Topic: Saudi Arabia's raid of European clubs

[coolbyrne]

Cry more.

*insert Mbappe gif*

[rushyman]

Dead sport

Might not be arsed much longer with it in truth

[thejbs]

Hey Bobby, Robbie et Al, Saudi Arabia recently imprisoned a young woman for 30 years. Her crime was criticising the Neom megacity project on Twitter as it was causing displacement of people from their homes.

[Keith Lard]

Dead sport

Might not be arsed much longer with it in truth

It really is shit these days isn’t it.

[BarryCrocker]

Hey Bobby, Robbie et Al, Saudi Arabia recently imprisoned a young woman for 30 years. Her crime was criticising the Neom megacity project on Twitter as it was causing displacement of people from their homes.

She's somewhat lucky.

UN rights experts denounce planned Saudi executions of megacity opponents

Three members of Huwaitat tribe face execution, reportedly for opposition to Neom project

UN rights experts have denounced the pending execution of three members of a Saudi tribe, reportedly in connection with their opposition to a planned Red Sea megacity.

Three members of the Huwaitat tribe, which inhabits the desert area in north-western Saudi Arabia where the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman’s $500bn (£400bn) futuristic megacity is under construction, face the “imminent risk of execution”, more than a dozen independent experts warned.

“Despite being charged with terrorism, they were reportedly arrested for resisting forced evictions in the name of the Neom project and the construction of a 170km linear city called The Line,” they said in a statement.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/may/03/un-rights-experts-denounce-planned-saudi-executions

[TheShanklyGates]

Dead sport

Might not be arsed much longer with it in truth

Trouble is other sports are going the same way mate. They've already got their grubby claws into golf, F1 and boxing with rumours that tennis will be next.

It's a really depressing state of affairs

[ScouserAtHeart]

Rumours (that as far as I can tell are coming from the Mail so hopefully not accurate at all) are that Gerrard wants to sign Hendo for his new club

Also I unfollowed Gerrard on Instagram so that'll show him

[JRed]

Hey Bobby, Robbie et Al, Saudi Arabia recently imprisoned a young woman for 30 years. Her crime was criticising the Neom megacity project on Twitter as it was causing displacement of people from their homes.

I think they’re only qualified to talk about football matters and it wouldn’t be right to comment on other issues. They’re just there because of their love of football.

[Red-Soldier]

Trouble is other sports are going the same way mate. They've already got their grubby claws into golf, F1 and boxing with rumours that tennis will be next.

It's a really depressing state of affairs

Top-level sport became immoral way before the Saudis got involved.  I think it's an appropriate next stage, really.

[emitime]

Rumours (that as far as I can tell are coming from the Mail so hopefully not accurate at all) are that Gerrard wants to sign Hendo for his new club

Also I unfollowed Gerrard on Instagram so that'll show him

I'm giving up if Hendo goes there, he's just about the only footballer I actually respect.

[Ravishing Rick Dude]

Its weird because Gerrard needs to rebuild his managerial career after it didnt go too well at villa, but if he wins the league in saudi every season it wont matter a jot as no one in the top leagues would care, similarly if he finishes bottom every season,  he’s actually dropping off the planet as far as managers go. Complete waste of time.

Probably he realized that he'll never be good enough for Premier League.

[thaddeus]

I'm giving up if Hendo goes there, he's just about the only footballer I actually respect.

Rashford and Sterling, although both only talk on issues that directly impacted them and their families (still, a lot more than most footballers manage once they make it to the position of having a voice).  Both also took a lot of flak from our idiotic press for daring to have an opinion so I can see why others stick to the robotic "I.am.a.footballer.I.only.speak.about.football".

In defence of top level footballers most would have been millionaires from their early 20s if not earlier and even before that they would have, in the majority of cases, been in the bubble of an elite pathway to professional football throughout their formative years.  It's been many decades since footballers lived in the same communities as their supporters.  They live in millionaire communes, holiday in millionaire communes and are advised by agents that, I'd say without exception, prioritise the biggest payday.

