Topic: Saudi Arabia's raid of European clubs

[Suareznumber7]

They're all filthy rich, the last thing any of them need is more money. This is just absolute gluttony.

To some, it's about acquiring as much as they can, while they can, wherever they can. 

[Bullet500]

https://twitter.com/GoalscorerC/status/1676135541312503808

[BarryCrocker]

https://twitter.com/GoalscorerC/status/1676135541312503808

No use posting links to Twitter to the many on here who don't have an account.

[rushyman]

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.

No one here is separated from reality by calling out soul sellers contributing to the death of this sport

Are you just supposed to say nothing about awful things that happen then?

This sport was fine since 1863, a few rule changes here and there to upset the auld arses, but nothing to really threaten it

Then 1992 and sky came along. The first warning shot across the bows. Then along came abramovic, strike 2 and now the Saudis who have a tier system of tyranny in the sport developing all on their own

You, like a few others might just shrug and think 'oh well'. I suppose it depends on your moral compass

[coolbyrne]

No use posting links to Twitter to the many on here who don't have an account.

It's a screencap of an image Richard Keys posted from his phone (regarding Stevie's appointment) that also shows the photos he's shared with Andy Gray. To no one's surprise, misogynistic, transphobic and one of Mirror Sport that has a large article about City proclaiming, "We have done nothing at all wrong".

Pretty par for the course with this dickhead.

[rushyman]

No use posting links to Twitter to the many on here who don't have an account.

Keys and Gray celebrating Gerrard with each other only to leave all their old screen shots at the bottom for the world to see, including rating women by their breast size

[The North Bank]

Richard keys is an irrelevant fucking c*nt. Just an all round horrible human being.

Im seeing Firmino going to saudi confirmed? At least he ll stop scoring against us for a couple of years, until we meet al ahli in the new revamped bigger and better than ever champions league.

[FiSh77]

It's a screencap of an image Richard Keys posted from his phone (regarding Stevie's appointment) that also shows the photos he's shared with Andy Gray. To no one's surprise, misogynistic, transphobic and one of Mirror Sport that has a large article about City proclaiming, "We have done nothing at all wrong".

Pretty par for the course with this dickhead.

Any pics of his daughter's best mate?

[Bullet500]

No use posting links to Twitter to the many on here who don't have an account.

I don't have an account either.

[S.Red please]

Astounds me people think that because someone gets rich and has millions they should hold the moral high ground and reject even more generational wealth. There’s no such thing as enough money. If the Saudis were offering regular jobs to all us regular every day workers at the same salary increase / period of time as footballers most of the country would be flocking there. If you want to make a stand fair play, but I feel like there’s a lot of hypocrisy in this thread and it’s easy to say this & that knowing you’ll never be presented with the decision.

[FiSh77]

Astounds me people think that because someone gets rich and has millions they should hold the moral high ground and reject even more generational wealth. There’s no such thing as enough money. If the Saudis were offering regular jobs to all us regular every day workers at the same salary increase / period of time as footballers most of the country would be flocking there. If you want to make a stand fair play, but I feel like there’s a lot of hypocrisy in this thread and it’s easy to say this & that knowing you’ll never be presented with the decision.

But they don't and they never will, they target what we're interested in and buy that instead, that is the whole concept of sportswashing

[jillcwhomever]

Astounds me people think that because someone gets rich and has millions they should hold the moral high ground and reject even more generational wealth. There’s no such thing as enough money. If the Saudis were offering regular jobs to all us regular every day workers at the same salary increase / period of time as footballers most of the country would be flocking there. If you want to make a stand fair play, but I feel like there’s a lot of hypocrisy in this thread and it’s easy to say this & that knowing you’ll never be presented with the decision.

Speak for yourself. Not every person is motivated by money alone, a lot of through our own lives know there is more important things than money. As for the rest of your post that's just a crass excuse to justify people chasing after money. You get to a point when more money means nothing anyway. 

