The College Dropout

I actually think they would make it performance based. The ‘closed shop’ ESL was the most unpopular element. The Champions League itself is trending in the direction of admittance by ‘historic performance’. The original Swiss format had 2 positions for clubs that didn’t qualify the normal route but based in the highest coefficient club.

Where’s the negativity? He’s just turned 17. He needs nurturing in terms of being a professional and controlled exposure to the first team. He’s too young for a loan. But also too young for any real responsibility. So I’d rather a full 25 man squad and we use Miley for an injury crisis and for when we think he’s ready. Not one ACL injury away from being the 6. Thankfully I know that’s not Eddie’s plan. If Miley can make 10-15 appearances that will be good. He learns the professional ropes. Has his standards. Is in the setup and squad.

They don’t need to partake in a UEFA competition. They can create their own and invite the elite European clubs - who have already proven - are willing to branch off and play in their own competition for silly money. Saudi and Florentino Perez (or whoever) will decide the financial spending rules, not UEFA. The obstacle is UEFA. UEFA don’t add much value. If KSA can get players, European clubs, FIFA and enough I’d the media onside it’s checkmate for UEFA. Saudi league just needs validation in Asia and Africa. It’s the international club competition that will take over the world. That might take 5-10+ years.

Not seen pre-season but glad he looks to have talent. Unless it’s a super elite talent I don’t think he should be considered as part of the 25. At that age players should get luxury minutes (league cup, 3-0 up) or injury crisis minutes. Not 1 or 2 injuries.

I think we could have a more technical playmaking wide option (like that Szob lad) or 8 option (like Barella) without changing the team style. Much like we’ve incorporated Bruno and Isak. Peps had his wide players super wide for some time now. And he’s leaned into the dribbly dribbly types (Grealish, Mahrez) rather than those looking to run in behind and get close to the penalty box all the time - which is what we look to do with our inside forwards. I agree that Howe has tinkered the approach. He’s optimising the dominant approach.

Yes I understand the idea. But it’s still the same tool for every problem.

We haven’t catered for that at all in the transfer market imo. I agree the move then is Isak behind Wilson in a 4231 type thing. If one of them is injured, perhaps Gordon combines with the other but if it’s Isak out you lose a lot of guile. I personally think the team lacks guile. We’re like a pure sledgehammer. The best teams have more locksmiths.

Love Lavia.

If Spurs sell Kane they’ll finish 8th or lower.

We had a UAE FC vs Russian Oligarch FC final recently. English fans don’t watch much non English football. Not even the champions league.

Why would they comply with UEFA rules? The ESL teams would love a Saudi run international club competition. If they can take the best players and the best teams, they can dictate anything to UEFA. They don’t actually need UEFA. Real Madrid and Saudi could confirm Madrid’s 14 CL titles have carrried into this new thing plus all the other winners and just go from there.

I would just give it Richarlison down the middle.

The premier league has run this game for a decade. Nobody cared when Mike Ashley’s Newcastle was signing the Ajax captain to try and finish 12th in the PL

I love wor Shola. I hope he’s at the club forever.

Livramento’s ceiling is massive. He’s a fantastic player imo. And we don’t have a viable RB backup. Would love him. But the fee is mad.

That only proves Howe is a massive fan of Burn and/or doesn’t rate Targett. Targett does need to leave because Howe doesn’t trust him at all.

Gallagher is currently in the England setup too. He’s not worth £40m+ though. Not at the moment anyway.

European teams will always carry weight. Best thing is to create a new international club competition. Make it so lucrative that European clubs prioritise it. Then UEFA will have to come to the table and agree to be minor shareholders in the comp and give it final legitimacy. The UAE proxy just won the UEFA champions league. What’s better than that? A KSA team (no proxy) winning a KSA run champions league equivalent tournament

Exactly that. I was saying this to someone earlier. There's probably not going to be a Ballon d'Or winner born 88-97. That's a decade and a generation. There's never been a year where someone in that group has been the best active player in the world. Who is even the best in that bracket? Neymar, Hazard, Bale are probably the most talented and they've all basically retired. Similar to tennis and basketball. Outside of Mbappe - I don't see the next major football star. Maybe that's a good thing.

Probably the best player in the world at the moment though and the best of his generation. Better than Haaland, KDB etc. And his World Cup exploits means he's already a living legend. Nobody in his generation is coming close at the moment.

PSG still have to play the FFP game.

Hosting a World Cup is short-sighted. The end game should be to have the premier club competition. If not the Saudi league, a competition involving Saudi teams. Logistics limits the wider appeal of a club world cup. It has to be in the summer or winter but that's a short amount of time. But i think that could be a short-term measure. La Liga already plays a Super Cup competition in KSA. Why not have another small competition with the Saudi teams during Christmas + the La Liga teams? Then slowly expand that competition. I think the end game is a year-round competition involving Saudi teams that runs alongside domestic league competitions. I think that starts with changing the Spanish Super Cup to include KSA teams.

I genuinely think a lot of people don’t know that Israel is not in Europe. Ashkenazi people are largely European ancestrally too.

I think it’s already too late. Buying us was that ‘being involved’ part. But as soon as we were bought, the already tight rules were tightened. And the direction of travel is to prevent NUFC becoming a force. Now if they persist. They’ll create a number of super teams for their league. Then they can start inviting elite European clubs for competitions. The elite clubs already want a super competition. UEFA will have to bend the knee but I don’t think it will be for KSA teams to join the CL. Saudi will want to own the competition primarily. A new one (maybe even two) elite club competition.

There’s already non-European teams playing in UEFA competition. I don’t think Saudi will want to compete in the champions league though. They can host their own competition(s) where KSA take all the money and not UEFA.