Foreign football

[vanderark14]

40 minutes ago, Diamond Scot said:

Ive got to say, I dont understand the sportswashing point. I dont believe its an actual thing.

When you break it down. Whats the purpose?

It doesnt stop people talking about the human rights record, if anything it highlights it because its now brought up everytime they do something.

It doesnt normalise business dealings with Saudi as the west have been doing business with them for 30 years without issue. Again it probably highlights it and puts pressure on the western companies rather than it going under the radar like it has previously.

I dont even think it is aimed at attracting tourism. Nobody is going to Saudi on holiday because they are invested in boxing, or F1 or golf or football etc. If they wanted people to come to the country they could just drop a few billion making outlandish holiday destinations and then make it super cheap. The average family wouldnt care about human rights record if they could get a 5 star holiday in an amazing resort for the cost of going to Butlins.

I believe that they just want to have influence in the top sports because they have loads of money and like sport. Its like the guy who wins the lottery here and buys a football club.

I don;t know whether the Saudi's are trying to sport wash their human right record or not but what I suspect is the motives of the clubs trying to stop them have fuck all to do with human rights. 

Clubs like Manchester United and Bayern are fully behind FFP and against Saudi owners because they are a threat, thats all. 

[Diamond Scot]

5 minutes ago, vanderark14 said:

I don;t know whether the Saudi's are trying to sport wash their human right record or not but what I suspect is the motives of the clubs trying to stop them have fuck all to do with human rights. 

Clubs like Manchester United and Bayern are fully behind FFP and against Saudi owners because they are a threat, thats all. 

100%

Nobody wants anything to upset the order.

What I do find strange about FFP and football governance atm is the increase in multi club ownership. Terms like "part of the city group" now common place. How can that be seen to be ok when you have several teams operating in the same competitions or market owned by the same group. Even things like loaning players etc becomes non market based. Watford and Italian team that I cant spell were doing it ages ago, one team buying the player and immedietly loaning to the other type thing. Its a way to get around the rules.

[dan cake]

Gerrard gets a gig managing in Saudi, shouldn’t be any temptation to punch DJ’s in pubs over there

[morrie21]

17 hours ago, Diamond Scot said:

Ive got to say, I dont understand the sportswashing point. I dont believe its an actual thing.

When you break it down. Whats the purpose?

It doesnt stop people talking about the human rights record, if anything it highlights it because its now brought up everytime they do something.

It doesnt normalise business dealings with Saudi as the west have been doing business with them for 30 years without issue. Again it probably highlights it and puts pressure on the western companies rather than it going under the radar like it has previously.

I dont even think it is aimed at attracting tourism. Nobody is going to Saudi on holiday because they are invested in boxing, or F1 or golf or football etc. If they wanted people to come to the country they could just drop a few billion making outlandish holiday destinations and then make it super cheap. The average family wouldnt care about human rights record if they could get a 5 star holiday in an amazing resort for the cost of going to Butlins.

I believe that they just want to have influence in the top sports because they have loads of money and like sport. Its like the guy who wins the lottery here and buys a football club.

I'm not gonna argue because you won't change your opinion, which is fine. It is classic sports washing though - using sport to present a better image to the globe. Yes the human rights abuses may be in focus initially, but as the sports take over those things fade into the background unfortunately.

As for people not going there for sports - I know plenty who went over for the Joshua - Usyk rematch simply because they wanted to see the fight. While in Saudi they were treated excellently. All positive feedback for the country.

I'm not sure what their end game is - maybe it will be holiday destinations you mention. They are much more aggressively pushing Saudi Arabia as a holiday spot already - during the recent IPL for example they had a major sponsorship tie in but it was done fairly subtly. 

[N4Footsoldier]

Women's World Cup 2023: Can football shine in Australia and New Zealand? - BBC Sport

Found some aspects of this article interesting, minus the focus on the Women's World Cup, about the state of domestic football in Australia. Can't help but draw some comparisons to the domestic game in Scotland as it talks about growth of the domestic game being stunted by failure to capitalize on high grassroots participation rates, poor TV deals and seemingly issues caused by the national body and the people running the league being completely separate entities. Also touches upon passionate but relatively small fan support and perception of regional biases in the governing bodies -although I do have my own opinions on that as it relates to Scotland.

Minus the opening and closing rhetoric, definitely worth a read

[Orraloon]

20 hours ago, SamP said:

You tell me who is then?  I have been lecturing economics for 30 years.  It depends on what you call rich.  In 2023 it is by GDP the two countries I mentioned.

An economics lecturer should be more accurate in their terminology. The GDP of Luxembourg is quite small relatively speaking.

I assume you mean "GDP per capita" which is a totally different number.

[SamP]

2 minutes ago, Orraloon said:

An economics lecturer should be more accurate in their terminology. The GDP of Luxembourg is quite small relatively speaking.

I assume you mean "GDP per capita" which is a totally different number.

It is per capita but didn't want to confuse folk.  Amazed that Ireland is way up there as well.  Never been apart from Dublin Airport on the way back from Macedonia.

[Dave78]

1 hour ago, Orraloon said:

An economics lecturer should be more accurate in their terminology. The GDP of Luxembourg is quite small relatively speaking.

I assume you mean "GDP per capita" which is a totally different number.

Those that can't do, teach.

Those that can't teach, teach economics part-time.

[Orraloon]

7 minutes ago, Dave78 said:

Those that can't do, teach.

Those that can't teach, teach economics part-time.

🤣

 

[Diamond Scot]

3 hours ago, morrie21 said:

I'm not gonna argue because you won't change your opinion, which is fine. It is classic sports washing though - using sport to present a better image to the globe. Yes the human rights abuses may be in focus initially, but as the sports take over those things fade into the background unfortunately.