[S.Red please]

Speak for yourself. Not every person is motivated by money alone, a lot of through our own lives know there is more important things than money. As for the rest of your post that's just a crass excuse to justify people chasing after money. You get to a point when more money means nothing anyway.

Of course there’s things more important than money. I’m not saying that’s the most important thing, family comes before anything for me. If I had a young family or kids settled in schools etc. I wouldn’t be leaving. However it wouldn’t be for me making some kind of moral stance and I feel it’s a bit easy to throw judgement at footballers for it knowing we’ll never need to make that call ourselves. As for getting to a point where money means nothing, have you got to this point yet? When is it?

[thejbs]

Of course there’s things more important than money. I’m not saying that’s the most important thing, family comes before anything for me. If I had a young family or kids settled in schools etc. I wouldn’t be leaving. However it wouldn’t be for me making some kind of moral stance and I feel it’s a bit easy to throw judgement at footballers for it knowing we’ll never need to make that call ourselves. As for getting to a point where money means nothing, have you got to this point yet? When is it?

Is that a difficult decision for footballers? Maybe I’m incapable of empathy as I don’t have tens of millions in the bank, but it’s really not hard to turn down money from a despot. All of those moving have enough money accumulated that their great grand children will live in comfort without needing to work.

It’s easy to throw moral judgements at footballers because they’re making a terribly immoral decision from a position of total financial security. As I’ve said elsewhere, I turned down lucrative work in Qatar/emirates for moral reasons. I’m not a millionaire and that money actually would’ve been transformative.

[DelTrotter]

Astounds me people think that because someone gets rich and has millions they should hold the moral high ground and reject even more generational wealth. There’s no such thing as enough money. If the Saudis were offering regular jobs to all us regular every day workers at the same salary increase / period of time as footballers most of the country would be flocking there. If you want to make a stand fair play, but I feel like there’s a lot of hypocrisy in this thread and it’s easy to say this & that knowing you’ll never be presented with the decision.

Guess we are fucked then and will have to replace Alisson, Trent, Virg, Ibou, Robbo, Thiago, Hendo, Mo, Diaz, Diogo etc this summer as no one will turn down "generational wealth".

[Ma Vie en Rouge]

Astounds me people think that because someone gets rich and has millions they should hold the moral high ground and reject even more generational wealth. There’s no such thing as enough money. If the Saudis were offering regular jobs to all us regular every day workers at the same salary increase / period of time as footballers most of the country would be flocking there. If you want to make a stand fair play, but I feel like there’s a lot of hypocrisy in this thread and it’s easy to say this & that knowing you’ll never be presented with the decision.

Honestly mate, people turn down better money on principle all the time. It happens in every walk of life, and I'm amazed if you don't know someone who's made a decision to earn less but do something better with their life. It's so baselessly cynical to make the assumptions you have done and is quite clearly undermined by people choosing to be doctors, nurses, teachers, charity workers and all the myriad things people CHOOSE to do for less money to create a decent society.

[jillcwhomever]

Of course there’s things more important than money. I’m not saying that’s the most important thing, family comes before anything for me. If I had a young family or kids settled in schools etc. I wouldn’t be leaving. However it wouldn’t be for me making some kind of moral stance and I feel it’s a bit easy to throw judgement at footballers for it knowing we’ll never need to make that call ourselves. As for getting to a point where money means nothing, have you got to this point yet? When is it?

So people need to stop making excuses for footballers, why is it that we think they should get this protection from issues like this because they are footballers? They have as much insight as the rest of us into what goes on in the world, nothing wrong with asking them to look at the bigger picture, rather than just thinking about their bank balance. As for me, I had a rethink about my life generally at the last lock down. I realised so many things I was doing was out of expectation rather than me really wanting to do them. So, I cut down a huge part of the spending. I'm not saying that people don't need money obviously, just that we live in a very material world, and I didn't need any of that anymore. Since then, I have more time for friends and family and I'm a lot happier all round.

