Tiresias

I think that makes you normal, a lot of internet debate is screaming match as if we don't go through our lives with a million moral compromises or hypocrisies. A lot of people have had a hand in creating a situation where clubs are reliant on sovereign state funds to compete and what do you know that's what happens. It is not anyone here's fault, and there should be work to build a football league where fans have power and the spending isn't out of reach of 99% of clubs but until then we should appreciate that there will be good that comes out of it, local joy, local jobs and local investment. People who feel it is too immoral should be respected as should those who want to enjoy something incredible.

Just arguing that noone should feel obligated to defend saudi arabia's human rights record. Fans should be allowed to question the ethics without being attacked and assumed to hold opinions they don't have

Not for a long long time, which is why noone is obligated to lick arse

I think there are different benefits, one of them is certainly cementing position within worldwide economy and stops governments getting serious with any pressure going the other way if you are essentially enmeshed in as much of the economy and culture as possible

Always wonder about that, assume some of it is artificial, there are definitely lot of shady firms running lots of fake accounts to create fake twitter storms and social media pressure, and how many people are weirdly spending their time on twitter. Who would waste their time arguing with people on the internet, what total losers....oh....wait

Aaah yes isn't it wonderful that fans have no power. Joyous viewpoint :D. And again I am excited for what this takeover can do for the club and area.

It's not that they are imposing their values, it is that they are trying to improve their reputation by getting involved in sport. Ultimately as horrible as it is to think of people who have been beaten for having sex outside marriage, for being gay etc, that is none of my business, plenty of misery elsewhe in the world. But to think we are being used as a tool to cover that sort of shit up is not ideal. And again, it feels I end up being stawmanned into a position I don't have. I don't think the sportwashing will work that well, I think it may in fact amplify human rights concerns not cover up. I also don't think whether they spend the money on us or not much will change because of it and I don't think they are unique, this is all ont eh league and not on us. But this is not cos I fear they will come impose their values here. I am worried because already people seem to think aaah they are our owners, all their opinions must be brilliant homophobia is cool lololol. They will say all teh right things, and then do differently at home than they do with us, because they are hypocrites. Lets not be the same.

Yes, though I remember peak of that was someone texting into bbc live feed ages ago saying newcastle fans aren't long suffering you should try being an arsenal fan! There are a lot of fans let down by their clubs, their owners and incompetent football administration and there should be solidarity between such fans rather than poking who has it worse off

It's kinda sad to see within days of a takeover people are arguing tolerance of lgbt is nonsense western values. As a gay fan I worry where this is going.

do not engage with the troll

I mean even if you discount all this stuff i think it's morally terrible for nation States or their investment funds to own clubs in other countries it's just that ship has well and truly sailed

For someone who is uneasy if broadly delighted for the record i absolutely do not demand any fan feel guilty about enjoying this. The fans are completely blameless and noone should be begrudged their excitement

Yeah I'm uncomfortable about it, but I mean I use amazon and facebook and drive a car that's polluting. I am trying to be less reliant on them, and with this I will just keep bringing up how awful they are to try and undermine their sportwashing. If anyone is to blame though it is the whole league, other fans really need to wonder, what did they think the league was? Some moral church? Football is a million miles away from what it should be. I will register my discomfort with my beloved club's association with torturers and murderers but I have made my peace with enjoying the investment in both the club and area

Unfortunately rafa is a thoroughly decent chap and that includes probably won't do a Steve Bruce to Everton

I dunno if the court cases really were that frightening, maybe, but suspect it could be dragged out a lot, I kinda just wonder if that was how long it took for tensions with qatar to ease and to hammer out agreement about bein. Worth noting that part of that is Saudi Arabia have promised to act on beins behalf to crack down on illegal streams and pay out a substantial settlement for damages. Agreeing that doesn't take overnight...

Trying to stop lucrative sponsor deals? Oh no what will poor saudi arabia do without that money ahahahaha

I see every single other club has put in a complaint hahaha

This article while pointing out the moral issues is pretty much where I stand https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/oct/08/saudi-takeover-newcastle-united-england-football-capital

I dont disagree, football has sold it's soul, and I think we should all be excited, but I don't get all these noone criticises these other club owners, I've seen loads of criticism of abramovich at teh time and now. There's plenty, we just dont read it much cos who cares it's chelsea. Plenty of people have long said football's ownerships should be regulated better. There has been plenty for ages, and hasn't been invented just for us. People should be angry at the premier league for their management for decades, not suddenly realising 'oh wait they only care about money and I ONLY JUST REALISED'. Please. We don't live in world run sensibly and I think we are all entitled to enjoy what there is. I do think that goes hand in hand with, if we are to try and get any moral benefit at all not let them 'sportwash' and make sure people are aware they are cunts, even if we are powerless otherwise.

Oh yeah well i just think ownership being allowed how it is is fucked up, no club should be at teh whims of people with no vested interest in it like we were.

I mean one reason why nation states should not own football clubs, what happens if something serious kicks off in the middle east in the next 10 years? What if we end up somehow on different sides of a really serious conflict, economic or armed with saudi arabia? It may seem inconceivable while they are so important to the world economy but it's not like the world isn't trying to disentangle itself from being reliant on them. There could be sudden regime change, it's a monachy someone dies and suddenly their whole policy agenda is different. What happens to our club if suddenly PIF do not want to be spending money abroad anymore, or if we are essentially at war with them? (One of the purposes of PIF I guess is to keep the global economy entangled with SA enough that the west would never seriously consider armed conflict with them). Suddenly our club is entitely in the whims of a foreign state. It's exactly the same with Chelsea and Man City if the owners suddenly decide to fuck off or something. It's not unique, but it isn't how I would run football. Anyway back to being really excited about this

They are bad and we live in a world where we all depend unless you live like a fucking monk on some cunts or other. I maintain premier league is fucking embarassment to allow things to have got as mad as they have. But we do not live in that world. No one has to pretend everyone who they may in some way gain some benefit for is wonderful people. That is how it is in a totalitarian state, like eeerm saudi arabia...

I think there is a difference though, they have a stable establed state with huge resources and perfectly capable of running it how they like and they still choose to cut people up in embassies and treat women and gays like shit, and bomb yemen. But sorry don't meant to go on tiresome, they have also invested hugely in livenation and worldwide entertainment brands. It is too much to ask for people to not enjoy the investment. I will not criticise those who do feel that it is a dealbreaker for supporting the club though.

I'm just going to do my bit to keep being vocal about how awful a regime saudi arabia is to do my tiny bit to undermine the sportwashing and make my piece with i have no power as to who owns the club, the state of the whole league is the leagues fault not ours and enjoy the football.

Not Friday at 3 so clearly not real