[Football] Jordan Henderson - Saudi move not about the money

[Neville's Breakfast]

Y'know who doesn't get enough shit for this sort of thing? Lionel Messi.

Arguably the most famous footballer on the planet is paid $6m to be a tourism ambassador for Saudi.

Your post inspired me to read this;

Lionel Messi chose to play in MLS. But he’s still Saudi Arabia’s $25m pitch man | Lionel Messi | The Guardian

The Argentinian opted for Inter Miami over Al-Hilal. But it would be wrong to think his decision was made on ethical grounds

amp.theguardian.com

Just in case anybody else was similarly unaware of Messi’s affiliations.

 

[BBassic]

Your post inspired me to read this;

Lionel Messi chose to play in MLS. But he’s still Saudi Arabia’s $25m pitch man | Lionel Messi | The Guardian

The Argentinian opted for Inter Miami over Al-Hilal. But it would be wrong to think his decision was made on ethical grounds

amp.theguardian.com

Just in case anybody else was similarly unaware of Messi’s affiliations.

I was clueless myself until a couple of days ago when someone pointed it out on Reddit. Which goes to show how effective this sportswashing business is - that we look at Messi and see his MLS goals rather than the regime he's promoting.

And he hasn't got Henderson's excuse of 'being the change you want to see in the world' or whatever he's peddling.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

Y'know who doesn't get enough shit for this sort of thing? Lionel Messi.

Arguably the most famous footballer on the planet is paid $6m to be a tourism ambassador for Saudi.

That's incredibly disappointing. I love Messi but maybe he's no different to the other super rich money grabbers.

 

[US Seagull]

I found the intro for this pretty perfect:

 

[US Seagull]

In other "players with their heads in the (maybe literal) sand" news:

Carrasco dismisses criticism of human rights in Saudi Arabia after transfer to Al Shabab

Belgium midfielder Yannick Carrasco says he does not share the criticism of Saudi Arabia’s poor human rights record.

apnews.com

Asked about the country’s human rights record, Carrasco said he disagrees with the criticism “because people can sometimes think badly about things.”

“Cristiano is there with his wife and has an ordinary life there,” Carrasco said. “Neymar, Benzema, I went there myself. I see how women live there, and how people go about their lives. Honestly, it is a beautiful country. It is hard to judge if you only listen to what people say about it. You have to experience it yourself.”

See there you go. No human rights abuses because Ronaldo is having a grand old time there. Case closed.

 

[aolstudios]

I found the intro for this pretty perfect:

Superb

 

[BBassic]

See there you go. No human rights abuses because Ronaldo is having a grand old time there. Case closed.

One can only assume neither Ronaldo nor Carrasco is spending much time near the Saudi / Yemen border

Not a pleasant read at all:

Saudi Arabia: Mass Killings of Migrants at Yemen Border

Saudi border guards have killed at least hundreds of Ethiopian migrants and asylum seekers who tried to cross the Yemen-Saudi border between March 2022 and June 2023, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. If committed as part of a Saudi government policy to murder migrants, these...

www.hrw.org

 

[US Seagull]

One can only assume neither Ronaldo nor Carrasco is spending much time near the Saudi / Yemen border

Not a pleasant read at all:

Saudi Arabia: Mass Killings of Migrants at Yemen Border

Saudi border guards have killed at least hundreds of Ethiopian migrants and asylum seekers who tried to cross the Yemen-Saudi border between March 2022 and June 2023, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. If committed as part of a Saudi government policy to murder migrants, these...

www.hrw.org

Oh come now. How do you expect them to see that over their massive piles of cash?

You think they're going to drive their Lambos all the way down to the border on their day off? Come on. Be reasonable!

 

[Pevenseagull]

I found the intro for this pretty perfect:

That some good work

 

[Mellotron]

 

[aolstudios]

One can only assume neither Ronaldo nor Carrasco is spending much time near the Saudi / Yemen border

Not a pleasant read at all:

Saudi Arabia: Mass Killings of Migrants at Yemen Border

Saudi border guards have killed at least hundreds of Ethiopian migrants and asylum seekers who tried to cross the Yemen-Saudi border between March 2022 and June 2023, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. If committed as part of a Saudi government policy to murder migrants, these...

www.hrw.org

f***ing savages

 

[The Fifth Column]

I'm sure everyone will join me with offering commiserations to Stevie G and Jordan Henderson as they lost 1-0 away at Al-Riyadh yesterday. Still they are doing their bit to make the game more popular in that hotbed of football, Saudi Arabia as I'm sure the 696 fans that turned up to watch will confirm...

