Our chairman is the chairman of it. https://www.skysports.com/amp/golf/news/30964/12897587/pga-tour-dp-world-tour-and-liv-golf-to-merge
Bloke has had to much to say, should have kept his gob shut really. I bet they aren't gonna be complaing about where the saudi money comes from now.
I hope they are not thinking they can **** around with football like they have done with golf. A spat between UEFA/FIFA and Saudi would be disastrous for us as we would be caught in the middle.
Yeah I had a good giggle about the golf last night but the more I think about it they are about to pump billions into football and try and steal a march on others. People say it will crumble like the Chinese super league but some of the names being touted around are outrageous, CR7, Messi, Benzema, Kante - the list goes on and on and on. Get most are coming towards the end of their careers but if you are a young African, Asian, American or South American footballer looking to head abroad for the first time and you can get some serious cash out there it's a no brainer to go with some of the fee's being touted - Kante on £86 million a year! For that money I'd say **** NUFC, **** the champions league and **** Europe I'm heading to a nice sandy beach/country with good weather and loads of money even for 5 years. Imagine being Kante, he's 32 and could do another 8-10 years if he needed, especially out there - £860m for a decades work? Who wouldn't? Most fans who watch the EPL on TV are outside of the UK and love it because its competitive and got big names but if they can start supporting teams closer to home or easier to get to and there are the big names and competitive football on offer the EPL could lose millions of viewers over the next few years, meaning less money for the clubs here, a reduction in quality of player, meaning less viewers, less money, less quality etc... could be a very slippery slope! If they can start scouting well and bringing in youth players alongside the big names they really could be a jugganaught that can't be stopped in a few years.
Then consider we have 10-15 clubs who are already looking to move on from the CL to find their own gravy train. If the Saudis can set up a European/Asian/African competition with way more funds than Europe can offer, teams will be off. The only good thing in all of this is, the ones we are worried about are our owners so we will go along for the ride (whether we like it or not).
People panicking over nothing imo. The issue here is that PGA declared war a few years ago when it stated no PGA golfers were allowed to join LIV tours and continue with PGA. There had to be a breaking point, before big name golfers chased the money and just toured with LIV. By the way, this is nothing like football. Golfers going to play golf on a field sponsored by LIV instead of PGA is a bit different than splitting up the very fabric of football. The splitting up football idea, btw, is primarily an American idea. It's based purely on the American football league system, which they like, it has nothing to do with Middle Eastern backers.
The first step in the golf was persuading players to come and play on their tour by offering ridiculous appearance fees and prize money. The LIV tour was devaluing the bread and butter PGA events by taking away some of the top competitors. The PGA tried banning players from PGA tour events and even Majors but they could sense their events were losing appeal to spectators and so have agreed a compromise. Not sure how it works yet but I suspect PIF are sponsoring PGA events and pressuring for format changes. The Saudi football league is now trying to attract players, initially those at the end of their careers, with huge contracts. This will greatly increase interest in the Asian Champions League and I can see more Asian clubs starting to attract European players. I suspect it wont be long before there is a proposal for a World Champions League and then we are back to a breakaway league again.
If PIF can pay more than UEFA for a competition then clubs will go - simple as and I don't even feel it's a debate, we've already seen a number are happy to do so and as long as they get the money AND the support, they will do it, especially if it is the right comp (e.g. open with access to all). The problem with the super league was it was a closed shop for the big boys but if PIF can offer some intercontinental competition to take over from the CL it will create a big problem for Uefa...
We have been saying **** like this for yonks though. China have been paying for the best players and managers for years now, nothing has changed what so ever. Saudi Arabia have been attracting every event under the sun to try and grab some positive tourism headlines. What has that came too? And, Asian football? Ok, so in this fantasy scenario, lets say Saudi Arabian clubs attract the very best players in the world, not 34 year olds, mind you, prime players. What about the Iraqi Super League, Israeli League, Iranian league, Pakistani League, Indian League, Chinese League. The direct leagues and clubs that Saudi would be competing with? Well done, Sandcastle United just defeated Baghdad City 23-0, Haaland scoring 17 goals, closer than last years entry. The primary source of interest in European Football, has primarily and historically been Europeans. South America produces and have some of the largest clubs on earth, yet we arent chatting about merging our leagues.
Clubs of course will chase money, but if Newcastle fans did nothing about PIF, even if they wanted to rip apart football, then Newcastle United can go **** itself, init. But I don't like to believe that we are so fickle and weak. If Chelsea can protest, I would expect St James' to be stormed in the event of such talks. PIF are more vulnerable than Mike Ashley, PIF only survive as Newcastle owners while Newcastle the city accepts them. As soon as it turns they will find it impossible to operate.
I see Juve have now withdrawn from the break away league Possibly because they just got fined and point deductions in Italy So that only leaves Barca and Real
They're just biding their time waiting for a new version of it. I like to think Newcastle wouldn't be involved in such a thing, but you never know. PIF have to be a bit more careful however, they're one sanction away from being illegal owners of the club. We need to be intelligent in our business and what we get in bed with, just play by the rules I say.