[Gerry Attrick]

Suspect that win for Saudi Arabia against Argentina instigated this. Piqued interest for the decision makers I suspect and now it’s full bore with the sportswashing. What’s interesting is PIF only have 4 of the teams, so there could be a hierarchy that develops. It really is a shame the country is run by absolute c*nts because it’s a naturally beautiful country that I’d love to visit if everything was equal. Alas, it isn’t.

[ScouserAtHeart]

Any pics of his daughter's best mate?

You mean his wife

[S.Red please]

Guess we are fucked then and will have to replace Alisson, Trent, Virg, Ibou, Robbo, Thiago, Hendo, Mo, Diaz, Diogo etc this summer as no one will turn down "generational wealth".

What on earth are you going on about  Who said no one will turn it down? Quote the post please where ‘nobody will turn down generational wealth’ is said. I’m saying we shouldn’t expect footballers to hold the moral high ground about it when most wouldn’t themselves, just because they’re already rich.

[leroy]

There’s no such thing as enough money.

You have been thoroughly brainwashed or you have a sickness my friend.  Really hope you can break out of that mindset at some point.

[ToneLa]

Astounds me people think that because someone gets rich and has millions they should hold the moral high ground and reject even more generational wealth.

Really though. Projection perhaps. It should not astound you at all, we are not talking someone scraping by on benefits here. The Saudi regime has a terrible record and dismembering journalists isn't going to make a payoff sweet for everyone.

There’s no such thing as enough money.

Citation? There are studies that show both sides of this, but specific studies saying there is a threshold exist and have been established for years

2010 paper 'High income improves evaluation of life but not emotional well-being'
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1011492107

You are offering a truism as de facto. I am suggesting the truth is likely more personal than any one study suggests but there are and always will be exceptions to the Money Beats Soul rule.

I dispute your claim as not accurate enough.

If the Saudis were offering regular jobs to all us regular every day workers at the same salary increase / period of time as footballers most of the country would be flocking there. If you want to make a stand fair play, but I feel like there’s a lot of hypocrisy in this thread and it’s easy to say this & that knowing you’ll never be presented with the decision.

Here I agree with you just because I largely think this country has sold out morally although sits with my probably biased perception that Liverpool is a cultural holdout for better values. It proves nothing though.

Let's also get something out in the open. Whenever someone has a go at a famous person, sportsman, something well known etc. There's always someone who goes 'well, you can't judge. You haven't done it yourself'

That's patently absurd. Like if you were served a bad meal, your opinion is invalid as you're not a chef while you're shitting your guts out. It is a form of moral cowardice - to bar some things from discussion. Why even watch football if you yourself are not a skilled footballer?

For that reason your complaint that people who will never face the option must be silent is absurd. Good little consumer, don't worry about this. I've heard it off the corrupt all my life. 'Don't worry about this, you wouldn't understand'

I see the lack of Saudi investment in my life as a great success. It will never be on the table for me. I reject in the most profound sense that it qualifies anything.

You say 'it'll never be offered' as if it is some grand prize only for the elite. This is particularly backwards. It would not be a welcome opportunity. It isn't something to aim for.

To live in a world where someone both does something surprisingly unpleasant AND they're ringfenced from criticism by anyone but cronies in the same position = that's corruption pal

[S.Red please]

Is that a difficult decision for footballers? Maybe I’m incapable of empathy as I don’t have tens of millions in the bank, but it’s really not hard to turn down money from a despot. All of those moving have enough money accumulated that their great grand children will live in comfort without needing to work.

It’s easy to throw moral judgements at footballers because they’re making a terribly immoral decision from a position of total financial security. As I’ve said elsewhere, I turned down lucrative work in Qatar/emirates for moral reasons. I’m not a millionaire and that money actually would’ve been transformative.

In your case I’d say you’re absolutely fine to judge if you’ve genuinely turned down life changing money on the basis of morals and how you perceive the world should be. Personally I don’t feel like working in Saudi Arabia is a totally immoral decision all together but that’s a conversation for a different day.

