Tiresias

Oh god they've suffered enough

No worries mate, emotions running high, its just arguments makes us seem poles apart when I am so excited for this takeover, just there are complications for me

I am fine with you not caring, honestly, you're the one arguing with us who do have a few reservations

I mean he could just not post in the thread explicity for those having some doubts

This ranking countries against each other is nonsense all countries have acted reprehensibly, what we are concerned about actions right now of treating gay people, women, activists etc etc like shit, values completely at odds with the broad strokes inclusiveness the premier league pretends to promote and totally unacceptable in the UK where Newcastle exists. ManDoon is just saying we don't need to act as their PR, and he's right, no different than under ashley we didn't need to all be banging on about how he was a wonderful businessman

The premier league has been doing awful things for years. Now does something awful which benefits us but apparently we are the only ones who should take action about it. I completely sympathise with them talking about how absurd it is and how awful mbs is but they lose me with the newcastle fans need to take a long hard look at themselves but apparently this is just our problem? If the premier league is too lacking in morals for you (and this is totally reasonable in my opinion) then take a step back, I feel like tht a bit too, it certainly feels a little soulless. But if you want to cover man united man city derby but think our fans are crazy for enjoying this? What?

I don't know why people want to rebuild st james, i'd find it very sad to see it completely go. Maybe stands can be rebuilt but i find the ultra modern stadiums all look a bit bland and samey. Newcastle would look wrong without st james at the top.

Sigh treats newcastle fans like idiots as if we alone should take a stand and boycott otherwise we are morally blind. This is the leagues mess, all very well acting all superior to local mps who can see jobs and investment coming into teh area from a country we happily trade with. I do wonder if the game has gone considering teh greed etc but that is a universal problem for all premier league fans

I broadly agree but there was a bit of, well amanda staverley said they were pro rainbow laces so how dare you challenge saudi arabia on here earlier. Hopefully small minority

Yes and i haven't no problem if someone doesn't give a damn about geopolitics too much and just wants to enjoy, i do have a problem if you think people aren't allowed to discuss or have concerns

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...