Those who are - or who have been - "collected" as part of this process are not without free will in this transaction.
They have chosen - or acquiesced in - this particular purchase.
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The 2022-2023 Football Thread
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They have chosen - or acquiesced in - this particular purchase.
Unlike, say, the A-League or MLS, there is zero chance the Saudi league will ever really develop. It's just the footballing equivalent of a garage full of classic luxury cars somewhere in the Middle East.
And in other news Rory, Tiger and Speith got shafted by PGA Tour and DP World Lol. Rory and Tiger were offered $1+ Billion collectively by LIV but now after the merger they will be working for free for Saudis Lol.
Don't get me wrong. My comments on Zlatan are tongue in cheek at best.
It appears it's a bit of a character that he helped to cultivate for the social media consumers, which has done him no end of good. "Zlatan doesn't celebrate Christmas, Christmas celebrates Zlatan" is an absolute classic.
He's a bit like Cantona in that respect.
Like I said - he has had an incredible career - there's not many can say that they have played a part in footballing history like he has (and to have continued playing until 41 years of age!!!).
I'm still convinced that in an era that didn't include Ronaldo, Messi, Ronaldinho, the other Ronaldo (from Portugal), etc he would have had more accolades - but he was in an era that shone with greatness, so he was just another exceptional talent.
I hope he goes on to work with the Swedish national set up and inspire youth and senior players alike. He's a rare talent and the game of football will miss him.
Well as yesterday was ‘D’ day today must be ‘E’ day.
E for European cup final day!
Not expecting the win. But ever hopeful. Streamed on YouTube for those that don’t have it in your provider’s package.
E for European cup final day!
Not expecting the win. But ever hopeful. Streamed on YouTube for those that don’t have it in your provider’s package.
Italian news sites are reporting that Spanish newspaper AS alleges that A22, the company that manages the Super League, has proof that UEFA threatened to ban Juventus from European competitions for a period between 3 and 5 years, and they will present said proof to Spanish tribunals.
According to AS, Juventus is receding from the Super League because of said threats and in order to avoid the ban.
Considering that AS is basically one of Real Madrid's newspapers, I wouldn't be surprised if UEFA somewhat threatened the Super League teams (they, and FIFA, did that when the project was announced) but a 3 years, or 5 years, ban does sound preposterous.
Interesting.
A ban of three or five years is not preposterous at all, and, moreover, it has been done: After the Heysel disaster in 1985, English clubs were banned from Europe (European competitions) by UEFA indefinitely, - this was a time when Liverpool were regularly winning the ancestor competition (European Cup) that became the Champion's League - a ban that was only lifted for the 1990-91 season, with Liverpool excluded for a further season.
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Well, it's what AS claims, but I'm not too keen on believing them, they're not exactly a fair and balanced newspaper, also, unless they've secretly recorded conversations and phone calls, I'm not too sure people at UEFA would be so stupid to threaten a club in written form.
As for the ban, it would be preposterous considering the infraction, a punishment should be proportional to the offense.
I'm a Juventus fan, I know very well about that ban and that whole situation and, even though I've yet to come to terms with what happened, I consider that ban unjust, my position would be considered blasphemy among my fellow fans.
Rumors of Messi going to Inter Miami are doing the rounds again. The club and MLS can’t afford him, but there is talk of Apple and Adidas subsidizing the deal.
I couldn’t care less on a certain level, though even I would be tempted to go see him line up against Columbus. Mainly to see our boys kick lumps out of him. 😂🤣
He’s the most talented player alive, so I understand the desire to bring him to the league, even though MLS has turned away from the retirement league model. Every league has a few overpaid old veterans in it though.
Phil Neville just got sacked so Miami don’t even have a manager. Maybe Messi can come in as player-manager. I’m always up for a player-manager.
I couldn’t care less on a certain level, though even I would be tempted to go see him line up against Columbus. Mainly to see our boys kick lumps out of him. 😂🤣
He’s the most talented player alive, so I understand the desire to bring him to the league, even though MLS has turned away from the retirement league model. Every league has a few overpaid old veterans in it though.
Phil Neville just got sacked so Miami don’t even have a manager. Maybe Messi can come in as player-manager. I’m always up for a player-manager.
Here's hoping West Ham can earn some silverware tonight. Writing here as a veteran Man Utd fan, I think David Moyes had a bit of a raw deal at Old Trafford – the players at the time certainly did him no favours whatsoever. It would be good to see the Hammers with something to really celebrate.
