Various: N-O has lost the plot over potential end of Mike Ashley's tenure

[Flartyblartclart]

I wonder if this was the unexpected hiccup Caulkin alluded to last week?  And as stated above that it's only been released to the press now?

[Si]

HTT said announcement tomorrow at 3 so I'll roll with that.

 

Food bank will be rubbing their hands again

how many cracks has he had so far?

[jarralad]

Still confident this will go through, PL may just want concrete assurances from the Saudis concerning the clamp down on piracy then it's good to go.

[gasman]

My theory (not that it means much): they've had this document for a few days, but they were going to wave it through anyway. Now whoever sent it has leaked its existence to the press as a last role of the dice to try and exert some external pressure.

 

Nail on the head

[mrmojorisin75]

who has supposedly "sent" these new concrete-evidence documents like, and they didn't they bother to send them to the french courts

[Dokko]

Ok, now i've simmered and had a think on. The PL replied to the widow stating they see PIF as a company from SA not KSA itself. If that is the case then there is huge separation here.

[OpenC]

Saudis leaked the documents themselves hoping to stall this until Mike has paid back the TV money which the bbc says is going to be owing, imo

 

 

[Novocastrian]

Far less concerned by the piracy angle than a late pang of conscience regarding human rights abuses.

This is easily solved:

 

PL suits: ‘we’ll allow the takeover as long as you crack down on the piracy of PL football’.

Cash wedged Arabs: ‘No probs, consider it done’.

PL suits: ‘Welcome to the Premier League!’.

 

Still sure this will go through this week.

[RS]

still a non story. No proof. No evidence. 66% of the takeover has nothing to do with Saudi Arabia.

[Dr Jinx]

still a non story. No proof. No evidence. 66% of the takeover has nothing to do with Saudi Arabia.

 

Not true, 20%

[Dr.Spaceman]

still a non story. No proof. No evidence. 66% of the takeover has nothing to do with Saudi Arabia.

 

Not true, 20%

 

Maths, with Scott Steiner.

[UncleBingo]

We need a word or two from Gorgeous George to calm the nerves.......something........anything.

 

Or maybe this is the real reason Steve Kray took a Twitter break this week?

[maze]

What’s up now? (In short)

[gdm]

still a non story. No proof. No evidence. 66% of the takeover has nothing to do with Saudi Arabia.

 

Not true, 20%

 

Maths, with Scott Steiner.

 

[Chris_R]

If the PL block this deal, heads will roll.

[RS]

still a non story. No proof. No evidence. 66% of the takeover has nothing to do with Saudi Arabia.

 

Not true, 20%

 

Maths, with Scott Steiner.

People.

[Stifler]

Total non-story.

 

1: The Premier League would only be able to get involved if there has been a linked proven in court that Saudi Arabia were involved in the piracy. This is not the case, this is just a document given to them, likely from BeIN/Qatar who have their political motives to attempt to block the takeover.

 

2: Even if the above applied, the Premier League have already indicated that they view PIF as a separate entity from the Saudi government. It would be difficult for the Premier League to make the link between the two hold up.

 

3: The channel has already been taken dow. Saudi Arabia will be able to say that they have taken steps to combat piracy. Even if a link was made, it would be simple for them to make the case that their involvement was because of a political blockade of coverage from Qatar and that they want to work with the Premier League in future to prevent them from missing out on Premier League broadcasts. Again this is assuming what was mentioned in reasons 1 and 2 even applied.

 

This is nothing more than the political gesturing we have seen over the last month from Qatar in relation to this takeover bid. It is also just another non-story that the media have had go with because theirs nothing else to talk about in football right.

[bhoywhonder]

As I said a while back, it's in the best interest of the Premier League to make this look like the most begrudging approval possible.

 

If they'd waved them through you'd have Amnesty, beIN, and several other parties furious. It's much better for their image if they make it look like they had no choice then push through chronic reform of the test.

 

Hey remember when Amnesty refused to kick off about abortion of babies conceived from rape? Anyone? Because of all the donations they got from the Church? Anyone?

 

Oh right, yeah, Amnesty, arbiters of whats right from wrong. They can Fuck. Right. Off.

[maze]

What’s up now? (In short)

[midds]

If these claims were that significant then why weren't then presented a month ago?

 

If they're only new claims then I'm assuming the PL would have already discovered themselves during their little investigations.

 

I'm still confident it'll go through for the same reasons as I was a month ago. They can't really say no unless there's definitive proof, they don't want to say no to the money and they don't want the decision being dragged through the courts, it'll too be embarrassing for a lot of people. Just sit tight and see what happens tbh.

[Ketsbaia]

Things went way OTT in here.

 

It's still probably happening, right? Just annoying that this tedious torture will continue for yet another week.

[Chicane]

You add Kurt Angle to the mix, our chances of being taken over drastic go down.

[Raconteur]

If these claims were that significant then why weren't then presented a month ago?

 

If they're only new claims then I'm assuming the PL would have already discovered themselves during their little investigations.

 

I'm still confident it'll go through for the same reasons as I was a month ago. They can't really say no unless there's definitive proof, they don't want to say no to the money and they don't want the decision being dragged through the courts, it'll too be embarrassing for a lot of people. Just sit tight and see what happens tbh.

 

Reads like a "Hail Mary" pass in the last few seconds from Qatar.

[Kanj]

if the PL is not making a comment to anybody in the press, then those who submitted this new evidence alerted the press directly or indirectly. The direct or indirect source of information to the press assumes this bombshell evidence will further delay another week. Just a ton more assumption, speculation, and guessing. Pure speculation.

 

Hope we get taken over and whoever submitted such evidence has a favorite club we smash to fucking bits.

[Stifler]

Things went way OTT in here.

 

It's still probably happening, right? Just annoying that this tedious torture will continue for yet another week.

I see no reason for it not too. I think Midds has summed it up well.

A document of alleged proof from a 3rd party (who likely have political motives) will not be considered enough evidence to prevent a takeover. It would have to have been proven in a court of law.

 

Aside from that, that is assuming the Premier League consider PIF and the Saudi government to be one and the same, they have alluded that they do not.