Darth Crooks

Newcastle Wins Papality

I guess people don’t hold the same regional and heritage ties in a sport like the Grand Prix. There’s a very apparent set of hypocrisies at play which is fine to point out and is valid.- but ultimately doesn’t address any part of that issues. What can be done about is beyond fans but I don’t subscribe to the view of I can’t change it so why bother worrying. Systemically it’s a problem down the line and we’re now the apex of it.

A Saudi Prince is a different prospect to the crown Prince of the country and the sovereign wealth fund mind. I agree there’s a significant element of the ‘big 6’ bristling but my admittedly limited understanding of ‘Prince’ in Saudi terms is more akin to the landed gentry rather than a royal family and influence as we have it. To bring it back from that tangent - I agree on the deflection from corruption aspect/broken game factor and critique of the discourse and some of the intentions of the most vocal or notorious critics. I find that criticism a bit of deflection from the issue itself and looking forward there’s going to be a point where much like the Chelsea Russian oligarch situation, we may have a difference of policy as a nation as the world (including KSA) diversifies away from reliance on ME oil and traditional foreign policy alliances are less significant as a result and then the vacuum left by that brings other issues to the fore. This links to wider geopolitics in the region including the role of alliances with Russia, China and the increasing divides in the world. This is or course a mess and somewhat unpredictable. Theres a widely held view that football and politics should be kept separate and I’ve made inferences to things that may not happen and are someway off if they do but it’s exactly the sort of significance foresight the Ashley era has ingrained into me. This is the biggest example of politics and football meeting you’ll ever see - our third kit is a Saudi national flag a season in. If you’re not concerned about the issues posed by the Chelsea example then I don’t think you are considering the full implications. Ad hominem attacks of critics and intentions ignores the green and white elephant in the room that it’s not an ultimate good and a big example, if not the biggest of the problems with the beautiful game. We’ll be part of a super league proposal within a decade probably and where will our principles be then? I also don’t have any specific prejudice re Saudi Arabia beyond what the scale of this represents. I’d be the same of any other sovereign state. Not too thrilled France and China own lots of stake in our utilities for instance for similar reasons. Another point as to why this football/politics separation has been blown out of the water by this. I realise this is all conjecture but for me it’s why my full throated support for NUFC hasn’t returned in the way it was when I was protesting Ashley and in the halcyon days of being a 1992’er. (born in 86 - soz mackems 🖕) We’ll see success and great days and players in the short-medium term and that for many is true priority. I also get that - people have so much strife, priority and bandwidth in their lives - it’s not always a case of ‘education’. I actually think quality of discourse is a far more constructive factor in these matters than ‘the need for education/information’. I think the fact there’s prominent space on this forum for it is a net good and people though fairly partisan on this by and large keep a healthy debate. One that more disingenuous critics don’t take the time to see or find.

It’s low hanging fruit for sure.

Cheeky wank?

Nah that’s fucking cool. Good luck With B&W stripes mind.

I agree. We’re at a cross roads in it on the basis of all major challenges we face - what cost/price/extent is okay to profit from our heritage, social need, welfare of our planet. It’s a universal problem. Shits going to hit the fan with one or more of these things and football ownership is low down that list.

The problem with whataboutery is that it does deflect to another issue to the point where you no longer focus on any single issue being a problem. It’s a logical fallacy that because lots of stuff is fucked/compromised we shouldn’t care/engage with any of it. That applies to society at large really but that’s for the chat section perhaps. Of course we can watch our football - but if you’re going to leap on critics citing hypocrisy when you have a rainbow laces campaign whilst wearing Saudi National colours as a player or fan you’re going to look a bit daft. None of us operate in a vacuum.

Sportswashing is a thing that works btw. I mean whether the PIF do it to what end remains to be seen but look at the defense of anbramovic despite being a key oligarch I’m Putins inner circle - that happened to fanfare under everyone’s noses and the ‘romans army’ banners were there til the end. It wasn’t just in football either. I think it’s naive to think we’re immune from that despite fans not being ultimately in control. I refuse to be wilfully ignorant.

In relation to Ashley I think the presentation of their comparison is also skewed. I don’t take the view one is necessarily better than the other as media liked to paint it. They are two sides of the same fucked up exploitative modern football coin - it’s just this time there’s fan recognition and I can see why that resonates when people pay a kings ransom for their hobby.

In the interests of balance I look at Saudi investment in this new green transit mirrors edge city and think why are we not capable of thinking that way with economies our size and the history of Britain and colonialism is brutal and cruel with global influence. Still it’s a cruel autocratic regime and any talk of separation is for the birds. Flag kits and money. I don’t have a problem with Saudi people - they share problems of most laymen no doubt. Worse if you are gay etc. I do have issue/ critique of this idea that everyone who has concerns and has the will to express them is automatically of a different competitive agenda. Perhaps should just see how these protests pan out and in what form/voice and go from there.

You literally have a 3rd kid which my own nephew wears flying Saudi colours. I find it quite insidious tbh.

One for the corner… 😅

would love to bum him - thank you please

Bruce also got less stick because Ashley backed him and it’s just not a story at that point. Big PR wheels in the background.

There’s also an eminent sociologist called it too.

--------- ('UP THE BLADES!')

I’d be happy with the FA cup one like. I’m pretty anti monarchy tbh. Plenty other places can indulge in Union flag waving. Keep it about NUFC and it would be nice to have some subtlety in all this posturing.

Narrative innit

I’m pretty deflated about the Saudi kit like. National flags or Ashley’s business colours - it doesn’t matter. It’s needless.

Why bobby why

There are people who will jump at anyone criticising NUFC tacitly or indirectly. Every club has this I’m sure. It happens with journalists ,rights activists, our own protest movements and even former players.

Please...no...do not pearoast. I beg.