| Saudi Pro League 09:41 - Jun 20 with 2534 views | Pippin1970 |
How serious are fans or clubs taking it ? See they going for established players in the Premier League now. Do players go for huge pay day or stay in European football ? Obviously helps teams like Chelsea or Newcastle selling players not in first team for big money. |  | | |  |
| Saudi Pro League on 09:49 - Jun 20 with 2480 views | le2blue |
Clubs are taking it very $eriou$ly, quite a $urpri$e that Newca$tle, owned by $audi Arabia, are $elling players to $audi Arabia along with Chel$ea who are owned by a PE Firm who's investors include...$audi Arabia.
Tough one for the authorities to see through I guess. |  | | |
| Saudi Pro League on 09:53 - Jun 20 with 2447 views | hype313 |
| Saudi Pro League on 09:49 - Jun 20 by le2blue |
Clubs are taking it very $eriou$ly, quite a $urpri$e that Newca$tle, owned by $audi Arabia, are $elling players to $audi Arabia along with Chel$ea who are owned by a PE Firm who's investors include...$audi Arabia.
Tough one for the authorities to see through I guess. |
Chelsea, by the sounds of it, might not have to take any pain for their shocking year of machine-gunning money at the global transfer market.
Also — how can we be living in a world where the ownership group of Chelsea has substantial backing by a nation state — and also literally controls Newcastle United.
Not only did Chelsea botch their transfers, but they also added 30% to every other club’s transfer bill by offering up batsh1t crazy fees for players with 14 games’ worth of experience.
See Boxing, all the big fights are now in Jeopardy because they are only willing to fight in Saudi as that's where the big money is, the days of Wembley are over, why fight at Wembley for £10m when you can get £80m in Saudi? The issues now are that they hold all the cards.
It is absolutely nuts that sports is letting nation-states take over cultural treasures around the world. Is this it forever? Are we all just living in a petrodollar world? |  |
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| Saudi Pro League on 09:59 - Jun 20 with 2415 views | the_toff |
It's not much different to what happened with the MLS previously though is it? The thing that gets overlooked is just how culturally engrained football is in Europe and the deep rooted affection supporters have for their clubs, not their players. The worlds best could go and play in Saudi and chase a quick buck (not that they will, certainly not until they're at the ends of their career) and I still can't see a world where people are tuning in to watch it. You might convert those who follow from afar and have no real affinity to a club (eg. Asian market) and perhaps that's where a chunk of the money is, but it won't help replicate the atmosphere and cultural significance of football in countries like the UK, Spain and Germany. | | | |
| Saudi Pro League on 10:01 - Jun 20 with 2413 views | Bluefields |
| Saudi Pro League on 09:49 - Jun 20 by le2blue |
Clubs are taking it very $eriou$ly, quite a $urpri$e that Newca$tle, owned by $audi Arabia, are $elling players to $audi Arabia along with Chel$ea who are owned by a PE Firm who's investors include...$audi Arabia.
Tough one for the authorities to see through I guess. |
Are Newcastle selling players? I saw that Mendy & Kante were leaving Chelsea. They seem to be targeting both aging players and some in their prime now. | | | |
| Saudi Pro League on 10:11 - Jun 20 with 2355 views | J2BLUE |
I just don't understand it. What is the appeal? I know it's money but they are all on mega money already.
I just can't understand the logic. Maybe some of them are secretly giving a ton of it away and they see it as being able to do more good but for the others? At some point surely it becomes numbers on a screen?
The likes of Ronaldo and Benzema must have secured the futures of their great grandchildren's great grandchildren if managed wisely.
Make it make sense. |  |
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| Saudi Pro League on 10:27 - Jun 20 with 2290 views | SlippinJimmyJuan |
The saddest part of this is that these big names are almost certainly being brought in to be ambassadors for Saudi's 2030 World Cup bid. This bid is practically guaranteed to win as it stands. So not only will the 100th anniversary of the tournament not be played in South America as it probably should, but it will also be played at the wrong time of year.
...also the human rights abuses but clearly that doesn't matter anymore anyway so you will forgive me for leaving it out originally. [Post edited 20 Jun 2023 10:29]
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| Saudi Pro League on 10:28 - Jun 20 with 2267 views | Daninthecampo |
| Saudi Pro League on 10:11 - Jun 20 by J2BLUE |
I just don't understand it. What is the appeal? I know it's money but they are all on mega money already.
I just can't understand the logic. Maybe some of them are secretly giving a ton of it away and they see it as being able to do more good but for the others? At some point surely it becomes numbers on a screen?
The likes of Ronaldo and Benzema must have secured the futures of their great grandchildren's great grandchildren if managed wisely.
Make it make sense. |
None of it makes sense.
