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

[Kid Icarus]

Apart from a handful of people on here, the conversation never turns to this when discussing with other people (also other people’s fans). Whenever the topic is brought up when talking with people from work etc, it’s always about football and the amount of money and how we will be a force etc. Seems to me the only place this is talked about is by a handful of people on here banging the drum.

 

So you think your work is representative, but the forum with loads of people from all walks of life isn't? Surely it's the other way round.

 

Not my point at all,  and I know you only pop in here for argumentative reasons. I was only saying there are about 5 people on here who constantly bang on about it, but I don’t hear it from anywhere else. I don’t take you opinion any higher than anyone else’s though, should I?

 

You will always get a minority of people with what may appear to be strange beliefs that don't fit in with the majority

 

I like people having different takes/beliefs that don’t fit in with the majority. Just think the calling people stupid for not having the same outlook is not needed at all.

 

That's not what it is though. It's not because the opinions are different, it's because they're seen as being stupid.

 

And like I said earlier, it’s stupid comments on both sides that make the whole thing just a big pile of s**** and not needed. Like that Yemen kid comment. He never got called out for it though, even though it was lifting.

 

Well the people opposed to the deal are in the minority, as you say, so I'm not sure why it wasn't.

 

Which is the best way to deal with ridiculous points like that. Instead of jumping in all the time and keeping the same shit argument going and going. Things could be decent discussion wise if the ridiculous comments were just left/ignored and not jumped upon.

 

I'd agree with you but the same stupid points, especially the one about being a hypocrite if you oppose anything while functioning within society, are made over and over again tbf. I can only speak for me but I know I've held back on a lot of the things that have been said in here, but overall I think the objection to all of this has been really, really mild on here despite the high level of defensiveness to it.

[wormy]

After getting through these last few pages I think I can reasonably sum up my thoughts as thus;

 

For fuck sake.

 

Anyone want to start a clique?

 

[Kid Icarus]

Absolute aids this place like.

 

The amount of unbelievably thick people on the forum has been growing and growing for a while, but this whole thing was obviously cat nip for them.

 

Yet you’re the one winning Worst Poster of the Year award every year.

 

Why do you think I think you're all thick?

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I object to any one individual or business owning NUFC, my club, but I reconcile that with knowing it’s really my club, it’s all of ours, and it always will be as long as NUFC is more than just a football team or a business, but an idea, something that transcends any of that.

 

 

[Guest reefatoon]

Apart from a handful of people on here, the conversation never turns to this when discussing with other people (also other people’s fans). Whenever the topic is brought up when talking with people from work etc, it’s always about football and the amount of money and how we will be a force etc. Seems to me the only place this is talked about is by a handful of people on here banging the drum.

 

So you think your work is representative, but the forum with loads of people from all walks of life isn't? Surely it's the other way round.

 

Not my point at all,  and I know you only pop in here for argumentative reasons. I was only saying there are about 5 people on here who constantly bang on about it, but I don’t hear it from anywhere else. I don’t take you opinion any higher than anyone else’s though, should I?

 

You will always get a minority of people with what may appear to be strange beliefs that don't fit in with the majority

 

I like people having different takes/beliefs that don’t fit in with the majority. Just think the calling people stupid for not having the same outlook is not needed at all.

 

That's not what it is though. It's not because the opinions are different, it's because they're seen as being stupid.

 

And like I said earlier, it’s stupid comments on both sides that make the whole thing just a big pile of s**** and not needed. Like that Yemen kid comment. He never got called out for it though, even though it was lifting.

 

I mean that's completely out of context. The bloke was basically saying he doesn't care about how it's done, he's got to 69 and he wants to win a trophy. What's the problem with highlighting that there are more important things going on than Newcastle not winning a trophy?

 

Because it was a cheap throwaway comment to try and come across the better person, not to highlight anything. You are a much better poster than that Triggs.

Maybe I shouldn't have said it, I remember I was debating it at the time. I just found his attitude a bit annoying, trying to make out like its the worst thing in the world not to win a trophy. Maybe I picked it up wrong though

 

I know it can be frustrating at times, some of the stuff you read. I completely admire your take/stance on the matter mind and have been interestEd in some of the things you and others have been saying.

[wormy]

Absolute aids this place like.

 

The amount of unbelievably thick people on the forum has been growing and growing for a while, but this whole thing was obviously cat nip for them.

