[Football] Saudia Arabian football

[Bozza]

N'Golo Kanté looks set to be the latest big name to go there, with a suggestion he'll be on $100m/season all in.

A fine player, obviously, but not the sort of name that is going to get people suddenly having an interest in this footballing outpost.

Benzema is reported to be earning $643m over the next three years having made a similar move.

The Saudis have almost bottomless pockets, as we know, but this seems to be an awful lot of money on a few twilight footballers just to try and win the World Cup, as I can't see it will make a jot of difference in terms of people having any notable interest in their league.

 

[schmunk]

N'Golo Kanté looks set to be the latest big name to go there, with a suggestion he'll be on $100m/season all in.

A fine player, obviously, but not the sort of name that is going to get people suddenly having an interest in this footballing outpost.

WAS a fine player, but played just 685 minutes across 9 matches last season. 3 separate injuries. One of Chelsea's more shrewd moves not to keep him...

 

[GT49er]

Absolutely bonkers. Can't think of any other explanation.

 

[Soton Seagull]

All about nomalising the regime in a global context. Sporting headlines rather than assasinations of journalists and respession of women and minorities - although women can drive now - how very radical!

Gets them better PR and invites to wider gatherings about less controversial things i.e sport; to see them as 'players' on the world scene. You only have to see the Arab league welcoming back Assad recently to see democratic and reform mumblings plus sporting investments are a suitable smokescreen to cover up the same old behaviour.

 

[Badger Boy]

Saudi Arabia is the new China! The player boom didn't last long in China and I doubt it will in Saudi Arabia either.

 

[BBassic]

Son is also apparently a target for some Saudi club. And Zaha.

 

[Live by the sea]

N'Golo Kanté looks set to be the latest big name to go there, with a suggestion he'll be on $100m/season all in.

A fine player, obviously, but not the sort of name that is going to get people suddenly having an interest in this footballing outpost.

Benzema is reported to be earning $643m over the next three years having made a similar move.

The Saudis have almost bottomless pockets, as we know, but this seems to be an awful lot of money on a few twilight footballers just to try and win the World Cup, as I can't see it will make a jot of difference in terms of people having any notable interest in their league.

They have money to burn literally with all their oil production . It’s good PR for them if they can have some well known players playing in a country that still chops your head off for certain crimes .

I wouldn’t play there if I was a well known player for all the money in the world but obviously for some the money is just so ridiculous they can’t turn it down .

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

I am sure I heard on talkshite that several Clubs are now companies and are owned basically by the same people and are talking about loaning players amongst the teams under that umbrella, even during a season. Someone said oh so x player who is contracted to club 1 can get a phone call over the weekend from the manager and saying Mr x you are laying with club 3 on Wednesday and club 2 next Saturday, and the reporter basically said yeah, that is what they want to do, and in theory they could also loan or get players loaned to them from say for example Newcastle. This all needs ratifying by FIFA of course, so no problems there eh.....

 

[Pavilionaire]

I don't blame the players for going to Saudi Arabia. It's about time they got a fair day's pay after the pittance they've been earning in the Europe's top leagues.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Son is also apparently a target for some Saudi club. And Zaha.

Obviously it is all about the money, but come on, one game attracted just 284 fans !! The average is 9276.
Jebus League ones average was 10774 the season just finished, you are not going to become a legend.

I fear they will alter the game for the worse, as they "gain" influence.

 

[jamie (not that one)]

They're building a brand, and to break into a saturated market you have a few options - one of which is to buy the market. I'm sure the strategy is to pay (well) over the odds for these ageing big names now in the hope it'll normalise going there as a playing destination.

If I know FIFA how I think I know FIFA, it won't be long until they have the winner of their league competing in the Champions League.

 

[Iggle Piggle]

They've bought golf this week, Boxing has long since sold out to the Saudi Petrol dollar and Newcastle is Saudi FC. The Saudi league is just an extension of all this.

It'll be crown green bowls on a desert dust bowl and Premier League Darts in Riyadh before long.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

Since Ronaldo went to the middle East has anyone watched their games? I doubt it. Football is about more than just the players, China have tried it, USA have tried it. Football is about heritage and pride. Saudi Arabia are going to burn billions of dollars on this project and it won't make a jot of difference to their reputation. If anything, it'll just get people talking about what an awful regime it is.

 

[Beanstalk]

N'Golo Kanté looks set to be the latest big name to go there, with a suggestion he'll be on $100m/season all in.

A fine player, obviously, but not the sort of name that is going to get people suddenly having an interest in this footballing outpost.

Benzema is reported to be earning $643m over the next three years having made a similar move.

The Saudis have almost bottomless pockets, as we know, but this seems to be an awful lot of money on a few twilight footballers just to try and win the World Cup, as I can't see it will make a jot of difference in terms of people having any notable interest in their league.

I am not sure what the long game is for Saudi here. With Golf, F1, Tennis, Boxing etc. you can splash the cash and import the stars and the (professional side of the) sport gravitates towards Saudi Arabia. But with Football, the long term lure is the institutions, not the individuals. You can't really import the tradition, the crowds, the passion, the continuity of the game.

I get the soft-power element. Their purchase of Newcastle is about buying a seat at the table, and I'm sure it won't be the last club they buy in Europe, but this mega-investment in Saudi's league doesn't seem to make much sense if it is about soft-power. The only conclusion I can come to is that they are playing for the World Cup in 2030/34 and they're building a bank of ambassadors in the run up. They probably don't need to pay the kind of money that they are paying for that...

 

[ConfusedGloryHunter]

No one has objected to Legends football matches before so why complain if recently retired footballers do it in Saudi Arabia instead of Newquay? For an awful lot more money of course.

But relatively speaking if you could get Ronaldo to come play for your pub team for £50 you might consider it. If someone views £100m in the same manner that we view £50 them of course they are going to sign him up.

 

[Lyndhurst 14]

Since Ronaldo went to the middle East has anyone watched their games? I doubt it. Football is about more than just the players, China have tried it, USA have tried it. Football is about heritage and pride. Saudi Arabia are going to burn billions of dollars on this project and it won't make a jot of difference to their reputation. If anything, it'll just get people talking about what an awful regime it is.

I don't think Newcastle fans give a toss about their reputation, they just want trophies at any price

 

[Javeaseagull]

They have money to burn literally with all their oil production . It’s good PR for them if they can have some well known players playing in a country that still chops your head off for certain crimes .

I wouldn’t play there if I was a well known player for all the money in the world but obviously for some the money is just so ridiculous they can’t turn it down .

Messi just turned it down, for now.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Since Ronaldo went to the middle East has anyone watched their games? I doubt it. Football is about more than just the players, China have tried it, USA have tried it.

The Chinese government saw so much money being paid by the clubs (companies) that they could not resist raising the tax level on the players and they ultimately have all left.
As for the USA, in fairness football is growing year on year, the market, children now aspiring to be a soccer player over American football as a choice. and although the standard is average, their fans do show passion even if a little contrived. I think your comment about them is just USA bashing for the sake of it.

Football is about heritage and pride.

Throughout the world anyone can have that, we are not unique.

Saudi Arabia are going to burn billions of dollars on this project and it won't make a jot of difference to their reputation. If anything, it'll just get people talking about what an awful regime it is.

Nail Head.

 

[Live by the sea]

Messi just turned it down, for now.

Good for him . Lifestyle in Miami probably slightly better especially when you’re already loaded !

 

[Javeaseagull]

Good for him . Lifestyle in Miami probably slightly better especially when you’re already loaded !

And he has a house there apparently!