cost the Sharks $4 million and that figure could rise if more players join Josh Cordoba, Broderick Wright and Isaac Gordon succeed in suing the club for negligence. The much-vaunted property redevelopment is said to underpin the financial future of Cronulla but there will be little monetary benefit in the short term.
WESTS TIGERS: Has been a basketcase off the field. Balmain's perilous financial position has been much reported, with directors from that side of the joint venture set to forgo voting rights in exchange for the NRL making up the shortfall. Delays in the governing body appointing three independent directors have created a void in leadership at the top.
DRAGONS: Another joint venture struggling financially, the Dragons also had to go to the NRL cap in hand for assistance. Like most clubs, can no longer simply rely on propagation payments from the leagues clubs to keep the football side in the black.
GOLD COAST: Under so much financial pressure they are not spending all of their full salary cap allowance. Punting coach John Cartwright, who is still on the payroll for two additional seasons, won't help. Losing the battle for hearts, minds and memberships to the Gold Coast Suns, while the fallout from the ill-fated Titans Centre of excellence continues.
SMH
Koukash talking about Salford on Lateline last year...."And this is like the culture I tried to instil in my club. When I took over, basically we had the worst team in the competition and I tried to change their culture of the people who were there and they were reluctant to change. They really didn't believe in themselves they could be champions, so I had to change the people."
I have been interested in his supporters board he created.
Never say die. I've already sold a membership to Peter Beattie.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p><a href="https://twitter.com/RuddFactor">@RuddFactor</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DiehardsFC">@DiehardsFC</a> Fantastic; a Diehard revival. I was a fan for years and will be again.</p>— Peter Beattie (@SmartState1) <a href="https://twitter.com/SmartState1/statuses/504357814379094017">August 26, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" ch****t="utf-8"></script>
Apparently by the end of the weekend he will come out and say who he has bought. Knights still the favourite.
Koukash on verge of taking over Newcastle Knights
Marwan Koukash is believed to be on the brink of becoming the new owner of a top Australian NRL Rugby League club.
The Salford Reds' owner has been strongly tipped to take charge of the Newcastle Knights and confirmed earlier this week he was in takeover talks with three clubs.
Speaking straight after Fridayt's home game with Widnes, Salford Reds CEO Martin Vickers assured Reds' fans the takeover of an Aussie club will not affect Koukash's role with Salford.
''Definitely not, if it is to happen,'' said Martin Vickers.
Koukash's planned take over is expected to be confirmed in Australia in the next 48 hours.
The RFL will not oppose joint ownership.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co....CkOstk.twitter
Anyone know if we're one of the clubs he's considering?
“@drmarwanK: I am not about to buy an NRL club. Still interested but I am not anywhere near finalising a deal .” 22 hours ago
https://twitter.com/drmarwanK/status/510676482721865728
Marwan Koukash rules out bid for Wests Tigers
September 25, 2014
English billionaire Marwan Koukash has ruled out buying Wests Tigers after whittling down his NRL club shopping list to “one or two” remaining options.
The owner of English Super League club Salford Red Devils is expected to fly out to Australia in October to finalise the deal, however he says he still has not made up his mind which club to buy into.
“It’s not something that would be of interest to me, no,” Koukash told Sky Sports Big Sports Breakfast on Thursday.
The 55-year-old said the club’s joint venture structure – the source of infighting between the Wests and Balmain factions – had been a turn off.
SOURCE: http://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/marwan...-tigers-15086/
- - - Updated - - -
Quick sale of Knights unlikely: NRL
September 25, 2014
NRL officials are unlikely to consider selling the Newcastle Knights for at least 12 months, despite mounting pressure from English billionaire Marwan Koukash to buy the franchise.
Koukash, the self-made tycoon who owns English Super League outfit Salford and hundreds of racehorses, was quoted overnight as saying he planned to fly to Australia next month to finalise his takeover of an NRL club.
Koukash first expressed interest more than two months ago in privatising the Knights, who have been under NRL ownership since the ousting of Nathan Tinkler in mid-June after a controversial three-year tenure.
But an NRL spokesman said yesterday that the governing body had held ‘‘only very preliminary discussions’’ with Koukash and ‘‘there is no prospect of any sale of the Newcastle Knights at this stage’’.
SOURCE: http://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/quick-...ely-nrl-15084/
From this weeks 'Ask the Lurker' featuring a question from lonegull:
@Lonegull will the Titans be around for much longer, is koukash sniffing around them #asklurk
The Lurker: Word is they are digging themselves into a deeper and deeper financial hole and need a cashed-up saviour.
And a Dragons fan:
@agrothedragon1 hey #lurk please tell me we won't lose all 3 in moz&mez&flo & which club will marwan kakoush end up at. #cheers #asklurk
The Lurker: Brett Morris may go... but I believe he will stay. Dr K most likely to take on either the Titans or Knights.. both need the money!
While I am always wary of big cash owners. Marwan Koukash has been pretty good to the Salford Reds and he has some good ideas for growing the game globally. It would be exciting being part of some of those plans.
POM’S NRL SHOPPING LIST
MARWAN Koukash, the multi-millionaire English turf magnate and owner of Super League club Salford, will arrive in Australia this week in his bid to buy into an NRL club.
Koukash is a self-confessed league nut. “Some people call me crazy, but I love the sport (rugby league),” he said recently. “I can’t see myself not being involved (in the NRL) in the best rugby competition in the world.”
He’s ruled out any interest in the ailing Wests Tigers, but said he was whittling down his shopping list to “one or two” clubs.
It’s known that Newcastle Knights are on the list, as the club is currently for sale after Nathan Tinkler walked away.
The NRL is funding the Knights and no doubt will roll out the red carpet to get Koukash interested.
The NRL might have competition for the Koukash investment in the Hunter, as Tinkler desperately tries to off-load his A-League club the Newcastle Jets for a third of the price of the NRL team.
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/
See he spoke to the Broncos. I will be disappointed if he chooses them. Broncos have money. Plenty of other clubs that don't that he should choose.
yeah a few others that need that clout of 'we got money now, come to us and help us rebuild'.
Raiders, Knights, even sharks (who have money, but need a refresh).
Otherwise, let him buy on of the expansion clubs if it comes. Broncs is just a waste of a good investor and keen league man
I can't see Lachlan Murdoch letting the Broncos go.
Just another reason to hate the Broncos.
Personally, I'd be quite surprised if he invested in us. The Knights package would appear to be a more attractive deal.
Mainly because the Knights would be WIWO Deal. Where our Club would probably require a few more clauses because of the 3 shareholders and there'd be a good chance of Searle playing hardball. If it was me, I wouldn't be interested in the Franchise until he was completely removed from the Club altogether.
I would hope that Searle would see this as an opportunity to cash in and get out. I doubt it though.....
Reading the article in the Courier today he wants total control including player and staff hirings.... Not sure that we want another owner that is responsible for player signings.