The QPR Takeover: A few Questions to Be Answered

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It's takeover announcement day (Hopefully!)
- David Conn/The Guardian
- Sporting Life
- The Telegraph
- Glenn Moore/The Independent
- Mail
- Express

SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TAKEOVER

As QPR fans await today's Official takeover Announcement/Confirmation and Press Conference with purportive new QPR (latest) owner, Tony Fernandes; a few questions which hopefully will be answered/clarified today:

- What Percentage of shares will Tony Fernandes now own?

- What percentage will Amit Bhtia now own? Did he want to buy more?

- Do Bernie Ecclestone, Bernie Eccelstone or anyone else continue to own any shares (especially over 1%?)

- Is there any consortium or any set of individuals behind (or alongside) Fernandes? (Update: It's been reported it's a three man-Malaysian consortium)

- Do Ecclestone and Briatore have any right of refusal (or right to buy back) Fernandes's shares if he decides to sell? Are there any prohibitions on his right to sell any (or all shares) to Bhatia or Lakshmi Mittal, if he so decided?

- Has the number of shares issued changed in any way as a result of these transactions? Has the share structure changed in any way? (e.g., voting vs. non-voting)?

- Where's he getting money? Is it loans? Will they be added to the club debt? Are Ecclestone or Briatore in any way funding this takeover (loaning any of the money?)

- What about the replacement-to-the-ABC Loan, the Amulya loan (held by Briatore and Bhatia) (with it's "hold" over the Stadium): Is that still in existence? Is there any agreement on its fate?

- If Fernandes fell off that proverbial bus, who would then own the club?

- What level of involvement will Ecclestone or Briatore have in the running or financing of QPR?

- Who will be in charge of contracts/contract negotiations, etc?

- Will you be appointing someone hands-on to "assist" in the running of the club, or to sit on the board?

- What is the true debt of the club? How do you intend to pay it back? How do you intend to pay the sizable annual loss this club makes? How do you intend to stop the loss?

- Are QPR going to appoint a CEO or (powerful) Club Secretary for day-to-day financial oversight of the club?

- Who will be responsible for settling any outstanding issues with Messrs. Dunga and Caliendo?

- What is the future of QPR Chairman Gianni Paladini?

- Any plans to change (lower) ticket prices this season(or freeze them for next season) ?

- Will you/your companies be sponsoring the club?

- Is the club going to run at a loss?

- With the smallest stadium/ground capacity in the Premiership, what is the future of Loftus Road? Are you committed to QPR staying in the local area?


- Why QPR? How did you decide to get involved? What was the process? After your interest in West Ham and Norwich? How committed are you to QPR? If West Ham became available for sale, would you try and buy them?

- Will you commit to regular meetings with Independent Fan groups/fan representatives which have become none-existent. (The last fan forum was some four and a half years ago)

- QPR are the only club in the Premiership without an Academy? Do you intend to rectify it?

- How strong is your commitment to manager Neil Warnock? Are you prepared to back Neil Warnock and (within a budgetary limit) permit him to make the player signing decisions?

- How much money will Neil Warnock be given (now and in January)?

- How intimately familiar are you with the developments at Loftus Road, on and off the field, over the last five, seven, ten years?

- How many times do you plan to see QPR during a season?

- The Briatore-created Club Crest is much disliked by a fair number of fans: Will you restore the earlier crest?


Just for starters... If anyone has any additional questions, please contact at qprreport@hotmail.com or post on QPR Report Messageboard.


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