Yeah the Saudis backing down over beIN was pure coincidence like, absolutely nothing to do with anything says the press office. It was patently solved with a political level conversation not some poxy competition law hearing.
Not a point but a question, do you think we might see a change in the balance of power in the prem as in theory just protecting the status quo with 14 members enforcing a threat to the others could wane. Could we see more change in future as theres now 9 or 10 clubs who are quite ambitious with villa everton Newcastle and leicester telling the top 6 they are not so special. Will those clubs ambitions out weight the survivor mentality at the bottom fighting to stay as is?
Unless your nose is actually in the trough why are you going to vote through anything that only benefits those with their noses in the trough? You ain’t going to vote based on an aspiration, you’re going to vote based on where you are at the time, perspectives only change when the nose hits the trough.
Something they could have done at any time and something they would have to have done at some point to get the world back on side. Strange that they did it at a time when they were getting something back and at a time when the PL didn't want their dirty washing washed in public which it would have been due to the CAT case. The PL prevaricated as long as they could but didn't bank on the Buyers and Ashley staying in the fight. Once they didn't dare prevaricate any longer they folded and the Greedy Six are fuming.
If the PL merely folded in that scenario then there’s zero pressure on the Saudis to do anything re: beIN, and certainly not at the point they’re concluding the deal, the idea that it was was just PR is woefully naive imo. The CAT hearing had concluded and if it was going to result in a case then it’d have been heard after the arbitration in Jan. It reeks to high heaven of political involvement to bring to an end a saga that was becoming embarrassing for all parties. Compromise agreed, job done.
So you think its dog eat dog anyway and what? Maybe in 5 years it might change then for Newcastle but the others could change just as much? Imo theres a possibility this lot start turning the screw on the parachute payments again and that trough certainly has john henry guzzling away greedily. If a few others see taking away the money flowing down to hold themselves it could get nasty.
Can we all agree that FFP and suchlike measures are totally dead? The US sporting model is dead and buried, and with it, whether they like it or not, is FSG's long-term strategy. We've put £3bn onto FSG's valuation, enabling them to reap a recent half a billion-dollar windfall. There will start to become, especially after Klopp leaves, a tipping point where Liverpool's lack of ability to keep up with oil and debt clubs will see their value drop, and start dragging FSG down in the next decade. Then we will see - will FSG sell (and God knows to whom), or just use the club as a milch cow to borrow against? Good luck to Newcastle though - a genuinely big club with a dormant worldwide base, and terrific, loyal fans who deserve their dream.
A dormant worldwide base? So your suggesting there’s millions of Newcastle fans throughout the world who are just hiding away not supporting their club or doing it in private until they start spending tonnes of money and winning at which case they’ll come out of hiding?
I'd say it was a bigger 'dormant ' base than both Citys and Chavskis before they got sugar-daddies. Probably combined
Yeah that’s what I’m saying. Another club having additional resources is a good thing for the league in terms of its competitiveness. Not such a good thing for clubs in the Championship who are chasing the dream, as it’s removed another club from the list of those they can realistically expect to get past in order to stay in the PL (assuming they stay up this season like)
I'm not sure why you think that - am I missing something? Newkie have a comparatively large local fanbase, but global popularity is based on profile - being prominent on the international stage. Why would people in other parts of the world have an affection for them like some dirty little secret that money will legitimise? Do they pass pictures of Shearer and MacDonald in plain wrappers under the counter? If they had sustained success they would garner supporters from elsewhere, like we have done over a long period - but I can't see them coming out of the woodwork in their hordes just yet.
I wouldn't imagine there were an abundance of Chelsea or Man City fans before their takeovers either. Man City still don't have them.
Think there was about three city fans in the world outside the NW before the sheikhs arrived. Chelsea even less outside the SE
They'll get there. That's my point - sustained success brings you to the attention of a global audience, and you gradually acquire a following. It's why we and Man U are so big on the world stage, as well as Real, Barca and Bayern.
in addition to sustained success, there are less tangible things like: a really star player (or players), events that trigger the global consciousness (Hillsboro, Munich, heysel) and the like. For example the global following of PSG is bound to increase. Salah playing for Liverpool means the LFC following in North Africa, Middle East and the Muslim world is massive. The return of Ronaldo is doing the global MU following no harm. that’s why City acquiring Messi would have provided them with a massive boost to their global following.