 

Yet you’re the one winning Worst Poster of the Year award every year.

 

Why do you think I think you're all thick?

 

[TRon]

Apart from a handful of people on here, the conversation never turns to this when discussing with other people (also other people’s fans). Whenever the topic is brought up when talking with people from work etc, it’s always about football and the amount of money and how we will be a force etc. Seems to me the only place this is talked about is by a handful of people on here banging the drum.

 

So you think your work is representative, but the forum with loads of people from all walks of life isn't? Surely it's the other way round.

 

Not my point at all,  and I know you only pop in here for argumentative reasons. I was only saying there are about 5 people on here who constantly bang on about it, but I don’t hear it from anywhere else. I don’t take you opinion any higher than anyone else’s though, should I?

 

You will always get a minority of people with what may appear to be strange beliefs that don't fit in with the majority

 

They aren't strange beliefs at all like. If it was Man Utd getting taken over by the Saudis, I bet at least 50% of the people on here would be complaining about it. Not wanting a horrendous country to take over a football club is not a strange belief

 

I'd be complaining about it, mostly because I would be worried they would blow everybody out of the water with their spending power. The horrendous country wouldn't come into it, because I know fine well that the world is a shitty place, and we are already in bed with lots of those who make it really shitty.

[Guest Butcher]

Absolute aids this place like.

 

The amount of unbelievably thick people on the forum has been growing and growing for a while, but this whole thing was obviously cat nip for them.

 

Yet you’re the one winning Worst Poster of the Year award every year.

 

Why do you think I think you're all thick?

 

I don’t?

[Kid Icarus]

Absolute aids this place like.

 

The amount of unbelievably thick people on the forum has been growing and growing for a while, but this whole thing was obviously cat nip for them.

 

Yet you’re the one winning Worst Poster of the Year award every year.

 

Why do you think I think you're all thick?

 

I don’t?

 

Nah man, it's a joke. I'm just making a joke about that being the reason I think everyone on here's thick.

[gasman]

The state of this.

 

Cant wait to get trophies in the cabinet/hope the cabinet isn't made using exploitment

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Junkhead makes some valid points to be fair, but should have used diesel instead of petrol. That shit is destroying the environment, it makes the Saudis look like Greenpeace!

[gasman]

Junkhead makes some valid points to be fair, but should have used diesel instead of petrol. That s*** is destroying the environment, it makes the Saudis look like Greenpeace!

 

He would have got some mileage out of that

[Guest Howaythetoon]

Junkhead makes some valid points to be fair, but should have used diesel instead of petrol. That s*** is destroying the environment, it makes the Saudis look like Greenpeace!

 

He would have got some mileage out of that

 

Gas man

[Pons Alias]

 

If we can't be taken over, then Mansour has to go.

 

"In its 2017-18 report Amnesty condemned the UAE for unfair trials, lack of freedom of expression, a failure to investigate allegations of torture, discrimination against women and the abuse of migrant workers. City fans knew that the UAE had a dodgy human rights record. But many of us preferred to turn a blind eye. It was abstract – out of sight, out of mind. And there were endless positives. Mansour had invested billions in the club and the city; City were playing dream football – the first team to win 100 points in a Premier League season in 2017-18; we had the best manager in the world, and what’s more he cared – Pep Guardiola wore a yellow ribbon for political prisoners jailed after campaigning for Catalan independence. What was there not to love about City?

 

Well yesterday we found out, when British academic Matthew Hedges, who had been accused of spying, was given a five-minute trial without a lawyer, and sentenced to life in jail. UAE prosecutors said he had admitted to spying, though others claimed he is innocent. Jeremy Hunt, the foreign secretary, called it “totally unacceptable”, said there was “no evidence for the charges laid against him”, and warned of “serious diplomatic consequences” for the UAE, which Britain regards as an ally.

 

As for City, unsurprisingly not a word.

 

Just to reiterate, Sheikh Mansour is not just a wealthy individual in the United Arab Emirates: he and his family run the country and make all the important decisions. People live and die by their rulings. If I were as principled as I’d like to be, I’d denounce my club and walk away – of course, human rights trump a football club. But I tried that in 2007 – and failed. So for now, I’m sticking with City, while pleading with them to speak up for justice.

