Markus had an estimated fortune of 3bn when he died, bequeathing Katharina not only his companies and wealth but a football club to which she has little connection save for the cranes in the harbour that carry her family name. Let's face it, all the top teams are owned by foreign investors! Read about our approach to external linking. Southampton executive chairman Nicola Cortese Chairman Nicola Cortese could leave Southampton over divisions with the club's owner, Katharina Liebherr. Most recently, Kraft spent 10 years at KKR where he was a Partner and head of the Technology and Telecoms team in Europe, playing leading roles in investments including TDC, Versatel, Visma and United Group. 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Dragan Solak, the businessman behind cable-TV operator United Group, has bought Southampton from Gao Jisheng; Sport Republic acquire 80 per cent controlling stake as Katharina Liebherr. We are delighted to be able to complete this acquisition as a first step towards execution of our investment strategy. We have found partners with ambition for the future, but with a clear understanding of what Southampton stands for and the direction we must go in now. 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Chairman: Ralph Krueger. overcame a ten-point deduction for going into administration to mount a late challenge for the play-offs, missing out by seven points. He was the son of the late Hans Liebherr, who started the company Liebherr, one of the world's leading manufacturers of construction machinery, set up over 60 years ago in Germany. ARGENTINA star Lionel Messi has said futsal really helped me become who I am today and River Plate are typical of pro clubs in the country in having a futsal division. Meanwhile, fans are just cannon-fodder in the financial merry-go-round. We cant wait to get started and be part of the future of Sport Republic.. We have a fantastic staff and everyone is working together to make sure the club ends the season as strongly as possible. Was Head of Analysis at Bristol City for seven years before joining Saints in January 2021. Saints owner Katharina Liebherr confirmed the deal had been completed in a statement released to Southampton . Watch the manager speak ahead of Wednesday's cup clash. Joined from Birmingham City in March 2018 and promoted to the first team in October 2021. We use cookies to optimise website functionality and give you the best possible experience. SOUTHAMPTON have rejected a 180million bid for the club from a Chinese party - with the bid reportedly 90m SHORT of their asking price. The most recent results for the holding company DMWSL 613, for which Cortese is listed as the only director, detail the spending for the year to June 2012, the season in which Southampton were promoted back to the Premier League. However, he's peeing in the wind until world football gets together and puts a strict ban on a) transfer fees b) agents' fees and c) salaries.Without such leadership from the authorities, such outgoings will continue to spiral until the game is bankrupt. The Markus Liebherr Pavilion officially opens its doors today, and is the focal point of the Staplewood Football Development & Support Centre - a top-class training facility designed to continue the club . "It's shown from the financial perspective," added Rogers. Will she sell the club or keep the status quo? The Saints are enjoying their most successful Premier League season and are on course to secure European football, despite having sold the likes of Adam Lallana, Calum Chambers, Luke Shaw, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren. No English owners, no English managers and no English players. Sport Republic is being built to provide a network of people, clubs, and technology that allows the clubs within it to grow every day and gain the advantages you need to be successful. Also his siblings Hubert, Willi and Isolde held shares of the company. Extended Highlights: Chelsea 0-1 Saints . Joined club in 2017 after five years with Reading. At the same time, we will also invest in early-stage sports technology companies and use our portfolio to accelerate the development of these companies. "Therefore she showed that commitment by adding an additional 20m to pay for things such as the legacy of the training ground, past transfer fees - all the things you cannot avoid.". The Chairman of Sport Republic, Henrik Kraft, added: We will be an active and engaged owner, but we will not be starting any revolutions. In January, Gao's company Lander Sports Development said a deal was agreed, but the takeover is now a personal investment. Southampton Football Club can today confirm that Sport Republic has completed the acquisition of a controlling stake in Southampton Football Club. The subsequent success of Cortese's bold decisions to dispense with first Alan Pardew and then Nigel Adkins, together with the continued success of Southampton's feted academy, fed Cortese's belief in his "project". The Swiss newspaper Der Bund said that while Mali initially said that Katharina would continue her father's work, "it has become increasingly clear in recent months that Mali can't sort out thesuccessorship". Played in the lower leagues before starting his coaching journey at Watford's Academy. Experienced practitioner. From the beginning, Cortese was more than your average club chief executive. Which teams are in which group?Group AEngland, Austria, Norway, Northern IrelandGroup BGermany, Denmark, Spain, FinlandGroup CNetherlands, Sweden, Russia, SwitzerlandGroup DFrance, Italy, Belgium, Iceland. "It is a real privilege and an honour to be confirmed as chief executive officer of Southampton Football Club," said Rogers. The acquisition of Southampton is a great first step and we are very excited about the journey ahead.. who were bought for 628m earlier this year. Has already worked for 11 clubs in six different countries. "Please understand that I can only make limited comments regarding this process but I can assure you that any steps we do take will be in the best interests of the club. I am honoured and humbled