Liverpool FC Forum

[metalhead]

Liverpool sponsor wants club to buy Asian stars
Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish
Liverpool's sponsor wants Kenny Dalglish to stay as permanent boss

Liverpool's sponsor wants the club to sign Asian stars to help tap into commercial opportunities in the region.

Standard Chartered sponsorship chief Gavin Laws cited Manchester United's signing of Park Ji-sung as an example of connecting with the Asian market.

"The real power Liverpool could do for us, and for the Premier League, is if there was a way they could nurture foreign players from Asia," said Laws.

He added that the bank wanted Kenny Dalglish to stay as Liverpool boss.

"I'd like to see Kenny as the long term manager - I'm sure the club would," commented Laws.

"They are going to be talking to him if they aren't talking to him already.

"The Kenny magic is all around the world, everybody believes Kenny can take the club [forward] and that means they stay focused and that means they stay in the newspapers around the world... we are looking for brand awareness."

Liverpool signed an £80m, four-year shirt sponsorship deal with Standard Chartered in September 2009.

And while the company is based in London, much of its income comes from the Asian market.

Speaking at the SoccerEx conference in Manchester, Laws added: "The markets in Asia and the Middle East are so nationalistic, they are very proud about their countries.

"One appearance from a player, say from Dubai in the Premier League, and you'd have the whole of Dubai watching it."

I would have thought that Liverpool have had more exposure around the world this season than anybody else


Laws felt that the exposure would be commercially beneficial to his company as well as to Liverpool.

He continued: "You see what Park Ji-sung does for Manchester United."

Liverpool are unlikely to finish in the top four and so are set to miss out on the riches of the Champions League for a second successive season - however, they could still qualify for the Europa League.

With eight more matches remaining this season, Dalglish and his men find themselves sixth in the Premier League, four points adrift of fifth-place Tottenham, having played one game more, and eight behind Manchester City in fourth.

However, Laws thought it was "not that important" if Liverpool once again miss out on a place in European club football's most prestigious competition because matches are played when the bank's target audience in Asia is asleep.

He also said that the club's struggles on and off the pitch this season had actually benefited his company.

"I would have thought that Liverpool have had more exposure around the world this season than anybody else......without the turmoil at the club there wouldn't have been [the publicity]," he said.

"They are a mid-table team with an outside chance of getting into the Europa League again."

Source

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John Henry and co should terminate the Standard Charter deal and tell them to do one

This just p!ssed off my evening

[Greavesie]

erm...since when did sponsors have a say in matters such as this? last time I checked our first team was in dying need of a change nevermind signing young foreign players...bellend

[metalhead]

Greavsie.. this ticked me off

"They are a mid-table team with an outside chance of getting into the Europa League again."



I hope Comolli and Kenny ignore those bunch of f*ck wits and continue on with their job

[Greavesie]

And while the company is based in London, much of its income comes from the Asian market.

they're just being w@nkers mate, they want it to look like they're connecting with someone who's into the Asian market because that's where their business comes from.

Well they should have thought about that before they put £80m on the table

[metalhead]

I might have overreacted, but we are talking about Standard Chartered and whats more important to them is business, they don't care about the footballing stuff, Gavin Laws even stated that he doesn't care if Liverpool doesn't do well because us as a club are still commercially strong.

They shouldn't have a matter to say in this, FSG, Comolli and Kenny are the ones in charge

[Greavesie]

he shouldnt be trying to influence on field affairs, and thats what hes doing. He shoudlnt have said anything

[ethanr]

They bit about our club having major issues has helped them because the attention.. little feck.

Tho I have had similar thoughts about signing an asian player, really Honda is the only one I could find worthy.  It's true that it would help us promote the football club in the Asian market like mad.  We'd make back his purchase price in shirt sales within the first year, no doubt about it.

[The Good Yank]

They bit about our club having major issues has helped them because the attention.. little feck.

That's the part that annoyed me most too.  terrible to have said that. 

MH, I don't think you over reacted mate, I felt the same way.

[Kharhaz]

As far as im concerned they can say what the bloody hell they like, as long as the cash keeps coming they can say the sky is green and grass is blue !

Money talks and thats what matters. Lets be honest, who really is going to take any notice of there opinions?

[SouthCoastShankly]

Tell them to stump up the cash and some more towards the transfer pot. I'd sign an Asian kiddie if it meant 15m a year extra money from the far east. Simple economics.

[Reg]

I agree with him 101%.  Now lets get out there and find a player good enough.

[Kenny Kan]

Shocking!

We're here to play football, not to bow down to some Asian sponsor.

[The Good Yank]

Shocking!

We're here to play football, not to bow down to some Asian sponsor.

That's the point isn't it.  Sure we'll sign an Asian player, if there is an Asian player that fits the team needs and makes sense within the club, but not just for the sake of pleasing the shirt sponsor.

[Kenny Kan]

Shocking!

We're here to play football, not to bow down to some Asian sponsor.

That's the point isn't it.  Sure we'll sign an Asian player, if there is an Asian player that fits the team needs and makes sense within the club, but not just for the sake of pleasing the shirt sponsor.

Exactly.

[RedSi35]

Ha. The banks trying to tell the club what to do again.

Its a timewarp baby