[emitime]

Rashford and Sterling, although both only talk on issues that directly impacted them and their families (still, a lot more than most footballers manage once they make it to the position of having a voice).  Both also took a lot of flak from our idiotic press for daring to have an opinion so I can see why others stick to the robotic "I.am.a.footballer.I.only.speak.about.football".

In defence of top level footballers most would have been millionaires from their early 20s if not earlier and even before that they would have, in the majority of cases, been in the bubble of an elite pathway to professional football throughout their formative years.  It's been many decades since footballers lived in the same communities as their supporters.  They live in millionaire communes, holiday in millionaire communes and are advised by agents that, I'd say without exception, prioritise the biggest payday.

I get that, I'm not having a pop at any of the others, plenty do good things, I'm just generally pretty ambivalent about footballers as people, and especially ones that don't play for Liverpool.

[thaddeus]

I get that, I'm not having a pop at any of the others, plenty do good things, I'm just generally pretty ambivalent about footballers as people, and especially ones that don't play for Liverpool.

Totally agree.  As I said in an earlier post I can love a player during the 90 minutes of a match but I have zero expectations of them beyond that.  I agree that plenty do try to do good things within their bubbles and many more beyond that lend their time to club initiatives.

Their lack of awareness on global issues used to be a constant frustration but then I just lowered my expectations of millionaire 20/30-somethings in general.  It is what it is.

[redgriffin73]

Also I unfollowed Gerrard on Instagram so that'll show him

I don't know why that made me laugh so much, maybe because I considered doing the same thing

Oh, and rumours about Sadio being tempted too now. 

[Ma Vie en Rouge]

Rashford and Sterling, although both only talk on issues that directly impacted them and their families (still, a lot more than most footballers manage once they make it to the position of having a voice).  Both also took a lot of flak from our idiotic press for daring to have an opinion so I can see why others stick to the robotic "I.am.a.footballer.I.only.speak.about.football".

In defence of top level footballers most would have been millionaires from their early 20s if not earlier and even before that they would have, in the majority of cases, been in the bubble of an elite pathway to professional football throughout their formative years.  It's been many decades since footballers lived in the same communities as their supporters.  They live in millionaire communes, holiday in millionaire communes and are advised by agents that, I'd say without exception, prioritise the biggest payday.

There is no defence though. They can't possibly not know about the Saudi regime, even if they tried their best to ignore it all. It's pure, simple greed and a fuck you to caring about anything. I wouldn't support a working class person who chose to work out there, and I certainly can't think of a single good reason why millionaires can't muster the minimal moral decency to not work for tyrants.

People like Bobby have more money than any of us will ever need, and he's still good enough to play in Europe (and still on vast wages). Gerrard could try and have an actual management career and learn something by going down a league here. He'd get a job, still be paid more than most of us will earn in a lifetime, and improve his understanding of the game.

To hell with the lot of them.

[Flaccido Dongingo]

Steven Gerrard - 43 year old with enough money in the bank for 10 lifetimes from his playing and (burgeoning) managerial career, could have went to a lesser team in Spain/Italy/Germany or lower English leagues to further learn his trade and rebuild his stock as a manager, nope, takes the easy route.

Robbie Fowler - Property tycoon worth a bloody fortune, what need does he have to go over there and contribute to the Sportswashing?

Roberto Firmino - Player still at his peak, could have joined any number of top level clubs in Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal or even his native Brazil, why tarnish your legacy like this?, again, he simply cannot need the money, and how does their human rights record square with his staunchly Christian beliefs?

Just massively disappointed in all 3, not that they'll care mind you, but every Liverpool fan I've spoken to online or offline agree that they've gone down hugely in their estimation, I'd say the vast majority of Liverpool fans feel the same way.

[liverbloke]

the more the saudis buy influence then the more everyone is taken in

money saved the beautiful game and now it's controlling it

once sky got involved all the evils were let out and all that remained was hope

and now we are losing that

[BarryCrocker]

At least there'll be less of a chance of Bobby getting busted for drink driving on his way home from a Christmas party.

