The "delighted Ashley has gone, but uncomfortable with Saudi ownership" thread

[christ]

I think it’s fine for our fans not to care, I draw the line at “poor little Saudi Arabia is being misrepresented by the media and we must stick up for them”. It’s absolute bollocks.

[Armchair Pundit]

5 minutes ago, Wullie said:

 

Think we'll keep a thread about the owners of the football club in the football section if it's alright with you. If it's not then don't come in it.

 

I think there's a difference between what the owners do concerning football matters at the club and what they might or might not do outside it, but it's your call. 

[hakka]

When you look at all the death and war the UK, US and Russia has caused in the middle east for say, the last 20 years, isn't it a bit rich to say we're better? Yes we are on a society level, but we've played a role in killing over a million in war, drone strikes, dropping bombs in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Libya etc. The yanks even use Saudi oil to back the petrol dollar, we sell weapons to them knowing what they will be used for in Yemen...yet we suddenly get a conscious when a business funding arm of KSA buys a football club?

[InspectorCoarse]

If people on here want to self flagellate about something they can do nothing about go right ahead - knock yerselves out . 

[Ken Boon]

Not uncomfortable with this takeover at all. The Premier League are the ones who should be uncomfortable about it seeing as they were about to be shown up for the corrupt bastards that they are by Fat Mike's legal team which is why the takeover was finally allowed. There are links to corruption, money laundering and all kinds of shite in the Premier League these days and there's nothing we can do about it other than enjoy it or walk away from it.

[veriaqa]

2 minutes ago, Newcastle Fan said:

 

 

The problem is that you will see anything positive about Saudi as Propaganda, Saudi's themselves defending their own country on twitter are being accused of being state sponsored accounts, and borderline racism against Saudi's/Arab culture seems to be looked at as progressive thinking, i repeat again that both Saudi/the region/and the world in general has a long way to go, a few years ago they were in a much worse place but they are progressing fast and MBS has a huge role to play for that,   they aren't going to turn into a country that shares all your ideals and morals overnight, maybe never, but even within your own community you will have people with widely different opinions to you, the message here is that we as people can use this bridge to better connect and understand each other, they want to do good for this club and region.

 

Well, I think it down to "superior white" mentality. The worldview that see anything that different from white culture as barbaric, backward, etc.

[HaydnNUFC]

As someone with who is quite left wing politically, I really should care about being de facto owned by Saudi Arabia; how they treat women, LGBTQs, what they're doing in Yemen, et cetera. But, rightly or wrongly, I don't. 

 

Part of me is like, why is it down to Newcastle United supporters to be up in arms about the record in a country which prior to this takeover next to no football fan probably paid any attention to. All of a sudden, because they now own us and if looks from the outside in like a PSG, Man City type takeover, everyone is an expert on MBS, the war in Yemen, et cetera. Fuck off. 

 

Man City fans probably got this and probably still do. Why should a lad from Burnage be questioned by some writer from a pay wall newspaper for supporting the club he always has done? Same for us. 

 

That's the mentality I'm taking. I should care, I don't. I've wanted just some sort of change at the top for years and didn't care what that was. We've got it, and I'm happy.

[Smal]

I just cannot see the justification that because the UK sell weapons to SA them taking over a football club is also fine at all. Unless of course you're pro selling weapons to Saudi Arabia so that they can continue their war crimes? Both are wrong. Really wrong. Two wrongs don't make a right and all that. 

 

The fact that people want to move this discussion to another board because they don't want to hear about it and want to shut down discussion is equally depressing. 

 

 

Edited October 9, 2021 by Smal

[veriaqa]

Just now, ManDoon said:

Lmao 

Btw, as brown people myself I do believe white people are far more superior than any races. Clearly your culture and value are far more superior than any other culture and value on earth.

[Tiresias]

I mean even if you discount all this stuff i think it's morally terrible for nation States or their investment funds to own clubs in other countries it's just that ship has well and truly sailed

[HaydnNUFC]

[Klaus]

1 minute ago, veriaqa said:

Btw, as brown people myself I do believe white people are far more superior than any races. Clearly your culture and value are far more superior than any other culture and value on earth.

 

 

[veriaqa]

Just now, ManDoon said:

It’s not a superiority complex to oppose the flogging and killing of homosexuals. Nah. Don’t straw man what I said 

But I really do believe that you (white) are far superior than me (brown)

[veriaqa]

Just now, ManDoon said:

Man I dunno where you are going with this, so let’s not do it. 

Okay, I will follow your command. Thank you, love you.

[Tiresias]

do not engage with the troll

[RUHRLYASLEEVESUP]

6 minutes ago, ManDoon said:

“Killing homosexuals is barbaric”

 

Thats just superior white mentality. Incredible 

Let it go pal your going to make yourself ill

 

not everyone can agree, your perpetuating the argument to your detriment.

 

take a step back pal for your own good, people will start to deliberately wind you up  which I would never condone.

[Hhtoon]

2 minutes ago, ManDoon said:

It’s not racist against Arab culture at all. That’s nonsense tbh. That’s fine for them defend their own country, no one has said “every single Saudi is a bad person” not once.

