Topic: Sportwashing-A general thread

[Barneylfc∗]

What's wrong with what he wrote there? Henderson is an individual who has been getting articles written about this sick move and I've seen some condemnation of him online.

Ronay's article at least points out it's part of a larger trend. It's super duper obvious to the point of being galling but it would obviously be far worse if he didn't expand the article to be about the Saudi / whole sportswashing trend.

He's saying we should be prepared to condemn pretty much the entire system, and I say, sure, let's.

He's suggesting no one condemns anything or anyone except Henderson

[ToneLa]

Is he? I didn't read it like that. Seemed like Henderson is just the newest, largest example (which I guess he is)

Anyway, yeah, anyone just zeroing in on Henderson needs a severe reality check.

Anyway. Lazy journalism from the Graun, what are the odds. I hope to see more, with actual teeth. Think if he was in the pocket of Saudi or Abu Dhabi you wouldn't see the article.

Call it blood money. Print it. As the headline.

[thejbs]

I dunno, I found it to be unambiguously so. Mainly because of these phrases.

“Where does this end?”

“If we really are going to condemn Henderson’s moral shiftiness, we have to condemn…”

[ToneLa]

I agree it could be far more explicit. I was keeping in mind the conclusion:

"But that, of course, is a much bigger conversation, the kind that nobody really wants to have." (condemning way way way more than Henderson, the system) and the byline:

"why is it only footballers who are harangued for their choices in these areas?"

It's bigger than Henderson. Let's "harangue" more

But yeah. This itself is a problem. It's still pussy footing around. I just don't find it bad to the point I think he's corrupt but it's stopping short of where it should go.

I take it as a soft but vaguely alright typical opinion piece. Not so much shouting about the elephant in the room but at least acknowledging it's there.

It would be nice if it was not in any way ambiguous. That is a failure of the author. He's pulling a punch. (The premise is arguably faulty. I don't know who he is aiming this at.)

[Titi Camara]

It strikes me that the writer has literally just woken up to these issues, with the Henderson story, and thinks the rest of the world is the same. Classic projection and the writer is absolutely wrong.

[markmywords]

Yes, but he’s saying it like those attacking Henderson are not already doing that. We’ve been doing it for years, that’s why the Henderson thing is so galling. Pretty much everyone calling out Henderson will have been outspoken about city and Newcastle.

But will those people be outspoken about us for taking the blood money for Henderson? Wouldn't standing tall be refusing to take it?  It depends how you define exactly what is wrong, if we say it is in part these nations sportswashing their reputations with 'cleaner' national institutions, then englands greatest club selling them our most successful english club captain in well over 45 yrs+ would directly help their aim.

I'm not convinced this could be called standing tall, as others have put it.  Of course it would potentially cost us in terms of pursuit of trophies, but (although not a perfect analogy) many are saying henderson is very rich and based on his social justice stances his should be prepared to take the "hit", shouldn't england's greatest club forgo the potential 20m and make a stance based on our values and our stance denouncing of the sportwashing invading football and tell hendo/fab they are staying, unless someone else offers 20m/40m

Easy for Hendo to wear armbands in England, very easy for us to denounce newc/psg, but then true colours are shown, when you have to pay a real price, even if it's in vain

[A Red Abroad]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/v/oJMz7s-2pWQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">https://www.youtube.com/v/oJMz7s-2pWQ</a>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJMz7s-2pWQ

[Jake]

Is this the right thread (they're all locked) to say how absolutely sickened that former heros (former, they're fucking done to me now) like Robbie Fowler, Steven Gerrard and Bobby Firmino have taken the blood money?

Not only are they legitimising the sports washers in the first place but they're taking money directly from a government that would KILL you for being gay, or a majority of other offenses

They make me sick and I am ashamed that they're associated with the club. Absolutely done with the trio.

[StevoHimself]

But will those people be outspoken about us for taking the blood money for Henderson? Wouldn't standing tall be refusing to take it?  It depends how you define exactly what is wrong, if we say it is in part these nations sportswashing their reputations with 'cleaner' national institutions, then englands greatest club selling them our most successful english club captain in well over 45 yrs+ would directly help their aim.

