[Football] Liverpool & Man U wanted by Saudi Arabia. Sportswashing Galore!

[Zeberdi]

I know rules don’t really matter anymore

But I didn’t think Saudis could take over anymore clubs?

‘The Saudis’ haven’t taken over any clubs as a government - the money is coming into the PL (has been coming) from private Saudi businesses - however the PIF is a conglomerate of private businesses albeit chaired by Saudi Arabian Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammad bin Salman Al-Saud that also help prop up the Saudi Government with their public investments so their claim of independence of any interference from the Saudi Government is highly questionable and the funding from PIF is clearly State backed - Any take over of Liverpool or ManU with Saudi funds would likely come from similar financial set ups (although obviously not PIF) and not from any State backed quarters for the reason you say.

 

[Swansman]

As said before, foreign ownership of clubs should be banned. Of course you would have to grandfather the current foreign owners, but no more should be allowed to come. It is perfectly doable, and one of the advantages with Brexit - there's no legal reason why you have to let foreign investors buy English businesses.

No foreign owners would mean that Premier League would be poorer, financially and therefore also in quality. But there's no harm in that. If players earn half or a third what they do today in order to make this change of policy sustainable, they'd still be rich and there would still be players around. If PL clubs didn't have the finances to buy players at the prices they do today but only for half or so of the current money, it wouldn't mean disaster by any means - yes, you'd lose a bit of the advantage compared to Spain and Italy, but PL would still be the richest league in the world.

 

[BadFish]

Can they all just f*** off and form their superleague and and leave the rest of us to it. Maybe with the super rich fuckers gone we can introduce a sensible ownership model that doesn't money destroy the competitive nature of the league.

Atilla talks about his beloved goldfish swimming in a cess pit of filth (did he actually say that? Something like that anyway). I see that the super league could be the catalyst for a new filtration system to clean up the water and give the game back to the fans.

 

[beorhthelm]

As said before, foreign ownership of clubs should be banned. Of course you would have to grandfather the current foreign owners, but no more should be allowed to come. It is perfectly doable, and one of the advantages with Brexit - there's no legal reason why you have to let foreign investors buy English businesses.

there is no legal way to prevent foreign owner investment, it would require primary legislation to change and thats no going to happen. so then its a case of the Premier League/Football League putting in place ownership rules, which would probably be challenges in law, and too many existing interest would block.

 

[rippleman]

Russians never owned Liverpool. And as I said, scousers would be pee'd off with a Saudi takeover (although of course like most fans of every other club they would still support their club).

Would that be the same "pee'd off" that the geordies were when they took the bloodied Saudi riyal? Like these fellas you mean?



We even have a resident sportswashing apologist for newcastle fans on nsc!

 

[GT49er]

Would that be the same "pee'd off" that the geordies were when they took the bloodied Saudi riyal? Like these fellas you mean?



We even have a resident sportswashing apologist for newcastle fans on nsc!

No it wouldn't be the same - Newcastle supporters would have welcomed Satan they were so obsessed with getting rid of Ashley at any cost - literally in their case at any cost. Besides, I suspect many Newcastle supporters weren't as happy as the boisterous minority that got their fizzogs in the papers and on TV.

Being unhappy with the club's owners will not significantly affect attendances - or drive away many life-long supporters - as demonstrated by, for instance, Man. United.

 

[Hamilton]

It will end sadly with a european or even international super league. Look at what is happening in golf as the model. Unlimited money will win out after some doomed resistance

It's almost like the Qataris built all these stadiums with no intention of taking them down whatsoever. Who'd a thunk it?

 

[KZNSeagull]

No it wouldn't be the same - Newcastle supporters would have welcomed Satan they were so obsessed with getting rid of Ashley at any cost - literally in their case at any cost. Besides, I suspect many Newcastle supporters weren't as happy as the boisterous minority that got their fizzogs in the papers and on TV.

Being unhappy with the club's owners will not significantly affect attendances - or drive away many life-long supporters - as demonstrated by, for instance, Man. United.

There have been demonstrations against the Saudis outside St James' Park as featured on the local news a couple of weeks ago, but they only appeared to have been by a handful of fans sadly.

 

[Swansman]

Can they all just f*** off and form their superleague and and leave the rest of us to it. Maybe with the super rich fuckers gone we can introduce a sensible ownership model that doesn't money destroy the competitive nature of the league.

Atilla talks about his beloved goldfish swimming in a cess pit of filth (did he actually say that? Something like that anyway). I see that the super league could be the catalyst for a new filtration system to clean up the water and give the game back to the fans.

The new CL format is basically the start of a European Super League... clubs won't leave their domestic leagues anytime soon though.

 

[BadFish]

The new CL format is basically the start of a European Super League... clubs won't leave their domestic leagues anytime soon though.

Shame.

 

[Doonhamer7]

man utd(glaziers), Newcastle (Ashley) and Liverpool (hicks/gillet) have had unwanted ownership at some point in the last decade.

 

[GT49er]

There have been demonstrations against the Saudis outside St James' Park as featured on the local news a couple of weeks ago, but they only appeared to have been by a handful of fans sadly.

Yep - once again see the significant word in my original post ................ 'most'!