I think tomorrow is the day for the WTO report to be released. Know what. Someone pointed out that it could be the fact that the premier league is resuming and that maybe they (pif) expected it to not happen. Meaning maybe they don’t care that it’s taking this long until it’s certain we are in the PL next season. Wait till we are safe then push hard. Until then why take the risk. If the premier league decide to fail it now. Pif walk away. 17m to them is nothing compared to a legal fight or a relegation!
It’s only guesswork on my part but I would guess that the Saudi’s would have anticipated the issues that existed (realistically no-one thinks the “Saudi’s “ haven’t been tv pirating) and prepared this bid so that those to the front have no connection with the piracy so as to pass the test. I don’t know the legal or political framework but whilst everyone thinks the Saudi Government has aided the piracy I would believe PIF who are the potential owners are legally separate to the Government and therefore cannot be legally tied to any piracy. They would have employed the top lawyers to advise them in relation to the bid. I figure those lawyers would have been pretty confident that the test would be passed before they sanctioned the exchange of contracts and the paying of the £17M non returnable deposit to Ashley. All guesswork but logical guesswork in my view.
I’m not ruling it out until it’s official. But at the same time I’m not in the other camp either. I am on the fence and trying to find a logical reason as to why it may or may not be on. I actually think it’s utterly disgraceful that this has dragged on for so long. Let’s be honest given the **** that Ashley has and is still doing to us how on earth would he pass this test. He has effectively stolen peoples money with regards to the season ticket money. He’s lied in court. I am still hoping for a positive solution. Honestly if it ends up being the American with new ideas then I would take it over Ashley cause I am sick of his ****.
Your points are very valid but I also wonder. When they have so much money why would they care? We are not a big asset in their portfolio and tbh they probably thought the PL would welcome them with open arms. But it upsets the balance of the league. The problem with the piracy is that no matter how they legally try and tie the PL up in knots it doesn’t matter. If the PL don’t want them at the table, for whatever reason, they will find a way of a polite decline.
God imagine this. The PL delay their announcement till the day before the Sheffield Utd game and it’s a no. The match is at St James Park and the Geordie idiots turn up in their masses to vent their anger at Ashley, the PL and PIF. The PL turn to their advisors and go “see we made the right decision and they will just do our dirty work for us” Fans go on riots, PL deduct 6 points from us for being complete and utter idiots and we go down. No takeover. Job done, mission accomplished.
They would care because they would not want to be seen to losing face especially if Qatar are part of the equation. Plus the PL have to abide by their own rules which everyone can see and therefore are unable to say no just because they want to. Plus there’s all the potential extra money if they say yes.
I’m not so sure on all three points. Honestly I want to agree with you but ultimately if it was gonna happen this way it would have already happened.
Plenty of time to we find out. More evidence to suggest it’s off than on. I’m still on the fence though!
Really. I’m not so sure. Let’s flip. A coin. Fail. Best out of 3. Fail fail fail. 5 Fail .... you get my point!
The only evidence suggesting it will fail is a tenuous link between PIF and piracy. Evidence to happen - Support of Government, documents filed with Companies House, lack of comment, NUFC closing shop
And the length of time, the piracy, sportswashing, murder. I’m happy to sit on the fence and say it’s as much on as off and viceversa. If it was on it would have happened. If there is no evidence to stop it. It would have happened.
