Football 2023/24

[Neil]

turns out spurs are the funny money club

 

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jul/25/tottenham-hotspur-owner-joe-lewis-charged-insider-trading

[zahidf]

Hope the 700k a week is worth it JH

 

 

 

[Gnomicide]

18 hours ago, zahidf said:

Hope the 700k a week is worth it JH

 

 

 

It's so disappointing, and anyone doubting the attitudes of the people who live in the country, never mind the people in charge, only has to read some of the replies to anyone who has criticised what's been done.

This from The Anfield Wrap yesterday sums it up.

[The Nal]

Amazing what that league has done in 7 months. Whats it going to be like in 7 years. 

 

Edited July 28, 2023 by The Nal

[Skip997]

3 hours ago, The Nal said:

Amazing what that league has done in 7 months. Whats it going to be like in 7 years. 

 

Top level football is done, it's pointless, boring and predictable.

Don't know why anyone bothers

[The Nal]

1 hour ago, Skip997 said:

Top level football is done, it's pointless, boring and predictable.

Don't know why anyone bothers

Agree unfortunately. I've lost almost all interest in recent years. 

[thetime]

On 7/28/2023 at 3:06 PM, The Nal said:

Agree unfortunately. I've lost almost all interest in recent years. 

 

On 7/28/2023 at 1:44 PM, Skip997 said:

Top level football is done, it's pointless, boring and predictable.

Don't know why anyone bothers

Is there any difference between now and previous times when teams have ruled over English football? 

For example from 1976- 1990, Liverpool won 10 titles with only 3 other teams winning titles in between. From 1993 to 2003 Man utd won 8 titles in 11 years, with only Blackburn and Arsenal breaking that cycle. From 2003 - 2013 you only had Chelsea, united and Arsenal winning titles. From 2013 - 2023 you have 5 title winners with city, united, leicester, liverpool and chelsea winning titles. 

Even though City are dominating, its perhaps a little more varied now and certainly no change. 

Edited July 29, 2023 by thetime

[Neil]

3 hours ago, thetime said:

 

Is there any difference between now and previous times when teams have ruled over English football? 

For example from 1976- 1990, Liverpool won 10 titles with only 3 other teams winning titles in between. From 1993 to 2003 Man utd won 8 titles in 11 years, with only Blackburn and Arsenal breaking that cycle. From 2003 - 2013 you only had Chelsea, united and Arsenal winning titles. From 2013 - 2023 you have 5 title winners with city, united, leicester, liverpool and chelsea winning titles. 

Even though City are dominating, its perhaps a little more varied now and certainly no change. 

same as ever, objectionable teams winning stuff 😛 

[zahidf]

Oh god they are going to let the rapist play aren't they?

 

 

 

[pink_triangle]

6 hours ago, zahidf said:

Oh god they are going to let the rapist play aren't they?

 

 

 

I think they may let him play, but the bad PR will make them think again.

[Ryan1984]

3 hours ago, pink_triangle said:

I think they may let him play, but the bad PR will make them think again.

I think the reaction to him playing from opposition fans (and some Utd) could be dangerous for all involved.

[The Nal]

On 7/29/2023 at 8:40 PM, thetime said:

 

Is there any difference between now and previous times when teams have ruled over English football? 

For example from 1976- 1990, Liverpool won 10 titles with only 3 other teams winning titles in between. From 1993 to 2003 Man utd won 8 titles in 11 years, with only Blackburn and Arsenal breaking that cycle. From 2003 - 2013 you only had Chelsea, united and Arsenal winning titles. From 2013 - 2023 you have 5 title winners with city, united, leicester, liverpool and chelsea winning titles. 

Even though City are dominating, its perhaps a little more varied now and certainly no change. 

Referring more to the sportswashing and money. Fabinho gone to Saudi now. Only 29. 

[Skip997]

1 hour ago, The Nal said:

Referring more to the sportswashing and money. Fabinho gone to Saudi now. Only 29. 

Very few seem to give a damn as far as I can see.

It's hardly ever mentioned among my football watching mates.

Here's something that could really screw UK teams over this year.

Quote

More from Jurgen Klopp on the Saudi Pro League. The Liverpool manager called for Uefa and Fifa to act after flagging that the league's transfer window is reportedly not due to close until 20 September, with the Premier League window closing on 1 September.

 

[The Nal]

1 hour ago, Skip997 said:

Very few seem to give a damn as far as I can see.

It's hardly ever mentioned among my football watching mates.

Here's something that could really screw UK teams over this year.

Yeah a few late mega bids. Klopp probably the worst effected manager in all this. Rough summer for him. Milner, Hendo, Nabi, Fabinho, Firminho. 3 of them to Saudi. A massacre.

People should care when players like Ronaldo, Benzema, Kante, Neves, Henderson, Koulibaly, Savic, Mane, Mahrez, Firmino, Fabinho etc are joining a league worse than leagues like Venezuela, Azerbaijan and the Swiss 2nd division.

