Fale ready to walk

Hawaiian businessman Richard Fale has revealed he’s only still in negotiations to buy the Warriors because he couldn’t get a flight out of Auckland yesterday.

On Wednesday negotiations between current owner Eric Watson’s Cullen Investments and the Fale-led consortium almost broke down completely.

Fale claims the price for the NRL club unexpectedly jumped up, to what is believed to be from $22 million to $24m.

Speaking to Stuff yesterday, Fale said they refused to accept the negotiating tactics of the sellers and were prepared to walk away, as a matter of principle.

‘‘I feel like when we went in and had this discussion they thought we had a bunch of wealthy, brown athletes that we can do whatever we want with,’’ Fale said.

‘‘Even though we could afford to pay double what they’re asking, as a matter of values and principles, we’re not going to allow ourselves to get walked over.’’

Other potential buyers of the club have been unhappy with the negotiating tactics of the current owner.

Paul Davys, the original bidder, pulled out because of what he claimed was ‘‘a confusing process’’.

‘‘I was given every indication that my offer was accepted subject to due diligence, only to find the process being handled more like a tender.’’

The Waipareira Trust also withdrew because they were unhappy with how negotiations were being done.