[oojason]

Astounds me people think that because someone gets rich and has millions they should hold the moral high ground and reject even more generational wealth. There’s no such thing as enough money. If the Saudis were offering regular jobs to all us regular every day workers at the same salary increase / period of time as footballers most of the country would be flocking there. If you want to make a stand fair play, but I feel like there’s a lot of hypocrisy in this thread and it’s easy to say this & that knowing you’ll never be presented with the decision.

You must have somehow missed the other similar sportswashing threads like this where people on here have been presented with that decision - and turned down that money from Saudi/Qatar etc - despite not being set up for life like Fowler, Gerrard, and Firmino already are, many times over.

Also, how is some fans are calling out players who are set up life many times over... for then taking the sportswashed, human-rights abusing, torturing and child executioners money and being a part of that project of aims to deflect their appalling treatment and actions to their own citizens, 'astounding' for you?

Maybe a little more reading on here... about fellow Reds, Liverpool as a city, and the club... and less being 'astounded', accusing others of speaking up as 'hypocrisy', and of 'holding a moral high ground'... when you've jumped in two footed and proven yourself wrong on this, yes?

[S.Red please]

You have been thoroughly brainwashed or you have a sickness my friend.  Really hope you can break out of that mindset at some point.

My mindset is one of the reasons I live a very happy & good life mate. Thank you for your concern but don’t worry about me mate, I’m good 

[S.Red please]

You must have somehow missed the other similar sportswashing threads like this where people on here have been presented with that decision - and turned down that money from Saudi/Qatar etc - despite not being set up for life like Fowler, Gerrard, and Firmino already are, many times over.

Also, how is some fans are calling out players who are set up life many times over... for then taking the sportswashed, human-rights abusing, torturing and child executioners money and being a part of that project of aims to deflect their appalling treatment and actions to their own citizens, 'astounding' for you?

Maybe a little more reading on here... about fellow Reds, Liverpool as a city, and the club... and less being 'astounded', accusing others of speaking up as 'hypocrisy', and of 'holding a moral high ground'... when you've jumped in two footed and proven yourself wrong on this, yes?

I’ve lived in Liverpool long enough and supported the club for long enough to know the moral direction at which the club, it’s fans and the people of the city in general align themselves at. Believe it or not, there’s supporters out there whose view on such issues would differ from this ‘norm’, and whether you like it or not they’re still supporters of the club with an opinion. It’s only wrong to those whose opinion is different like yourself, so I shall politely decline the request for a little more reading on here.

As for the other threads, you’re right I did miss them. I don’t post that regularly so don’t keep an eye on all topics. If people have turned down lucrative money due to their views on the countries human rights issues then well done to them, but I certainty wouldn’t judge them if they didn’t.

[Ma Vie en Rouge]

I’ve lived in Liverpool long enough and supported the club for long enough to know the moral direction at which the club, it’s fans and the people of the city in general align themselves at. Believe it or not, there’s supporters out there whose view on such issues would differ from this ‘norm’, and whether you like it or not they’re still supporters of the club with an opinion. It’s only wrong to those whose opinion is different like yourself, so I shall politely decline the request for a little more reading on here.

As for the other threads, you’re right I did miss them. I don’t post that regularly so don’t keep an eye on all topics. If people have turned down lucrative money due to their views on the countries human rights issues then well done to them, but I certainty wouldn’t judge them if they didn’t.

So on what basis would you "judge" someone? Never for their financial decisions? I find that astonishing. There's no line in the sand for you? Working for regimes that are openly known to torture and murder people for their sexual orientation/political beliefs/not wanting to be displaced from where they live isn't a line for you? Because money?

It's a thoroughly depressing world-view that then justifies itself by "you would do the same" claims that have no basis in reality. As several people are pointing out, people do turn down lucrative money all the time, for all kinds of moral reasons. Those that don't - and even more so when they have absolutely no financial need to do so - are operating in a moral vacuum which does tacitly lend support to the behaviour of their employers: "Well, I don't know about that kind of thing. I only see good things out here" is the party line of the employed-by-tyrants.