How they can claim any kind of credibility playing in front of pitiful attendances like these is beyond me.

Not about the money though, no sir definitely not.

 

[Hamilton]

I'm sure everyone will join me with offering commiserations to Stevie G and Jordan Henderson as they lost 1-0 away at Al-Riyadh yesterday. Still they are doing their bit to make the game more popular in that hotbed of football, Saudi Arabia as I'm sure the 696 fans that turned up to watch will confirm...

How they can claim any kind of credibility playing in front of pitiful attendances like these is beyond me.

Not about the money though, no sir definitely not.

View attachment 168439

There were 751 at the Dripping Pan for Lewes v Enfield.

And Lewes have European football to look forward to.

He should have signed for a big club.

Lewes FC vs FC Oslo 7th November 2023 – Lewes Community Football Club

Lewes Football Club is an English football club based in Lewes, East Sussex, who play at The Dripping Pan. Women’s team play in the FA Women’s Championship; Men’s team play in the Isthmian Premier League. Both get EQUAL resources (of course).

lewesfc.com

 

[dejavuatbtn]

I'm sure everyone will join me with offering commiserations to Stevie G and Jordan Henderson as they lost 1-0 away at Al-Riyadh yesterday. Still they are doing their bit to make the game more popular in that hotbed of football, Saudi Arabia as I'm sure the 696 fans that turned up to watch will confirm...

How they can claim any kind of credibility playing in front of pitiful attendances like these is beyond me.

Not about the money though, no sir definitely not.

View attachment 168439

Even the Saudis are boycotting them!

 

[The Fifth Column]

Suspect the Saudi Pro league will go the same way as the Chinese Super League, incidentally where our former duff dutchman Jurgs Locadia has ended up at Cangzhou Mighty Lions (7 goals in 24 apps). Once the Saudis realise no-one wants to watch their sportwashing League it will die on its arse (It seems the Saudi population themselves have already made this decision). I'm surprised the Saudis haven't been paying migrant workers to attend the matches or threatening to cut off their hands or murder their families?!

 

[Pevenseagull]

I'm sure everyone will join me with offering commiserations to Stevie G and Jordan Henderson as they lost 1-0 away at Al-Riyadh yesterday. Still they are doing their bit to make the game more popular in that hotbed of football, Saudi Arabia as I'm sure the 696 fans that turned up to watch will confirm...

How they can claim any kind of credibility playing in front of pitiful attendances like these is beyond me.

Not about the money though, no sir definitely not.

View attachment 168439

Eastbourne Borough are averaging 1,359, Worthing are averaging 1,452.

 

[schmunk]

Eastbourne Borough are averaging 1,359, Worthing are averaging 1,452.

Even Horsham in the Isthmian League are averaging more:

Horsham | Home Attendances | Football Web Pages

Live Football Scores, League Tables, Form Guides, Attendances, Latest News and other stats from the Premier League, Football League and Non-League football

www.footballwebpages.co.uk

 

[HeaviestTed]

I'm sure everyone will join me with offering commiserations to Stevie G and Jordan Henderson as they lost 1-0 away at Al-Riyadh yesterday. Still they are doing their bit to make the game more popular in that hotbed of football, Saudi Arabia as I'm sure the 696 fans that turned up to watch will confirm...

How they can claim any kind of credibility playing in front of pitiful attendances like these is beyond me.

Not about the money though, no sir definitely not.

View attachment 168439

Six hundred people? That is terrible.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

Six hundred people? That is terrible.

it is considering they counted no show season ticket holders in that figure.

 

[Stato]

All of those non-league grounds have open bars. From a Northern European perspective, it seems that it must be very challenging pulling a football crowd in a country that doesn't allow the public sale of alcohol. I'm sure that we can all remember games at some point in our lives that we wouldn't have got through if it wasn't for beer. Back in the nadir of the Goldstone we'd jump in a cab from the pub at 2:45, walk straight in without queuing, suffer for two hours and be back in the pub by 5:30 drinking to forget. If we'd had to go through that sober, we may have come to our senses.