PIF and RB Sports & Media

[Kanj]

The players will be in state of the art facilities

[Vinny Green Balls]

42 minutes ago, LV said:

Fuck were you doing in Libya?

 

That must have been amazing. 

Was there during and after the revolution for about a year, working on a documentary and with the musicians on a music festival. Back in the day, I used to post updates on here when I was there (as QuakesMag of course).

[LV]

Just now, Vinny Green Balls said:

Was there during and after the revolution for about a year, working on a documentary and with the musicians on a music festival. Back in the day, I used to post updates on here when I was there (as QuakesMag of course).

Ah your QuakesMag! Makes sense

 

Nice one mate 

 

 

[Lazarus]

44 minutes ago, Hovagod said:

 

 

 

 

[Hovagod]

Just now, Lazarus said:

 

 

Haha!

[David Edgar]

CAIRO!

[LFEE]

2 hours ago, Awaymag said:

I wonder if they will announce Sponsorship deals while they are out there!

Hoping more a marquee signing ??

[Billy Pilgrim]

Used to work for an Egyptian born Saudi citizen and one night we had a party at his in North Shields where he got double mortal and made us play some bullshit board game called Camel Up that had German rules that nobody understood. So my advice is, if anyone tries to get you to play camel up, prepare for an agonising 3 hours of your boss trying to explain the rules of the game in a language twice removed.

 

[BottledDog]

Oh Billy. Even the most grumpy of teens can’t fail to smile when you see a stack of Camels running the wrong way around the race track and scuppering dads big betting scheme.

Camel up!

[oldtype]

1 hour ago, Chris_R said:

 

Well, obviously they're at a slightly higher level than me that goes without saying but I normally work for the Royal Saudi Airforce when I go out there (I had to get subcontracted through BAE for complicated reasons) and I count a few Saudi majors and colonels as friends for many years and have been lucky enough to go to their houses, and I had absolutely no chance of getting a sniff of anything. From everything I know and from how the Saudis are about alcohol, there's zero chance. None. Not only can you not get it because it's just not available in any shop whatsoever to anyone at all, but you dare not even ASK anyone about it because it's so totalitarian over there that you fear they might just march you off somewhere.

 

Alcohol is against their Muslim beliefs, and they take those incredibly seriously. They hand out leaflets on the plane on the way over there with big banners on saying "DEATH TO DRUG SMUGGLERS" telling you exactly what will happen if you bring in the wrong stuff, and even though I don't even take paracetamol over with me and touch nothing harder than alcohol these days, I still have that moment of panic where I wonder if I accidentally packed a few kilos of coke.

 

First time I went over I had to sign a form saying I wouldn't even JUGGLE. I shit you not.

 

Don't equate Saudi to more relaxed Muslim countries like the UAE (which I've also been to loads) where you can get alcohol as long as you're not Muslim. It's not like that at all. Maybe they do find a way to get some, but because you cannot trust anyone around you and because you are in such an alien environment and know how illegal it is, you'd be fucking stupid to try.

 

Was in a similar boat with Chris_R in my old military job and can confirm. It's nothing at all like being in Abu Dhabi. More or less the only exception is embassies where they can get stuff in through diplomatic pouches which aren't subject to customs.

[Matt]

A good mate of mine works for a Saudi firm and he won't even take his personal phone with him when he travels over there, just his work one, as guards are known to scroll through WhatsApp groups etc in search of anything deemed immodest.

[Abacus]

Wait, there's not even a Wetherspoons?

[Dr.Spaceman]

4 minutes ago, Matt said:

A good mate of mine works for a Saudi firm and he won't even take his personal phone with him when he travels over there, just his work one, as guards are known to scroll through WhatsApp groups etc in search of anything deemed immodest.

 

I, for one absolutely love the colour green and am very fond of sand.

