Golden Soft Sombrero Moment with Rene Rivkin

Promoter:                               

Rivkin Entertainment

Event:                                     

Manchester United Tour of Australia 1999

Diegos Verdict:                      

Lame series. Beckham, Sir Alex and Harry didn’t turn up, Danny Tiatto started a fracas with the Red Devils and Andy Cole did a dance number on Simon Colosimo’s knee.

Aussie fans were duped once again and Rene’s worry beads took a hell of a rubbing.

Sadly ended his own life in 2005. Not sure whether working with Soccer Australia had anything to do with it….RIP Rene.

Some Golden Soft Sombrero Moments with Rene Rivkin

Rivkin on the excitement of Manchester United…

Diegos: "Congratulations on undertaking the exciting initiative of bringing the world renowned Manchester United to Australia in July.

After they pulled off the magnificent treble in the Champions league final against Bayern Munich in the early hours of Thursday morning a couple of weeks ago, what was your reaction - did you dance around in your pyjamas like the Diegos did?"

Rivkin: “I must admit I’m not a very good dancer but if I could dance I certainly would have. It was an unbelievable game. I’ve always regarded myself as one of luckiest businessmen this country has ever seen, so the end result, I suppose, fits in with my luck.”

Soft Sombrero Moment June 1999

Rivkin on Manchester United’s treble win…

Diegos: "After the great win by Manchester United the resultant frenzy to buy tickets was eloquently described by Rivkin Group Managing Director, Dominic Galati as 'The Punters going berserk!'

We know you invested $8 million on the tour purely for the love of it but are you that little bit more excited now than prior to the Red Devils big treble win?

Rivkin: “Did Domenic actually say ‘for the love of it?’ I’d imagine that that is something that the Diegos have invented. Of course I’m much more excited now. I think the game is going to be a fantastic match. I just hope Australia fields the best team that it possibly can and I’m told that they will because it is in the contract.”

Soft Sombrero Moment June 1999

Rivkin on investing in Aussie soccer…

Diegos: "We've heard a rumour that in your spare time you like to dabble a little on the stock market.  The Diegos too, like to buy low and sell high and it seems there are big money consortiums all around Australia trying to do the same with Aussie soccer. 

You've invested heavily in the upcoming Manchester United tour.  What is it about Aussie Soccer that makes you confident that it's money well spent?"

Rivkin:  “If you’re asking about the Manchester United game the answer is yes because we have already sold enough tickets to make a profit. Therefore I’m very confident that it is money well spent, the proof being the money currently lying in the bank.

As far as investing in the game generally in Australia, I believe soccer has a great future but having said that, it’s had a great future for quite a long time with its potential never really realized. I firmly believe that if organizations like Left Field Solutions, who promoted the Socceroos against the World All Stars, and the Rivkin Group, who is bringing out Manchester United, can continue to back such tours then I think that it will increase the interest that Australians have in soccer.

It’s very interesting that tickets can sell out for major international games yet in the national league some of the crowd attendances are pathetic. One of the major problems is that there are still a number of teams in the league that continue to have strong ethnic ties. 

I can understand why this is so but it makes it a very political game whereas Rugby league or AFL is more linked to regional areas so the nature of barracking is very different. It has been improving over the years but has not clearly reached the ideal level yet. I believe however, that soccer in the next ten years will really grow fast.”

Soft Sombrero Moment June 1999

Rivkin on thrilling the Aussie public…

Diegos: "Iran V Australia and the Perth Glory finals attendance's are proof that providing a big game of soccer that showcases the very best will guarantee to put a snap in the shorts of even the most cynical Aussie sports lover. 

Was Manchester United approached because they are guaranteed to excite the Aussie public?"

Rivkin: “I brought out the Brazilian Olympic team to play the Olyroos last year. That series was modestly profitable so this time I certainly wasn’t going to bring out a team that I thought wasn’t going to be a smashing winner.

The fact that I was able to get Manchester United was fantastic because as a kid I used to like soccer very much and the Red Devils were my favorite team. Everyone loves them at the moment so that’s why they are such a good choice. The fact that they recently clinched the treble is a huge bonus.

If the Aussies field their best team it will be a fantastic game and even if they don’t, it’ll still be a wonderful game to watch but it will be more of an exhibition.

Where the Socceroos V All Stars was clearly an exhibition game, our game features a established world class team with an enormous reputation to uphold and that’s why there will be more of an edge to the game.”

