Bernardo Silva now being tipped to join the likes on Ronaldo, Kante and many others. I get older players going but if Silva was to sign for a Saudi club then thats a bit of a game changer as he’s only 28. 
 

Can you knock someone for wanting more money in a career that only has a short lifespan? 

8 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

...and a little island off the coast of Europe built on colonialism, slavery and exploitation of the poor run by offshore billionaires being knocked off it's perch as the major player? Tough one to call TBH.

That's RW levels of whataboutery.

Just because the UK has history, doesn't mean you can't critise despotic regimes. That's nuts.

Be interesting to hear what Gary Lineker has to say about taking a pay day in a country like SA

9 hours ago, Marc505 said:

PL shitting itself now there's a bigger guy on the block.

Good way to jettison some massive wages off your bill though.

Not sure the Saudi league has the same attraction, even with a number of mega stars.

With clubs having the same owner, it appears to be like the American system.

I can imagine it being like a series of exhibition matches, with little physical competition as owners too heavily invested to have their players injured.

Anyway, good luck to them and the players if it's what they want.

How does Saudi compare to UAE and Dubai in terms of being a millionaires playground and a great life style choice if you can afford it? 

China was probably never going to compete in that respect but plenty of young lads not quite up to PL or international level would probably be all over it

I'd not be too upset if financial realities were forced in & we lost some of the cash chasers.

We benefited from it & God bless fans seeing players they'd barely of dreamt of but, in the end, it brings a type of player with lower commitment. Exhibition football in a non-competitive league ... meh.

Ruben Neves going for Gold aged 26 is showing that & if a few more exited .... meh.

1 hour ago, Not in Crawley said:

That's RW levels of whataboutery.

Just because the UK has history, doesn't mean you can't critise despotic regimes. That's nuts.

OK I'll play.

So are you saying there's no hypocrisy in the UK criticising the former British Protectorate that was created by Britain with the Treaties of Darin and Jeddah and who did a deal to make the Al Saud tribe the royal family (at the expense of the other tribes that lived there) of a country which to this day remains a strategic ally?

And you are also claiming that our plutocracy is morally superior to our own creation?

And where does that sit with Thatcher's £43 billion Al Yamamah Arms Deal?

Naw - forget history. The UK is corrupt as f*** and the Premiership are just jealous because they aren't the big wads on the block anymore. All this moral outrage is just a smokescreen - or gammon fodder as I like to call it

12 minutes ago, Wanderlust said:

OK I'll play.

So are you saying there's no hypocrisy in the UK criticising the former British Protectorate that was created by Britain with the Treaties of Darin and Jeddah and who did a deal to make the Al Saud tribe the royal family (at the expense of the other tribes that lived there) of a country which to this day remains a strategic ally?

And you are also claiming that our plutocracy is morally superior to our own creation?

And where does that sit with Thatcher's £43 billion Al Yamamah Arms Deal?

Naw - forget history. The UK is corrupt as f*** and the Premiership are just jealous because they aren't the big wads on the block anymore. All this moral outrage is just a smokescreen - or gammon fodder as I like to call it

Of course not, but one doesn't mean you can't point out the flaws in the other. Its that easy, and I think we're talking at cross purposes here.

Plus I'm not sure that Richard Masters has beheaded anyone yet and last I looked homosexuality was legal, as was critism of the government. Oh and we also have elections.

Its the reasons for them wanting to take over Golf and own clubs in Europe and the fact that yes, we should look behind this smokescreen.

As I say it's whataboutery and pearl clutuching at it's finest

 

 

If one of the Saudi clubs had the best players in the world in every position I wouldn’t watch 15 seconds of a game. They will always be irrelevant 

Its great viewing, seeing all the top 6 bell end fans and ex-players now crying about it. 🤣

I know nobody really cares, but there is a massive and historical fan culture and following in Saudi its not like Messi who is going playing for a new franchise in front of 12k in a stadium worse than Bournemouth's, some of these clubs have been going for many decades and have big, raucous crowds with an ultras scene etc.

It will be bigger and far more consequential than what happened with Chy-na. But I have zero sympathy for the Premier League, or UEFA.

European Super League will happen now. 

14 minutes ago, Farrelli said:

European Super League will happen now. 

Good. Another set of self-important wankers who couldn’t give 2 shites about anyone else.

Just can’t understand it myself.

If I was lucky enough to play elite level then I can’t think of anything worse than playing in Saudi Arabia. The passion and crowds across Europe are incredible, you’d cherish every minute of it. 

21 minutes ago, London Wanderer said:

Just can’t understand it myself.

If I was lucky enough to play elite level then I can’t think of anything worse than playing in Saudi Arabia. The passion and crowds across Europe are incredible, you’d cherish every minute of it. 

Me neither but it is a different world these days. It’s like the IPL in cricket, not a patch on a good test series but that is now the main event (it seems anyway).

