Topic: So the commercial office of LIVERPOOL FC will be London huh

[Chakan]

It seems like you have articulated their position pretty well (as have so many others).  Could you help me understand which sponsors are more in play than before (now that we have this lovely new commercial hub in London)?

Who are the prize fish we want that require us to be in London?  Specifics? Guesses?  Absurd possibilities?  I am really asking.

Agree with Timbo here (office fine, but commercial operation centre rides up my backside like an Everton bullies' wedgie.

Buggered if I know mate. I'm not involved with our scouting potential investors, if I was I wouldn't be sitting behind my desk earning what I do today.

I think I explained why it would be beneficial to be in London over Liverpool. Actually i've written it 3 times now, not going to do it again.

Forbes 40 richest companies in Britian

1. HSBC - Head office in the UK - London
2. Royal Dutch Shell - Head office in the UK - London
3. BP - Head office in the UK - London
4. Royal Bank of Scotland - Head office in the UK - Edinburgh
5. Barclays - Head Office in the UK - London
6. HBOS - Holding company for RBOS - Edinburgh
7. BHP Billiton - Head Office in the UK - London
8. Lloyds TSB Group -  Head Office in the UK - London
9. GlaxoSmithKline -  Head Office in the UK - Brentford
10. Aviva - Head Office in the UK - London

So lets see that's 7 out of 10 having their HQ in London.

2 of them are really the Royal Bank of Scotland and it's Holding company.

If you want to go through the next 30 be my guest.
http://www.forbes.com/2007/11/13/uk-economy-forbes40-biz-cx_po_1114uk40_slide_11.html
I stopped there.

[Solomon Grundy]

If I had a pound for every time this comment was posted, I could buy the thread a pint, mate.

Well, it was my first post of that nature in here. I couldn't care any less about the rest mate.

[Johnny Foreigner]

Ian Ayre, twice promoted by FSG, is top dog.

You may want to try and make it out otherwise but you're wrong.

Formal promotions means nothing.. Who is golfing and who is in the sauna ?

I don't know - you don't know - but my wee experience from the conference south would say billy is CL contender..

MV and Alan might believe otherwise and i remain schtumm..

[Trendisnotdestiny]

Well, it was my first post of that nature in here. I couldn't care any less about the rest mate.

2nd if you count your page 3 reference, but it honestly does not matter.  Have a good a one.

[Chakan]

Screw it i'll go through the next 10

11.Unilever - Head Office - London
12. Tesco - Head Office - Hertfordshire
13. Anglo American -  Head Office - London
14. Vodafone - Head Office - London
15. Rio Tinto - Head Office - London
16. BT Group - Head Office - London
17. Prudential - Head Office - London
18. AstraZeneca - head Office - London
19. Legal & General Group - Head Office - London
20. Standard Chartered Group - Head Office - London

Are you seeing a trend at all?

[Twelfth Man]

Screw it i'll go through the next 10

11.Unilever - Head Office - London
12. Tesco - Head Office - Hertfordshire
13. Anglo American -  Head Office - London
14. Vodafone - Head Office - London
15. Rio Tinto - Head Office - London
16. BT Group - Head Office - London
17. Prudential - Head Office - London
18. AstraZeneca - head Office - London
19. Legal & General Group - Head Office - London
20. Standard Chartered Group - Head Office - London

Are you seeing a trend at all?

Couldn't have posted a bigger bunch of c*nts if you tried.

[Johnny Foreigner]

Screw it i'll go through the next 10

11.Unilever - Head Office - London
12. Tesco - Head Office - Hertfordshire
13. Anglo American -  Head Office - London
14. Vodafone - Head Office - London
15. Rio Tinto - Head Office - London
16. BT Group - Head Office - London
17. Prudential - Head Office - London
18. AstraZeneca - head Office - London
19. Legal & General Group - Head Office - London
20. Standard Chartered Group - Head Office - London

Are you seeing a trend at all?

Trends ? Previous life we delivered to two of them from a HQ in a poxy little town 1/10 of the size of liverpool..

Sent over our top dog three times a year, and they came over about the same.. The local chinese was good enough if youy backed it up with bevvies, people, stories and a story to sell..

[Chakan]

Trends ? Previous life we delivered to two of them from a HQ in a poxy little town 1/10 of the size of liverpool..

Sent over our top dog three times a year, and they came over about the same.. The local chinese was good enough if youy backed it up with bevvies, people, stories and a story to sell..

