junkhead

Has FFP been relaxed, I know it was being talked about a few weeks back. Now watch the PL approve the takeover, with conditions that include: - requirements to prevent & prosecute piracy within Saudi Arabie; and - a limit on NUFC recruitment spending for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons. The UEFA FFP rules have little relevance for us.. for now. I'm not sure it's in the PL's constitution to demand anything from KSA. If the takeover is signed off, NUFC wil have to play by the PL's version of FFP as everybody else in the league. So you’re saying the PL is going to sit back and watch the other European leagues spend huge amounts :lol: The PL's FFP rules are already much less strict and hardly anyone has failed them. Basket case QPR are the only ones, if I'm not mistaken

Good point. I would love it if they somehow highlight the very obvious conflict of interest the PL board find themselves in. At the same time, something like this can be deeply unpopular outside of "the bubble", so probably NUST wouldn't go down that road..

Has FFP been relaxed, I know it was being talked about a few weeks back. Now watch the PL approve the takeover, with conditions that include: - requirements to prevent & prosecute piracy within Saudi Arabie; and - a limit on NUFC recruitment spending for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons. The UEFA FFP rules have little relevance for us.. for now. I'm not sure it's in the PL's constitution to demand anything from KSA. If the takeover is signed off, NUFC wil have to play by the PL's version of FFP as everybody else in the league.

Because a potential rejection would mean that PIF are not suitable to own a football club in the PL. The whole reason for the Saudi investment in nufc is that it should be led by MBS' PIF.

Such a brilliant analytical mind. Wish I worked for him

Both countries are as bad as each other. In a ideal world football nor the UK should not have to do business with either. Simply as an observer, Qatar's not a bad country. The Al Thani family have presided over unprecedented economic growth while remaining largely impartial (until recent years) in this clusterfuck of a region. Although technically under Sharia Law, their interpretation is very lenient, especially as far as foreigners and business are concerned. What MBS is attempting to start now - diversify the economy - Qatar began in 2000s - investing in Hollywood studios, banking and automotive industry, while turning their local state TV Al-Jazeera into the biggest media corporation in the Arabic world. As a result, they are very good in exerting influence and soft-power exercises, as the NUFC takeover proves. On the other hand, although an important trade partner and military ally of the western world from the start, KSA has always been covered by the shadow of Wahhabist extremism and autocratic unpredictability. It's incredibly fascinating for me to read about the royal family - from graduates of the best universities, to people who were born in millions but choose to lead a spiritual Bedouin existence in the desert. Saudi Arabia is simply another world.

Can always rely on Bloomberg to spread Saudi's fairy tales.. no longer worked ffs The US' stance on the majority of Qatar's claims in the WTO report is also unceremoniously pro-Saudi. BeIN has been widely available legally throughout the last year in KSA, as I have said previously. I was under the impression that they were still banned from being shown in public places though (i.e. cafes) Al-Jazeera is (apparently). BeIN's channels are available (unofficially) through their official mobile/TV apps and also some other popular 3rd party (legal) app. Apparently loads of people watch it that way in KSA. IPTV is the future after all. But do you mean it is available legally and in paid for format? I understand there are illegal streams available just like everywhere else in the world, but that Bloomberg article said "Saudi sports cafes have returned to broadcasting BeIN" by which I (perhaps wrongly) presume they are no longer running illegal streams through beoutq or other means and are using legal, paid for streaming methods, which would entail BEIN is no longer banned access from the KSA market as it is claiming..? Why even mention it otherwise? Yes, according to a colleague who resides in Bahrain and often travels in the region. He said that he has a paid subscription for BeIN's channels and can watch what is essentially their official IPTV feed in Bahrain, KSA and UAE - all countries that are part of the blockade. Satellite signal is probably blocked. I can confirm myself that BeIN is widely available in hotels and bars in Dubai and Manama.

KSA accusing Qatar of funding terrorism is laughable. Especially, considering some of MBS' predecessors' ideas for foreign policy. To his credit though, so far MBS has shown that's not a road he'll go into, he prefers his wars and guerrilla operations public. KSA's "original" issue with Qatar is over the success and influence of Al-Jazeera and it's understandably biased reporting of events in the region.