I'm not convinced this could be called standing tall, as others have put it.  Of course it would potentially cost us in terms of pursuit of trophies, but (although not a perfect analogy) many are saying henderson is very rich and based on his social justice stances his should be prepared to take the "hit", shouldn't england's greatest club forgo the potential 20m and make a stance based on our values and our stance denouncing of the sportwashing invading football and tell hendo/fab they are staying, unless someone else offers 20m/40m

Easy for Hendo to wear armbands in England, very easy for us to denounce newc/psg, but then true colours are shown, when you have to pay a real price, even if it's in vain

Genuinely not a facetious question. I'm interested in what people think. Would it be any worse than selling Sterling to City?

[BarryCrocker]

If you're selling bullets to the people who end up firing them back at you, then you're a fool.

[Historical Fool]

Genuinely not a facetious question. I'm interested in what people think. Would it be any worse than selling Sterling to City?

Looking forward to responses too on this, not sure what to think.

[rodderzzz]

Im ok with them spending loads of money to get the best players to move their. Hope it works out for them, think it would be best for English football if it did to be honest, think they'd quickly lose interest in Newcastle and Chelsea and City if there was a load of TV money move directly to their pockets and there'd be some sort of normalcy restored to the English game.

As for Liverpool 'accepting the blood money', I'm not sure it's something we wanted, more forced upon us. And to be fair were the only club who havent really done well out of any transfer fee, probably not got what either player was worth.

[Golyo]

Need spending caps on transfer fees and wages.

That would certainly help against clubs using offshore accounts to pay coaches and players. I am sorry, but it seems European football is being taken over by the Gulf states. Manchester City proved this year that you can win everything if you have enough money. You can even shit on the rules of the competition.

[lfc_col]

Im ok with them spending loads of money to get the best players to move their. Hope it works out for them, think it would be best for English football if it did to be honest, think they'd quickly lose interest in Newcastle and Chelsea and City if there was a load of TV money move directly to their pockets and there'd be some sort of normalcy restored to the English game.

As for Liverpool 'accepting the blood money', I'm not sure it's something we wanted, more forced upon us. And to be fair were the only club who havent really done well out of any transfer fee, probably not got what either player was worth.

I think there next move to try and join UEFA

[oojason]

'Saudi signings motivated by ‘legacy’ opportunity not money, says league chief Michael Emenalo':-

https://theathletic.com/4703066/2023/07/19/saudi-pro-league-transfers-emenalo - or article in full, here - https://archive.li/3HuZF




^ Michael Emenalo unveiling Kante at Chelsea.


The legacy of being... poster boys for the sportswashing project of a brutal human-rights abusing oppressive regime. I think that's what he meant by legacy...

[jillcwhomever]

'Saudi signings motivated by ‘legacy’ opportunity not money, says league chief Michael Emenalo':-

https://theathletic.com/4703066/2023/07/19/saudi-pro-league-transfers-emenalo - or article in full, here - https://archive.li/3HuZF




^ Michael Emenalo unveiling Kante at Chelsea.


The legacy of being... poster boys for the sportswashing project of a brutal human-rights abusing oppressive regime. I think that's what he meant by legacy...

Legacy! What legacy is that then? Also if they are so proud of being part of this incredible venture how come they are not living in Saudi? 

[Crosby Nick]

Vaguely remember him being an annoying twat at Chelsea (not Kante!), good to see he hasn’t changed.

[Jwils21]

The majority of players going to Saudi are 30+, but not all of them are “washed up”. It’s really shit.

[GinKop]

The majority of players going to Saudi are 30+, but not all of them are “washed up”. It’s really shit.

One thing they are is smart fuckers.

Watch that average age start coming down over the next few years.

They are playing a long game here.

[exiledintheUSA]

One thing they are is smart fuckers.

Watch that average age start coming down over the next few years.

They are playing a long game here.

Yep, had a chat with a few other footy fans yesterday and I said I believe that the MLS will suffer massivly in the next 2-4 years because of the Saudi League.

