That perspective is what sports washing enterprises bank on. You cannot remove politics from a conversation in which a political entity, especially a controversial one, has inserted itself.
“yes, it’s an apartheid state, but it’s just a game of cricket.”
For the past 50 years, thousands of people from the UK have gone to work in Saudi for large tax free salaries and nobody gave a damn.
So we shouldn’t give a damn about oil rich countries investing in our sports clubs then? Is that right?
Personally I wouldn’t take gold from a state that carries out both judicial and extra judicial executions. He doesn’t need the money. It is greed pure and simple. He could have gone to a mid table championship club and grafted to prove his worth.
Managing this will do nothing for his CV so it isn’t a career move.
British people going to Saudi or elsewhere for work = Not the UK’s business (despite them always wanting to make it their business…I suppose it suits them to pick when and when not, i.e Shamima Begum)
It’s a very different take however if you wanna flip that so these oil rich states are on our territory, then it’s our business and becomes a serious concern.
Conversely, US driven media would love for everyone to believe that Saudi is a barbaric place so that no one would care if anything were to happen to it, or nobody would support it. Just take an example of Yemen today. So many actors over there doing things purely for national benefit, and morality be damned.
My view is, when it comes to these things, its like pot calling kettle black.
Nobody gave a damn because they aren’t sport idols who have solved the problem of livelihood for their children’s children.
Gerrard isn’t your average Joe who wanted to make a better more comfortable living. He is a football legend who like most people got greedy once they flashed him dollar bills. Funny how this great impression they made to him wasn’t enough to persuade him initially. I wonder what changed…
Your answer preceeds your question.
In the wise words of Drill
Isn’t Gerrard some kind of LFC ambassador or something?
Doesn’t that kind of preclude unsettling the club captain?
Just asking.
Great player, no doubt.
I’ve been shouted down multiple times on here for expressing my derogatory opinion of his character.
Nicknamed Stevie Me for years, justifiably so.
You only have to look at the unsavoury company he has kept over the years and some of his past misdemeanours to realise he’s not a particularly sound bloke.
Fuck me he’s the fourth highest paid manager in the world now …
Won’t be long before big Sam is number 1 earning £200 million a year given his vastly superior experience over Gerrard 
Plus, “Sam Allardyce” sounds exotic to the Saudis.
Stevie Gerrardyce then. 
Well they thought a Wrestler who had been dead for nearly 20 years would be up for one last match apparently when they first started the venture with WWE.
Surprised they haven’t got in touch with the Clough family.
Never fully bought into Stevie G though he came after a period where my faith in trusting footballers had been tested.
Have to say I’m not happy the way this deal has gone does smack a bit of amateurs
Great midfielder for us. Such a pity he didn’t get a Prem title as many lesser players have.
Beyond that, mixed bag as a manager, only stumbled at Villa so should come again, if a door opens. But the Saudi offer was too tempting.
Part of me is disappointed, but on the other hand, not shocked as I don’t really put any of them on a pedestal. I suppose Klopp is the last football person I would do that for. I believe he is a genuinely good man and I am delighted he is our manager.
https://twitter.com/mobyhaque1/status/1682215959422021635?s=46&t=aLG9ncyUrtZ-QtZv0kz6SQ
He’s a fairly shit manager.
Like a Harry redknapp with getting the band back together on good deals. Stinks of his QPR period
Sturridge is free too.
We should sign him and somehow get his finishing ability into Darwin’s body, even if it involves using that machine from The Fly.
We’d have the best goalscorer in the world.
is it too much to think maybe, just maybe…Gerrard asked Klopp first which one of the lads he can take off his hands… and Klopp gave him the OK on a few that might enable him to reshuffle his pack…
the thiago and henderson Rumours all released virtually the same time…
that way i still get to like Gerrard.