Personally, i think it's a good thing if a Nigerian can buy it cos it'll send a message to the whole world that the Nigeria the media shows is different from what she really is, I am in strong support of it if a follow Nigerian can own an English football club, I hope he gets d bid,

What a waste. our Globacom  league would have been a huge beneficiary of this largesse. I wonder what nature of business would get of the ground from scrathing cash from left right centre. What happens when they finally acquire it? Bad move, invest in Globacom premiership rather.

According to today's edition of business day newspaper Mike Adenuga as been named to lead the consortium of Nigerians bidding for Newcastle

South African's increase interest in Newcastle
Submitted: 0 days ago


A South African group interested in buying out Newcastle United have heightened their interest in the English Premier League side. The club from northern England has been in a crisis since iconic manager Kevin Keegan walked away from the club at the start of the season and fortunes having been going from bad to worse for the ‘Magpies’ both on and off the field.

However, despite competition from a Nigerian group, it appears that the South African consortium is preparing to come to the rescue of the club. The group is headed by John Cleland, a Scotsman raised in South Africa, who has made his name developing major brand names around the globe. The financial backing for the bid comes from billionaires Johan Rupert, Brian Gilbertson, Vivian Imerman and Brain Joffe.

Cleland recently issued a statement on behalf of the group regarding the bid for Newcastle which read, "Now is the time to reveal who we are out of respect for the supporters. The people of Newcastle deserve better. We are not in any way criticising Mike Ashley's running of Newcastle United. However, quite simply we have in our consortium the world class skills and talents to achieve the footballing and commercial success required and deserved
http://www.soccerladuma.co.za/index.php?node=28&id=1568

Newcastle spotlight turns to Joffe
Posted: 2008-10-02 11:40

Despite the wraps still firmly around the identity of the South African consortium involved in bidding for Newcastle United, British media speculation is increasing turning towards Brian Joffe, CEO of the BidVest Group.

Seven groups are reported to be involving in negotiations with the Magpies’ current owner Mike Ashley. All have been tied from speaking to the Press due to a secrecy clause in the bidding process.

With Newcastle sources continuing to put the SA consortium at the forefront of the planned takeover, the city’s Evening Chronicle has made a concerted effort to establish the identity of the South African group, which calls themselves New Newcastle United.

The Chronicle yesterday contacted three likely South African prospects and two of them denied outright that they were involved.

The Chronicle contacted billionaire Johann Rupert, the man behind Swiss-based luxury goods firm Richemont, which owns brands including Cartier and Dunhill.

The 58-year-old is said to be worth £3.8 billion and has already ploughed around £8m into English rugby team Saracens.

Rupert was linked with a takeover of Blackburn Rovers last year, but moved quickly to deny the rumours.

When contacted by the Chronicle yesterday, a spokesman said neither Richemont nor Rupert were interested in buying Newcastle United.

Similar enquiries were put to multi-millionaire Vivian Imerman, a fellow South African.

Imerman (53), was an owner of Del Monte before buying into Scottish whisky firm Whyte and Mackay, which he sold for £595m last year.

He runs investment firm Vasari Global Ltd in London with fellow South African Gerald Katzeff.

Imerman also denied being involved in a takeover of Newcastle United when contacted by the Chronicle.

Then the newspaper turned their attention to 61-year-old Joffe who founded the investment holding firm BidVest.

The BidVest Wits CEO has the reputation for buying failing companies and turning their fortunes around, which tallies with the way the consortium interested in United are said to have amassed their wealth.

The father-of-two, who was born in Johannesburg, was not in his office when the Chronicle tried to contact him.

Bidvest’s financial controller David Cleasby said: “I can’t talk for Mr Joffe and that is all I can say.”

Some sources in Newcastle claim the South African have tabled a £280m bid. Ashley’s asking price is £280-300m

Imagine what £350m worth of investment would do for Nigerian economy. This is one of the problems with these corrupt African, whenever they 'yamutu' all the money from the government's purse, they take it outside to spend! Am pretty sure this so called consultium comprises of former government workers or its agents. I live here in the UK and I don't ever think any typican english man would do that (i.e the other way round).
And what's with the guy who was talking about history? Who cares about the history its gonna make if this 'consultium' wins the bid. One fact remains, english people are hypocritical and selfish and am sure the deal aint gonna come out well (trust me, we've seen it all!)

