I think this is a fair post as fair as any individual chooses to react to Gerrard 's decision. The only thing I would hate is for people, if any, to adopt a you are shite or a bigot if you do not think Gerrard made a bad decision, attitude
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Okay, I’ll give one example that I know is an issue and you can make your own decision.
Do you know that Saudi and Iran have in the recent decades been mostly hostile to each other? The reason is Iran is a clergy state. Imagine if Pope took control of Italy. Thats basically Iran. And used to be until recently, it used this to gather hoards of religious fanatics to its cause. It is one of the reasons why US has heavily sanctioned Iran.
As you can imagine, to the other middle-eastern countries this is a huge threat. Most highly to Saudi Arabia because Saudi is closest to Iran (Iraq unfortunately is in a mess today). It is basically open to getting corrupted from the inside because of what Iranian clergy represents to every Islamic person in the middle-eastern region. Again, imagine if the Pope stated calling devout Christians to his “cause”. Imagine how threatened the rest of Europe would feel.
I’ve not been able to get a satisfactory answer to the heavy investment middle-east is doing in sports, but I’ve definitely heard from different people who study these things, that Saudi (and some other middle-eastern countries) are actively trying to modernize to prevent this very religious fanaticism from breaking their countries from the inside. I think one can make a decent conclusion that this “sportswashing” that we’re calling is not aimed at us. Its aimed at Saudi’s own people (which makes sense, because why the heck would our opinions be of Saudi’s national interest?). It is to help them detach from being unintelligibly used because of their faith. Sport is after all primarily for the benefit and upliftment of the community.
So, my take is that if this is one if the things that helps their people progress, its not my place to be against it.
P.S. Nothing against anyone from Iran. Iran itself I think has shown signs of realizing that it needs to be more diplomatic, and it cannot just say ridiculous statements, or do ridiculous things and get away with it. I think they even re-opened some diplomatic talks with US recently.
P.P.S. Sorry if this is a complete derailment. I won’t be rambling much here again.
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I disagree, but since we’re just arguing semantics now, I’ll leave it at that.
Thanks, I was aware of all that. Since the Iranian Revolution Saudi and Iran have been at a sort of proxy war, or Cold War. Going back along ancient religious sect lines, one is Sunni the other Shia. Iran is ruled by a fanatical religious element, but most of the people are a lot more secular, or moderately religious, in their approach.
In time I would imagine Iran will modernize again, and Saudi is hopefully moving in that direction, and other gulf states too. The modernizing argument is not altogether unreasonable, but it loses oomph when the Saudi leader is ordering the dismemberment and dissolving of a journalist he doesn’t like, locking his family up and seizing control, routinely executing the gay community, etc.
I’d like to see a lot more evidence of progress by the Saudis.
Unless the intention is to do good with that money - charity work, make things better in other places/ways?
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well that’s disappointing
Again that would come down to your own personal morals.
If you’ll indulge me, if you owned LFC, would you sell players to Saudi at ridiculously inflated prices? Understand if not. And your point does drop heavily.
It’s really interesting. Everyone has their own moral compass and they are important to them. If someone has morals that are such that they want to help as many people as possible, they may find themselves in a conundrum if offered that job.
Not something I want to try and bottom out here, as its not possible - given morals are individual and lots of variables. Don’t really feel the need for us all to put flags in the ground re our position and then argue about it. Just thought it’s an interesting paradigm that could occur.
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I think that by all accounts and metrics, the Saudis are a horrific regime (not the country of course, nor the individual people there). I for one can’t see one single positive to their dictatorship. They aren’t modernising their country imo, but holding it back with their abhorrent religious ideology (unless planning megalomaniac new cities and skyscrapers is enough for you to showcase their so-called modernity). Look at how they treat women, gays, how they treat dissenting people or journalists.
What’s worse, they constantly try to impose their ugly beliefs to the rest of the world, with all possible means, which includes assassinations, ideological training in mosques all over Europe, arming mercenaries, and trying to hold back by all means all attempts to reduce our dependency on oil.
I’m pretty sure that Gerrard, just like all the players who follow the money to the Arabian peninsula, knows all of this very well. But like them, he chose to close his eyes on that aspect. Disappointing.
Does anyone still think he will take over when Jurgen leaves Liverpool. 
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I think the new team that is emerging will put a spring in Jurgen’s step. Not that he ever lost that, but you know what I mean. I think he is going to have some fun with this, sweeping all before him.
And then, when his arms are tired after lifting so many trophies, he can hand it over to Xabi Alonso.
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Guess we know one of the teams we play in preseason 2024/25.
Guess we know who will do the Amanda Stevely role when FSG decides to sell (parts of) the club.
Guess we know who will be installed as caretaker manager if needed in the post Klopp era.
???
Only the stupid ones
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I probably wouldn’t.
Would I hate the club if they do, nah it’s sadly modern football and I’m sure we’ve sold and bought players to equally repulsive individuals and companies, we sold Torres to Chelsea and though I don’t know Roman’s views he did remove wealth from the country and helped prop up an odious bastard.
Also do I think John Henry is squeaky clean of course he isn’t and the club I noted has come under some fire for it’s lack of pride colours in certain countries but again I understand it and I won’t hold it against it. I’m glad the approach it has taken generally with Pride (I believe we were the first to actually go on a pride March and that’s only happened under FSG).
Would I personally go to SA and hide my identity. No, I had to generally lie to my mum and dad for 6 years until I was able to come out when I had gone University.
I wouldn’t do that again. I’m not going hide it anywhere I go, if people dislike it then that’s their view (I won’t respect it but they are entitled to it).
I really don’t see the charity argument either, even if you donated to a LGBT charity which would just be odd.
It goes wider than that and the murder of that journalist leaves a nasty taste as well. These players want to make that move but unlike when Mane moved to Bayern last summer or Milner to Brighton this summer, I don’t wish them the best of luck.
I just go meh.
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Chin up Matty lad. Loads of sound posters on here are with you. Love who you love and live and let live. My daughter and her girlfriend are here now for July 4th fireworks. Never imagined that. But here we are, and I couldn’t be more proud of her. I hope your parents feel the same about you. The world is f*cked up and Saudi is at the front of the queue.
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