Maybe if we didn't have to fly over every single time we wanted to talk to a company and had a nice shiny office in London we could have landed more than 2, but hey I was just responding to Trend's question of who we would be looking at to sponsor us.

[Johnny Foreigner]

Maybe if we didn't have to fly over every single time we wanted to talk to a company and had a nice shiny office in London we could have landed more than 2, but hey I was just responding to Trend's question of who we would be looking at to sponsor us.

In your list we had a 100 % penetration of relevant companies, but that is semantics.. We had an office in manchester and one outside london but the competence was at the core..

[Twelfth Man]

Buggered if I know mate. I'm not involved with our scouting potential investors, if I was I wouldn't be sitting behind my desk earning what I do today.

I think I explained why it would be beneficial to be in London over Liverpool. Actually i've written it 3 times now, not going to do it again.

Forbes 40 richest companies in Britian

1. HSBC - Head office in the UK - London
2. Royal Dutch Shell - Head office in the UK - London
3. BP - Head office in the UK - London
4. Royal Bank of Scotland - Head office in the UK - Edinburgh
5. Barclays - Head Office in the UK - London
6. HBOS - Holding company for RBOS - Edinburgh
7. BHP Billiton - Head Office in the UK - London
8. Lloyds TSB Group -  Head Office in the UK - London
9. GlaxoSmithKline -  Head Office in the UK - Brentford
10. Aviva - Head Office in the UK - London

So lets see that's 7 out of 10 having their HQ in London.

2 of them are really the Royal Bank of Scotland and it's Holding company.

If you want to go through the next 30 be my guest.
http://www.forbes.com/2007/11/13/uk-economy-forbes40-biz-cx_po_1114uk40_slide_11.html
I stopped there.

I'd be happy if we name the new stand NHS and put the same on our shirts for perpetuity, gratis. Instead we are making deals with c*nts like Vitality, the private health insurance company coming to a hospital near you soon.

[TSC]

Screw it i'll go through the next 10

11.Unilever - Head Office - London
12. Tesco - Head Office - Hertfordshire
13. Anglo American -  Head Office - London
14. Vodafone - Head Office - London
15. Rio Tinto - Head Office - London
16. BT Group - Head Office - London
17. Prudential - Head Office - London
18. AstraZeneca - head Office - London
19. Legal & General Group - Head Office - London
20. Standard Chartered Group - Head Office - London

Are you seeing a trend at all?

Yep they're all industrial/commercial giants.  Not many football clubs among them though.

[Chakan]

Yep they're all industrial/commercial giants.  Not many football clubs among them though.

Not sure what that has to do with anything.

[TSC]

Not sure what that has to do with anything.

Apols.  Completely misread the gist of your post. 

[Redman0151]

I'd be happy if we name the new stand NHS and put the same on our shirts for perpetuity, gratis. Instead we are making deals with c*nts like Vitality, the private health insurance company coming to a hospital near you soon.

I'm sure everybody would, but that isn't the world we live in

[Timbo's Goals]

I think everyone did except you.

Ha ha

Not so sure about that but I'll take your word for it

 

[Chakan]

Apols.  Completely misread the gist of your post. 

No worries.

[Reese]

I know people will still deny it, but if the Sturridge injury does not put this thread into perspective, I do not know what will.

We make an office (not HQ) in London to have closer access to sponsors and potentials sponsors so we can increase finances for the club.

Then we can get to the stage where we can afford to pay the high wages to have multiple and high quality players in every position.

The fury over Sturridge is poisoned by how Utd, City and Chelsea throw around money for fun. People forget they are the anomalies with excess star power in each position. They are not the norm. 

That is why there is an office in London. So we can do that too.   

[TSC]

I know people will still deny it, but if the Sturridge injury does not put this thread into perspective, I do not know what will.

We make an office (not HQ) in London to have closer access to sponsors and potentials sponsors so we can increase finances for the club.

Then we can get to the stage where we can afford to pay the high wages to have multiple and high quality players in every position.

The fury over Sturridge is poisoned by how Utd, City and Chelsea throw around money for fun. People forget they are the anomalies with excess star power in each position. They are not the norm. 

That is why there is an office in London. So we can do that too.   

Or alternatively you can look at the failures of our transfer policy over the years by the 'committee'.  Culminating in a complete failure to deal with the leaving of Suarez.  No amount of wining and dining and generally sucking ass in London will fix that.  When you have incompetence back at base a London commercial office won't cut it.