[DelTrotter]

What on earth are you going on about  Who said no one will turn it down? Quote the post please where ‘nobody will turn down generational wealth’ is said. I’m saying we shouldn’t expect footballers to hold the moral high ground about it when most wouldn’t themselves, just because they’re already rich.

You are going on about "there's no such thing as enough money" and "generational wealth" which if true surely means we are about to lose our manager, Mo, Virg etc as they'll all be rushing out to take the cash? Mo in particular could easily get 2m - 5m per week out there you'd think so there's no way he stays here for that shitty 350k per week right?

[Clint Eastwood]

Was keen to follow Bobby's career after us and support him from afar but he's decided to play Masters Football in Saudi, so he's effectively retired at the age of 31. Disappointing. Would be a shame if Mane goes there too.

[oojason]

I’ve lived in Liverpool long enough and supported the club for long enough to know the moral direction at which the club, it’s fans and the people of the city in general align themselves at. Believe it or not, there’s supporters out there whose view on such issues would differ from this ‘norm’, and whether you like it or not they’re still supporters of the club with an opinion. It’s only wrong to those whose opinion is different like yourself, so I shall politely decline the request for a little more reading on here.

As for the other threads, you’re right I did miss them. I don’t post that regularly so don’t keep an eye on all topics. If people have turned down lucrative money due to their views on the countries human rights issues then well done to them, but I certainty wouldn’t judge them if they didn’t.

And yet you are 'astounded', accuse others of speaking up as 'hypocrisy', and of 'holding a moral high ground' - it seems you don't know much about fellow Reds, this site, Liverpool as a city, and the club... as well as as you think/claim you do.

Simply going on your comments on fellow Reds it seems you have quite a low opinion of others who have spoken up on here. I know you've politely declined the option to do a little more looking around and reading, or thinking, before jumping in to judging others as you have in this thread... yet it would likely save you from yet more egg on your face in the future. And also have a better understanding of what you are talking about - before that jumping in to judge others.

Though that is up to you of course.


I'd love to chat more, but have recently decided to put people like yourself on the ignore list; those who are quick to jump in to judge others for speaking up against the sportswashing, human-rights abusing, torturing and child executioners. Or those who judge fellow fans or calling out players already set up for life several times over, and yet still want to take that blood stained money for that sportswashing project.

I hope you understand why, If not, a little more reading, looking around, and thinking, before jumping in to post your admittedly wrong judgments of others will undoubtedly help.

Have a good 'un.

[The North Bank]

Astounds me people think that because someone gets rich and has millions they should hold the moral high ground and reject even more generational wealth. There’s no such thing as enough money. If the Saudis were offering regular jobs to all us regular every day workers at the same salary increase / period of time as footballers most of the country would be flocking there. If you want to make a stand fair play, but I feel like there’s a lot of hypocrisy in this thread and it’s easy to say this & that knowing you’ll never be presented with the decision.

Listen mate, if they offered me a million a week to do what i do now id fucking turn it down.



TNB
Riyadh .KSA


Only joking….

[stewil007]

Astounds me people think that because someone gets rich and has millions they should hold the moral high ground and reject even more generational wealth. There’s no such thing as enough money. If the Saudis were offering regular jobs to all us regular every day workers at the same salary increase / period of time as footballers most of the country would be flocking there. If you want to make a stand fair play, but I feel like there’s a lot of hypocrisy in this thread and it’s easy to say this & that knowing you’ll never be presented with the decision.

A friend of mine got a call from an agency trying to recruit him for the Neom project - basically the package was a 25% uplift on his current wages (apparently this is standard for all offers) plus the usual moving allowances free rent and free flights etc.

He thought about it for 5 seconds and after googling life out there ( as he is married with no kids) decided to tell them to do one.

[Koplass]

In your case I’d say you’re absolutely fine to judge if you’ve genuinely turned down life changing money on the basis of morals and how you perceive the world should be. Personally I don’t feel like working in Saudi Arabia is a totally immoral decision all together but that’s a conversation for a different day.