The Qataris have made a final bid to buy Manchester United. I'd actually rather have the Glazers retain an interest and INEOS succeed in its tailored bid than that. None of it is ideal, of course.
Chelsea touted as interested in signing Neymar. Good luck to them but if true an ominous sign for the London club where fans surely expect a more realistic and astute set of business transaction before the new season.
I imagine Messi will follow the money to Saudi Arabia.
The Qataris have made a final bid to buy Manchester United. I'd actually rather have the Glazers retain an interest and INEOS succeed in its tailored bid than that. None of it is ideal, of course.
Chelsea touted as interested in signing Neymar. Good luck to them but if true an ominous sign for the London club where fans surely expect a more realistic and astute set of business transaction before the new season.
I imagine Messi will follow the money to Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi league is the new Chinese league: collecting expensive foreign players, but no change of building a sustainable, watchable product. The differences is the Saudis can keep throwing money at it indefinitely.
MLS is better off focusing on developing young talent and not relying too much on declining superstars from Europe.
No clue what will happen with Man United's ownership. I just want it resolved ASAP, and I honesty don't care whether Ratcliffe or Jassim wins out. Just get it done and start working towards the future.
MLS is better off focusing on developing young talent and not relying too much on declining superstars from Europe.
No clue what will happen with Man United's ownership. I just want it resolved ASAP, and I honesty don't care whether Ratcliffe or Jassim wins out. Just get it done and start working towards the future.
They can throw money at it forever, that is true. And yet they'll still never develop. Because money is the only thing they will ever have to offer. And given their autocratic political system their support for the game could end at any time.
MLS teams are currently recruiting a growing number of players from Europe and the Americas who are in the prime of their careers. If you consider the level of the league as roughly equivalent to upper League One / lower Championship in budget, MLS is competing well for global talent. And on top of that bringing in a few big names every few years, some of whom actually take things seriously.
I think the league has a long way to go yet, which you can see as a good thing - the ceiling is potentially high. I think it's possible for MLS to eventually mature into something equivalent to the Championship, Eredivisie, Premeira Liga, or perhaps even Ligue 1. With the added bonus of being the top domestic league in the US market, which adds some value.
I'm increasingly thinking that, whatever happens with Liverpool post-FSG, the chances are good that the new owners (whomever they are) will be morally unacceptable to me and I will lose interest in supporting the club in any way that lines their pockets.
It's not that football ownership has gotten worse (though it has IMO), so much as my tolerance levels for rapacious football ownership and governance are dropping. I no longer want to support the existing model.
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Now I'm curious to see who they'll target to replace Benzema, there aren't many world class strikers around.
Mbappé maybe? He would be monstrously expensive, but with Messi gone and Neymar, apparently, on his way out, I don't know what PSG can do to keep him there.
Harry Kane?
I like that, I've always thought that football has an enormous potential in the US, maybe Messi can bring more attention to the sport in the US.
If Kane is ever going to do a 'big move', he's rapidly running out of time, so he has a big decision to make. He probably won't win anything with Spurs apart from his place in the hearts of fans. Going to Real Madrid all but guarantees titles.
Then we all get to watch Levy largely squander the 100m+ windfall from his sale, just as was done with Gareth Bale.
Then we all get to watch Levy largely squander the 100m+ windfall from his sale, just as was done with Gareth Bale.
This can’t be real.
Watching the Conference League final, not a very entertaining match, I must say.
And this is even more crazy 😳.
We keep mocking Middle East money and MLS just sold themselves to sign Messi lol.
🚨😳 Included in Lionel Messi's deal with Inter Miami:
➡️ Percentage on subscriptions to the MLS Season Pass from APPLE TV, paid directly by APPLE
➡️ Percentage of Inter Miami shirt sales, paid directly by Adidas
➡️ Possibility of acquiring an MLS franchise at the end of his career
Note that all MLS franchises contributed financially to see the Argentinian come to USA. 🇺🇸💸
We keep mocking Middle East money and MLS just sold themselves to sign Messi lol.
🚨😳 Included in Lionel Messi's deal with Inter Miami:
➡️ Percentage on subscriptions to the MLS Season Pass from APPLE TV, paid directly by APPLE
➡️ Percentage of Inter Miami shirt sales, paid directly by Adidas
➡️ Possibility of acquiring an MLS franchise at the end of his career
Note that all MLS franchises contributed financially to see the Argentinian come to USA. 🇺🇸💸
Waste of time. The guy has come out to say he is going to Miami 100% and its not about money. Even though money is always part of it.
This is why Apple and Addidas have been jacking prices up 😜