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? 

Likely another winter World Cup then 

Sounds like Australia thought 'fuck it what's the point'

1 hour ago, DirtySanchez said:

Sounds like Australia thought 'fuck it what's the point'

The writing was on the wall when they decided to host 2030 across 3 continents 

1 hour ago, DirtySanchez said:

Sounds like Australia thought 'fuck it what's the point'

It was never going anywhere else, was it?

One of the saddest elements of current football twitter is seeing Newcastle fans feeling like they have to jump to the defence of Saudi Arabia any time there's criticism of the ownership model. The level of simping is quite embarrassing at times.

7 hours ago, little whitt said:

££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££

And more.

This doesn’t even scratch the surface compared to Qatar. Was shocked then, now it’s meh.

3 hours ago, DirtySanchez said:

Sounds like Australia thought 'fuck it what's the point'

A cynic might think theres a few new aussie millionaires

12 hours ago, Chicken dippers said:

Saudi will host the 2034 World Cup. It was only a matter of time.

Was it ever in doubt? I wonder how much richer Infantino is (or will become)? Nothing has changed since Fatman and Robbing moved on. Bent to the core yet preach to the rest of us how we should think and behave.

I thought they had a policy of not have world cups tournaments in similar places so close together.

Amazing what a massive bag of gold bars can do to change your mind

My interest with the national team coincided with that of the Premier League. The fact we aren't in it is obviously a factor. 

I don't want to be in the Premier league, I'm happy seeing us play football, Championship would be good, but completely no interest in EPL.

As for the World Cup, I watched 2.5 games of the last one. Can't name half of the English squad, don't care. 

Manager Harry Kane will be looking to be the first to win the thing since 1966.

Cpatain Jude Bellingham will host the side in a camp on his estate that he bought whilst playing for one of the local sides.

He will surpass Bobby Charlton's goal tally.

Next step HAS to be them finding a way to get their teams in the European Champion's League.

Otherwise, the Super League idea will be revived.

3 minutes ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

Next step HAS to be them finding a way to get their teams in the European Champion's League.

Otherwise, the Super League idea will be revived.

Yep.

Saudi football will find it's way to competing with the elite one way or another. They've got too much money to throw at it.

3 hours ago, Spider said:

I thought they had a policy of not have world cups tournaments in similar places so close together.

Amazing what a massive bag of gold bars can do to change your mind

Qatar 2022 to Saudi Arabia 2034 is 12 years....

France 1998 to Germany 2006 was only 8 years

Think the idea of spreading it around different continents came after that. Before then it was Europe every other WC and somewhere else (Americas) in between before that.

No doubt whatsoever in my mind that there will be a place or two on offer in UCL for Saudi teams before long, or something, anything that enables UEFA to tap into the money.

There will be some corporate/sporting/UEFAspeak crap explaining why its great for the game, there will be some protest, and then everyone will realise UCL sold its soul as a genuine competition long ago anyway and stop caring. Who's really going to care if the champions of Norway or Moldova can't take part because a Saudi team has taken their place?

Edited November 1, 20232 yr by Marc505

20 minutes ago, jeep said:

Qatar 2022 to Saudi Arabia 2034 is 12 years....

France 1998 to Germany 2006 was only 8 years

True, but the Middle East is hardly a hotbed of football.  The Middle East had their World Cup last year, that should be it for at least 20 years IMO.

World Cups should be hosted in countries where football is a passion and where fans can go for a good piss-up.  Not in the middle of a desert where it's too hard to get pissed for a reasonable price and get locked up for bumming.

Anyway, with this beast coming down the line in 2025, UEFA will definitely be thinking we want a bit of this on the reg:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_FIFA_Club_World_Cup

1 hour ago, Dr. Feelgood said:

Next step HAS to be them finding a way to get their teams in the European Champion's League.

Otherwise, the Super League idea will be revived.

Game 39, anyone?

3 minutes ago, Traf said:

Game 39, anyone?

Fur shure.

I think it'll go a step further before too long though.  The G14, or whatever it is now, will be desperate to get their grubby paws on the money the Saudis can throw their way.  Saudi football will be involved with top tier football within 10 years, whether it be in the Champions League or some other Super League that is formed.

It's all very sad, but when we've got players on half a £million per week it's inevitable.

See I just don’t see it happening. No real evidence as to why other than I think the bank rollers will get bored like they do elsewhere by 10 years time. even for the Uber rich it’s not sustainable and I can’t see it exploding in Saudi and have it like China, Russia etc where it just dies a death.

 

1 hour ago, DazBob said:

True, but the Middle East is hardly a hotbed of football.  The Middle East had their World Cup last year, that should be it for at least 20 years IMO.

World Cups should be hosted in countries where football is a passion and where fans can go for a good piss-up.  Not in the middle of a desert where it's too hard to get pissed for a reasonable price and get locked up for bumming.

Daz, what you do in your own time & space is your business...... 👀

2 hours ago, tomski said:

See I just don’t see it happening. No real evidence as to why other than I think the bank rollers will get bored like they do elsewhere by 10 years time. even for the Uber rich it’s not sustainable and I can’t see it exploding in Saudi and have it like China, Russia etc where it just dies a death.

 

I agree.

A play thing that they might get bored with.

Some of those crowds suggest the fan base isn't overly committed neither, so as you say, there doesn't appear to be the high level of sustainability needed.

3 hours ago, DazBob said:

True, but the Middle East is hardly a hotbed of football.  The Middle East had their World Cup last year, that should be it for at least 20 years IMO.

World Cups should be hosted in countries where football is a passion and where fans can go for a good piss-up.  Not in the middle of a desert where it's too hard to get pissed for a reasonable price and get locked up for bumming.

You don't have to get pissed when you go out you know.

For what it's worth, I think the first thing that'll happen, is that Saudi will start to host prestige "finals" such as the the Champions/Europa League, they'll then pay for teams to play the odd home league game over there (in a similar, and equally bizarre, way that we have American Football games here in the UK) - this will then lead at some point to the European Super League that's been spoken about many times, and they'll have teams in that.

At some point soon, I'd expect the Saudi FA to become an "affiliate" or some other such nonsense of UEFA, and then it'll all start. 

They've got all the money in the World and they'll happily chuck it at football, they don't give a fuck about local leagues, their own included probably - they want more of a "global game" as long as they're driving it.

They 100% will have teams in UEFA European competitions before the end of this decade (maybe start in that really shit one that West Ham won last year)

29 minutes ago, Sweep said:

You don't have to get pissed when you go out you know.

For what it's worth, I think the first thing that'll happen, is that Saudi will start to host prestige "finals" such as the the Champions/Europa League, they'll then pay for teams to play the odd home league game over there (in a similar, and equally bizarre, way that we have American Football games here in the UK) - this will then lead at some point to the European Super League that's been spoken about many times, and they'll have teams in that.

At some point soon, I'd expect the Saudi FA to become an "affiliate" or some other such nonsense of UEFA, and then it'll all start. 

They've got all the money in the World and they'll happily chuck it at football, they don't give a fuck about local leagues, their own included probably - they want more of a "global game" as long as they're driving it.

They 100% will have teams in UEFA European competitions before the end of this decade (maybe start in that really shit one that West Ham won last year)

He Wants to Get Pissed 

Before the Bumming  Starts