As for people not going there for sports - I know plenty who went over for the Joshua - Usyk rematch simply because they wanted to see the fight. While in Saudi they were treated excellently. All positive feedback for the country.

I'm not sure what their end game is - maybe it will be holiday destinations you mention. They are much more aggressively pushing Saudi Arabia as a holiday spot already - during the recent IPL for example they had a major sponsorship tie in but it was done fairly subtly. 

Ive not got a strong view on it to be honest. I just dont understand the ides behind sports washing. Id guess that the general public know more about Saudi's poor human rights record now than before they started doing the boxing and golf etc.

The sports thing just seems a strange and very expensive way to go about things if thats the intention.

As I said, if they created a Dubai type situation but made flights and accomodation a fraction of the price then people would flock to it regardless of any human rights record. In my experience as long as people feel safe and can pretend they are rich for a couple of weeks on instagram then they will overlook what goes on politically in the country.

[killiefaetheferry]

Guatemala v Reggae Boyz QF 👍

Loving the Gold Cup. Lots of action. Wee bit dirty. Like the perfect girlfriend 💃🏼

[ALBANACH]

I think the main difference between football in Australia compared to Scotland is the influence and interest of other sports. Football in Scotland only really needs to compete with rugby union and even then it gets much more interest from the majority of the population. Football in Australia probably comes at a distant 4th in terms of interest after Aussie Rules, Cricket and Rugby League.

The vast geographic distances makes it difficult for clubs to expand. It results in a small number of top flight teams playing each other 3-4 times a season and often in fairly close succession which can be a turn off. 

COVID also had a massive impact on clubs. My local team Perth Glory were travelling fairly well before that but then basically spent 2 seasons laying away from home so local interest disappeared. 

[Wullie Anderson]

16 hours ago, ALBANACH said:

I think the main difference between football in Australia compared to Scotland is the influence and interest of other sports. Football in Scotland only really needs to compete with rugby union and even then it gets much more interest from the majority of the population. Football in Australia probably comes at a distant 4th in terms of interest after Aussie Rules, Cricket and Rugby League.

The vast geographic distances makes it difficult for clubs to expand. It results in a small number of top flight teams playing each other 3-4 times a season and often in fairly close succession which can be a turn off. 

COVID also had a massive impact on clubs. My local team Perth Glory were travelling fairly well before that but then basically spent 2 seasons laying away from home so local interest disappeared. 

My mates nephew was playing for Perth but i see he has moved back to Western Sydney. Jack Clisby.

[dan cake]

Arsenal pay 105 Million for Declan Rice  a mixture of Messi Maradona and Pele according to Sky Sports, good player but he’d cost half of that in another league 

[dan cake]

Wonder if Jordan Henderson will be wearing his rainbow laces and armband in Saudi, up there with Beckham on the hypocritical cunt scale. 

[vanderark14]

7 hours ago, dan cake said:

Wonder if Jordan Henderson will be wearing his rainbow laces and armband in Saudi, up there with Beckham on the hypocritical cunt scale. 

I doubt he gives a fuck about the hypocrisy of it all. 

Mahrez off to saudi too. Not surprised he went, he's a bellend

[dan cake]

2 hours ago, vanderark14 said:

I doubt he gives a fuck about the hypocrisy of it all. 

I know but he played heavily on the social causes to curry favour with Liverpool and England fans as well as the media, “ever got the feeling you’ve been conned” as someone once sang

[Big Ramy 1314]

https://www.facebook.com/100063578888361/posts/pfbid028rVBcs7Zksbkr54ZUikg27n5Vn1QnwQVq3q5XKr5mHd6qShqiAnfgca3tLmSmtGUl/?sfnsn=mo&mibextid=6aamW6

OMG !!! 😳😳😳

[dan cake]

Harry Kanes Bayern Munich win 0-4 against Werder Bremen, Kane scores and assists on league debut 

[Barney Rubble]

42 minutes ago, dan cake said:

Harry Kanes Bayern Munich win 0-4 against Werder Bremen, Kane scores and assists on league debut 

Didn't know Bayern Munich had changed their name.

Oh wait.....................Paul Gascoigne's Lazio immediately springs to mind.

Edited August 18, 2023 by Barney Rubble

[dan cake]

Mason Greenwood’s contact at Old Trafford terminated, going to be interesting to see where his career goes from here. One of the biggest prospects in English football available for no transfer fee, Saudi? or will another Premiership club face the wrath of their fans and sign him. Or will he simply retire he was on 100 grand a week for a couple of years so won’t be skint, plenty players have done far worse and still had a career (before social media dictated public opinion) 

[Och Aye]

Good chance Sean Dyche won't see the weekend fixture.. 1-0 down to bottom of Division 2 Doncaster 

 

Edited August 30, 2023 by Och Aye

[Hertsscot]

Tottenham have offered Bayern Munich the chance to sign 29-year-old England defender Eric Dier. (Sky Sports Germany - in German)

Wow! I bet the Germans must be champing at the bit to sign Eric Dier!

[dan cake]

8 minutes ago, Och Aye said:

Good chance Sean Dyche won't see the weekend fixture.. 1-0 down to bottom of Division 2 Doncaster 

 

He’s actually made them worse than “Frank Lampards” Everton, there’s something tragically compelling about them tho. Stories circulating they don’t have the money to complete the building of the new stadium they are ment to be moving into next season 

[Hertsscot]

Looks like Cole Palmer is leaving Manchester City for Chelsea. Rumoured to be about £40 million for a kid who's not even played 20 games for them. Looks a good prospect but crazy money.