The top 4/ 5 clubs are now owned by the Government/ Newcastle owners ,so all this money is being spent to compete against themselves! They'll never generate money anywhere near what the outlay is , so its a completely unsustainable fabricated project/ hobby.
As you say these players are already rich enough why go play in a tinpot league where no-one would choose to live and where their wives/partners are treated so badly | | | |
| Saudi Pro League on 10:35 - Jun 20 with 2212 views | ElderGrizzly |
Players (the younger ones anyway), will go for 1 season, take the money and then demand a move back to Europe and will likely be loaned back.
Neves said he wanted to play in the Champions League for example. I could see a scenario where he stays in Saudi for 6 months/1 year and then heads to Newcastle given the shared interest from the owners. |  | | |
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| Saudi Pro League on 10:36 - Jun 20 with 2198 views | ElderGrizzly |
| Saudi Pro League on 10:11 - Jun 20 by J2BLUE |
I just don't understand it. What is the appeal? I know it's money but they are all on mega money already.
I just can't understand the logic. Maybe some of them are secretly giving a ton of it away and they see it as being able to do more good but for the others? At some point surely it becomes numbers on a screen?
The likes of Ronaldo and Benzema must have secured the futures of their great grandchildren's great grandchildren if managed wisely.
Make it make sense. |
The Saudis want the 2030 or 2034 World Cup. This is all part of that 'game'. | | | |
| Saudi Pro League on 10:37 - Jun 20 with 2193 views | Kieran_Knows |
| Saudi Pro League on 10:35 - Jun 20 by ElderGrizzly |
Players (the younger ones anyway), will go for 1 season, take the money and then demand a move back to Europe and will likely be loaned back.
Neves said he wanted to play in the Champions League for example. I could see a scenario where he stays in Saudi for 6 months/1 year and then heads to Newcastle given the shared interest from the owners. |
Be a work around just like Leicester/OH Leuven, City Group, Red Bull Group, etc etc. |  |
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| Saudi Pro League on 10:38 - Jun 20 with 2189 views | giant_stow |
| Saudi Pro League on 10:35 - Jun 20 by ElderGrizzly |
Players (the younger ones anyway), will go for 1 season, take the money and then demand a move back to Europe and will likely be loaned back.
Neves said he wanted to play in the Champions League for example. I could see a scenario where he stays in Saudi for 6 months/1 year and then heads to Newcastle given the shared interest from the owners. |
Dangerous game if thats his or anyone else's plan, they'd better be nice to the Saudis as they can afford to let him / others rot in the reserves just to spite them. |  |
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| Saudi Pro League on 10:53 - Jun 20 with 2146 views | itfcjoe |
| Saudi Pro League on 10:35 - Jun 20 by ElderGrizzly |
Players (the younger ones anyway), will go for 1 season, take the money and then demand a move back to Europe and will likely be loaned back.
Neves said he wanted to play in the Champions League for example. I could see a scenario where he stays in Saudi for 6 months/1 year and then heads to Newcastle given the shared interest from the owners. |
Neves was in the Champions League at Porto and then left to join Wolves in the Championship......so has track record of 'taking the money'
Anyway, it's up to them - all that money to play in a rubbish league, with soulless fans and no one watching will soon grow tiring.
UEFA will still rule the roost, and the PL is the best league in UEFA and will remain so |  |
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| Saudi Pro League on 10:55 - Jun 20 with 2125 views | BlueandTruesince82 |
Curated league for museum pieces |  |
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| Saudi Pro League on 12:11 - Jun 20 with 1957 views | BigCommon |
As a football fan, I'm not taking it seriously. Doesn't appeal to me.
But its understandable that there are those that want to take advantage of a relatively new, cash rich sector of the industry.
" When ze zeaguls follow ze trawler", etc... |  | | |
| Saudi Pro League on 12:20 - Jun 20 with 1924 views | MattinLondon |
Most of the players that have left for Saudi Arabia are in the twilight of their career so they probably see it as getting a lot of money for little effort. The odd player might well go there for cash but in this regard it’s no different to what China was doing ten and fifteen years ago. Oscar left for there in his prime - who remembers him apart from kicking a fat ball boy?
Before China, Russia was spending big and before Russia the old NASL was spending big. All those leagues stopped spending a lot and instead concentrated on developing more local talent.
At this moment in time, Saudi is probably seen as either a retirement home. It could well change. If football had any morality then it wouldn’t even entertain it as a potential host for a World Cup. But fifa has no morality. |  | | |
| Saudi Pro League on 12:34 - Jun 20 with 1876 views | Freddies_Ears |
| Saudi Pro League on 10:28 - Jun 20 by Daninthecampo |
None of it makes sense.
The top 4/ 5 clubs are now owned by the Government/ Newcastle owners ,so all this money is being spent to compete against themselves! They'll never generate money anywhere near what the outlay is , so its a completely unsustainable fabricated project/ hobby.