In the midst of global financial crisis? Wish them luck.

Its a rily tite move, just think of what it will do to our football, but whEre did they Find that Callous Cash

SA man to meet Toons’ boss
Posted: 2008-10-03 09:19

The man heading a South African consortium is in Tyneside in a bid to push through their takeover of Newcastle United.

Jonathan Cleland arrived in Newcastle from his Scottish base on Tuesday night and is set to meet Mike Ashley’s representatives and visit the club’s facilities.

They have now officially lodged their bid, thought to be around £300m, with Seymour Pierce, the company Ashley has brought in to handle the sale.

And if successful, the five-strong consortium plans to bring Kevin Keegan back as manager, as well as offering him a five percent stake in the club, worth more than £10m.

They also want to install Brazilian soccer expert Simon Clifford as technical director and he could also be given a share of the Magpies.

Eight different groups have each been issued with a prospectus outlining the club’s financial position and have signed non-disclosure agreements preventing them from releasing details.

But, according to a report in Newcastle’s Evening Chronicle the newspaper understands it values the club’s playing squad at £100m and shows Ashley paid an initial £134m to buy United from the Shepherd and Hall families, before investing £110m in wiping out debt.

It also reveals the Toon earns annual revenue of £90m, making a profit of £3.5m. There is currently a £50m overdraft facility and apart from that, the club is essentially debt-free.

More cash is owed to the Magpies for transfer deals than is still to be paid out and the extent to which the overdraft facility is used depends on weekly gate receipts.

Out of the seven potential buyers, the South Africans are viewed as the front-runners after Cleland’s arrival on Tyneside.

The South African-raised Scot has built a career around developing major brands and fronts the consortium that is also understood to include Brian Gilbertson, Brian Joffe, Johan Rupert and Vivian Imerman, despite the latter two previously denying any involvement.

Rupert, 58, fronts Swiss luxury goods firm Richemont, which owns brands such as Cartier and Dunhill. He has previously invested in Saracens rugby club, was linked with a buy-out of Blackburn Rovers and is said to be worth £3.8bn.

Imerman (53), was an owner of Del Monte before buying into Scottish whisky firm Whyte and Mackay, which he sold for £595m last year. He runs investment firm Vasari Global Ltd in London with fellow South African Gerald Katzeff.

Brian Joffe (61), founded investment holding firm Bidvest and is chief executive of South African football team Bidvest Wit. The father-of-two has a reputation for buying failing companies and turning their fortunes around, which tallies with the way the consortium interested in United are said to have amassed their wealth.

Clifford, who runs the International Confederation of Futebol de Salao and is manager of Garforth Town, is understood to be central to the South African’s plans and has played a key role in developing the bid over the last seven days.

The Middlesbrough-born former teacher brought Brazilian methods of coaching to the UK and stars such as Manchester City and England defender Micah Richards have gone through his Brazilian Soccer Schools, which have more than two million members.

Keegan was approached by the consortium as early as last Friday and the businessmen are also keen to find a role for Alan Shearer.

i think the guy is the richest man in Africa. let him buy the Club. we develop premier league while we neglect our globacom league. Enyimba! Forever

Right now, i think the South Africans are going to end up buying Newcastle, i dont think its because they have more money than the Nigerians, but that so many people dont trust Nigerians, thats why,

and many people trusted the former thai pm too?

Businessmen deny Newcastle links
Johann Rupert
Rupert is reported to be the richest man in South Africa

Three South African businessmen linked with a possible £300m takeover of Newcastle have denied any interest.

Billionaire Johann Rupert told BBC Sport he had "absolutely no interest and no knowledge" of any takeover and had never met any of those involved.

Brian Joffe and Vivian Imerman also denied being part of the consortium.

Jonathan Cleland, spokesman for the anonymous consortium, said he was 80% confident of sealing a deal and had spoken to Kevin Keegan about returning.

Rupert, the executive chairman of a Swiss-owned luxury goods company, is reported to be the richest man in South Africa.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live he was bemused and amazed by the reports linking him with the Premier League club.

"I have never met Mr Cleland, never spoken to him on the phone and my secretary does not have a record of him calling," he said.

