[Football] Saudi League

[HastingsSeagull]

First the league won’t help us. They don’t want to overpay for Mitoma to be big in Japan, they want the biggest names who played for big six clubs and are recognised by kids in developing nations. If they buy Brighton or Wolves players they’re not overpaying to the same degree as big 6 clubs. Plus they’re targeting our best, in prime years players but the big 6’s past it names.

Kids in the International School I coach at as a regular side gig (having left classroom teaching pre-pandemic) all support PSG whatever nation their parents are from. The handful who don’t tended to ditch big six shirts for Juve the day after Ronaldo moved. A smaller school I’ve worked for, the 65 year old female owner who genuinely asked questions showing knew nothing about the basics of football, had a Ronaldo Juve Shirt for the sidelines chatting to parents.

I’ve seen Facebook photos of kids already playing in Miami Shirts. 4 siblings already all “proud to support Miami” and got tickets to go watch Messi already. The mega rich will I’m sure be off to Saudi to see some games before Christmas. Some students will turn up in Saudi Shirts in mid-August, guaranteed.

My favourite part for anyone bothering to read, is the two teenage Saudi boys, when learning English, picked ‘Lewis Dunk’ and ‘Adam Lallana” as their hangman clues in ESL class. Probably the only two kids out of hundreds who know Brighton and cheered us on against ManU. I can’t claim that’s the Saudi aspect, more me using football (and sure Fifa game) as a way to encourage them to talk in English initially. But the fact I supported Brighton made it more interesting for them than if I’d said a big 6 team as they have that interaction already with everyone.

 

[HillBarnTillIDie]

Is this the start of a process to merge their interests with the best leagues in football? Very much like what happens with the LIV and the PGA. Create a financially high attractive alternative for players with the view to disrupt the established leagues. Then when the times right, offer to merge.

The Middle East take over of every major sport may well be underway…

 

[dazzer6666]

Is this the start of a process to merge their interests with the best leagues in football? Very much like what happens with the LIV and the PGA. Create a financially high attractive alternative for players with the view to disrupt the established leagues. Then when the times right, offer to merge.

The Middle East take over of every major sport may well be underway…

This is the most likely outcome imo - they know they will never have a league locally that competes with the PL in terms of global interest, crowds, history etc but can try to engineer a situation where they own and control the league itself (and provide a high value vehicle for sportswashing).

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Is this the start of a process to merge their interests with the best leagues in football? Very much like what happens with the LIV and the PGA. Create a financially high attractive alternative for players with the view to disrupt the established leagues. Then when the times right, offer to merge.

The Middle East take over of every major sport may well be underway…

How are LIV and PGA set up? The EPL is one share/vote per team which will make it a lot harder to take-over.

 

[keaton]

We'll have to agree to disagree. I see them as no different other than the financial reward isn't as great for them as it is for footballers. Take rugby, how many players have left to play in France for more money despite knowing the RFU had a policy of not picking overseas players for the England squad?

About 6? But they're heading to the best league in Europe while in England 2/3 clubs have gone bust in the last year and the RFU have shown no ability to organise anything

 

[drew]

Is this the start of a process to merge their interests with the best leagues in football? Very much like what happens with the LIV and the PGA. Create a financially high attractive alternative for players with the view to disrupt the established leagues. Then when the times right, offer to merge.

The Middle East take over of every major sport may well be underway…

How are you going to merge leagues? LIV and PGA are tour based sports, completely different to football. The only prospect I could see is if the Saudis tried to get teams into the CL and I'm not sure that will happen.

The big problem at the moment seems to be that Infantino is so far up the jacksie in the Middle East, he can't see the wood for the trees. How is the government of one country allowed to own four teams in it's own league? That completely flies in the face of FIFA rules about government interference in football. I suspect the Infantino apple hasn't fallen far from the Blatter tree!!!

 

[The Fits]

Marco Verratti to join Al Hilal.
There midfield this season....
Verrtati (30, 55 Italy caps), Neves (26, 41 Portugal caps), Milinković-Savić (28, 43 Serbia caps). An insane midfield in an insane league.

 

[GrizzlingGammon]

Marco Verratti to join Al Hilal.
There midfield this season....
Verrtati (30, 55 Italy caps), Neves (26, 41 Portugal caps), Milinković-Savić (28, 43 Serbia caps). An insane midfield in an insane league.

But who is watching?

 

[durrington gull]

How are you going to merge leagues? LIV and PGA are tour based sports, completely different to football. The only prospect I could see is if the Saudis tried to get teams into the CL and I'm not sure that will happen.