 

It is not good enough for the club to pretend this is not happening or it has nothing to do with them, and that if they ignore the fate of Matthew Hedges the issue will go away. It won’t – and the longer he is in the news, the more ethically bankrupt City will look– the glossy, globalised, media-friendly face of repressive government; launderer supreme of the politically unacceptable.

 

So what can Manchester City do? I beg City officials to state publicly that handing down a life sentence to a man without a fair trial is unacceptable, and that the club will do what it can to pressure the UAE to change its mind, and to address its wider human rights issues. Just as Sheikh Mansour has transformed City for the good, City now has the power to change the UAE for the good. Pep, over to you. I look forward to seeing you explain why you are now wearing your yellow ribbon for a different victim of state injustice."

 

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/nov/23/uae-human-rights-man-city-jailing-british-academic

 

 

 

 

"Describing the UAE as “the most brutal police state in the Middle East”, one speaker from Amnesty International recounted the appalling record of abuse in the country and the jailing of human rights defenders, such as Ahmed Mansoor, trying to stop those abuses."

 

https://www.themeteor.org/2018/12/14/council-in-partnership-with-most-brutal-police-state-in-the-middle-east-says-amnesty-international/

 

 

 

The success, then, of Manchester City has also brought some fresh attention to long-standing criticisms of the UAE. "This is one of the most abusive and dangerous governments out there," says McGeehan. "They are particularly sinister and dangerous."

 

Serious mistreatment of the migrant workers that make up 90% of the population, vast inequalities in wealth, environmental degradation, oppressive policies aimed at women and gay people, torturing prisoners and embarking on a war that has killed thousands of innocent people in Yemen: all these allegations against the UAE have been brought, however hazily, to the attention of some of the hundreds of millions of people that watch the English Premier League around the world.

 

This is particularly true for fans of City's rivals looking for a stick to beat their conqueror with, and particularly true in an ever more polarised football landscape, in which fan sites and podcasts have risen to prominence and supporters across the world vent at each other on Twitter.

 

In return, fans of the Manchester club have become what McGeehan calls an "unpaid PR army" for Abu Dhabi, defending the UAE on social media and pointing out that when it comes to supposedly dodgy owners of Premier League football clubs, City are very much not alone.

 

"Dig deep enough and you'll find murky business in every club's financial dealings – where there's money, there's a lot of questionable characters and practices," says David Mooney, a life-long City fan and host of the Blue Moon podcast.

 

Fellow fan Howard Hockin, who runs the 93:20 podcast, makes a similar point. "The UK government is just as bad as the UAE government. There is a lot of Western arrogance surrounding this," he says.

 

https://www.middleeasteye.net/big-story/manchester-city-abu-dhabi-football

[ScottishMagpie]

After getting through these last few pages I think I can reasonably sum up my thoughts as thus;

 

For fuck sake.

 

Anyone want to start a clique?

 

[madras]

Pons Alias. All theyd say is that he passed the tests in place at the time.

[54]

[Guest Howaythetoon]

I’ll say one thing, they aren’t buying NUFC for some sport washing exercise (that will just be an unintentional, but welcome all the same by-product, which funnily enough, will come free with their purchase from the likes of, well, fans and others the most).

 

They couldn’t care less, if they really cared about their image that badly or wanted some huge impacting positive PR they could rewrite the Quran in their kingdom to be some kind of fairytale utopian bible and their citizens would say nowt and blindly follow still.

 

Or they could buy every journo around and pay them to write nice things about them, or just buy Man Utd the worlds biggest, most famous club.

 

NUFC is an investment and the real value to them is not In sport washing or profit or some kind of fuck off to rival ME nations to spite them.

 

The value of NUFC is they will own a huge sporting asset that for their money buys their dynasty, their kingdom, their reign, something even more valuable than a stake in Uber or Disney. They are just akin to paying into a pension scheme.

 

Culturally and religiously (in Islam, for Muslims) outright total investments like this carry huge significance over say buying shares, or cars, or other luxuries. NUFC will matter to them in the same way as their royal homes do to the family.

 

This a commitment of investment they value so much, they prefer (as per their customs, traditions, religion, culture etc.) to share their asset with others rather than just hire/pay people to come in and work for them. This bodes very well for our club and the city because in AS they have a big international power broker player and the R brothers big players in property, development and planning in the region who add real and significant value to their asset and you can’t just buy that, you have to share with such people and vice versa.