[Timbo's Goals]

I think I tried to explain this on the other page. We're competing with Man United, Arsenal and Chelsea who already have an office in London, we want to be right amongst the potential options. Right now we're situated all over the place in the commercial market. Some are in London, some are in Boston , some are Liverpool. Most of the clients we want to woo, I would hazard a guess , would have an office in London. Maybe i'm wrong, I don't think so, but I could be. So I guess FSG looked at it and said we want to consolidate the commercial aspects of the business, where's the best place to do that.

Considering commercially , the other 3 teams are far ahead of us , we need a base of operations. Why should companies have to fly into Liverpool to begin a discussion on sponsoring Liverpool or throwing millions at us. Why shouldn't they have the convenience of being able to schedule a meeting at 2'o clock on a Thursday afternoon without their assistant having to check flights times/train tickets/hotel rooms/what have you.

We want to make it the easiest possible situation for the companies to give us their money. London makes it convenient for them. Liverpool doesn't. I don't care how technological we've become when you are trying to get someone to give you their money you need to be in their face selling.

On the flip side, why should we keep flying/training/driving up to London to see clients? I have no idea how much that costs, but surely that adds up?

It's like everything else Chakan. There are certainly arguments that can appear to justify such a decision but that is by no means the complete picture.

Sorry to everyone for my continued use of emotive language and also for keeping harping on about the proposed move to Stanley park Superbowl but it doesn't half take me back to the arguments of 12 years ago which simply refused to consider anything other than a brand spanking new Superbowl in Stanley Park so that we could compete with the top clubs. There was nothing essentially wrong about what was argued in favour of such a new stadium provided you extracted the emotional side of the debate.

However, the emotional side of things is especially pivotal to our club and the fact is once you take out the emotional side in the case of Liverpool Football Club you're not left with that much. For above all else the club is one of high emotion. More so than any other. It is steeped in it and it makes any decision that might threaten to upset that emotional equilibrium all the more crucial to get right and not simply base it on LSD.

If the argument for shifting the commercial and accompanying operations down to a new HQ in London under Hogan were simply down to financial criteria then the case for such a move would certainly be convincing. However, that is not the case. Just like the apparently ideal move from Anfield to a brand new stadium back then there are considerations that outweigh the advantages to be gained by such a move.

In this instance, it is a move that seriously undermines the wholeness and integrity of the club and with it the club's emotional entity. Make no mistake the Chief Commercial representative of FSG based in London constitutes one hell of a powerful advocacy for London and an even stronger rejection of the appropriateness of the club's home city as a base for the club's progression. It is a message that is simply not right and a huge undermining of everything the club should stand for. It is almost akin to saying the club has outgrown its home city. How long before real divisions of power begin to surface with two competing bases further challenging that emotional integrity we so cherish.

Those supporting the move need to ask themselves whether the possible - and it is only a theoretical possibility - enhanced earning capacity of the move is worth risking the emotional integrity that is so irreplaceably vital to the well being of Liverpool Football Club more so as I say than for any other football club. What is the point of a few dollars more if we risk moving down a pathway that may ultimately lose us the very soul that makes us what we are?   

[Timbo's Goals]

I know people will still deny it, but if the Sturridge injury does not put this thread into perspective, I do not know what will.
   

Fuck. Just seen that. What the fuck. Jeez.

 

[Trendisnotdestiny]

Couldn't have posted a bigger bunch of c*nts if you tried.

Minus Wonga...   

[Reese]

Or alternatively you can look at the failures of our transfer policy over the years by the 'committee'.  Culminating in a complete failure to deal with the leaving of Suarez.  No amount of wining and dining and generally sucking ass in London will fix that.  When you have incompetence back at base a London commercial office won't cut it.

All clubs have poor transfers. But then again, you already knew that. Thing is, when we make mistakes, we can often mitigate the losses.

And how exactly do you deal with the third best player in the world leaving? There was always going to be a transition period. 

As it has been noted, people arguing against this move are doing so with their hearts, which while in an ideal world would be great. However the business world is not ideal.
 
But hyperbole is always a great way to advance an argument!

[Mutton Geoff]

because the people you want to do business in will most likely be based or have a major office in London? As others have said, there's the parry way of sitting on your hands waiting for people to come to you or going to them to get the business, this is very much the latter

Who said sit on your hands,  shove them in a limousine of even a helicopter get them up here and sell them the club and the great city it's based in or have FSG  got no confidence in the city ?

