Al-Sandcastle - the sportswashing barcodes

I think there will be a closer eye on those clubs doing those types of things, especially with the likes of Barca, Real, the Italian clubs and all the American owners in the PL wanting to stop this circumventing of financial rules.

City have been able to massively bump theirs up but I think Newcastle will need to have what looks like more organic growth because big jumps in revenue will be red flags.

In an interview, Robinho claimed Real Madrid refused to sell to Chelsea as they had started to sell Robinho shirts before the deal was complete.

The gaffe was in the unveiling interview, Robinho mentioned Chelsea rather than $hitty.

From Real’s perspective, from an interview by Ramon Calderon:

“I got a phone call after 8pm on the final night of the market and was told that somebody from Man City wanted to buy Robinho,”

“I said ‘how much?’ And they said ‘thirty five million Euros’ and I said, ‘No, forty million!’ and they just said: ‘Okay!’”

"Just like that, no discussion. Immediately I saw an opportunity and said: 'But what about the solidarity payment of 5 per cent on top and they said: ‘Okay’ again!

"Now I’m no entrepreneur but I knew I was representing my club, Madrid, and so I said: ‘…cash?’

“This time they said: ‘Of course!’ It wasn’t the normal thing to do, you pay in instalments.”

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I read in the history of the PL that if a big signing statement hadn’t been delivered they would have pulled the deal to buy them.

Shame, and all he amounted to was being the first.

Useless to talk about ownership issues etc when the uk govt encourages these fdi. It will only take Saudi openly aligning themselves to Russia for anyone to take note.

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Can’t stand the repressive Saudi regime, but it is difficult to expect football to be different in its dealings with Saudi Arabia than the British Government, or the wider world of business.

What is needed is the governing bodies of the game to protect it, and they have not. They have allowed nation state owners in, and allowed dodgy financial dealings to skirt FFP.

It is ripe for another form of the European Super League to come, only with better sporting integrity that preserves the idea of promotion and relegation, and a much better job at the explanation and execution.

UEFA will hopefully be left holding a series of exhibition games between Man City, PSG and Newcastle.

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I love how politically aware and motivated many of the German clubs fanbases are.

Outstanding stuff.

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Probably due to their ownership structure.

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Yeah. A lot of UK clubs surely have equally as aware fan bases; they’re just not represented by their clubs.

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And there is no collective, I think the closest is some of the LGBTQ+ groups that tend to work together and some of the food bank groups.

Beyond that I don’t see fan groups doing so especially not the binfire on Twitter.

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The proud owner of Newcastle :face_vomiting:

Saudi Arabia: Biden raised Khashoggi murder with crown prince Saudi Arabia: Biden raised Khashoggi murder with crown prince - BBC News

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Hope the Geordies are proud.

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I just read David Feherty’s comments justifying his decision to leave his contract and go and commentate on the LIV tour. Apparently there are things he seemingly wants to say but isn’t allowed to, and the LIV tour will give him that freedom to do so.

The more of these pathetic stated justifications we hear the more content I am that Phil just straight out said it was the money and that he knows its coming from an awful source and he simply doesnt care.

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As a supporter you can not choose who the owner is, I know 3 of them Geordies over here well 2 real ones and one Dutch guy who is married to a Geordie girl and they say all the same, Newcastle supporters true thick and thin for over 40 years and I will not give them up because I don’t like the new owner.

Frankly, I would feel the same if the FSG would sell the club tomorrow to the brother of Abramovich so to speak.

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I think that is right, and it’s precisely why the league needs to have a better fit and proper owner’s test. They shouldn’t be putting fans in the position of having to choose to give up something that has been important to them for all their life, or put all their morals to one side to accept blood money into their club.

The glazers are a different type of bad, but people will remember the protest movement that occurred over the way they bought the club. Lots of places blithely reported that as anti-American sentiment, but everyone I know reacted poorly to the leveraged nature of the acquisition. Lots of people treated it as just an emotional reaction, but I know lots of life long United fans who never came back after that.

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If anyone is to blame, it’s the PL/FA authority who approved this purchase.

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I’m still surprised the joint protest between Liverpool and Utd fans didnt go ahead. I think that would have had a big impact.

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Howe made just four substitutions (the fourth one in 95th min) when the players were clearly struggling in last 15 mins. Idiot.

Pope, Botmann, Trippier, Almiron, Guimares, Saint Maximin, Wilson, Willock, Joelinton

The rest is shit

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:grinning::grinning::grinning:

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