All very true. Knowing our owners they will probably see opportunity rather than a challenge. Things change and unless we adapt we'll be holding our cocks in a cold wind talking about our great historical treble in 20 years time.“It’s not fair” “how can they get away with it” “someone has to stop them” “they are ruining the game”
all sound familiar? It’s how every fan and every club talk about us! We now sound like them regarding Saudi Arabia lol. It’s all what if’s at present, if he joins their league then so what, it’s their money they can do what they like with it and I doubt they care there’s any outrage. If it’s not them it’ll be someone else, it’s a never ending story (without David Bowie) and as much as we may not like it there’s not really much that can be done.
Nobody can really stop them, they’ve done it with the golf and football is clearly next on their agenda. They clearly want to control it all and probably will.
However… Until he signs for anyone over there, it’s all just paper talk and to be honest I think a con to get Real to cough up some money now and probably force the players hand here too. PSG have said several times, they will not let Mbappe leave for free in 12 months time.
All very true. Knowing our owners they will probably see opportunity rather than a challenge. Things change and unless we adapt we'll be holding our cocks in a cold wind talking about our great historical treble in 20 years time.
His Mom has sealed the deal
I mean they won't, because the best players want to win the big prizes and playing in Saudi won't offer them that chance. And if there was an existential threat to European dominance, then there would be no chance that the European leagues would allow them to join a UEFA competition. There's already hostility to them and all they've done so far is take a few aging superstars and middling top league players. Not to mention that the vast majority of young men have little desire to spend the prime of their careers living in one of the strictest theocracies on the planet. I mean I know they're liberalizing a bit on the surface (although the highest number of executions in 30 years says otherwise), but it's from a low starting point.What if they end up with say 70% of the worlds best players, in their prime and in their league?
What makes you think they'd do better in those markets than the Premier League does already? And the Premier League gets 5 billion from all overseas rights in total. That's what I'm saying. Every model for the Saudi league being this all-powerful take-all-the-best-players league (which to be fair, the Saudis themselves don't claim - their stated aim is to be a top 10 league) relies on them somehow not only becoming more successful commercially than the Premier League, but more commercially successful than all of the top four European leagues put together. The majority of African and Asian markets can't afford the sort of fees that European and North American broadcasters are able to charge. The Premier League is popular in North America, Europe, Japan, Korea, Australia, and all of the countries that you think the Saudi league will clean up in. And all of those countries put together are only worth the same as the domestic rights.In about 5-10 years they will clean up in Africa and Asian markets especially those countries with majority Muslim populations. They will also probably host the 2030 World Cup.
The times they are a changing!
There is an argument that the hype and publicity around a world record fee would be worth it. But yeah, it seems a bit weird, and if I was Mbappe, I'd be wondering why that wasn't money that was ending up in my pocket instead.Why didn't they just bid £150 million? PSG would have bitten their hand off.
Fake page by the way.
I suppose the publicity that comes with a world record bid would be even more worthwhile if they knew he was going to reject the move anyway.There is an argument that the hype and publicity around a world record fee would be worth it. But yeah, it seems a bit weird, and if I was Mbappe, I'd be wondering why that wasn't money that was ending up in my pocket instead.
I suppose the publicity that comes with a world record bid would be even more worthwhile if they knew he was going to reject the move anyway.
This situation is fascinating but I think you are oversimplifying it. You mentioned players not clubs. I agree there are fans of players as we all know but most fans in Europe are fans of clubs. Leagues have been at the top, Premier League, La Liga and back in the 80’s Serie A. It’s difficult to build up a league from its boots up. Plus you have colliding cultures. The antics that footballers get away with here could result in life in prison in Saudi. Whilst you may indeed be correct about Africa and the Muslim countries it’s no foregone conclusion. I’ll be amazed if I see some clown wandering about in an Al Aahly shirt in this country.What if they end up with say 70% of the worlds best players, in their prime and in their league? In about 5-10 years they will clean up in Africa and Asian markets especially those countries with majority Muslim populations. They will also probably host the 2030 World Cup.
The times they are a changing!