 

NUFC isn’t about sport washing, it’s about Saudi buying an asset they can transform into the best and most successful club in the world which will fuel a bigger long term interest and investment in sport full stop, from football tv rights, championship boxing events, horse racing, formula 1 and the hosting of other major sporting events. That and the technology side of football and sport.

 

Buying NUFC and their main purpose for doing so... the by product of this will inevitably and eventually whether intentionally or not will lead to reforms and and modernisation towards how they as a nation, as people, as a culture, as a religion, progress and improve which right now, as much as we in the so-called modern world may object to some of their practices, customs, laws, ideas and ruling, we have no business playing the moral high horse given we happily milk from their nipple, benefit enormously from their services, products and money but above all else, we were where they are right now not so long age ourselves.

 

Indeed it could be argued we are not so far apart or too separate from them and while we look at how they live and object, they look at how we live and object all the same. So whose right and whose wrong?

 

At least when they buy a football club they wont remortgage the club, swindle money from it, use it to profiteer from, take money out of the game and run things into the ground and destroy it.

 

In that regard, they are good for the game, our club and the sport. It’s the likes of Mike Ashley who are bad for the game, our club and the sport and indeed the world itself too. Born and bread in good old England, that bastion of modern civilisation and modern right upbringing.

 

Aye right.

 

As the old saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join them.

 

Bring it on. It’s called societal progress either way, just we have the hump with those we feel aren’t as civilised as us. But hey, as long as your money is still good...

[Whitley mag]

I’ll say one thing, they aren’t buying NUFC for some sport washing exercise (that will just be an unintentional, but welcome all the same by-product, which funnily enough, will come free with their purchase from the likes of, well, fans and others the most).

 

They couldn’t care less, if they really cared about their image that badly or wanted some huge impacting positive PR they could rewrite the Quran in their kingdom to be some kind of fairytale utopian bible and their citizens would say nowt and blindly follow still.

 

Or they could buy every journo around and pay them to write nice things about them, or just buy Man Utd the worlds biggest, most famous club.

 

NUFC is an investment and the real value to them is not In sport washing or profit or some kind of f*** off to rival ME nations to spite them.

 

The value of NUFC is they will own a huge sporting asset that for their money buys their dynasty, their kingdom, their reign, something even more valuable than a stake in Uber or Disney. They are just akin to paying into a pension scheme.

 

Culturally and religiously (in Islam, for Muslims) outright total investments like this carry huge significance over say buying shares, or cars, or other luxuries. NUFC will matter to them in the same way as their royal homes do to the family.

 

This a commitment of investment they value so much, they prefer (as per their customs, traditions, religion, culture etc.) to share their asset with others rather than just hire/pay people to come in and work for them. This bodes very well for our club and the city because in AS they have a big international power broker player and the R brothers big players in property, development and planning in the region who add real and significant value to their asset and you can’t just buy that, you have to share with such people and vice versa.

 

NUFC isn’t about sport washing, it’s about Saudi buying an asset they can transform into the best and most successful club in the world which will fuel a bigger long term interest and investment in sport full stop, from football tv rights, championship boxing events, horse racing, formula 1 and the hosting of other major sporting events. That and the technology side of football and sport.

 

Buying NUFC and their main purpose for doing so... the by product of this will inevitably and eventually whether intentionally or not will lead to reforms and and modernisation towards how they as a nation, as people, as a culture, as a religion, progress and improve which right now, as much as we in the so-called modern world may object to some of their practices, customs, laws, ideas and ruling, we have no business playing the moral high horse given we happily milk from their nipple, benefit enormously from their services, products and money but above all else, we were where they are right now not so long age ourselves.

 

Indeed it could be argued we are not so far apart or too separate from them and while we look at how they live and object, they look at how we live and object all the same. So whose right and whose wrong?

 

At least when they buy a football club they wont remortgage the club, swindle money from it, use it to profiteer from, take money out of the game and run things into the ground and destroy it.

 

In that regard, they are good for the game, our club and the sport. It’s the likes of Mike Ashley who are bad for the game, our club and the sport and indeed the world itself too. Born and bread in good old England, that bastion of modern civilisation and modern right upbringing.

 

Aye right.

 

As the old saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join them.

 

Bring it on. It’s called societal progress either way, just we have the hump with those we feel aren’t as civilised as us. But hey, as long as your money is still good...

