Hillian1
( . ) ( . )
Every time I see this thread on the front page I just think, Thet're gone, wound up, finished, dead, no more, have ceased to be.
And then it dawns on me, they will survive.
And then it dawns on me, they will survive.
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Will Pompey fold? (merged threads)
- Thread starter Brighton TID
- Start date
1
Posted 07 Aug 2012 06:17
TBH statement
From the snooze
Tal Ben Haim’s statement in full
From a fans forum today. Sounds like TBH is playing financial hard ball with the administrators!
Published on Tuesday 7 August 2012 06:00
Having read the theatrical media reports circulating around Portsmouth recently, I feel that it is only right that I say a few words regarding my position with the club.
I signed a four-year contract with Portsmouth in 2009. Since then, because of the club’s failure to manage its finances on no less than two occasions, I have personally lost a figure in excess of £2m. I currently have approximately one year left on my contract.
I want this club to survive and I will do everything possible to enable this historic club to continue to play football in the Football League. But you must understand the position of the professional football players.
Since February 2012, when PKF were appointed, the only thing we have heard is that it is more likely than not that they are going to have to liquidate the club.
This approach has destroyed the team spirit and led to the club being relegated from a position and with a squad everybody expected to stay in the Championship. Also, this talk of liquidation has done nothing but destroy any interest from any other party, other than Mr Chainrai, to buy the club. What a ridiculous position.
As far as the latest position, I can reveal that only recently have the administrators decided to talk to the players regarding their positions.
Most of the negotiations were done through the media. When they actually sat and talked to us through the manager, the majority of the players moved quickly to do what was best for the club and themselves.
As far as I’m concerned, an offer has been made to me only recently. I have offered to waive a further £1.5m of my current contract. They now tell me this is not good enough. The fact is that we are only about £300,000 apart in negotiations. If they want to liquidate the club for that money while they still charge their huge fees then all I can say that the blood is very much on their hands.
Posted 07 Aug 2012 06:17
TBH statement
From the snooze
Tal Ben Haim’s statement in full
From a fans forum today. Sounds like TBH is playing financial hard ball with the administrators!
Published on Tuesday 7 August 2012 06:00
Having read the theatrical media reports circulating around Portsmouth recently, I feel that it is only right that I say a few words regarding my position with the club.
I signed a four-year contract with Portsmouth in 2009. Since then, because of the club’s failure to manage its finances on no less than two occasions, I have personally lost a figure in excess of £2m. I currently have approximately one year left on my contract.
I want this club to survive and I will do everything possible to enable this historic club to continue to play football in the Football League. But you must understand the position of the professional football players.
Since February 2012, when PKF were appointed, the only thing we have heard is that it is more likely than not that they are going to have to liquidate the club.
This approach has destroyed the team spirit and led to the club being relegated from a position and with a squad everybody expected to stay in the Championship. Also, this talk of liquidation has done nothing but destroy any interest from any other party, other than Mr Chainrai, to buy the club. What a ridiculous position.
As far as the latest position, I can reveal that only recently have the administrators decided to talk to the players regarding their positions.
Most of the negotiations were done through the media. When they actually sat and talked to us through the manager, the majority of the players moved quickly to do what was best for the club and themselves.
As far as I’m concerned, an offer has been made to me only recently. I have offered to waive a further £1.5m of my current contract. They now tell me this is not good enough. The fact is that we are only about £300,000 apart in negotiations. If they want to liquidate the club for that money while they still charge their huge fees then all I can say that the blood is very much on their hands.
The response from Birch ................
2
Posted 07 Aug 2012 06:44
re: TBH statement
Birch's response in The News:
Birch has hit back at the club’s highest wage earner. And, while he did not comment on Ben Haim’s claim over his offer to waive £1.5m, he stressed the defender should not be entitled to special treatment when several other players have already left the club and turned their back on vast amounts of money.
Birch countered: ‘It’s disappointing that Tal Ben Haim has chosen to make a personal attack but perhaps understandable when you consider his advisors in this matter.
‘I realise too that he hasn’t been willing to negotiate a compromise on a number of occasions in the past – including when the club was last in administration.
‘I understand why nobody wants to lose money – whether they are players or the club’s other creditors. Tal Ben Haim is not alone here.’
The likes of Greg Halford, David Norris, Erik Huseklepp and Dave Kitson have sacrificed money owed to them by leaving Pompey in recent weeks. And Birch also pointed to the local businesses and non-football creditors who have effectively written off the debts to try to keep Pompey afloat.
He said: ‘Many of his (Ben Haim’s) former team-mates were in the same situation, yet made big sacrifices and showed the club is more important than any individual.
‘Many non-football creditors, some small local businesses, have also told me that they’d be willing to take a personal financial hit in order to keep the club going.
‘And then there’s the pain felt by the club’s employees who lost their jobs or took pay cuts earlier in the year.
‘If we all keep that in mind over the next couple of days then there is hope that the club may survive.’
2
Posted 07 Aug 2012 06:44
re: TBH statement
Birch's response in The News:
Birch has hit back at the club’s highest wage earner. And, while he did not comment on Ben Haim’s claim over his offer to waive £1.5m, he stressed the defender should not be entitled to special treatment when several other players have already left the club and turned their back on vast amounts of money.
Birch countered: ‘It’s disappointing that Tal Ben Haim has chosen to make a personal attack but perhaps understandable when you consider his advisors in this matter.