The big problem at the moment seems to be that Infantino is so far up the jacksie in the Middle East, he can't see the wood for the trees. How is the government of one country allowed to own four teams in it's own league? That completely flies in the face of FIFA rules about government interference in football. I suspect the Infantino apple hasn't fallen far from the Blatter tree!!!

I can deffo see the Arab teams invited into CL despite them sitting in the Middle East

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

I can deffo see the Arab teams invited into CL despite them sitting in the Middle East

Yep, if teams from Israel can enter....

 

[trueblue]

But who is watching?

Sadly, hundreds of millions of people outside of Europe eventually. The last World Cup showed how many foreign fans now follow players, not teams. In a way, that's understandable I suppose as they have no geographical link to the team in the first place. Maybe it will collapse if the players hate the lifestyle but then the clubs might put up with them living elsewhere - travel expenses aren't exactly going to be an issue.

 

[nicko31]

Appreciate money wise this is on another level but years ago players went off to China and a lesser extent India. Never hear of these leagues now although I suppose with there new wealth maybe China will make a comeback

The biggest difference is China does have 1.4b people. We only have to look at cricket and the Indian PL

 

[dwayne]

Sadly, hundreds of millions of people outside of Europe eventually. The last World Cup showed how many foreign fans now follow players, not teams. In a way, that's understandable I suppose as they have no geographical link to the team in the first place. Maybe it will collapse if the players hate the lifestyle but then the clubs might put up with them living elsewhere - travel expenses aren't exactly going to be an issue.

They've already said players can live in doobs !

 

[Garry Nelson's Left Foot]

But who is watching?

Most of the world.

Outside of football's heartlands of Europe and South America the majority of football fans follow players rather than clubs. All those Japanese that you see at the Amex nowadays aren't there to watch Brighton, they're there to watch Mitoma. Same with the Ecuadorians. They're there for Caicedo primarily. When those players leave, so will the fans.

If the Saudi league keeps going the way it has this summer over the next few years more and more people will fly in from all over the world to watch the games and the global television audience will boom.

If it keeps going the way it has been then what we're watching is effectively the birth of the European Super League just it'll be in the middle east not Europe.

What might then follow from that is a global super league. The big clubs form around the world and the many, many money men involved in or sniffing around football will not want to miss the gravy boat.

 

[Weststander]

I’ve worked out some numbers, on existing wealth using the typical guesses on the internet.

It appears that a three year spell in Saudi will turn the net worth of folk like Kante, Henderson, Neves and Kante, from £25m now to £125m at retirement. Saudi wages will be tax free.

£25m would’ve set up a two or three generations for life with significant wealth, public schooling for generations.

What are these people going to do with £125m? I envisage loads ‘moving’ to Monaco seven months of the year to swerve taxation.

Swathes of footballers will be joining the wealthy elite of Hamilton, McIlroy, Mickelson, Coulthard.

What a time to be a top flight sportsman!

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

ITV News said something tonight along the lines of “Henderson’s motives were unclear although he will be earning £700,000 per week”

It was akin to Mrs Merton’s “What first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?”

 

[Stat Brother]

I’ve worked out some numbers, on existing wealth using the typical guesses on the internet.

It appears that a three year spell in Saudi will turn the net worth of folk like Kante, Henderson, Neves and Kante, from £25m now to £125m at retirement. Saudi wages will be tax free.

£25m would’ve set up a two or three generations for life with significant wealth, public schooling for generations.

What are these people going to do with £125m? I envisage loads ‘moving’ to Monaco seven months of the year to swerve taxation.

Swathes of footballers will be joining the wealthy elite of Hamilton, McIlroy, Mickelson, Coulthard.

What a time to be a top flight sportsman!

FYI McIlroy turned down the Saudi's money and went all in with the USPGA.

 

[A mex eyecan]

ITV News said something tonight along the lines of “Henderson’s motives were unclear although he will be earning £700,000 per week”

It was akin to Mrs Merton’s “What first attracted you to the millionaire Paul Daniels?”

stinks doesn’t it.
Mr H was not long ago professing his shoulder to shoulder support for LGBT etc. Yet come the offer of what, circa 350 million a year Saudi records don’t seen to matter all that much. Shoulder to shoulder. yeah, right.

 

[Weststander]

FYI McIlroy turned down the Saudi's money and went all in with the USPGA.

Tell me something I didn’t know already.

My point is that footballers can now quintuple their wealth in just three years in their 30’s, putting them on a level with superstar golfers and F1 drivers.

£125 net worth, unbelievable.

 

[Springal]

stinks doesn’t it.
Mr H was not long ago professing his shoulder to shoulder support for LGBT etc. Yet come the offer of what, circa 350 million a year Saudi records don’t seen to matter all that much. Shoulder to shoulder. yeah, right.

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