Rafalove

For me that’s the most annoying thing when people conflate individuals owning clubs with nation states.

Was watching a bit about him on YouTube the other night he’s very good.

We aren't painting ourselves as victims as a fanbase. You will get some who will whinge about the media, but I would imagine there are plenty like me who think it will be nice to compete for stuff as a football club again. There's no victimhood in that. You've got Rafa as your avatar there, do you think he should refuse to come back because of the Saudi link? We are painting ourselves as victims as fanbase. Many are pretending, acting as though the media are picking on us specifically because it’s us and that they wouldn’t do it if it was say Liverpool or Manchester United, mimicking the behaviour seen by Man City fans under their ownership. The Rafa question is a good one, I’m not gonna lie, I’d be pretty excited if he came back. Maybe it does implicate him, maybe the likes of Guardiola also need to be criticised for going to work for Man City. Brian Clough turned down the Brighton(?) job down on account of them being tories, so it wouldn’t be unheard of.

I think we have had a much better deal from refs this year with var although that’s a different topic. As a fanbase it’s really sad the stance we’re taking on this. Painting ourselves as victims when in reality we’re the ones who are about to ruin football even more.

Plenty of working class people go out fox hunting. Popular amongst travellers too.

Not the way our fans treated him and doubt Sissoko would want to give up his champions league final after for an extra 3-4 years with us.

One of the best passes I’ve ever seen. Still can’t figure out how he was able to see that pass. Cisse was on the other end of the box and had three players to run past.

How many fans could we get to turn up on a regular basis?

Does the fact he sold during a pandemic prove those of us who boycotted were right to do so, and if more of us had done so, we might have been able to get him to sell earlier? I think it does

That’s quite a good listen. Genuinely loves the club. Offering to keep a look out for players in the u.s for free but having Dennis wise turn his nose up at him.

I agree, it'd be a good stance to take - but some of our own fans took a huff when it was used It's why Delaney is kidding himself if he thinks we'll hold up banners of Jamal Khashoggi en-masse. Sure, you might get one or two but football isn't a particularly "woke" sport and Newcastle isn't really a woke part of the country. Tbf, Newcastle has a history as good as anywhere on particularly the fight against racism

Yeah there’s been some good posts and I’m grateful for the responses to my questions, which have been detailed and well written. Two last questions though. What’s crack in Yemen and if MBS’more progressive values are being held back by the elders in Saudi Arabia why are they still funding mosques in Britain that promote Wahhabism and extremism which seems to be prevelant in terrorists and those that participate in grooming gangs? Not trying to be a dick with that question by the way.

The 'old guard'. You can't change a 1,000 plus years of belief systems without ruffling (dare I say incendiary) feathers. I suspect that's been behind a few of the arrests in family circles. So is MBS a fairly modern liberal guy? If he had it completely his way would he allow any of those things I mentioned in my previous post?

That’s not true though is it? Yes, it is true. Having spent time there with work (our company has since disinvested, some macro reasoning but also based on valuations), I have spoken to tens if not hundreds of people in their twenties and thirties in Riyadh who are open, global and good people who have studied outside Saudi and want to see and be part of it become a more open and tolerant society, while also being fiercely proud of their country and their religion. Saudi Arabia has a million miles to go to become close to being as progressive and advanced in certain areas as they could and should be if held to Western standards, but if you genuinely think they aren't moving forward in this regard when you look at generational trends, then you've not looked beyond headlines in the last few years. By way of a very obvious example, last time I was there several meetings with big banks and the regulator were led by females. Something this simple was inconceivable until fairly recently. Are they trying to use sports to improve their global standing and become more integrated in the western world? Absolutely. Does this make me feel uncomfortable when associated with my team? In some ways it does, in others I'm fairly accepting that this is cause and effect of broader society these days. Am I going to stop following / not attend games as a result? No, it means too much and it's been way too long since I've been able to truly enjoy watching Newcastle. If this comes off then it's mine and my dad's time to get to games and have some hope while he's still able. If it makes me a hypocrite so be it. It does get somewhat boring reading the standard left sided trope rolled out whenever it can be applied of Saudi (or US, or Israel) bad and evil without any balancing factors for the other sides involved in these proxy wars and nothing more than rudimentary understanding of the underlying centuries of religious and political discourse that have got the world to where it is. It becomes even more taxing watching it played out on a football forum. But such is life. Well thought out post. If may I ask what’ exactly is stopping them from moving faster and say bringing in democracy or allowing journalists to be more critical or allowing homosexuality? Say in ten years what kind of regime will we be looking at?

That’s not true though is it?

Anyway to listen to what Gregg has said?

Think Spanish managers are the best personally, Italy a close second. Spain: Pep Rafa Valverde Setien emery Lopetegui Jamez Italy: Conte Mancini Sarri Ancelotti Gasperini

Saudi fund boss Yasir Al-Rumayyan is in the final stages of taking over as chairman of #NUFC. The head of the Saudi sovereign wealth fund is poised to become the public face of the club as part of the £300million takeover of Newcastle from retail tycoon Mike Ashley. [Daily Mail] The approval of the new board is expected to take several weeks. The Saudi-backed consortium has sent a 350-page document detailing their financial plans for the club to the Premier League. The document outlines audacious plans to pump hundreds of millions into #NUFC to create a club capable of competing in the CL. The document outlines fresh investment over a series of three-year stages, new commercial sponsorships & plans for the day-to-day management of the club. The new owners want to revamp Newcastle’s stadium, while buying star players and training younger players to try to create sustained success. The payment for the club will be made entirely in cash despite earlier reports of a debt-fuelled deal. #NUFC

Gateshead would have thought or could build a temporary one for cheap

Be interesting to see how they explain it like if they’re successful it will be a or masterstroke

Aye but surely the negative press from the rest of the media means more it receives more negative attention than positive. No denying it’s shameful how some of our fanbase are seemingly willing to overlook human rights abuses. Another thing aren’t these lot responsible for funding mosques that end up producing grooming gangs and terrorists?

How exactly does sportwashing work exactly? How is it supposed to improve their image? All it’s done so far is draw attention to it to human rights violations.I mean there’s no doubt that’s the reason we’re being bought, but how does it work.

Agree Apparently he’s late to training on occasion which maybe Bruce is willing to overlook somewhat given how important to the team he is.

Yep. celtic probably have the best song book in Britain, half of theirs are folk songs