As you say these players are already rich enough why go play in a tinpot league where no-one would choose to live and where their wives/partners are treated so badly |
Looking at what has happened in golf, I can imagine the Saudis making a European Super league work, and having their 4 sides join it. At which point, I switch off. | | | |
| Saudi Pro League on 13:36 - Jun 20 with 1745 views | thatbdude |
Although its unlikely, I am concerned that it could ruin the game and all joy out of it, thats if it already it hasn't.
Your got teams like Man City, Newcastle, PSG and potentially Man United along with others all being owned by States (which have tones of human rights issues) and their higher ups buying all these players, as well as ageing players moving to the Saudi Pro League for a quick final paycheck, it does question the future of football and the finnacial side of things or if the Middle East is going to be the future footballing powerhouse.
Imo it does feel like it is, all these high end players on high salaries from these teams that dominate the whole domestic competition, specificly the Prem and Ligue 1 it does feel like the joy of what it want was is gone, it just isn't the same anymore. Even when we won the UEFA cup back then and yes we had a good squad, they weren't on ridiculous salaries like today.
We should be thankful for the rare storys like Leicester winning the League after doing the great escape the season prior, or Luton going from Non League to Premier League, because those happen often but when they do it feels special.
Maybe I'm just overthinking though. |  |
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| Saudi Pro League on 13:47 - Jun 20 with 1715 views | J2BLUE |
| Saudi Pro League on 13:36 - Jun 20 by thatbdude |
Although its unlikely, I am concerned that it could ruin the game and all joy out of it, thats if it already it hasn't.
Your got teams like Man City, Newcastle, PSG and potentially Man United along with others all being owned by States (which have tones of human rights issues) and their higher ups buying all these players, as well as ageing players moving to the Saudi Pro League for a quick final paycheck, it does question the future of football and the finnacial side of things or if the Middle East is going to be the future footballing powerhouse.
Imo it does feel like it is, all these high end players on high salaries from these teams that dominate the whole domestic competition, specificly the Prem and Ligue 1 it does feel like the joy of what it want was is gone, it just isn't the same anymore. Even when we won the UEFA cup back then and yes we had a good squad, they weren't on ridiculous salaries like today.
We should be thankful for the rare storys like Leicester winning the League after doing the great escape the season prior, or Luton going from Non League to Premier League, because those happen often but when they do it feels special.
Maybe I'm just overthinking though. |
I don't think you're overthinking it.
There was something incredibly hollow about Man City's treble. I am not sure what odds are being offered on them doing it again next season but I doubt they are good odds. I would say it's 90% likely City win the league and one of the domestic cups next season. They will also be strong favourites for the Champions League.
The media were telling us how amazing it was and we should be so happy for players like Grealish but i'm not to be honest. City have spent a lot on putting a squad together which has no equal. They are all on more per week than the average City fan probably earns in five years.
It's missing that magical element. | |
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| Saudi Pro League on 14:51 - Jun 20 with 1637 views | thatbdude |
| Saudi Pro League on 13:47 - Jun 20 by J2BLUE |
I don't think you're overthinking it.
There was something incredibly hollow about Man City's treble. I am not sure what odds are being offered on them doing it again next season but I doubt they are good odds. I would say it's 90% likely City win the league and one of the domestic cups next season. They will also be strong favourites for the Champions League.
The media were telling us how amazing it was and we should be so happy for players like Grealish but i'm not to be honest. City have spent a lot on putting a squad together which has no equal. They are all on more per week than the average City fan probably earns in five years.
It's missing that magical element. |
Thats correct and the celebrations of them winning the treble were underwhelming to say the least.
When United won the treble there were celebtrations all over the place and was talk about non stop for about a month, while City on the other hand just felt like it was over within several days and the celebrations were below average.
I don't understand how people keep on bashing about how good Cities fans are when in actuality their just very average, for example the "limbs" of the goal being lackluster or the celebrations of them being crowned champions, which was disappointing when you compare it with the celebrations of the last minute aguero goal, but that probably just people jumping on the bandwagon. I'm glad for the hardcore fanbase that remember when they got relegated to League one/old 3rd divison, but still my point stands.
I also don't understand why so many people have got a soft spot for them, they've practically cheated their way to the top. Is it because they have the gallagher brothers (who make "proper lad" music) as supporters or something else I have no clue about. | |
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| Saudi Pro League on 14:59 - Jun 20 with 1623 views | BloomBlue |
It will go the same as golf did. Lots of moaning, players complaining etc etc but then with all the money in it and all players wanting the cash, it and FIFA will 'merge'. Although not really a merger, it will be a case of the Saudis running football.
Given its going to take 2-3 years probably not a lot of change for Town because once we get into the Prem the Americans will sell out to a oil rich group, prob from Saudi. |  | | |
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