Weird that you don't seem to understand that the likes of Gerrard, Fowler and Firmino are already unspeakably wealthy, and could quite easily get well-paying jobs in countries where they don't publicly behead people for their political opinions.

Also, you might be willing to take your wife/daughter to a country where they are treated as legal minors, but anyone with a half decent moral compass wouldn't. Ask yourself if there's anything you wouldn't do for money... 

[only6times]

That European  Super League not looking like such a bad thing now.

[Dim Glas]

The noise about Sadio Mane being the next player to head out there is growing too, with German reports saying:

Sadio Mané (31) is expected to leave Bayern Munich this summer - he is on the list of several Saudi Pro League clubs but Bayern are yet to receive a concrete offer. (@Plettigoal)

Won’t be too long before an offer comes in I suspect, as Bayern are pushing hin out.

[mikey_LFC]

That European  Super League not looking like such a bad thing now.

Don’t think it’ll be long before the Saudi’s pitch a similar idea or rebrand their league as a World Super League of sorts.

[thaddeus]

Don’t think it’ll be long before the Saudi’s pitch a similar idea or rebrand their league as a World Super League of sorts.

I get the impression the Club World Cup is the seed of that, especially the 2025 format (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_FIFA_Club_World_Cup).

32 teams, including the winners of the Champions League from four seasons prior, and played across June and July is a significant escalation from the current smaller, winter-based inconvenience.  Saudi Arabia dropped the ball on that one though as they're hosting the 2023 version whilst the USA are hosting the 2025 version.

If there's one silver lining to us having a crap season last time out is that we're unlikely to be one of the top eight best eligible teams in UEFA 4-year ranking!

[coolbyrne]

Astounds me people think that because someone gets rich and has millions they should hold the moral high ground and reject even more generational wealth. There’s no such thing as enough money. If the Saudis were offering regular jobs to all us regular every day workers at the same salary increase / period of time as footballers most of the country would be flocking there. If you want to make a stand fair play, but I feel like there’s a lot of hypocrisy in this thread and it’s easy to say this & that knowing you’ll never be presented with the decision.

I'm tired of the comparison between multi-multi millionaires and 'regular every day workers'. At my lowest point, when I was working 2 jobs for minimum wage and had $40 at the end of the month once all the bills were paid, I'll be honest- out of desperation, I might've taken a job that paid me 4x what I was making, even if I knew my employer was despicable. But these players certainly aren't desperate for money. This is not their "If I don't take this job, I might not be able to pay the electricity bill" desperation choice. This is not their "This is the only job offer I will have that will make me money" ultimatum. This is not their "I have to make sure my kids get every advantage they can" option. Interesting that asking footballers to make their millions elsewhere is considered asking them to take a 'moral high ground' instead of just looking at it as asking them to be decent human beings.

[red1977]

Just watched that full swing golf docu-series on Netflix. People who take the Saudi dollars get so bent out of shape when asked about it. They are so sheepish and try to deflect. You never get a straight answer when asked about human rights, they don’t care about human rights, they wince because they would rather not get the scrutiny, but they are protecting them selves. Fucking wankers the lot of them. Eddie Howe talks exactly the same. Guardiola is the worst though, he denies anything is going on, it’s trump-esque from that c*nt. When asked the right answer is, yeah I know my money is blood soaked, but I don’t care about that or the sport I’m in as much as I do the money. Poulter, classic deflection, rolling in it already on his private jet says he is doing it for his kids!! What a wanker, I’m sure his kids will thank you for sayings it’s down to them that you took money from a murderous regime rather than just admit it had fuck all to do with your kids and your just a greedy c*nt.  you know how daddy made this money? Yes from playing golf, yes but the people paying me executed 80 people last month, but I took this money for you……… How much do you want?.  But dad you was already earning millions, yes but this money is because of you.

[tubby]

Guardiola is the worst though, he denies anything is going on, it’s trump-esque from that c*nt.

Is that true?  I thought he just deflected or skirted around it, I don't remember him saying that there's no human rights abuse going on in their country?