[Football] Saudi League

[Springal]

one thing you can't buy is fans. Same reason the WC over there was tarnished. There is no fan culture like other leagues

Not sure the WC is a good example. It was one of the best for fans in my opinion. Didn’t stop hundreds of thousands of South Americans going for example

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

And our Sponsor American Express changes it logos to rainbows in most countries, participates in Pride marches except the Middle East where it also operates and doesn’t acknowledge any of these things. Hell - some of the employees based out of Brighton cover the UAE & Saudi !

Everyone has double standard when money is involved

This really annoys me

Go all in, or don't bother - LGBT+ rights (only when it suits us)

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Neves was a surprising outlier. Age 26, tipped to sign for Liverpool, Spurs or Manure.

The lure of a tax free £47m overriding playing in La Liga or PL.

I wouldn't be shocked if all these players have pretty low release clauses/get outs after a season

He's young enough to miss a season of his career and move back, a player could miss a season through injury

 

[Weststander]

I wouldn't be shocked if all these players have pretty low release clauses/get outs after a season

He's young enough to miss a season of his career and move back, a player could miss a season through injury

…. to St James’s Park for a low fee and modest salary, Neves ‘image rights’ paid from a Middle Eastern entity.

Rinse and repeat with several players and NU suddenly have the best squad in the PL. Hey presto silverware.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

…. to St James’s Park for a low fee and modest salary, Neves ‘image rights’ paid from a Middle Eastern entity.

Rinse and repeat with several players and NU suddenly have the best squad in the PL. Hey presto silverware.

I think that's how the Saudi league will be finished.

PL will be waiting for this to happen

 

[Weststander]

I think that's how the Saudi league will be finished.

PL will be waiting for this to happen

Do you remember when the Pozzo’s at Watford cheated with half a team of loanees from connected clubs in their first PL season? UEFA or the PL acted immediately, preventing that happening again. Similarly UEFA capped fee amortisation at 5 years after Boehly created 7 year contracts to swerve FFP.

UEFA/PL are going to have to be creative and fast acting to block all new attempts at breaking their bylaws/rules.

 

[BrianSwan]

…. to St James’s Park for a low fee and modest salary, Neves ‘image rights’ paid from a Middle Eastern entity.

Rinse and repeat with several players and NU suddenly have the best squad in the PL. Hey presto silverware.

Newcastle are not high on their priorities.

 

[The Rivet]

I might be sounding daft here but how is the Saudi league going to be financially sustainable paying vast purchase prices and then astronomical wages on top? Surely the world cannot have a league that is hoovering up all the worlds players and being underpinned by state money instead of club income?

 

[Official Old Man]

I might be sounding daft here but how is the Saudi league going to be financially sustainable paying vast purchase prices and then astronomical wages on top? Surely the world cannot have a league that is hoovering up all the worlds players and being underpinned by state money instead of club income?

Similar question. I presume FIFA are the governing body over football in Saudi, but where do the teams play other than their own small league? Is there a champions league tournament? Are they expecting to join the European tournaments? Are they making the FFP rules up as they go or, indeed, do they even have FFP and it's every team for themselves. Who owns the teams, are they all owned by the Investment Fund.

 

[The Fits]

Unless FIFA specifically intervene they can do what they want. And the state has trillions of excess money. They could fund it forever.
Incidentally, if Osimhen goes it feels like a big moment.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

if Osimhen goes it feels like a big moment.

not in my life it won't be, it will barley register, I doubt I will even put as much energy into raising an eyebrow.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

Do you remember when the Pozzo’s at Watford cheated with half a team of loanees from connected clubs in their first PL season? UEFA or the PL acted immediately, preventing that happening again. Similarly UEFA capped fee amortisation at 5 years after Boehly created 7 year contracts to swerve FFP.

UEFA/PL are going to have to be creative and fast acting to block all new attempts at breaking their bylaws/rules.

Think they will end up putting some duel ownership rule, which will mean any investment group that buys a PL will have to show the source of money.

 

[The Fits]

not in my life it won't be, it will barley register, I doubt I will even put as much energy into raising an eyebrow.

Absolutely. But the international market will lose it's mind. There's no doubt that if players like he joins, probably the third best striker in the world, certainly under 25, then anyone could. That has huge implications. TV viewing figures. TV revenue. Sponsorship revenue. Social media exposure. It will be stuff we as individuals can avoid but it could have a huge knock on effect on English sides at the higher end of the footballing lader.
Our revenue reduced. The global transfer market hugely inflated. Wages hugely inflated . And god forbid one of them gets a decent scouting network because they'll just buy entire U21 teams of the best young players.
I really don't think this a bubble. Unless FIFA intervene, the global game is going to see a seismic shift not equalled by anything like the introduction of the PL, Bosman, digital TV etc etc combined.
Imagine If one of them offers 150 million, up front, for Moises and he wants the £50 million a year wages. That won't be something we can ignore.

 

[The Fits]

Newcastle are not high on their priorities.

Exactly. They're not using the Saudi league to improve Newcastle, they're using Newcastle to raise the profile of Saudi's in football.

 

[timbha]

Exactly. They're not using the Saudi league to improve Newcastle, they're using Newcastle to raise the profile of Saudi's in football.

..and to stick 2 fingers up to the West. We can buy anything we want of your’s whether it be football clubs, top sporting events, Harrods, mansions in Chelsea and Fulham, etc etc even if you won’t grant citizenship to some of us!!

 

[Easy 10]

I wouldn't be shocked if all these players have pretty low release clauses/get outs after a season

He's young enough to miss a season of his career and move back, a player could miss a season through injury

Players have to be in Saudi for a minimum of 2 years in order to get paid tax-free, so dipping over there just for 1 season is probably not an option they'd take (given the out-and-out greed that drives their decisions).

 

[drew]

Similar question. I presume FIFA are the governing body over football in Saudi, but where do the teams play other than their own small league? Is there a champions league tournament? Are they expecting to join the European tournaments? Are they making the FFP rules up as they go or, indeed, do they even have FFP and it's every team for themselves. Who owns the teams, are they all owned by the Investment Fund.

AFC Champions League

 

[Bozza]

Neymar now being linked with Al Someone-or-other.

 

[Birdie Boy]

Players have to be in Saudi for a minimum of 2 years in order to get paid tax-free, so dipping over there just for 1 season is probably not an option they'd take (given the out-and-out greed that drives their decisions).

Unless English players have different rules to everyone else in KSA, they don't. If you are English, there is the 180 day rule, ie not be in the UK for more than 180 days total per year. Also need to register with HMRC that you live in KSA. This will be the case for Gerrard and Henderson but I have no idea on other countries tax laws/agreements with KSA.

 

[Easy 10]

Unless English players have different rules to everyone else in KSA, they don't. If you are English, there is the 180 day rule, ie not be in the UK for more than 180 days total per year. Also need to register with HMRC that you live in KSA. This will be the case for Gerrard and Henderson but I have no idea on other countries tax laws/agreements with KSA.

Was just something I heard on the Guardian Football Weekly pod a few weeks ago, which I took at face value. Happy to stand corrected.