[damomad]

I'd guess there's a lot of offers we haven't heard anything about, players on the fence waiting to see the lay of the land. If we've gone from Ronaldo at the start of this year to 20-30 name players this summer, I fear it will exponentially increase at the next couple of windows. The floodgates are open.

[elsewhere]

I'd guess there's a lot of offers we haven't heard anything about, players on the fence waiting to see the lay of the land. If we've gone from Ronaldo at the start of this year to 20-30 name players this summer, I fear it will exponentially increase at the next couple of windows. The floodgates are open.

To be honest they were getting a few solid players way before Ronaldo such as Talisca, Marega, Santi Mina etc on top of my head but this year they got crazy

[semit5]

Yep, had a chat with a few other footy fans yesterday and I said I believe that the MLS will suffer massivly in the next 2-4 years because of the Saudi League.

Is it going to get a lot of interest though? Fans are generally interested in clubs, not players. Is anyone going to pay to watch players who granted are big names, but they aren’t going to be putting in a great deal of work effort for clubs they barely know the name of in hot weather at the end of their career.

[Black Bull Nova]

I'd guess there's a lot of offers we haven't heard anything about, players on the fence waiting to see the lay of the land. If we've gone from Ronaldo at the start of this year to 20-30 name players this summer, I fear it will exponentially increase at the next couple of windows. The floodgates are open.t

They will have to re-stock the league in a couple of years anyway because the players they are buying will be burnt out (literally) by then. At least they will get the occasional days in winter when it's less than 90 degrees. I doubt their wives and families will be able to stand it so a lot of time sitting in their horizon pools with their elderly mates talking about how to spend the money.
Funny thing is they just do not realise how unwelcome their faces will be when they show up back at the club expecting a good reception.

[Jshooters]

https://www.football365.com/news/opinion-allan-saint-maximin-newcastle-exit-eddie-howe-strange

[Jwils21]

I'd guess there's a lot of offers we haven't heard anything about, players on the fence waiting to see the lay of the land. If we've gone from Ronaldo at the start of this year to 20-30 name players this summer, I fear it will exponentially increase at the next couple of windows. The floodgates are open.

Yep. A lot of these players are Champions League standard household names. It's one thing looking at 38 year old Ronaldo and 35 year old Ever Banega, but the likes of Firmino, Fabinho, Neves and Milinkovic-Savic would've been able to secure a move to a CL level side. Brozovic started the final a few months ago, with Mahrez on the bench. There have also been approaches for Son and Mitrovic, with the latter looking likely to go, who are both established Premier League starters, and the rumours of someone coming in for Luis Diaz just show how brazen they've become.

[MD1990]

Celta Vigo beat Al Nassr 5-0 in a friendly. They challenged for the league the standard is woeful. La Liga is not very strong now either.

[Passmaster Molby]

Celta Vigo beat Al Nassr 5-0 in a friendly. They challenged for the league the standard is woeful. La Liga is not very strong now either.

Get in Rafa lad.

[Flaccido Dongingo]

Celta Vigo beat Al Nassr 5-0 in a friendly. They challenged for the league the standard is woeful. La Liga is not very strong now either.

Worth noting it was level until the Saudi Arabian side went down to 10 men in the second half and capitulated.

[In the Name of Klopp]

Legacy! What legacy is that then? Also if they are so proud of being part of this incredible venture how come they are not living in Saudi? 

Where are you getting this from?

[Barneylfc∗]

Celta Vigo beat Al Nassr 5-0 in a friendly. They challenged for the league the standard is woeful. La Liga is not very strong now either.

Rafa's Liverpool once lost 5-0 to Mainz in a friendly.

Mainz were managed by some guy called Jurgen Klopp.

[jillcwhomever]

Where are you getting this from?

A number of Gulf sources have confirmed Gerrard is based in Bahrain rather than Saudi. You are hardly likely to take your wife and daughters to Saudi Arabia are you?

[redgriffin73]

https://www.football365.com/news/opinion-allan-saint-maximin-newcastle-exit-eddie-howe-strange

Ha, that's got some great lines in it.

