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A Saudi Arabian takeover of Newcastle United is close to being agreed.


Jerseybean

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5 hours ago, Leveller said:

Lots of comments along these lines, but there seem to be few objections to Abramovich or Chinese owners. I doubt the Saudis are anywhere near as bad as the Chinese on human rights issues.

You can’t be serious surely? We all know about China’s human rights issues regarding freedom of speech and the Uighur people and I’m certainly not brushing it under the carpet but Shariah Law is utterly barbaric. This is a country where raped women are public ally stoned to death for adultery, homosexuals and petty thieves have body parts amputated and religious police patrol the streets, forcing people into mosques during prayer time and dishing out corporal punishment to any violators of their laws. 

I’d put all gulf countries far ahead of China in terms of human rights abuses. Here, the majority of people are at least able to live a relatively normal life. In Saudi, shariah law dictates every aspect of their life and stepping out of line has brutal repercussions.

Edited by Wanderingred
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3 hours ago, Portland Bill said:

The same Leicester who cheated ffp to get to the money league ? 

Undoubtedly. Same as Bournemouth, etc.

Alternatively, even if we had stayed in the Championship until the 13/14 campaign. We would have also failed it (£11m loss vs £8m target). Forest, Hull, Ipswich, Leeds, Boro. All also failed it. In total 8-9 clubs failed it.

I'd argue, however that when you look at their spending between 2012-14, does it strike you as really spending to get where they needed to be? Net spend was only £3m. They were already cutting said spending if they failed.

Failing FFP depends on the context, up to 2016 it was a bit of a non entity. No real punishment whereas compared to now i.e. Villa (if relegated), Birmingham, Sheff Wed, Derby, Reading.

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I really hope they go down this season. 

If they're in the relegation places in January, are they really going to spend hundreds of millions on players to get them out? Would they risk going there? How do the existing players feel that they're all likely to be binned for the new injection of players that the fans "desperately" need? 

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2 hours ago, North London Red said:

I read an interesting stat recently about Newcastle under Ashley.
 

On his watch their average position among the 92 was 14th. In the 70 seasons before his takeover their average position was 17th, so compared to their historical average over a fairly long period he actually improved their position. 

Newcastle fans would argue the 15 or so seasons prior to Ashley’s takeover (during which they qualified for the Champions League and came close to winning the premier league a couple of times) is a more apt benchmark. Going back more than 70 years would also bring in some of the seasons when they did win the league (and would improve their average from 17th), but it’s interesting nonetheless. 

They also turned a profit under Ashley.

That said, I have no time for dictator owners like him, and certainly no time for the Saudis.

A sad day for English football. 

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1 hour ago, Wanderingred said:

You can’t be serious surely? We all know about China’s human rights issues regarding freedom of speech and the Uighur people and I’m certainly not brushing it under the carpet but Shariah Law is utterly barbaric. This is a country where raped women are public ally stoned to death for adultery, homosexuals and petty thieves have body parts amputated and religious police patrol the streets, forcing people into mosques during prayer time and dishing out corporal punishment to any violators of their laws. 

I’d put all gulf countries far ahead of China in terms of human rights abuses. Here, the majority of people are at least able to live a relatively normal life. In Saudi, shariah law dictates every aspect of their life and stepping out of line has brutal repercussions.

Also, this is the actual Saudi state. Not an owner that just happens to live in a rogue state. 

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1 hour ago, Wanderingred said:

You can’t be serious surely? We all know about China’s human rights issues regarding freedom of speech and the Uighur people and I’m certainly not brushing it under the carpet but Shariah Law is utterly barbaric. This is a country where raped women are public ally stoned to death for adultery, homosexuals and petty thieves have body parts amputated and religious police patrol the streets, forcing people into mosques during prayer time and dishing out corporal punishment to any violators of their laws. 

I’d put all gulf countries far ahead of China in terms of human rights abuses. Here, the majority of people are at least able to live a relatively normal life. In Saudi, shariah law dictates every aspect of their life and stepping out of line has brutal repercussions.

Wow! ?

I can only assume you have never been to KSA.

I can assure you that it is absolutely nothing like you state, and I am sure there are plenty on this forum who will confirm this is so.

Perhaps you are getting confused with Iraq or, more likely, Syria under the recent ISIS regime.

 

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15 minutes ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

Wow! ?

I can only assume you have never been to KSA.

I can assure you that it is absolutely nothing like you state, and I am sure there are plenty on this forum who will confirm this is so.

Perhaps you are getting confused with Iraq or, more likely, Syria under the recent ISIS regime.

 

OK, but isn't Bin Salman effectively a part owner of Newcastle United? He ordered the butchery of an independent journalist. 

This is a new low for owners of English football clubs, surely? 

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11 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

OK, but isn't Bin Salman effectively a part owner of Newcastle United? He ordered the butchery of an independent journalist. 

This is a new low for owners of English football clubs, surely? 

My thoughts exactly. That guy ordered the killing and dismemberment of a well known journalist. All because he spoke out against them. Whichever way you look at it, with other club owners etc, nothing stands out more than 1 person single handedly paying and ordering someone to be murdered. 

Whilst I know the geordies were desperate to get Ashley out, I'd be massively disappointed if this happened to our club. 

Edited by Akira
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29 minutes ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

Wow! ?

I can only assume you have never been to KSA.

I can assure you that it is absolutely nothing like you state, and I am sure there are plenty on this forum who will confirm this is so.

Perhaps you are getting confused with Iraq or, more likely, Syria under the recent ISIS regime.