to become a partner of Southampton Football Club alongside Katharina Liebherr, who, together with her father, has been such a great steward of the club, its growth and success. They are also involved in the leasing, development and distribution of sports. If you look at the infrastructure off the pitch we believe it's the best in British football. History tells us that when everything in your nation is owned by foreigners, you have been conquered. Lander Holding announced its intention to buy a stake in . They have purchased the shareholding of the club held by Mr Gao and will work in partnership with Katharina Liebherr who retains her minority shareholding. In her letter, Liebherr makes clear that she IS looking for a cash injection into the club, that has had its own fair share of financial problems over the years. Under olak's stewardship, United Group has grown from a green field investment in a cable operator in Central Serbia to become a leader in Southeast Europe in telecommunication and media sectors. Southampton owner Katharina Liebherr has strengthened her commitment to the club with an additional 20m loan. Day to day this investment is not set to create upheaval at the club; the current board and management at Southampton will continue to run the club and I do not expect Saints to veer far from the path they have been on. Joined the club's Academy in February 2019, having previously worked in rugby union. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Additional reporting by Philip Oltermann in Berlin. Today we welcome a new beginning with a new ownership group. Chinese companies have previously invested in Manchester City and West Brom, and according to Reuters, they are a property company based in China, who have principally engaged in property development and distribution. Our ambition is to build a portfolio of high-influence stakes in football clubs and other sporting assets across the world. Sounds like a takeover to me! This follows the resignation of Nicola Cortese. The group's website says: "Our ideology is dealing with the development of leading-edge products oriented at the market that follow technologically new ways and show ecologically a large potential. 275 Brger. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Owner Katharina Liebherr and the club want 270m for the South Coast club, with the heiress referring to a "potential partnership" in a statement to fans yesterday. "I am writing to you in relation to an announcement made in China today about Southampton Football Club and Lander Holding," she said in a statement. She is not super wealthy and fans can not expect her to compete with the top clubs; so we have to hope she has done the best she can for the club, in this 'partnership' with people she knows well. "She had decisions to make in the summer. S outhampton fans desperately scouring the internet for information on Katharina Liebherr, the little-known figure who is now owner and chair of their club after the sudden departure of. Founded by Henrik Kraft and Rasmus Ankersen and backed by Lead Investor Dragan olak, Sport Republics vision is to apply proprietary intelligence and data analytics to help sports businesses and sports technology companies reach their full potential. EVAN FERGUSON and Andy Moran both joined Brighton's Academy at the age of 16 from clubs in the League of Ireland. He was a Swiss entrepreneur and owner of MALI International AG, which he founded in 1994.[3]. Updates from Tuesday, Jan. 21. Southampton fans, cheered in recent seasons by successive promotions and the pleasing style of football employed by Adkins and Pochettino as they plotted a course to a permanent position among the elite, would be concerned at the prospect of being pitched back into the game of Russian roulette that new ownership hasbecome. That combination is very hard to find, and we are thrilled to have reached an agreement that secures our short and long-term future. Everything you need to know to make sure you never miss a moment. "Therefore, are we ready for European football? Owner Katharina Liebherr and the club want 270m for Has been working as a consultant at the club for two decades. He bought the club for just 14m in 2009 after they were placed into administration. cookie settings, Season Tickets and Match Tickets available, Get supporter benefits including priority access on tickets, Apply for your child to be a Saints awayday mascot, Saints appoint Destination Sport Travel as Official Business Travel Supplier, Support Sells and the squad as they arrive at St Mary's. To see staff profiles for other clubs, click here. Having spent an estimated 75m on players over the past five years, and assuming she feels little of the emotional connection to the club that her father exhibited, she may well be pondering the risk/reward ratio of further investment. Gao spent around 210m acquiring the stake in the club, making the purchase from Katharina Liebherr, who inherited control of Saints from her late father, Markus, in 2010. "It really demonstrates her commitment to the club to a certain extent," Southampton chief executive Gareth Rogers told BBC Radio Solent. I am honoured and humbled to become a partner of Southampton Football Club alongside Katharina Liebherr, who, together . For more details of these cookies and how to disable them, Moved to St Mary's in 2014 from West Brom as Senior Physio. The former majority owner, Katharina Liebherr, retains her 20% stake and the chief executive, Martin Semmens, will remain in post and continue to oversee the daytoday running of the club. It has been won seven times by Germany, once by West Germany, twice by Norway and once each by Sweden and the Netherlands. Together we have had many years of progression and success, and ensuring this continues is the main focus of any possible partnership. The total amount he had paid has not been disclosed but it is believed to be around 1315 million. Joined from South African side Orlando Pirates in July 2019. Had previously worked with the Academy since 2015 and with Team Sky. 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