 

You completely brushed over the law I posted and you literally opened your post talking about ether guardian having unfair reporting. Personally I don’t want to bridge a gap with anyone who supports that law, that’s up to me. And I don’t see why I should. I live in a progressive country and I like it  

 

If the bridge is never gapped how will it ever change? PIF itself has 2 women in the senior leadership and have just worked hand in hand with Amanda Staveley on this very deal. That's progressive change that I bet wasn't there 15 years ago. 

I'm really not defending them as some of their actions are indefensible of course but without positive influence they won't change. I'm not suggesting NUFC will do that of course 

[HaydnNUFC]

I think True Geordie nailed it: football is fucked. Its been fucked for years, we've benefitted from it being fucked for a change. States shouldn't own clubs, but a precedent was set in 2008. You can be aware what these owners are, whilst still enjoying going to watch the club you always have done for years and not feel guilty or made to feel guilty by fans of other clubs who magically care about the human rights record of Saudi Arabia and wider MENA, Miguel Delaney or Kaveh Sovhekol. 

[Tiresias]

It's kinda sad to see within days of a takeover people are arguing tolerance of lgbt is nonsense western values. As a gay fan I worry where this is going.

[Yorkie]

2 minutes ago, HaydnNUFC said:

I think True Geordie nailed it: football is fucked. Its been fucked for years, we've benefitted from it being fucked for a change. States shouldn't own clubs, but a precedent was set in 2008. You can be aware what these owners are, whilst still enjoying going to watch the club you always have done for years and not feel guilty or made to feel guilty by fans of other clubs who magically care about the human rights record of Saudi Arabia and wider MENA, Miguel Delaney or Kaveh Sovhekol. 

 

Yeah, it was a good video from him. 

[Guest neesy111]

3 minutes ago, HaydnNUFC said:

I think True Geordie nailed it: football is fucked. Its been fucked for years, we've benefitted from it being fucked for a change. States shouldn't own clubs, but a precedent was set in 2008. You can be aware what these owners are, whilst still enjoying going to watch the club you always have done for years and not feel guilty or made to feel guilty by fans of other clubs who magically care about the human rights record of Saudi Arabia and wider MENA, Miguel Delaney or Kaveh Sovhekol. 

2003 is when it started with ambromovich.  Him coming into football and making it a rich mans toy started the sequence.

 

[ElDiablo]

15 minutes ago, christ said:

I think it’s fine for our fans not to care, I draw the line at “poor little Saudi Arabia is being misrepresented by the media and we must stick up for them”. It’s absolute bollocks.

 

This is it in a nutshell. Dressing up, waving flags, whataboutary, banging on about Disney and Uber crosses a line and makes us all look like a bunch of cunts.

 

Personally, I want to hear from the Saudi representative on the board. I want to hear him address the criticism and take the brunt of it away from the fans, who are being left in a terrible position in a time we should be left to heal after 14 years of being treated like shit.

[Newcastle Fan]

4 minutes ago, ManDoon said:

I don’t think it will personally, but yeah I can agree with what you’re saying.
 

My point is Newcastle is an inclusive club, that’s how it should be. I don’t want any of their values imposed on this club, and that’s just how I see it. We should make no concessions and continue to be inclusive and progressive. 

 

They are not buying the club to impose their values on you, literally the first announcement that Amanda made tackled all of that

[Kimbo]

I’m not a big fan of it tbh, I’d rather it was a normal boring takeover. I just want the club to be run properly and spending massive amounts isn’t necessary to me. Trophies to me don’t matter that much, I really don’t think they’re what keeps people invested in the game. The game is structured in such a way that it’s all about who has the money, and most clubs have no chance of ever winning the major ones, yet they all have loyal fan bases. The media would have us believe that winning is everything, but it clearly isn’t.
 

I don’t like the Saudi state for all the usual reasons and no amount of trophies would change my mind on it. I’ll do what I’ve done with football for a long time and just try to enjoy games and players for what they are, and I’ll hope this investment has some positives outside of just football. We’re no less deserving of good players and a good team than any other club, and now there’s a chance this will happen it will increase my interest.
 

There’s really no point in getting on your moral high horse on the internet though because you will be a hypocrite, Saudi investment is everywhere in our society, it’s very difficult not to put money in their pocket. I just wish people would refrain from putting the Saudi flag in their social media and whatnot. You can maintain an interest in NUFC without becoming Saudi fanboys.

 

I’ve got to say I’m as bemused as ever by the idea of sports washing. It just attracts attention to your misdeeds. It makes some sense to host an event as that can change the impression of a country, but buying a football club? I don’t get it.

[Tiresias]

It's not that they are imposing their values, it is that they are trying to improve their reputation by getting involved in sport. Ultimately as horrible as it is to think of people who have been beaten for having sex outside marriage, for being gay etc, that is none of my business, plenty of misery elsewhe in the world. But to think we are being used as a tool to cover that sort of shit up is not ideal. 

 

And again, it feels I end up being stawmanned into a position I don't have. I don't think the sportwashing will work that well, I think it may in fact amplify human rights concerns not cover up. I also don't think whether they spend the money on us or not much will change because of it and I don't think they are unique, this is all ont eh league and not on us. But this is not cos I fear they will come impose their values here. I am worried because already people seem to think aaah they are our owners, all their opinions must be brilliant homophobia is cool lololol. They will say all teh right things, and then do differently at home than they do with us, because they are hypocrites. Lets not be the same.

 

 

Edited October 9, 2021 by Tiresias