Many still in their prime and playing for big national teams. This is all in about 7 months! Gerrard too. And we're still looking at a few to yet maybe join. Silva, Neymar, Lukaku, Pogba. Maybe even Mbappe. Benzema is 35 but hes still the current Ballon d'Or winner. 

[Skip997]

And people will still keep watching when PL games are being played in Saudi.

[collectivisedfarming]

I don't really get why a player going to Saudi is morally different to going to City, Newcastle, PSG or any of the other clubs owned by autocratic slave states. Just cutting out the middle man. 

[The Nal]

3 hours ago, collectivisedfarming said:

I don't really get why a player going to Saudi is morally different to going to City, Newcastle, PSG or any of the other clubs owned by autocratic slave states. Just cutting out the middle man. 

Ive no big issue with the moral side of it. Its s sh*t league, thats my issue. Just like Qatar is a sh*t place for a world cup. 

[DareToDibble]

46 minutes ago, The Nal said:

Ive no big issue with the moral side of it. Its s sh*t league, thats my issue. Just like Qatar is a sh*t place for a world cup. 

I'm sure I read they're spending all this money now with the aim of the Saudi league being a more established and recognised league for quality etc. I can't say I'll be watching but it can't be denied they've already brought a lot more eyes to their "product" in the last couple of months.

Having a bottomless pit of money certainly helps.

[pink_triangle]

6 hours ago, The Nal said:

Yeah a few late mega bids. Klopp probably the worst effected manager in all this. Rough summer for him. Milner, Hendo, Nabi, Fabinho, Firminho. 3 of them to Saudi. A massacre.

People should care when players like Ronaldo, Benzema, Kante, Neves, Henderson, Koulibaly, Savic, Mane, Mahrez, Firmino, Fabinho etc are joining a league worse than leagues like Venezuela, Azerbaijan and the Swiss 2nd division.

Many still in their prime and playing for big national teams. This is all in about 7 months! Gerrard too. And we're still looking at a few to yet maybe join. Silva, Neymar, Lukaku, Pogba. Maybe even Mbappe. Benzema is 35 but hes still the current Ballon d'Or winner. 

I’m not convinced many are still in their prime and would argue most are on the downhill slope. You can imagine players in their prime like oshimen will follow

[zahidf]

17 hours ago, collectivisedfarming said:

I don't really get why a player going to Saudi is morally different to going to City, Newcastle, PSG or any of the other clubs owned by autocratic slave states. Just cutting out the middle man. 

Well, in Saudi, its illegal on pain of death to be homosexual. Whilst it isnt in the countries where City e.t.c are. 

[collectivisedfarming]

26 minutes ago, zahidf said:

Well, in Saudi, its illegal on pain of death to be homosexual. Whilst it isnt in the countries where City e.t.c are. 

Sure, but I wouldn't work for a company where the boss thought that being gay was wrong whether I worked in their London or Riyadh office. Principle is the same. 

[The Nal]

12 hours ago, pink_triangle said:

I’m not convinced many are still in their prime and would argue most are on the downhill slope. You can imagine players in their prime like oshimen will follow

Some of them are 29-31. Thats prime ish these days.

Point is, its not just 35 year olds looking for a last pay day.

[Gnomicide]

21 hours ago, The Nal said:

Yeah a few late mega bids. Klopp probably the worst effected manager in all this. Rough summer for him. Milner, Hendo, Nabi, Fabinho, Firminho. 3 of them to Saudi. A massacre.

People should care when players like Ronaldo, Benzema, Kante, Neves, Henderson, Koulibaly, Savic, Mane, Mahrez, Firmino, Fabinho etc are joining a league worse than leagues like Venezuela, Azerbaijan and the Swiss 2nd division.

Many still in their prime and playing for big national teams. This is all in about 7 months! Gerrard too. And we're still looking at a few to yet maybe join. Silva, Neymar, Lukaku, Pogba. Maybe even Mbappe. Benzema is 35 but hes still the current Ballon d'Or winner. 

Mane going there was an eye brow raiser. The guy was a world beater playing for Liverpool, the transfer to Germany didn't work out but I would have thought lots of top clubs would have gone for him.

He's someone who gives a lot of his wealth away, schools and hospitals in his country have greatly benefited. Maybe he just sees it as a way to send more money home? Or maybe he's a greedy bugger like the rest of them.

[The Nal]

4 minutes ago, Gnomicide said:

Mane going there was an eye brow raiser. The guy was a world beater playing for Liverpool, the transfer to Germany didn't work out but I would have thought lots of top clubs would have gone for him.

He's someone who gives a lot of his wealth away, schools and hospitals in his country have greatly benefited. Maybe he just sees it as a way to send more money home? Or maybe he's a greedy bugger like the rest of them.

Could be a bit of both. Its a short career so you can't blame people like him, who came from extreme poverty, having their head turned by silly money towards the end of their career. And yeah, imagine what he could do with that money in Senegal. 

But no one wants to end up sat at some convention table having to sign autographs beside Matt LeTissier 

[charlierc]

Looking at the Championship, this feels perhaps like the best opportunity for 3 teams to bounce back straight up. Although conversely there's arguments all of Leicester, Leeds and Southampton might find ways to f**k it up.