Can always rely on Bloomberg to spread Saudi's fairy tales.. no longer worked ffs The US' stance on the majority of Qatar's claims in the WTO report is also unceremoniously pro-Saudi. BeIN has been widely available legally throughout the last year in KSA, as I have said previously. I was under the impression that they were still banned from being shown in public places though (i.e. cafes) Al-Jazeera is (apparently). BeIN's channels are available (unofficially) through their official mobile/TV apps and also some other popular 3rd party (legal) app. Apparently loads of people watch it that way in KSA. IPTV is the future after all.

Can always rely on Bloomberg to spread Saudi's fairy tales.. no longer worked ffs The US' stance on the majority of Qatar's claims in the WTO report is also unceremoniously pro-Saudi. BeIN has been widely available legally throughout the last year in KSA, as I have said previously.

It's good that people have finally caught up with the real reason for the delay of the takeover - BeIN's influence over the PL, the obvious conflict of interest the PL board find themselves in and "the most influential person in football" Nasser Al-Khelaifi. Sorry to come out all Luke Edwards and that, but the last 2-3 pages in particular are full of stuff I've repeated for weeks. So.. yeah, bow to my superior knowledge and analytical skills bitchez!!

Mad that he's pictured as a poster boy for application. He was like Owen - only focused on not overexerting and injuring himself. Went from being an exciting dribbler to an slow, unmotivated, zero-flair plodder, because of a couple of granted, bad injuries.. Then went to Fulham and magically started applying himself more. Really disliked the guy.

As the forum's only Saudi resident, any new coverage over there McCormick? And FWIW, Are you more optimistic than a few days ago?

Plus Qatar already have a club representing them in Man City who would probably be their main focus, not us. Qatar owns PSG. Man City is Abu Dhabi, a close KSA ally.

Seriously, any "journalist" who claims that "a £350m bid has been lodged" can burn their diplomas. That's very basic stuff, pathetic reporting. Maybe investigate a little, cross-check the claims, do some research on this Mauriss guy.. but simply relaying what looks like a mass-message to various media outlets, without checking its validity is the contrary to journalism - that's spreading misinformation.

They have had it for a month via Qatar. I think they will have been pressing via PIF for the full closure of BeoutQ and access to the Saudi justice system to any future piracy cases. Saudi movement here seals the deal; in their statement the Saudis have committed to conform to IP laws and protocol. It is not hard to imagine that as part of the ODT PIF agree to support the fight against piracy and to use their power to ensure compliance in KSA. The PL will not want to be tied up with this forever, there must be a deadline of sorts at some stage. Also can anyone really see the Saudis committing to proper long term reform (piracy wise) if the deal is rejected? I can't see them committing to what is essentially a huge cultural media reform, even if the takeover is approved. If anybody's bidding against beIN for the MENA rights, it's much more likely to be a pan-Arab broadcaster, not based in KSA, but with their support obviously.

Must have been speaking to his Qataris friends again. Craig Hope saying it as well. Such bullshit, are those experienced journalists really that unfamiliar with law.. "Lodged a bid", while we're in the middle of a sale process. Righto

Right now we would have to assume that there will be a period of time where the Saudi can’t watch Premier League football. It’s going to take for Saudi Arabia and the Premier League to come to an agreement, and that will have to take place after the takeover. The Saudi viewing rights will have to be treated separately to PIF, because ultimately they are separate issues. Right now the Saudi’s also can’t see Sheffield United either. I've posted it before, but according to a colleague that is based in Bahrain, you can watch BeIN legally in KSA through their official TV/mobile apps or through some other (legal) 3rd party TV app, that apparently almost everyone uses over there.