"I haven't spoken to any of the other parties either. I don't know Mr Cleland, I have a preference for cricket and rugby. I don't know anything about football and I'm not a football man.

"I think it is a bit naughty. They use your name, you deny it - it is a total joke."

Imerman, a former owner of canned food group Del Monte who has since bought into Scottish whisky producer Whyte and Mackay, issued a statement to make his position clear.

A spokesman said: "Vivian Imerman can re-confirm that he has no involvement whatsoever with any proposed purchase of Newcastle United nor any other football club."

Joffe, founder of investment holding firm Bidvest, joined them in dismissing the rumours.

Interim boss Joe Kinnear revealed on Thursday that as many as eight consortia have been in talks with owner Mike Ashley about buying the Magpies.

The South African group were considered to be the frontrunners - with their interest in former manager Keegan making them popular with the fans.


606: DEBATE
Give your thoughts on the potential takeover
Cleland, who declined to comment on Rupert's comments, earlier confirmed he had met Keegan in Manchester on Monday but admitted there was still a lot of negotiating to do.

"He is our preferred option, but we cannot make any concrete decisions on the managerial position until negotiations on our planned takeover are further advanced," he said.

Cleland and his partners claim to have lodged a bid for the club with investment bankers Seymour Pierce, who have been appointed by Ashley to sell it.

They and other interested parties have been asked to sign a confidentiality clause.

Keegan may be offered a 5% stake in the club in a bid to persuade him to return for a third spell at the helm.


source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/n/newcastle_united/7649200.stm

eh eh eh

Go Naija!

Why must he bi a nigerian to buy that club for such amount, is he the only rich man on earth, or he loves sport must, why are nigerian doing stupid things, the white does not by club per person they join hands together to buy a club. but here we think all money on earth is in our pocket,

did u know that, that money can build one the best factory in africa and make employement easy for the african youths, the money can boost our economy, pls tell him not to waste that money, we should not bi RICH FOOLS

Those who are asying that those 'wealthy' Nigerians should invest in the Local League at not being Sincere. Before you advise anybody to invest in our local league. Please make out time to see one of their matchs and I am sure you will definitely change your mind.

see o

While i agree it is a great deal and there is nothing sweeter than to see Nigerian in diaspora conquering the world, i want to ask when they would come and do something about our league.

Nigeria Football is the way it is because good men sleep and allow mediocrity take over.


Arise oh compatriots,Nigeria needs you. 2010 is NFA and NPL Elections, its high time we started seeing interested people making noise and presuring the government to focus just on policy and allow serious minded people pay the monies and control the game!

Adenuga Denies Bidding for Newcastle

The Chairman of Glob-acom Limited, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., has denied any link with a Nigerian consortium bidding for the take-over of English Premier League side, Newcastle United.
Adenuga said he had never at any time discussed nor met with any agent linked with the club.
A statement from Ade-nuga’s office described as false recent reports linking his name and business to the said transaction and warned that the public should discountenance the reports.
According to the statement, “the report linking the name and business of Dr. Mike Adenuga to the proposed take-over of Newcastle United is patently false and misleading. Dr. Adenuga is not part of any consortium bidding for Newcastle and he has never met any agent or group concerning the said take-over.”
The statement said for the avoidance of doubt, Adenuga was at present committed to raising the stature of African football and that explains his deep involvement in the sponsorship of the annual Glo-CAF Awards and readiness to sponsor other football events on the continent.

It also pointed out that Adenuga’s passion for African football had manifested in the sponsorship of the game in West Africa, noting that, “he will continue to support all agencies and stakeholders to ensure the continued development and promotion of the game across all levels on the continent”.
Globacom, founded by Adenuga, was in 2002 licensed as the Second National Carrier to operate a bouquet of telecommunications services and products in Nigeria.
The company, which has acquired over 20 million subscribers since it rolled out its mobile services in 2003 in Nigeria alone, has since expanded to other African countries such as Benin Republic and Ghana.
Globacom has been the Official Sponsor of the Nigeria Premier League known as the Globacom Premier League.
The firm is also the Official Sponsor of all the National Teams of Nigeria and exclusive official partner of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).
The sponsorship fee of the Globacom Premier League rose from N500 million for the first four years (2002-2006) to N4.2 billion for the next four years (2006-2010).

http://www.thisdayonline.com/nview.php?id=124582

Life Boy u are on point!

