Many Liverpool fans have voiced their unhappiness with a claim from Scottish billionaire Jim McColl that the club’s owners Fenway Sports Group (FSG) recently approached him about a potential takeover of Rangers.
The businessman, who was part of a consortium that tried to purchase the Ibrox club in 2012, told Glasgow Times [via Liverpool Echo] that he had been contacted by FSG about a possible takeover of the 54-time Scottish champions and using Moneyball techniques to resurrect their fortunes. Details of the story were shared on Twitter by @LFCTransferRoom.
Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group are said to be interested in investing in Scottish side Rangers. Multimillionaire businessman Jim McColl has claimed FSG recently contacted him to see if he’d be interested in teaming up, taking over Rangers. [@LivEchoLFC] pic.twitter.com/xcwbdWPFdZ
— LFC Transfer Room (@LFCTransferRoom) March 29, 2020
According to Glasgow Times, FSG co-founder John Henry is fascinated by Moneyball, the story of how Billie Beane used statistical formulae to identify undervalued players he wanted to recruit for baseball team Oakland Raiders, and hired the concept’s creator Bill James for the Boston Red Sox, the team owned by FSG. Liverpool have used a similar buying strategy since Michael Edwards became sporting director in 2016.
Although Liverpool and Rangers have a connection through the latter being managed by ex-Reds captain Steven Gerrard, the Merseysiders perhaps have stronger links with another Glasgow-based club in Celtic, whose supporters also sing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ and who played Liverpool in a Hillsborough memorial match two weeks after the tragedy in 1989. These Reds fans on Twitter weren’t happy to hear of FSG’s reported interest in a possible Rangers takeover:
I hate anything to do with Rangers this makes me vomit
— Aaron Jackson (@aaronjacko) March 29, 2020
How tone deaf is this. The club clearly has connections with Celtic!
— Ryan (@noryanorreason) March 29, 2020
For many reasons I hope this is fake news!!
— Klopp 9.10.15 ???????????? (@JamieHowie2) March 29, 2020
Please don’t FSG. No to Sevco
— Ian O’Callaghan (@ianocal1) March 29, 2020
Nah this is just horrible. No. Just no. Terrible, terrible move.
— Amiyra #GTTO (@AmiyraBader) March 29, 2020
Oh god. That just made throw up a bit in my mouth…
— Keith Devlin (@Keefdevlin) March 29, 2020
Liverpool fans, would you be bothered by FSG potentially getting involved with Rangers? Have your say by commenting below!