[TSC]

All clubs have poor transfers. But then again, you already knew that. Thing is, when we make mistakes, we can often mitigate the losses.

And how exactly do you deal with the third best player in the world leaving? There was always going to be a transition period. 

As it has been noted, people arguing against this move are doing so with their hearts, which while in an ideal world would be great. However the business world is not ideal.
 
But hyperbole is always a great way to advance an argument!

Critisising the signing of Lambert and Balotelli, (£20m) to replace the genius of Suarez (£75m) is hardly hyperbole.

[Reese]

Critisising the signing of Lambert and Balotelli, (£20m) to replace the genius of Suarez (£75m) is hardly hyperbole.

TSC, I agree to that point. However, I guess I do not view them as direct replacements. I think for some of us, and perhaps Rodgers and the committee too, they realized that trying to directly fill that void was impossible, so tried to do so by filling out the squad and adding goals through new players. Sadly, these additions have not gelled yet. Plus, with our attempted movement of Borini, I do not think there is any doubt that another more developed striker is on the table.

As for the overall argument, I am not trying to devolve into a shouting match or go tit for tat. But I think the rest of your response was quite hyperbolic, especially about our constant failures. Yes it was not ideal, but as we know, Rodgers seems to have a narrow lense of targets and we are currently limited by wage considerations especially in pursuing top tier players.

For this office movement, most of us just view it as a necessary evil. It is like how every company that sells through Walmart has a branch in Bentonville, Arkansas. This way they are closest to the action. I guess I can understand why some people feel betrayed, but that is farthest from the truth. We are only becoming more viable for the future.     


 

[Mutton Geoff]

This is diverting the thread but it is impossible replace Suarez like for like the sooner posters realise this and stop with the cheap shots the better it will be!

[Manila Vanilla]

It is like how every company that sells through Walmart has a branch in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Bentonville is the tenth-largest city in Arkansas.... The city is the headquarters of Walmart, which is the world's largest retailer.

[Timbo's Goals]

Bentonville is the tenth-largest city in Arkansas.... The city is the headquarters of Walmart, which is the world's largest retailer.

Are its commercial, sponsoring, etc etc etc operations and its equivalent of Sir Billy Butlin run from there though Manila?

I ask of course because the response you will very soon receive will take the form of LFC's HQ still being in Liverpool.

[Manila Vanilla]

Don't know, Timbo. Just thought it was interesting that the world's biggest retailer is confident enough to have its major corporate presence in a pokey little town in the sticks.

The prevailing view here is that talent is only found in major financial hubs and that Billy needs to be there as he will be out five nights a week selflessly pickling his liver for the greater good of the club.

[redmark]

Don't know, Timbo. Just thought it was interesting that the world's biggest retailer is confident enough to have its major corporate presence in a pokey little town in the sticks.

The prevailing view here is that talent is only found in major financial hubs and that Billy needs to be there as he will be out five nights a week selflessly pickling his liver for the greater good of the club.

No, the view is that that is where our corporate customers are. Walmart offices may be in Arkansas (and their UK office, for their Asda business, in Leeds). But they don't build one gigantic store in the same location and insist all their customers come to them.

["21C or 70F?" SchizoidWeatherMan!]

As long as you continue your discussion about the London office and see a point in it, my accusation of you being disrespectful to me and people like me will stand.   

What do you think ? That I type bullshit when I get offended by seeing bullshit? I don't.   

This was my way of saying that your discussion about this office being in London and you getting offended by that is of the same level as me getting offended when you say something like that about fans like me. You think that there is a point in it but there isn't any and when you (or I) argue that "No there is something wrong in this, can't you see?" then people on the other side think of it to be a discussion with a hollow reasoning and then there are the people in the middle of it all who do not feel any of these extreme emotions of giving a fuck and not giving one who try to figure out what the fuss is all about and eventually pick a side and work their assess off to prove their points which they think can contribute to the discussion and there by making a "strong" case.

This thread has gone too far with no point just like my argument of you being disrespectful to me which is only 4 to 5 posts old.


I never use a smiley as a decoy.

 

Head hurts.

[kcbworth]

A handful of staff are in London already and more will be moving down from our Liverpool partnerships team.

See, I reckon most organisations would view this as a great thing and a great show of loyalty from the few people moving down. Instead of this team being split between Boston and Liverpool as it is today, they've found a way for them all be together in a place that is actually crucial to their work.