BeoutQ has been closed down, last August, what more can they do? Allow Qatar to prosecute the individuals concerned? That's basically what the entire WTO thing is about, Saudi Arabia's refusal to allow this to happen. There’s servers in the UK offering illegal streams, how many prosecutions do you hear of. It’s not easy to catch the perpetrators as you think and I guess it’s the same in any country. That's irrelevant. They've literally been denied the right to prosecute on the grounds of diplomacy, what, 9 times they've tried? So as to "what more could they do?" the answer is clear - Allow those prosecutions to take place. That's not saying they must convict, but they should at least have the right to be tested in a court. Have they arrested anyone? You presume that they know who the perpetrators are so enlighten me. There is an IP-focused report by the US Trade association from 2019 that confirms that arrests have been made and offices raided in Riyadh, concerning beoutQ. By who the Saudi Government? Yeah, I'll try to find it. https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/2020_Special_301_Report.pdf Page 31: "BeoutQ, the notorious online and satellite piracy service reportedly operating out of Saudi Arabia, was taken offline in August 2019, and the Saudi Authority for Intellectual Property has since raided stores selling illicit streaming devices and conducted IP awareness campaigns to combat online piracy." The section on Saudi Arabia is on page 54. The report is actually from April 2020. It doesn't actually mention arrests but some sort of crackdown has apparently happened and the US are pretty much the only country that's allowed some forms of independent monitoring in KSA, so if anybody knows it's them.

BeoutQ has been closed down, last August, what more can they do? Allow Qatar to prosecute the individuals concerned? That's basically what the entire WTO thing is about, Saudi Arabia's refusal to allow this to happen. There’s servers in the UK offering illegal streams, how many prosecutions do you hear of. It’s not easy to catch the perpetrators as you think and I guess it’s the same in any country. That's irrelevant. They've literally been denied the right to prosecute on the grounds of diplomacy, what, 9 times they've tried? So as to "what more could they do?" the answer is clear - Allow those prosecutions to take place. That's not saying they must convict, but they should at least have the right to be tested in a court. Have they arrested anyone? You presume that they know who the perpetrators are so enlighten me. There is an IP-focused report by the US Trade association from 2019 that confirms that arrests have been made and offices raided in Riyadh, concerning beoutQ. By who the Saudi Government? Yeah, I'll try to find it.

BeoutQ has been closed down, last August, what more can they do? Allow Qatar to prosecute the individuals concerned? That's basically what the entire WTO thing is about, Saudi Arabia's refusal to allow this to happen. There’s servers in the UK offering illegal streams, how many prosecutions do you hear of. It’s not easy to catch the perpetrators as you think and I guess it’s the same in any country. That's irrelevant. They've literally been denied the right to prosecute on the grounds of diplomacy, what, 9 times they've tried? So as to "what more could they do?" the answer is clear - Allow those prosecutions to take place. That's not saying they must convict, but they should at least have the right to be tested in a court. Have they arrested anyone? You presume that they know who the perpetrators are so enlighten me. There is an IP-focused report by the US Trade association from 2019 that confirms that arrests have been made and offices raided in Riyadh, concerning beoutQ.

So no proof of Government involvement then aaahaha now fuck off BeIN, bring on the 109 000 expansion

If you have seen my previous posts over the last week or so, I have simply said that the Premier League need the evidence of the "published" WTO Report, for everyone to see, to support their decision to approve (what the Media have drummed up to be) this controversial (their words) takeover. I have seen nothing to change my view on this. It is just plain, simple LOGIC . . I have no inside information. How will it support their decision to approve the takeover if it unquestionably incriminates KSA? You make no sense.

That's all true but at the same time, BeIN's chairman is notorious for his illegal influence in sports and broadcasting. I don't actually think BeIN expect to block the takeover all together, an initial rejection would likely be the most they can hope for and it seems like they've done that.

Well obviously the main opposition to the piracy is from the country that they are stealing from The PSG comment is just grim IMO, support the new regime all you want and want the club to do as well as possible but when you start saying things like that its like you're supporting Saudi Arabia in their battle against Qatar rather than Newcastle United. The guy's frustration is perfectly understandable and I share it. While the piracy scandal gives the PL a perfectly good reason to reject the takeover, you just know that Nasser Al-Khelaifi has greased some palms. It would be out of character for him, if he hasn't. And why do you continually insist that NUFC fans of all people should remain unbiased and critical on political issues that don't concern them? I don't even feel the need to be objective, concerning Saudi Arabia - I already "support" them, if the alternative for the region is more Iranian and Russian influence.