[Barneylfc∗]

As someone who remembers the NASL back in the 70's, when they managed to attract such players as Pele, Cruyff and Beckenbauer, I am not really bothered by this Saudi league circus, unless they are signing players under the age of 30. As for the managers, they have always earned great money in the Arab countries. It was almost a tradition for the managers from former Yugoslavia to work there and get their big paycheck ...

This is completely irrelevant.
In the 1970s there was no social media, there were only 3 TV channels in the UK with hardly any programming for large parts of the day.
Unless you're suggesting unlike the UK, the rest of the world had 400 channels and the option to watch every NASL game live but chose not to because despite having those players it was still shit, and they all tuned into the top 5 European leagues instead.
One of the major UK broadcasters, and others around the world, will pick up the Saudi league within the next couple of seasons without doubt. It won't rival any of the major leagues but it will certainly be broadcast and available to watch for anyone that wants to.

[cissesbeard]

really disappointing when players you hold in high regard are choosing this money. they are in the lucky position of being able to choose but they and the people close to them must all be thinking 'why should you make a stand and miss out, everyone else is going over there' and it could just snowball from here.
the oil countries have a huge influence in football now and in wider society/businesses - its shit.
my interest in football has been waning for years now, just can't get emotionally invested in it anymore

[storkfoot]

Having spent a large part of my life dealing with asylum claims, I do know about the Saudi Arabian human rights record which is truly appalling. I also have reason to believe that our government, not just the current reprehensible Tory mob, but all previous ones, meddle in anything that affects the House of Saud. There are political influences going on in the background that we’ll never understand or know about.

That said, Gerrard and Fowler, and now Bobby it seems, are making a decision without any such influence. They can’t be going for any reason other than greed.

I never want to see any of them at Anfield again.

[Egyptian36]

A rich person found an easy way to get more rich, don't know what people were expecting. Amazing how many here are separated from reality.

[DelTrotter]

A rich person found an easy way to get more rich, don't know what people were expecting. Amazing how many here are separated from reality.

And yet plenty have turned the money down.

[Egyptian36]

And yet plenty have turned the money down.

So what does this tell you about Bernardo Silva for example who turned them down.

[Indomitable_Carp]

It is clear to me we've passed the point of no return. No fucking chance do City get the book thrown at them. Saudi already have their plant inside our league - with the help of the British government I should add. Now they are tightening the grip from without.

Games done if we're being honest. It's just how much more shit people are willing to sit through before they either A) Call it quits and find another pastime (or are left with a big footy shaped hole in their lives). B) Get swept up in it all, continue to watch and consume, and bang on about 200 million transfers.

[tubby]

So what does this tell you about Bernardo Silva for example who turned them down.

He's a little prick who also happens to still be in his prime and thinks he can compete for top honours.

[Dim Glas]

One of the many things really shit about seeing someone like Bobby going there (well any player/coach and especially those with daughters), is the pure ignorance, or even worse - not being arsed, about what women there have to deal with. I know they will be in ‘bubbles’ and their wives/girlfriends and daughters won’t see what life is really like, but it’s utterly shit to be absolutely ok with that.

Pretty sure Bobby could have got a nice 3 year contract in Spain or Italy or Portugal, sure, not near the same money but still enough to make him millions again, and a wonderful lifestyle for his family. It’s just pure greed to go there.

[oojason]

A rich person found an easy way to get more rich, don't know what people were expecting. Amazing how many here are separated from reality.

I'd say it is pleasantly surprising how many people have turned jobs and money down from there. And calling out Gerrard, Bobby and Firmino for taking the blood stained money from sportswashing, human-rights abusing, executioners...

Yet that has already pointed out many, many times in this thread, and others like it. Yet it seems people like your good self, my apologist friend, don't want to to read or acknowledge such posts... let alone attempt to read and understand them... and want to make repeated, bland, generic 1-line statements such as yours, instead.