Soft Sombrero Moment June 1999

Rivkin on the Man U players…

Diegos: "Which Manchester United players are you especially looking forward to seeing?"

Rivkin: “I especially want to see David Beckham. He should be here because it is written in the contract.”

Diegos: “Is his wife, Posh Spice in the contract too?”

Rivkin: “Unfortunately she’s not in the contract.”

Soft Sombrero Moment June 1999

Rivkin the athlete…

Diegos: “The Diegos personal broker, Gordon Gecko Diego, tells us that you are somewhat of a finely tuned share market athlete.

What about your prowess on the sport’s field as a young kid?”

Rivkin: “You’ve obviously never seen me. I was 125kg’s when I was 16 years old and to my knowledge, you very rarely find junior soccer champions that weigh that much.”

Diegos: “If your coach had any foresight at all he could've moulded you into an excellent 'There's no way through- He's just too big!' goalkeeper.”

Rivkin: “I wasn’t that wide!”

Soft Sombrero Moment June 1999

Rivkin talking soccer with business and political heavyweights of the world…

Diegos: "In Diego's Soccer/ Business parlance, you were a member of the 'World Masters of Business Conference' back four - which includes 'Stormin Norman' Schwazkopf, Al 'Chainsaw' Dunlap, and Mikhail ‘Gorby’ Gorbachev. 

When you scrubbed each others backs in the showers after a hectic conference day, do you ever talk soccer?"

Rivkin:  “No, no…in short definitely not! We spoke of things that we all knew about. With Norman Schwazkopf, I spoke about the Gulf war and American politics. I must say I was fascinated about the stuff he told me. He for example, told me about the time that both Bill Clinton and one of his opponents, Ross Perot had approached him to be their vice president at the same time. In the showers there wasn’t much soccer talk unfortunately.”

Diegos: "It seems that to hang around such company you need a catchy nickname. The Diegos believe for you to really establish a 'soul - brother' type affinity with Manchester United, you should go for something like Rene 'Red Devil' Rivkin. What's your view?"

Rivkin:  “Even though I’m a high profile Sydney identity, if the nickname like that earns me substantial dollars, you can call me anything you like.”

Soft Sombrero Moment June 1999

Rivkin on advice to Sir Alex…

Diegos: "You are regarded as a master strategist in the stock market and Manchester United manager, the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson is regarded as a master strategist on the soccer field. 

Any chance that, over a quiet cognac or two, you'll slip him a few tips on how he should coach his team?"

Rivkin:  “No, No I believe you stick to what you know best. I’II stick to the stock market and he’ll stick to the coaching.”

Soft Sombrero Moment June 1999

Rivkin on investing in sports clubs…

Diegos: "Many big clubs around the world are now being floated on the stock market - Lazio (Italy), Newcastle United and of course, Manchester United (in the UK) to name just a few. 

Do you believe that investing in sporting clubs on the stock market will be a big thing in the future?"

Rivkin:  “I think it will be a thing of the future. I attempted to buy the Sydney Olympic Soccer Club about 18 months ago but lost out to another syndicate.

The only reason I believe I didn’t succeed, even though I won the first vote hands down, was because I didn’t have any existing cultural ties to the club. That in a nutshell, in my opinion, is the problem with Australian soccer.

The Olympic members deemed through their vote that the club had to be run by people who possessed the same cultural roots that the club was founded on. I had plans to build it as a business and then float it on the stock market.

That hasn’t come through and at this stage; I’ve given up on that idea. That’s not to say that I won’t renew that prospect in the next couple of years, if my perception is right that soccer will become better managed therefore making it a much bigger game than it is now. I don’t think the way things are done now, allows the game to flourish as it should.”

Soft Sombrero Moment June 1999

Rivkin’s Heart balm…

Diegos: "Your uncanny ability to pick trends well before they occur makes you a perfect candidate for the Four Diegos Heart Balm Quiz where we would like you to give your brief inner most heart felt predictions on the following questions:

Will the Socceroos beat Manchester United in June?

Rivkin: “Unfortunately no…..the score line 2-1 result ”

Diegos: "Will Posh Spice and the Spice girls serenade you to sleep one night?"

Rivkin: “I can answer that with 100% certainty, unfortunately the answer is no!”

Diegos: “Will the Four Diegos' investment in Beta video recorders boom one day?"

Rivkin: “I’m sorry to say guys…..but no.”

Soft Sombrero Moment June 1999