We all know Howe only wants to talk about the football, because that’s how he’s able to sleep at night, but the scenario where Newcastle’s Saudi owners are going to buy Saint-Maximin from Newcastle for Al-Ahli in order to move some money in to Newcastle so Newcastle can buy other players is stretching the new world order in football to its elastic limit.

Howe long ago lost the run of himself, burying his head in the sand and remaining oblivious to the reality of how he and his club came to be in their current situation.
For all the impressive work he has done with Newcastle’s squad – and there’s no denying that work, because this is not a squad that just anyone could take into the top four – he continues to behave as if this is a normal football club in a normal situation that should be treated normally. It just isn’t the case.
He doubled down a day later, as well, once again lamenting the idea of talking about Maximin in “the past tense”. He’s just moving to a different football club, Eddie, for your benefit. He’s not died. He’s not a dissenting journalist.

Don’t sell him then, Eddie. This is all happening for your benefit just because the pesky rules don’t allow you to just spend all the money all at once. If you want to keep him, you can. You’re not even really selling him, just moving him sideways within the company.

Imagine if he comes straight back on loan from Al-Ahli. Imagine everyone’s reaction to that. And then imagine Howe thinking everyone else should be pleased about this delightful and normal turn of events.

[67CherryRed]

Can't see Marco Silva turning down £20m a year to stay at Fulham. They're coming for the managers now.

[bird_lfc]

Can't see Marco Silva turning down £20m a year to stay at Fulham. They're coming for the managers now.

He’s already rejected a move away hasn’t he?

Imagine at the start of last season you’d be told we’ll lose fabinho, Henderson and firmino to Saudi Arabian football.

[Brissyred]

Rather than Newcastle weakening their rivals by buying directly from them, over the next few years we're going to see their rivals weakened through the saudi league buying players from competing clubs.
It'll start slowly like it is now but it'll ramp up as the better players establish a presence over there.

[Dim Glas]

Ha, that's got some great lines in it.

 

some fantastic stuff there.

If more journos don’t start asking him more awkward questions in press-conferences this season (and Ped Guardiola too, who gets off far too lightly), then I wouldn’t know what to think, well I would - far too many are far too ok with what’s going on.

[Black Bull Nova]

They will have to re-stock the league in a couple of years anyway because the players they are buying will be burnt out (literally) by then. At least they will get the occasional days in winter when it's less than 90 degrees. I doubt their wives and families will be able to stand it so a lot of time sitting in their horizon pools with their elderly mates talking about how to spend the money.
Funny thing is they just do not realise how unwelcome their faces will be when they show up back at the club expecting a good reception.

31 year old Sadio Mane next, they can sign Ronnie Whelan and Fernando Torres now, they are in the past. They want a share of our name and glory, too late, our glory is still to come.

[rushyman]

It's reached so much more than simple sportswashing now

It started out like that. Now they're just buying the worlds favourite sport, much like they buy tigers and gold cars out of boredom

I truly think half the fun for them is exposing the fact everyone has a price. That football is essentially up for sale

Like the gif you see of one of them pouring cash over a female reporters head. To demean, to control.

'We can buy you and there's nothing you can do about it'



 

[Black Bull Nova]

It's reached so much more than simple sportswashing now

It started out like that. Now they're just buying the worlds favourite sport, much like they buy tigers and gold cars out of boredom

I truly think half the fun for them is exposing the fact everyone has a price. That football is essentially up for sale

Like the gif you see of one of them pouring cash over a female reporters head. To demean, to control.

'We can buy you and there's nothing you can do about it'

Golf was easier because buying a bunch of older golfers effectively split the game. All they have done so far is cream off some players who are pretty much past it. The one that did worry me was Neves, those sorts of signings will worry me more but they cannot buy the game in the same way because it is not as mobile as golf. We will always have local football and the fact that it's better in Italy (as it was), Spain (as it was) or anywhere else, never stopped me from enjoying English football.
They may take away our asian viewers or the like but we will still have football here and I suppose that is how a Rochdale fan might have felt for the last 30 years as they saw the PL take their game away from them.