BennyBlanco

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-52308344 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/saudi-activists-dispute-official-narrative-hwaiti-killing-200417103626920.html https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-52326130 https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/14/bae-systems-sold-15bn-arms-to-saudis-during-yemen-assault Yup, aware of all of that. Still doesn't detract from my point. All those are from this month they aren't looking to change man. Change doesn't come overnight though does it? It's going to be a slow process. No it does not but I'll wait till they've stopped murdering people before I think they are on any path to redemption. You'll be hard pressed to find any country on the geo-political stage that doesn't have people murdered. They were just stupid enough to get caught!

I would take a running guess that it's to do with any land and business deals that will crop up from any redevelopment of the area. Look at what City did with Eastlands - totally transformed the place. I have half an idea that that's what our potential new owners will want to do. Exciting times lads.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-52308344 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/saudi-activists-dispute-official-narrative-hwaiti-killing-200417103626920.html https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-52326130 https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/14/bae-systems-sold-15bn-arms-to-saudis-during-yemen-assault Yup, aware of all of that. Still doesn't detract from my point. All those are from this month they aren't looking to change man. Change doesn't come overnight though does it? It's going to be a slow process.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-52308344 https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/saudi-activists-dispute-official-narrative-hwaiti-killing-200417103626920.html https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-52326130 https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/14/bae-systems-sold-15bn-arms-to-saudis-during-yemen-assault Yup, aware of all of that. Still doesn't detract from my point.

My view on it is this. You don't make moves like they are doing without expecting the spot light to shine on the country and those running it. The plan is to open the country up to more tourism and to shed its previous image of a hermit oil state that really only travelled to for Hajj - this can only be a good thing. In my opinion this shows willing to engage with the wider world - am I comfortable with the things they have done? No, not at all. I'm also uncomfortable with the things that China have done in recent years and the premier league seems more than happy to accept Chinese investment. Let the Saudis buy us, let them showcase their wealth and yes, let them use us a vehicle to life their countries profile. If their endgame is to open themselves up the world, with all the scrutiny that that brings, then this is surely a sign that they are looking to move away from their past.

One of the most engaging players on social media around. Genuinely seems to enjoy interacting with the fans and his work on the pitch has been the difference this year. Whatever goes on with the squad should the takeover happen then this boy needs to stay.

You have a 180 degree erection? For Rafa - yes I do.

According to George Caulkin - his understanding is Staveley will effectively be running the club.

Rafa with a big budget behind him sends me from six to midnight in the old trouser department. The big beautiful Spanish sod.

I'm exactly the same, well put. I can't even enter fantasy leagues now, and office football chat for me now consists of "Liverpool looking good". Used to spend hours chatting about football, reading about it, playing FM, Fifa, watching videos of it. Just lost interest now. Think most NO posters must feel the same though as so many have vanished from here. This is me. I haven’t felt genuine pride and excitement since the championship season if I’m being totally honest - part of the reason I still love Rafa, he gave us something in the club to love again.

As the seller his financial obligations are, in context to him, minimal.

The f*** are you talking about? Blaming the Coronavirus on the Takeover talks not progressing :lol: Read the f***ing news. It’s all over the business reports and general consensus is it will be terrible for several economies. It’s definitely a reason why talks would stall a bit. There’s reaching and there’s this. Unless Ashley, Staveley or the crown prince himself have got bat lurgy there’s absolutely no reason why coronavirus is a factor.

My favourite bit of this we debacle is when it turns outs to be bollocks for the 8th time and we do fuck all about it.

That professor bloke who’s usually fairly astute and fair - Simon Chadwick I think he’s called - has apparently done some digging in Saudi about this rumour. Come up sucking his thumb by all accounts, the chief response being “why would we buy Newcastle when we have the money to buy Man Utd?”. So that’s errrr, a bit shit really.

I think we’re there now. It will be a distant memory by the middle of February. Sadly, I agree. This had all the hallmarks of a football fans wet dream but I really do think it’s time to accept that despite what he says, Ashley doesn’t want to relinquish control of his golden goose. I don’t think he’d sell for 500m truth be told. The value of clubs is only going up, he’s got a global advertising vehicle for his tat that really is invaluable - looking at it objectively, he doesn’t really need to sell at all.

Apparently one of the "other" consortiums are Russian. Alexei Mordashov must finally have decided to pull his finger out of his arse

He basically reads sports based news for a living whilst smiling his simple little cock off and we’re meant to believe he’s got the inside track on a deal that, 4 days ago, he didn’t have a clue existed. Pete if you’re reading this, you’re a cretin.

Pete Graves - the walking, talking haircut that claims reading the headlines and showing his pearly whites and proper journalism is the same thing.

My guy. Quality film!

I've thought hard about this. On the one hand, I can't bare to see the club in the hands of a regime as brutal and backward as that of the Saudis. On the other hand this "sport washing" thing surely works both ways, yes it can bring the Saudis prestige and esteem if it works but doesn't it also put the spotlight on them somewhat as well? They've shown to back down to international pressure in individual cases where execution and maiming has been on the cards so surely them being in the public eye with such a high profile move is a good thing for them moving forward. Just my two penneth.

Not really surprised that we've heard nowt today. Apart from someone conjecture on who would be chairman and some odd timescales that were seemingly plucked from someones arse - we didn't really learn a lot yesterday either. The whole "other interested" parties line is straight from the Ashley playbook though, bit of disinformation of his own to get his own back for the initial leak. It stinks of going tits up again, we'll hear nowt now until the end of the window and it will all be quietly brushed under the carpet and it'll be business as usual. The Chronicle for me have really shown how far they've sunk with the clickbait they've farted out since the news broke - "Just how rich are the Saudis", "6 things you didnt know about Amanda Stavely" and on and on and on. Lee Ryder is f***ing useless, Mark Douglas doesn't seem a bad bloke or particularly s**** journo either - but for me the local rag should have it's hooks into the inner workings at the club and should serve to cut through the bollocks of the tabloids - they've behaved even worse. It must be very frustrating for someone like Douglas watching Lee Ryder smash his laptop with his arse to churn out some of the absolute f***ing crap that he does and get paid for it.

Still too many conflicting news stories from too many places for it to be full chub on time yet. George Caulkin is keeping his council and he's the voice I most respect when it comes to NUFC.