 

I manage the ME In my job. KSA is a well run country nowadays and opening up. To suggest they on a par with Iraq etc is ignorance.

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54 minutes ago, PHILINFRANCE said:

Wow! ?

I can only assume you have never been to KSA.

I can assure you that it is absolutely nothing like you state, and I am sure there are plenty on this forum who will confirm this is so.

Perhaps you are getting confused with Iraq or, more likely, Syria under the recent ISIS regime.

 

What have I said that isn’t true? The country is run by Shariah Law is it not? Public executions occur, and the death penalty applies to female adulterers and homosexuals, yes or no? 

I have experience of teaching English in both Saudi and China so I feel like my opinion counts for something and you don’t need to patronise me. I felt utterly trapped in the former, even as a relatively privelaged white foreigner and could not wait to leave. Not only the religious stuff but the way society is so shamefully tiered. I was very welcome as a single white man in one of their fancy shopping malls.. if I was black or Indian, not a chance.

I accept that things may have changed in the six years since I was there and I also believe that some parts of the country are more relaxed than others (for example Jeddah) but my description of KSA is a pretty accurate one from the only source I trust, my own eyes and ears. ?
 

And just as a side note, I wasn’t comparing KSA with Iraq or Syria. ?? Patronising again… Saudi is a very stable country and peaceful in many ways but everything I said in my previous post is true and definitely happens.

Edited by Wanderingred
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43 minutes ago, Akira said:

My thoughts exactly. That guy ordered the killing and dismemberment of a well known journalist. All because he spoke out against them. Whichever way you look at it, with other club owners etc, nothing stands out more than 1 person single handedly paying and ordering someone to be murdered. 

Whilst I know the geordies were desperate to get Ashley out, I'd be massively disappointed if this happened to our club. 

If the Saudi state owned city I wouldn’t support the club until they stopped 

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I seem to know one of very few Newcastle fans who can’t understand how the rest of them can claim their when they’re now a geopolitical tool for an awful state actor.

As ever football has no back bone when it comes to money, Man City and PSG were questionable, and don’t get me wrong many owners aren’t squeaky clean and I include our own in that despite the lauding they get across football, but this is beyond the pale. All the good social messages that football tries to support completely undermined by the complete disregard for any of it when it comes to inflating bank balances.

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1 hour ago, Kid in the Riot said:

OK, but isn't Bin Salman effectively a part owner of Newcastle United? Apparently. He ordered the butchery of an independent journalist. Apparently, according to international media. 

This is a new low for owners of English football clubs, surely? Absolutely.

My post was intended to respond to/refute @Wanderingred's post, wherein he suggested that:

1. Shariah Law is utterly barbaric. Undoubtedly strict, unduly harsh even, but, in so far as it concerns KSA, surprisingly sparsely applied.

2. This (KSA) is a country where raped women are public ally (sic) stoned to death for adultery. In so far as it concerns KSA, surprisingly sparsely applied.

3. Homosexuals and petty thieves have body parts amputated. In so far as it concerns KSA, surprisingly sparsely applied.

4. Religious police patrol the streets, forcing people into mosques during prayer time and dishing out corporal punishment to any violators of their laws. Ha, many years ago (20,30?), the religious Police (Mutawa) would 'encourage' muslims to cease shopping etc. during prayer time, Salah (or Salat), but I think 'corporal punishment' is a slight exaggeration - more like a gentle slap with their stick.   

5. In Saudi, shariah law dictates every aspect of their life and stepping out of line has brutal repercussions. Nonsense!

1 hour ago, Akira said:

My thoughts exactly. That guy ordered the killing and dismemberment of a well known journalist. All because he spoke out against them. Whichever way you look at it, with other club owners etc, nothing stands out more than 1 person single handedly paying and ordering someone to be murdered. 

Abhorrent, and I agree entirely.

1 hour ago, TonyTonyTony said:

I manage the ME In my job. KSA is a well run country nowadays and opening up. To suggest they on a par with Iraq etc is ignorance.

I am not sure whether or not you were agreeing with me, but, for the record, I was most certainly not suggesting that modern day KSA is on a par with Iraq, Syria etc., on the contrary.

Interestingly, however, when I was working in that part of the world, many years ago it must be said, Baghdad was an amazing place (I visited once only) and Damascus was considered a must visit city on the way back to Europe - sadly, I never got the chance. 

 

 

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9 hours ago, ExiledAjax said:

And nearly 100 years ago people complained about Arsenal being the "Bank of England" club. People have been moaning about money in football for longer than anyone can remember. 

The big difference being that 100 years ago working class people  could afford to stand on the terraces at their football club.

Footballers arrived at the stadium’s on the same buses as the supporters.

 

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Having shite loads of money still doesn't mean they'll definitely be able to recruit the quality of player they need. 

Can't see them anywhere near qualifying for Europe next year and to recruit top players European football seems to be a must these days. 

Looking forward to them panic buying overpaid journeymen in January and then hopefully relegation ?

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I really don't get Newcastle, their so called special support or big club mentality.

A less successful Ipswich Town without Mark Ashton, and delusions of grandeur wrapped up in a desperate part of the UK, labouring under a 'special' status that is about as special as Liz Truss is in negotiations with the United States.

For all the faults Mike Ashley presents, he ran the financial side of Newcastle well.

I hope they do an Arsenal. Spend years campaigning to get rid of something that saw you being reasonably competitive only to find themselves ever so marginally worse off.

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