To say nothing that a rich person could also get more rich elsewhere too, whilst not taking the sportswashing, human-rights abusing, executioners blood stained money...


I'm amazed you think people wouldn't call him out on it. You may want to ask yourself why that it is?

Perhaps after 6 years on here (or more, under different usernames?) it is time for you to read, listen and take in more from the many knowledgeable people on here... about this site, about Liverpool as a city, it's history, and also as a club too? 

Or you could just continue with the witless 1-liners and be 'amazed' instead. Up to you mate.

[liverbloke]

It is clear to me we've passed the point of no return. No fucking chance do City get the book thrown at them. Saudi already have their plant inside our league - with the help of the British government I should add. Now they are tightening the grip from without.

Games done if we're being honest. It's just how much more shit people are willing to sit through before they either A) Call it quits and find another pastime (or are left with a big footy shaped hole in their lives). B) Get swept up in it all, continue to watch and consume, and bang on about 200 million transfers.

i know you're making a point but still - there are always local leagues and local clubs if the 'big boys' sell out that will fill most of that hole and you can attend the game as it's either free or mega cheap, have a pie and a pint and a laugh with the locals and still call the ref a wanker if need be

and be free of any outside nasty influence, mercenary players and rip off prices

major football might have sold its soul but 'honest' 'real' football is still out there

i know it's not an answer but it is a choice when you lose faith

[A Red Abroad]

Amazing how many here are separated from reality.

That reads like you are mate.

[lfc_col]

i know you're making a point but still - there are always local leagues and local clubs if the 'big boys' sell out that will fill most of that hole and you can attend the game as it's either free or mega cheap, have a pie and a pint and a laugh with the locals and still call the ref a wanker if need be

and be free of any outside nasty influence, mercenary players and rip off prices

major football might have sold its soul but 'honest' 'real' football is still out there

i know it's not an answer but it is a choice when you lose faith

How long before there after those too they obviously want to control the whole thing

[afc tukrish]

That reads like you are mate.

Apologist36, in a nutshell...

[Zizou]

I'm sure all these players (and managers, barf) who are naffing off to Saudi are being advised to do so by friends, family, agents, managers, and all of them eager for a slice of the pie. Grim.

[jillcwhomever]

That reads like you are mate.

You should realise by now he always has a “sharp” reply.

[Indomitable_Carp]

i know you're making a point but still - there are always local leagues and local clubs if the 'big boys' sell out that will fill most of that hole and you can attend the game as it's either free or mega cheap, have a pie and a pint and a laugh with the locals and still call the ref a wanker if need be

and be free of any outside nasty influence, mercenary players and rip off prices

major football might have sold its soul but 'honest' 'real' football is still out there

i know it's not an answer but it is a choice when you lose faith

You're right about that Liverbloke. I sadly neglected the local leagues when I was still in Liverpool, but I have been to watch the Barrio Clubs here in Spain which is always fun.

Edit: I'd also add to that, I paid 10€ to get into the womens Champions League semi between Barcelona and Chelsea at the Camp Nou

[coolbyrne]

I think they’re only qualified to talk about football matters and it wouldn’t be right to comment on other issues. They’re just there because of their love of football.

"It's not something I've seen or experienced during my time here, so I don't feel knowledeable to make any comment outside of football. My experience has been nothing but positive, and if I thought for a second things were bad, I wouldn't be there. But really, to comment on such matters is over my head; I'm just here to play football. I leave the rest up to people more qualified than I am."

[For any future blood money chaser to copy and paste into their public statements.]

[A Red Abroad]

You should realise by now he always has a “sharp” reply.

Hi Jill,

It's the first time I've really noticed him/her to be honest.

I tend to reply to posts rather than the posters.

[thejbs]

Time you guys switched to watching GAA.

[Flaccido Dongingo]

Time you guys switched to watching GAA.

I'm Irish and I wouldn't watch GAA as I think it's shite.