Friday, October 23, 2009

Christian Purslow: No Better Club To Support Than Liverpool


As I sit and wait my turn to speak to the man appointed to replace Rick Parry at Anfield, two fellow journalists look at each other and say: “He’s good, he’s bloody good,” before looking at me with crumpled smiles insinuating I’d have a job on my hands getting Liverpool's managing director to say something dramatic.

I, however, was looking at the situation pragmatically.

When I eventually get round to speaking to him, Christian Purslow maintains he is in the job because of his business credentials. He is, after all, the man who founded the successful Mid Ocean Partners group, an international private equity firm.

The Harvard Business School graduate insists he is determined to drive the club he has supported since boyhood into a new era of success despite the off-field problems.

“I’m enjoying my work immensely,” Purslow tells Goal.com UK.

“I am incredibly proud and honoured to be the custodian of the football club that my grandparents and my dad and I have been fans of. My children are also Liverpool fans.”

It comes as no surprise when Purslow suggests Rafael Benitez’s side must improve on the pitch in order to sustain the club’s global appeal, with particular emphasis on the Asian and Middle Eastern markets.

He says: “I’d like to think I’ve got the credentials to move the club forward. The stronger we are off the park the more resources we can invest in the success of the club on the pitch. The two are completely interlinked and success on the pitch is absolutely vital.

“What I found when I started work here was a tremendous team of people in terms of the business side of Liverpool Football Club, and Ian Ayre’s excellent commercial team will continue to work hard and attract the right partners to move the club forward.”
Purslow explains how everyone associated with the club was astonished with the loyalty displayed by overseas fans during Liverpool’s recent tour of Asia.

The Londoner was particularly impressed with the manner in which the players were received by supporters during official club events and at packed stadiums.

“We are very well represented in Asia, more so than any other club. Our fans in Asia showed they are a fantastic group of people, incredibly positive, incredibly motivated with a sense of purpose, and most of all a sense of pride," he says.

When asked if Liverpool have more Asian fans than the likes of Manchester United, who have also aggressively targeted the Asian market over the years, Purslow retorts: “What better club is there in the world to support than Liverpool Football Club?

“Fans throughout the world have been supporting us for many years. Our history and tradition speaks for itself. Our fans make Anfield a very special place week in, week out, and that is part of the reason why we have so many Asian visitors every year.”

Purslow cites Liverpool’s recent four-year sponsorship deal with Standard Charter Bank as a significant milestone in the club’s history. However, he expects a number of lucrative deals to be signed off in the future.

“Defying conventional wisdom about where the economy is generally, we have one of the most successful shirt sponsorship deals done anywhere in the world," he continues.

"Standard Chartered has a great history, a really good fit culturally and they are a fantastically well run company. They have done very well during well the financial crisis. We feel nothing other than a sense of pride.

“Rest assured my commercial team will continue to work hard and grind out results. Liverpool Football Club is a fantastic club with great tradition and history. I can assure the fans we are all working very hard.”

Looking back at the journalists who were sat in front of me saying “He’s good, he’s bloody good,” I’m inclined to agree.

1 comment:

mcdonaldtaf said...

Echoed my own thoughts re: success on and off the pitch. http://bit.ly/2oz9gP
I'd love to spend an afternoon with the club and see the inner workings!