[Latenight Surfer]

Head hurts.

I hope this isn't the only thing that hurts your head on this thread, if it is then you are one of those guys I am talking about.

[Timbo's Goals]

Head hurts.

 

[john_mac]

See, I reckon most organisations would view this as a great thing and a great show of loyalty from the few people moving down. Instead of this team being split between Boston and Liverpool as it is today, they've found a way for them all be together in a place that is actually crucial to their work.

Except maybe those whose jobs are being relocated to London and left with a choice of relocation or a new job, not the nicest experience

[Timbo's Goals]

I hope this isn't the only thing that hurts your head on this thread, if it is then you are one of those guys I am talking about.

 

[Timbo's Goals]

Billy will be out five nights a week selflessly pickling his liver for the greater good of the club.

Ha ha
 

[Gnurglan]

Of course that's the kind of people we want to deal with. Big business. Welcome to the world.

I understand we need to meet people and take them places to please them. That we have to set up meetings in London, of course. That's a given. I work for a company with multiple sites. I have to travel to meet people face to face myself.

What I mean is this - people who are interested in some kind of financial partnership, where they are prepared to spend significant amounts of money, should also be interested in the 'core of the business'. I don't mean to say it would be good if they were, I mean I expect them to be. My view of financial people has changed. I used to think all of them were interested in money, money, money. But then I hear that those who are the most interested in recent statistics are from the finance sector. When a company I used to work for was subject to a takeover, business people came to form their own opinion, on site. Other leaders turn up unexpected to be able to talk to staff on the shopfloor. To see for themselves. In normal production, go see for yourself is a well-known mantra. Business leaders are encouraged and even expected to do it. Because it helps them make better decisions.

Taking this back to LFC, I believe it's reasonable to think that businessmen would welcome a visit to Liverpool. It's the kind of pattern I see, value and expect. If they don't want to visit the 'core of the business', that tells us something. It's a way for us to form an opinion too. Let's also remember who we are. We are one of the most famous football clubs in the world. We are not some small business begging for money. We are a big player that it's great to be associated with. That's the starting point for us.

[Timbo's Goals]

I understand we need to meet people and take them places to please them. That we have to set up meetings in London, of course. That's a given. I work for a company with multiple sites. I have to travel to meet people face to face myself.

What I mean is this - people who are interested in some kind of financial partnership, where they are prepared to spend significant amounts of money, should also be interested in the 'core of the business'. I don't mean to say it would be good if they were, I mean I expect them to be. My view of financial people has changed. I used to think all of them were interested in money, money, money. But then I hear that those who are the most interested in recent statistics are from the finance sector. When a company I used to work for was subject to a takeover, business people came to form their own opinion, on site. Other leaders turn up unexpected to be able to talk to staff on the shopfloor. To see for themselves. In normal production, go see for yourself is a well-known mantra. Business leaders are encouraged and even expected to do it. Because it helps them make better decisions.

Taking this back to LFC, I believe it's reasonable to think that businessmen would welcome a visit to Liverpool. It's the kind of pattern I see, value and expect. If they don't want to visit the 'core of the business', that tells us something. It's a way for us to form an opinion too. Let's also remember who we are. We are one of the most famous football clubs in the world. We are not some small business begging for money. We are a big player that it's great to be associated with.

That's the starting point for us.

Or as Alan F has insightfully stated several times now - the DEFAULT position.

Fine post G.

Everything you say makes perfect sense to me. It all points more and more to the motivating force behind the London move being Hogan's own desire to not be in Liverpool but to be in London and FSG's own matching desire to have a prominent London base ostensibly for LFC but in reality as much for FSG themselves with tried and tested FSG personnel at the helm.

From an LFC perspective the added benefit from having a base in London to merely an office presence makes no real sense commercially quite apart from the emotional downside which I hope I've managed to convey.

[Gnurglan]

Not to be pedantic CW but I'm not sure anybody has any problem with such an approach that you state.

The opposite in fact.

The sticking point is purely the fact that the Chief Commercial man [and Chief of many other not insignificant LFC roles] is going to based down there not up here. Nobody's remotely arsed if he wants to spend most of his time down there just so long as it's made patently clear to the world and his wife that his BASE is Liverpool city centre overlooking the Liver Buildings.

Agree. To have Liverpool as his base sends a message of confidence.