[McCormick]

2 hours ago, Chris_R said:

 

Well, obviously they're at a slightly higher level than me that goes without saying but I normally work for the Royal Saudi Airforce when I go out there (I had to get subcontracted through BAE for complicated reasons) and I count a few Saudi majors and colonels as friends for many years and have been lucky enough to go to their houses, and I had absolutely no chance of getting a sniff of anything. From everything I know and from how the Saudis are about alcohol, there's zero chance. None. Not only can you not get it because it's just not available in any shop whatsoever to anyone at all, but you dare not even ASK anyone about it because it's so totalitarian over there that you fear they might just march you off somewhere.

 

Alcohol is against their Muslim beliefs, and they take those incredibly seriously. They hand out leaflets on the plane on the way over there with big banners on saying "DEATH TO DRUG SMUGGLERS" telling you exactly what will happen if you bring in the wrong stuff, and even though I don't even take paracetamol over with me and touch nothing harder than alcohol these days, I still have that moment of panic where I wonder if I accidentally packed a few kilos of coke.

 

First time I went over I had to sign a form saying I wouldn't even JUGGLE. I shit you not.

 

Don't equate Saudi to more relaxed Muslim countries like the UAE (which I've also been to loads) where you can get alcohol as long as you're not Muslim. It's not like that at all. Maybe they do find a way to get some, but because you cannot trust anyone around you and because you are in such an alien environment and know how illegal it is, you'd be fucking stupid to try.

When we’re you last here out of interest?

[MarkyMark]

1 hour ago, oldtype said:

 

Was in a similar boat with Chris_R in my old military job and can confirm. It's nothing at all like being in Abu Dhabi. More or less the only exception is embassies where they can get stuff in through diplomatic pouches which aren't subject to customs.

Yep, one of my mates worked there a few times and that’s exactly what he said - the embassy was the only place which stocked alcohol, but it was illegal to have any in your system once you left.  He went once, and the taxi ride home was apparently stressful, worrying in case the driver drops him off at the religious police … better to hop across to Bahrain or UAE once a month …

 

He was very, very well paid on his stays over there (around two years in total) - but I wouldn’t want to set foot there, never mind work.  The stories from him and others I know paint a picture of exactly what I imagined living in an atavistic and brutal dictatorship would be like.

[Chris_R]

11 minutes ago, McCormick said:

When we’re you last here out of interest?

 

Mid-2020, I think? Spent 5 weeks in Jeddah. Don't *think* I've been since, but tbh I travel enough that I've lost track.

 

Was supposed to be back in Jeddah December just gone however it got pushed back indefinitely, but will almost certainly be in Al Majmaah some time early summer or late spring.

[christ]

2 minutes ago, MarkyMark said:

Yep, one of my mates worked there a few times and that’s exactly what he said - the embassy was the only place which stocked alcohol, but it was illegal to have any in your system once you left.  He went once, and the taxi ride home was apparently stressful, worrying in case the driver drops him off at the religious police … better to hop across to Bahrain or UAE once a month …

 

He was very, very well paid on his stays over there (around two years in total) - but I wouldn’t want to set foot there, never mind work.  The stories from him and others I know paint a picture of exactly what I imagined living in an atavistic and brutal dictatorship would be like.

Still, it’s good news about all the transfers.

[wfmk2]

I've also been to KSA many times. Was there in November for the first time in 5 years. Visited Jeddah, Dammam and Riyadh on a three week business trip. It's very different these days. Live music, unveiled women smoking in Costa, women driving, businesses not closing at prayer times. Even managed to get a drink at a customer's dinner party. Everyone over there appears to be much happier these days. Crazily enough, Riyadh is actually now the most liberal of the three main cities. 

 

Not much support for Newcastle on the ground yet, but did managed to catch the Arsenal game at a cafe with Saudi Gazza  He's a very decent bloke. 

[MarkyMark]

Just now, christ said:

Still, it’s good news about all the transfers.