‘I realise too that he hasn’t been willing to negotiate a compromise on a number of occasions in the past – including when the club was last in administration.
‘I understand why nobody wants to lose money – whether they are players or the club’s other creditors. Tal Ben Haim is not alone here.’
The likes of Greg Halford, David Norris, Erik Huseklepp and Dave Kitson have sacrificed money owed to them by leaving Pompey in recent weeks. And Birch also pointed to the local businesses and non-football creditors who have effectively written off the debts to try to keep Pompey afloat.
He said: ‘Many of his (Ben Haim’s) former team-mates were in the same situation, yet made big sacrifices and showed the club is more important than any individual.
‘Many non-football creditors, some small local businesses, have also told me that they’d be willing to take a personal financial hit in order to keep the club going.
‘And then there’s the pain felt by the club’s employees who lost their jobs or took pay cuts earlier in the year.
‘If we all keep that in mind over the next couple of days then there is hope that the club may survive.’
Albion Dan
Banned
He has a point on that one. I guarantee Birch has taken well in excess of the 300k out of the club for his services.
Papa Lazarou
Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
Of course he won't - it's ok to expect a footballer to waive a couple of million pounds, but he's a professional... why should HE lose out, eh?
Icy Gull
Back on the rollercoaster
- Jul 5, 2003
- 72,015
Now would seems a good time for Tal Ben Haim to ask him
Birch really does come over as an odious twat.
severnside gull
Well-known member
Perhaps we should start a campaign via the media 
Papa Lazarou
Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
Perhaps we should start a campaign via the media
Brilliant idea - if only the PFC fans had thought of that, 1,2 or 4 years ago.
Pinkie Brown
Wir Sind das Volk
Did those people really have a choice?
severnside gull
Well-known member
All the Portsmouth fans need to do now is get the challenge that Ben Haim has laid down to Birch trending worldwide on Twitter and he will have very little choice but to back down to save face They call themselves the best fans in the world so will they be arsed to start a twitter campaign. Will they f***......................................
Not Andy Naylor
Well-known member
I don't see why Birch should give up a penny.
He was appointed as an administrator after the club got into its latest difficulties, and seems to have done his job as well as possible by sorting two possible sales, both contingent on ridding the club of unsustainable contracts.
Ben Haim and the others, meanwhile, aren't exactly on the breadline, and you could say that since Portsmouth have been relegated twice while he has been there, TBH hasn't done anywhere near as good a job as Birch. Pini Zahavi, his agent, knows that he has to screw as much as he can out of the remains of Portsmouth because there's no chance of his client getting anything like that sort of contract again.
If you disagree, ask yourself this - if Ben Haim walked away tomorrow, how much of a difference would it make to the club? None. If Birch walked? Probably liquidation.
severnside gull
Well-known member
Noticeable that the local press have once again allowed Birch to respond without any challenge. He hasn't been asked the question by the press "will you waive any part of your fee?" - not even forced to offer up a "no comment".
Seagull over Canaryland
Well-known member
Birch is in a no win situation. Even though he is not an employee he is having to be the visible face of the Club to the fans and media so an obvious target for their bile yet he is an outsider with an unenviable and almost impossible task ie to take a financially and morally bankrupt company with disproportionate liabilities verses assets and some how make it into a viable business proposition for potential buyers. The proverbial sows ear into a silk purse.
I agree - why should Birch waive his own fees? He is a professional administrator, he didn't create the mess that put Pompey into administration. How would his clients ever learn their lesson or accept responsibility for their actions if they know their own administrator will bail them out of his/her own pocket? If Birch can find a succesful buyer then he deserves every penny of his fee, plus more for the abuse he has had to endure. OK he hasn't done himself any favours with some his media stuff but Pompey would already be history if he chose to walk away so the fans would do well not to demonise Birch any further. The fans themselves could have been far more proactive in setting up their Trust and might not be having to make such derisory offers to Chainrai.
I agree - why should Birch waive his own fees? He is a professional administrator, he didn't create the mess that put Pompey into administration. How would his clients ever learn their lesson or accept responsibility for their actions if they know their own administrator will bail them out of his/her own pocket? If Birch can find a succesful buyer then he deserves every penny of his fee, plus more for the abuse he has had to endure. OK he hasn't done himself any favours with some his media stuff but Pompey would already be history if he chose to walk away so the fans would do well not to demonise Birch any further. The fans themselves could have been far more proactive in setting up their Trust and might not be having to make such derisory offers to Chainrai.
Seasidesage
New member
If they do go to the wall, it will be a once in a lifetime chance to get back those areas of West Sussex, Chichester, Bognor etc that have become Pompey heartlands. I would like to think the club are already working on boosting their profile in those areas. Trouble is where would we find room for another 5k of supporters every week?
I agree, really. He shouldn't have to. He's not an employee of a failed company whereas Ben Haim is.
seagullsovergrimsby
#cpfctinpotclub
TBF , Birch has to think about his future career and pension , if he said he was prepared to waive part of his or the administrators fee as a compromise to settle with Tal Ben Haim he would be setting a precedent leading to him collecting his P45.
seagullsovergrimsby
#cpfctinpotclub
TBH and Birch are now in a Mexican stand-off. I think the Friday deadline is going to be extended if the City Council agrees to the short term loan to PST.