[Football] Saudi League

[Beach Hut]

Jordan Henderson now off.

Makes all his comments decrying homophobia ring a touch hollow.

A touch hollow is an understatement, what a total f***ing hypocrite Henderson has turned out to be.

Definitely in the next England squad for doing this

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Eddie Howe said his hands may be tied over the need to sell players for FFP.

"That's to stop them wriggling" I thought.

Or, perhaps, have them cut off.

 

[BrianSwan]

I wonder if they can be a genuine challenge for the Prem with their money.

The PL generates 6 billion a year and the 20 clubs are all owned by wealthy billionaire owners. The Saudi Pro League has been given 20 billion in funding by the Saudi Government, enough to match 3 and a bit seasons of PL income. Surely all the spending will add up and be a drain eventually, especially as they are actively spending massive sums in F1, Golf, WWE and Boxing at the same time.

 

[Scappa]

Given the names and money involved, I wonder how long it'll be before UEFA magnanimously decide to give Saudi clubs an automatic Champions League spot

 

[keaton]

The specifics of Saint-Maximin's Newcastle exit are strange, and Howe sob story doesn't help

The nature of Allan Saint-Maximin's impending and convenient move from Newcastle to Al-Ahli is a bit much, isn't it? Especially the way Eddie Howe talks about it.

www.football365.com

 

[dadams2k11]

Marco Silva next.....

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Potter must be on a list.

edit: Although being on a 'Saudi List' isn't usually a good thing.

 

[Icy Gull]

Marco Silva next.....

Apparently stalling on a new contract so this probably has legs. f***ing Middle Eastern states/clubs buying up too much sport imo. Horse Racing, Golf and now football

 

[Silverhatch]

Potter must be on a list.

edit: Although being on a 'Saudi List' isn't usually a good thing.

He’ll be at Fulham if Silva takes the oil gold

 

[vegster]

Hilarious watching all these players and managers running to Saudi like the Benny Hill show shorts....Cash is king !

 

[Rookie]

Are other leagues being raided or is it a premier league thing?

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Henderson on his way. Bet Southgate still picks him next summer

Henderson is an utter scumbag

 

[NooBHA]

There are 16 teams in the league and in 21/22 - 12 of those had average attendances that we would have been disappointed with when we were at Withdean. Of the other 4, only one was over 20,000. Like the Chinese League and so many US leagues in the last century, it will be an expensive white elephant that will be of little interest. The monied class's repeated attempts to create a football culture out of thin air lack any understanding of what motivates people to watch football. Yes, seeing George Best turn out in an exhibition game at Newhaven Town in the late 80's was a novelty - a friend even got him to sign his Weddoes album, but seeing someone like him turn out regularly against players of a far worse standard is of no interest to any of us. We don't watch football because of individual players, we go for the team. In years to come, we won't be trying to impress people with stories about how we watched Ronaldo play at the Amex, we'll be telling people that we stuffed United.

The worry about the Saudi League is that it's intent may not be to succeed as a league, but that it may be being used to financially doctor other leagues. The transfer fees look dodgy. You expect lesser known clubs in lesser known leagues to have to overpay on wages to make it worthwhile for a player to move. However, you don't need to pay their clubs transfer fees that are massively more than they are worth. A total of about €100m has been spent on 4 players close to or over thirty. The selling clubs would have been lucky to get a significant fee for most of these players and yet they are making profits over what market value would suggest. The fact that clubs with FFP issues are amongst those enjoying inexplicable windfalls makes it all smell fishy. From the outside, it's looking less like a football league and more like an overseas money washing service.

I am more aggrieved that the Government are more than happy to have all this Saudi Money flowing into the UK Economy whilst they rub their hands with glee at the thought of it.

Ah well. I suppose the Russian Oligarchy Blood money of Abramovich has to be replaced from blood money elsewhere.

Seems like everyone has their price so long as the atrocities are not currently headlines on the news.

The UK are not alone I might add but it seems so long as it's sound is kept muffled then murder is fine

 

[dadams2k11]

Apparently stalling on a new contract so this probably has legs. f***ing Middle Eastern states/clubs buying up too much sport imo. Horse Racing, Golf and now football

Don't forget Boxing. That's why boxing fans are not seeing big fights, just these thrown together fights, as the Saudi's are holding it up as they are offering big money to fight over there, but have location issues I believe.

Was supposed to be December for big fights but that's been pushed back to January.

I can see why the fighters are holding out for the big payout, it's just slowing the big fights down.

 

[Gwylan]

I'm a bit surprised that they haven't tried to set up a cricket league: lots of migrant Indian/Pakistani?Bangladeshi workers in KSA and cricketers would be cheaper than footballers. Little chance of rain stopping play - should be a winner

 

[southstandandy]

How can we watch the Saudi league? Starting to sound more attractive so if anyone knows if it is available to stream next season I'd be grateful.

 

[Icy Gull]

He’ll be at Fulham if Silva takes the oil gold

Be a good fit there I think. After the Chelsea debacle, which was not his fault other than thinking he could manage it, I doubt he’d get anywhere near as much time as he got here. But they are set up to do OK from the off already. Win/win imo

We will be continuing to boo him when we play any team he manages though won’t we?

 

[schmunk]

How can we watch the Saudi league? Starting to sound more attractive so if anyone knows if it is available to stream next season I'd be grateful.

It'll be rubbish, like (the earlier years of) the MLS - teams mainly made up of plucky but unskilled locals, with a smattering of disinterested washed-up 'stars' thrown in.

Just as an aside, I looked at the MLS Wiki page and hadn't realised how small their stadiums are - the AMEX would be the 4th largest in the league(s). Heck, even Smellhurst would be Top 10...

 

[Pevenseagull]

WTF?

Mbappe news

 

[Bozza]