Undoubtedly - I’m still not sure if I need to declare ‘I’m a Newcastle United supporter who’d like to see us sign some decent players’ when my Amnesty membership renews in March

[MarkyMark]

3 minutes ago, wfmk2 said:

I've also been to KSA many times. Was there in November for the first time in 5 years. Visited Jeddah, Dammam and Riyadh on a three week business trip. It's very different these days. Live music, unveiled women smoking in Costa, women driving, businesses not closing at prayer times. Even managed to get a drink at a customer's dinner party. Everyone over there appears to be much happier these days. Crazily enough, Riyadh is actually now the most liberal of the three main cities. 

 

Not much support for Newcastle on the ground yet, but did managed to catch the Arsenal game at a cafe with Saudi Gazza  He's a very decent bloke. 

And how was Kate Stewart?

[Chris_R]

3 minutes ago, MarkyMark said:

Yep, one of my mates worked there a few times and that’s exactly what he said - the embassy was the only place which stocked alcohol, but it was illegal to have any in your system once you left.  He went once, and the taxi ride home was apparently stressful, worrying in case the driver drops him off at the religious police … better to hop across to Bahrain or UAE once a month …

 

He was very, very well paid on his stays over there (around two years in total) - but I wouldn’t want to set foot there, never mind work.  The stories from him and others I know paint a picture of exactly what I imagined living in an atavistic and brutal dictatorship would be like.

 

Despite how it still is, it's a lot better now than when I first went in 2013. Think I've posted about it before but they are modernising at quite a pace. The problem is, all the old people (who are generally in senior positions in companies and society) are very resistant to the change. And I get that because they've already seen such massive change in their life times.

 

There's even rumours that booze WILL be allowed soon in tourist areas as part of Vision 2030. But that's yet to happen.

 

I don't mind the lack of booze for a few weeks. I drink enough here, I see Saudi like my trip to the Betty Ford clinic.

[MarkyMark]

1 minute ago, Chris_R said:

 

Despite how it still is, it's a lot better now than when I first went in 2013. Think I've posted about it before but they are modernising at quite a pace. The problem is, all the old people (who are generally in senior positions in companies and society) are very resistant to the change. And I get that because they've already seen such massive change in their life times.

 

There's even rumours that booze WILL be allowed soon in tourist areas as part of Vision 2030. But that's yet to happen.

 

I don't mind the lack of booze for a few weeks. I drink enough here, I see Saudi like my trip to the Betty Ford clinic.

Haha yeah, my mate lost a few stone without all those empty calories every weekend

[Stifler]

2 hours ago, Chris_R said:

 

Well, obviously they're at a slightly higher level than me that goes without saying but I normally work for the Royal Saudi Airforce when I go out there (I had to get subcontracted through BAE for complicated reasons) and I count a few Saudi majors and colonels as friends for many years and have been lucky enough to go to their houses, and I had absolutely no chance of getting a sniff of anything. From everything I know and from how the Saudis are about alcohol, there's zero chance. None. Not only can you not get it because it's just not available in any shop whatsoever to anyone at all, but you dare not even ASK anyone about it because it's so totalitarian over there that you fear they might just march you off somewhere.

 

Alcohol is against their Muslim beliefs, and they take those incredibly seriously. They hand out leaflets on the plane on the way over there with big banners on saying "DEATH TO DRUG SMUGGLERS" telling you exactly what will happen if you bring in the wrong stuff, and even though I don't even take paracetamol over with me and touch nothing harder than alcohol these days, I still have that moment of panic where I wonder if I accidentally packed a few kilos of coke.

 

First time I went over I had to sign a form saying I wouldn't even JUGGLE. I shit you not.

 

Don't equate Saudi to more relaxed Muslim countries like the UAE (which I've also been to loads) where you can get alcohol as long as you're not Muslim. It's not like that at all. Maybe they do find a way to get some, but because you cannot trust anyone around you and because you are in such an alien environment and know how illegal it is, you'd be fucking stupid to try.

I hope Shelvey and Hendrick try and get a hold of some.

[Slim]

4 hours ago, Chris_R said:

 

 

First time I went over I had to sign a form saying I wouldn't even JUGGLE. I shit you not.

 

Just googled this and can't find anything? Find out the reason.

[Ben]

 

The article says the fans are in uproar because of this.