1 hour ago, Pablo said:

Its great viewing, seeing all the top 6 bell end fans and ex-players now crying about it. 🤣

haha. 

"corrupt money ? in my football ? its more likely than you think" 

8 minutes ago, e2e4 said:

haha. 

"corrupt money ? in my football ? its more likely than you think" 

 

All of a sudden everyone is outraged ffs

Prem has been one of the most money corrupt sports leagues ever, take ever single penny from anyone who will throw at it.

Milking asia/africa/american markets for anything...cheap kit manufacturing...tax dodging sponsors, war money, arab money, ganster money, lotto money, council money, money laundering company money....owners funding political campaigns...

One of our top clubs has been playing a footballer on bail for rape ffs.....but then being outraged when a fan swears or sings a hurty song!!

Taking Gambling companies money for decades, beer / alcohol, Crypto....

Zero...ZERO morals in prem football, they have no leg to stand on.

Hope it goes pop, after the Saudis rape the league.

35 minutes ago, Pablo said:

 

All of a sudden everyone is outraged ffs

Prem has been one of the most money corrupt sports leagues ever, take ever single penny from anyone who will throw at it.

Milking asia/africa/american markets for anything...cheap kit manufacturing...tax dodging sponsors, war money, arab money, ganster money, lotto money, council money, money laundering company money....owners funding political campaigns...

One of our top clubs has been playing a footballer on bail for rape ffs.....but then being outraged when a fan swears or sings a hurty song!!

Taking Gambling companies money for decades, beer / alcohol, Crypto....

Zero...ZERO morals in prem football, they have no leg to stand on.

Hope it goes pop, after the Saudis rape the league.

Fucken bang on.

You'd suit following an EFL team you 😃

59 minutes ago, Pablo said:

 

All of a sudden everyone is outraged ffs

Prem has been one of the most money corrupt sports leagues ever, take ever single penny from anyone who will throw at it.

Milking asia/africa/american markets for anything...cheap kit manufacturing...tax dodging sponsors, war money, arab money, ganster money, lotto money, council money, money laundering company money....owners funding political campaigns...

One of our top clubs has been playing a footballer on bail for rape ffs.....but then being outraged when a fan swears or sings a hurty song!!

Taking Gambling companies money for decades, beer / alcohol, Crypto....

Zero...ZERO morals in prem football, they have no leg to stand on.

Hope it goes pop, after the Saudis rape the league.

Gary Neville agrees and disagrees with this.

On this thread alone you can see why they are investing so much into it.

3 minutes ago, tomski said:

Gary Neville agrees and disagrees with this.

😁

Two rat faces!

2 minutes ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

😁

Two rat faces!

Biggest hypocrite going.

12 hours ago, Not in Crawley said:

That's RW levels of whataboutery.

Just because the UK has history, doesn't mean you can't critise despotic regimes. That's nuts.

Your Obsession with me is weird.

8 hours ago, Pablo said:

 

All of a sudden everyone is outraged ffs

Prem has been one of the most money corrupt sports leagues ever, take ever single penny from anyone who will throw at it.

Milking asia/africa/american markets for anything...cheap kit manufacturing...tax dodging sponsors, war money, arab money, ganster money, lotto money, council money, money laundering company money....owners funding political campaigns...

One of our top clubs has been playing a footballer on bail for rape ffs.....but then being outraged when a fan swears or sings a hurty song!!

Taking Gambling companies money for decades, beer / alcohol, Crypto....

Zero...ZERO morals in prem football, they have no leg to stand on.

Hope it goes pop, after the Saudis rape the league.

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

10 hours ago, Wanderlust said:

OK I'll play.

So are you saying there's no hypocrisy in the UK criticising the former British Protectorate that was created by Britain with the Treaties of Darin and Jeddah and who did a deal to make the Al Saud tribe the royal family (at the expense of the other tribes that lived there) of a country which to this day remains a strategic ally?

And you are also claiming that our plutocracy is morally superior to our own creation?

And where does that sit with Thatcher's £43 billion Al Yamamah Arms Deal?

Naw - forget history. The UK is corrupt as f*** and the Premiership are just jealous because they aren't the big wads on the block anymore. All this moral outrage is just a smokescreen - or gammon fodder as I like to call it

He's really trying to draw a moral equivalence between the UK and the ultra regressive Saudi regime🤦‍♂️

10 hours ago, Marc505 said:

I know nobody really cares, but there is a massive and historical fan culture and following in Saudi its not like Messi who is going playing for a new franchise in front of 12k in a stadium worse than Bournemouth's, some of these clubs have been going for many decades and have big, raucous crowds with an ultras scene etc.

It will be bigger and far more consequential than what happened with Chy-na. But I have zero sympathy for the Premier League, or UEFA.

I think the Saudi Arabia team that beat Argentina was basically the Al-Hilal cllub team, wasn't it?

They're a proper outfit