 

Outstanding  :clap:

[TRon]

I’ll say one thing, they aren’t buying NUFC for some sport washing exercise (that will just be an unintentional, but welcome all the same by-product, which funnily enough, will come free with their purchase from the likes of, well, fans and others the most).

 

They couldn’t care less, if they really cared about their image that badly or wanted some huge impacting positive PR they could rewrite the Quran in their kingdom to be some kind of fairytale utopian bible and their citizens would say nowt and blindly follow still.

 

Or they could buy every journo around and pay them to write nice things about them, or just buy Man Utd the worlds biggest, most famous club.

 

NUFC is an investment and the real value to them is not In sport washing or profit or some kind of fuck off to rival ME nations to spite them.

 

The value of NUFC is they will own a huge sporting asset that for their money buys their dynasty, their kingdom, their reign, something even more valuable than a stake in Uber or Disney. They are just akin to paying into a pension scheme.

 

Culturally and religiously (in Islam, for Muslims) outright total investments like this carry huge significance over say buying shares, or cars, or other luxuries. NUFC will matter to them in the same way as their royal homes do to the family.

 

This a commitment of investment they value so much, they prefer (as per their customs, traditions, religion, culture etc.) to share their asset with others rather than just hire/pay people to come in and work for them. This bodes very well for our club and the city because in AS they have a big international power broker player and the R brothers big players in property, development and planning in the region who add real and significant value to their asset and you can’t just buy that, you have to share with such people and vice versa.

 

NUFC isn’t about sport washing, it’s about Saudi buying an asset they can transform into the best and most successful club in the world which will fuel a bigger long term interest and investment in sport full stop, from football tv rights, championship boxing events, horse racing, formula 1 and the hosting of other major sporting events. That and the technology side of football and sport.

 

Buying NUFC and their main purpose for doing so... the by product of this will inevitably and eventually whether intentionally or not will lead to reforms and and modernisation towards how they as a nation, as people, as a culture, as a religion, progress and improve which right now, as much as we in the so-called modern world may object to some of their practices, customs, laws, ideas and ruling, we have no business playing the moral high horse given we happily milk from their nipple, benefit enormously from their services, products and money but above all else, we were where they are right now not so long age ourselves.

 

Indeed it could be argued we are not so far apart or too separate from them and while we look at how they live and object, they look at how we live and object all the same. So whose right and whose wrong?

 

At least when they buy a football club they wont remortgage the club, swindle money from it, use it to profiteer from, take money out of the game and run things into the ground and destroy it.

 

In that regard, they are good for the game, our club and the sport. It’s the likes of Mike Ashley who are bad for the game, our club and the sport and indeed the world itself too. Born and bread in good old England, that bastion of modern civilisation and modern right upbringing.

 

Aye right.

 

As the old saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join them.

 

Bring it on. It’s called societal progress either way, just we have the hump with those we feel aren’t as civilised as us. But hey, as long as your money is still good...

 

[Kasper]

Well for one...they are buying NUFC for image purposes. Just because you dont want it to be true doesnt change it.

 

And...

 

You say they couldnt care less about their image yet they chop a journalist in pieces for writing negative articles about them. Right.

 

Lot of words there but very few of them based on reality.

 

They couldn’t care less, if they really cared about their image that badly or wanted some huge impacting positive PR they could rewrite the Quran in their kingdom to be some kind of fairytale utopian bible and their citizens would say nowt and blindly follow still.

 

Yeah. I'll smoke some of that

[Guest neesy111]

I’ll say one thing, they aren’t buying NUFC for some sport washing exercise.

 

Absolute bullshit.

 

[Kid Icarus]

Well for one...they are buying NUFC for image purposes. Just because you dont want it to be true doesnt change it.

 

And...

 

You say they couldnt care less about their image yet they chop a journalist in pieces for writing negative articles about them. Right.

 

Lot of words there but very few of them based on reality.

 

 

Also, thank you for the TL;DR

[gasman]

Well for one...they are buying NUFC for image purposes. Just because you dont want it to be true doesnt change it.

 

And...

 

You say they couldnt care less about their image yet they chop a journalist in pieces for writing negative articles about them. Right.

 

Lot of words there but very few of them based on reality.

 

Spy

[number9shirt]

Nobody can say we don't care or aren't aware about Saudi Arabia and human rights it's been discussed to death.