No offence, but this smells like money laundering for drug money or 419. If it's true, then why aren't they using this money to buy a Nigerian or African club and help develop Africa. Why are they trying to contribute to the economy of a nation that is better off than us?

Buy African Sports in Ivory Coast, 3sc in Nigeria, Esperence in Tunisia etc,  if we have some money, then help where you are from, no need giving the landlord more money.

its just a ploy to buy a smaller Belgian team, they are already threatening to to buy another club if they are not taken seriously

NEWCASTLE, England (AFP) — The Nigerian consortium bidding to buy Newcastle has warned the Premier League crisis-club that they are ready to look elsewhere if a deal isn't completed soon.

The African businessmen are believed to have tabled a 200 million pounds offer after Newcastle owner Mike Ashley signalled his intention to sell up.

But the group are unhappy with the response from Newcastle so far and Chris Nathaniel, of NVA Management, who is the consortium's front man, insisted they were ready to pull out if negotiations don't go smoothly.

"We're talking to possible manager and key personnel for the club," Nathaniel told The Sun. "Once that is sorted, we'll fine-tune our offer.

"We're prepared to look at other options if our bid for Newcastle is not successful. I've been approached by several top Premier League club offering us opportunities to buy their clubs.

"People are having a go because the businessmen have not made themselves known. But I can assure everyone they are astute, respectable and wealthy men."

Dis Guy:


"People are having a go because the businessmen have not made themselves known. But I can assure everyone they are astute, respectable and wealthy men." [/i]

wel am so surprise why these lads are still hiding thier identity.
even dough they know that itz affecting thier success in the offer.
or are they afraid of EFCC or ICPC. but it is my sincere wish that
they scale through.

[b]WHAT IS WRONG WITH ALL OF YOU? WHAT YOUR BUSNIES HOW PEOPLE SPEND THEIR THEIR MONEY. IT THEIR BUSNESS TO BUY AMERICAN AIRLINES IF THEY WISH. YOU WANT THEM TO BE WITCH HUNTED ONCE THEY SHOW FACE FINANCIALLY IN THIS COUNTRY. YOU ALL SHOULD KNOW THAT THERE ARE MANY NIGERIANS OUT THERE MAKING HUNDREDS OF MILLION DOLLARS, EUROS, POUNDS AND WHAT HAVE YOU, LEGALLY. IF THERE IS POVERTY IN NIGERIA, ARE THEY THE CAUSE. ORJI UZOR KALU INVESTED HERE AND HE WAS CHASED OUT, WHERE IS SLOK AIR NOW, ADENUGA ESCAPED THROUGH COTONOU, JIMOH IBRAHIM HASTO NEGOTIATE WITH POWERS THAT BE SO AS TO KEEP NICON. DANGOTE NO GET PAY IF MANY BILLIONAIRES HAS NOT GONE (BEEN CHASED) OUT OF THE COUTRY. SINCE THE VASWANI INDIAN BROTHERS WERE CHASED OUT BY OBASANJO FOR BEING FRIENDS TO ATIKU, HOW MANY INDIANS HAS MADE GAYS TO COME IN TO THIS COUNTRY TO INVEST? THE ONES THAT ARE HERE ARE MAKING NIGERIAN WORKERS G THROUGH HELL JUST TO RECOUP THEIR MONEY. ABI NA THE CHINESE BETTER? YOU BLASTNG THE GUYS THAT WANT TO BUY NEWCASTLE, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU ALL TAKEN OUT TIME TO VISIT ANY MOTHERLESS BABIES HOME TO DROP SOME MONEY? DO YOU KNOW THAT MANY NIGERIANS IN EUROPE ASIA, AND USA AREE AFRAID TO BRING IN THEIR MILLIONS INTO NIGERIA? ABEG MAKE UNA LEAVE THOSE GUYS TO ENJOY THEIR SWEAT. LEGAL OR ILLEGAL MONEY NA SWEAT MONEY. AMERICA, AND THE REST OF THEM WERE ALL BUILT WWITH LAUNDERED MONEY[/b]