So Kenny Huang has taken his bat and ball home. He fell at the first hurdle. Well I'd rather he fell at the first than at the last like George Gillett and Tom Hicks did. All that crap about what he was going to do. We all welcomed his words but they were just that, words. We wanted to believe but that's because we're all desperate. Thankfully Martin Broughton isn't.

There is nothing to suggest that Huang was telling porkies or wouldn't deliver. He could have been the best potential new owner out there but equally he could have been the worst. I loved all the stuff his camp were saying but there was something that concerned me and that was the fact that from day one he played his takeover bid out in the press. This is a bad sign and usually a sign of weakness and someone who can't be taken seriously. You shouldn't hear from any bidder who is trying to buy in - that's my opinion.

And besides, who really believes that any serious bidder would just walk away sulking? He'll be back if there's an opportunity. It's all a load of bollocks. 

What's more alarming about this situation his how some supporters read an article in The Guardian claiming that Broughton is responsible for upsetting Huang and they immediately take it as gospel. There was no quotes from Huang but even if there had been, so what? I trust Broughton, I really do. I reserved my opinion on him at the start but knowing what I do now, I know he's a good guy. I also believe that Christian Purslow is a good guy and this is why I have distanced myself from those who want to discredit him.

There isn't a journalist in the country that knows what's really going on. All they can do is write based on what they are fed by people like Huang. Sadly, if they like what they're fed, they start to place trust in the source and write as if what they are told is fact. I have been guilty of this in the past myself.

It is my job to follow what the papers are saying and to try and identify a pattern. The Guardian and The Times have surprised me of late. Both papers have been mischievous in my opinion, especially The Times. I know who's feeding The Times info and they've been had so many times this summer. I started to place a lot of faith in The Times but I started to question them when they'd say one thing on talkSPORT radio but then put something else in print or not in print at all. Why? I was told that they were planning on "outing" Christian Purslow "the minute Roy Hodgson is confirmed as manager". It didn't happen and it's never going to because it was all bullshit.

I've fallen back to following just 2 hacks when it comes to Liverpool FC and that's Chris Bascombe and David Maddock, both for very different reasons. I will of course read what other journos say but it's funny that in the 12 years I've run KOPTALK, it's the same 2 journos that I look out for, even though I have been critical of them at times in the past.

When Bascombe worked for the local press on Merseyside he was worshipped but when he furthered his career by moving to the News of the World, he was suddenly the anti-Christ. Putting the politics to one side, you don't become bad overnight and I believe he has some contacts worth paying attention to. The same with Maddock. If anything, I'd say Maddock is the main one to follow just now. Now of course you have to take into consideration that sometimes a hack can be fed spin but if you just read and digest, over time you will see who's worth listening to and who's just in someone's pocket. There are other hacks I like, Patrick Barclay and Henry Winter for example, but Bascombe and Maddock tend to focus exclusively on Anfield.

The Guardian seems desperate to publish anything about the takeover situation while The Times are a little misled. Both though continue to be good reads but if you're picky like me, you expect better at times. Let's hope they up their game over the coming months.

There is far too much scaremongering just now by both the media and some of the smaller LFC fans site. I could publish an editorial about what my sources are saying but what's the point? I don't want to even discuss it all to be honest but what I will say is this. I trust Martin Broughton and I trust those who work alongside him. I laugh my arse of when people claim that Huang was the only one who was interested in buying the club and I ignore the majority of newspaper reports that touch on the matter every day. I'm happy and I'm relaxed.

I asked a question about something I read in a newspaper recently. This senior Liverpool FC figure replied by email with just one sentence: "Duncan, you should know better than that!". Basically this source was saying, ignore what the press are saying and when we have something to say, we'll say it.

I don't care if it takes all season to secure new owners. Of course I want new owners but decisions made under pressure could be disastrous. Just let Broughton do his job. Stop demanding statements and answers. We have no right to know anything that's happening just now. It is not up to the club to provide a running commentary or to respond to speculation.

One way or another it will be sorted and if it isn't, I will personally torch every RBS branch in the country and take out Gillett and Hicks myself.

Just try and enjoy the football. Man up and realise that the bumpy ride is going to continue for some time.

YNWA

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Duncan Oldham
KopTalk Editor