If you can't join them, beat them seems to be the order of the day for potential West Ham buy out group PAI. Having had their 1st offer firmly rebuffed by David Sullivan, the investment group vowed not to give up in their pursuit and have just fired their 2nd shot across the bows by doing a bit of a 'switcheroo'. A term usually associated with Formula 1 driving, but one that ideally describes PAI's actions by going public with the next part of their PR exercise, one that shows a complete change of tack.
By 'going behind the club's back', the suitors have been able to beat a clear path to the LLDC, an organisation that is incredibly desperate to get rid of their embarrassing White Elephant and would negotiate with Beelzebub himself in order to get shot of their financial millstone.
By negotiating with the LLDC, the PAI group hope to short circuit the situation by offering live money for dead assets, an accountants dream! In doing so they hope to put Hammers current owners on to the back foot, but they must be aware that the 'rental deal' done by Lady Brady is pretty airtight and as such cannot be undone.
By providing what is known as 'value added' in accountancy terms to the LLDC, they will hope to garner favour for their redevelopment proposals, some of which include upmarket real estate developments which we be an essential part of their business plan.
Below is a cut and paste of their statement, one point a reader just mentioned to us is "what are PAI going to do with the massive great beach ball that the LLDC have approved, a structure that will blight the skyline and dwarf all the other buildings?" It could be one of the many questions they will have to field if their bid is to progress further, it will be a rocky road.
You can guarantee that PAI's statement will be dissected by the West Ham PR machine, they will say there is no real substance to the statement and dismiss it as no more than people trying to take a financial punt claiming to be fans, sounds familiar? - Ed
