The End of Football? The End of Sports?

[Kieran]

What do we think of the Saudi’s oil money enticing so many footballers? Ronaldo was basically the first, but now there’s a glut of greedy boyos grabbing for the giant paycheck.

And not only players fit for retirement: Nevez is 26, he was Wolves captain. Mahrez is 32, just won the treble with City. Jordan Henderson contacted Garreth Southgate to see if the move would affect his chances of playing for England. Southgate says he’d see how Henderson plays in Saudi.

How he plays!? It’s non-league football. He’s basically retired from competition and yet he wants to play for England. Southgate should have told him this. But Henderson was only on £35m a year in England, and he’ll triple that in Saudi Arabia. Hard to turn it down, I suppose, if you feel 35 mill per annum is insultingly cheap.

This is only beginning, essentially players only wanting money but no prestige, no tradition. No glory. I don’t blame footballers wanting more money if it’s there - they’re free to ply their trade anywhere - but what are the long term problems with oil money taking over sport?

The World Cup was in Qatar and as we know, the usual complainers (sorry, activists) were unusually silent. Even climate activists said not a peep about huge air conditioned stadiums.

Golf went through serious turbulence then capitulated. Tennis might be next. Imagine a tennis world that’s divided, where a nobody in terms of achievement has earned more than Sampras plus the Big 3, in only a couple of seasons of ME sponsored novel events. It would be massively to the detriment of tennis. It would pit the old inspirational enticements, such as Wimbledon titles, grand slam glory, against essentially lucrative exhibitions.

Who’ll think of the kids, as they say. When I was growing up I dreamt of Wimbledon, the FA Cup. When the football season was played, I dreamt of scoring winning goals in matches that mattered, and they mattered not because of money, but because they had an exclusive list of legendary winners, they were acknowledged by everybody as the greatest fields in sports.

That’s going to change, right?

 

[don_fabio]

I just recently read an article about the Saudi Football League and exactly how players in their prime or close to it leave when they are offered unimaginable figures... it's not just players who have served their time anymore. Neymar just signed for Al Hilal. They offered Mbappe and PSG one billion dollars just to bring him at least for one season, I think it was around 700 million for the player and around 300 million for the club. Those are abnormal figures for a league that doesn't even have 30 years of tradition if I'm not mistaken and was built on oil money. It's a society where a few people rule and modern slaves from the poorest regions of the world serve them and build their infrastructure.

When I grew up in the 90s, the Italian league was more popular than the English one (at least for us Croats), the players who played in Serie A at that time are now seen as icons and legends of that era. We all imitated those players, collected Panini pictures and stuck them in albums. Every week on Monday evening there was a preview of all the matches in the 5 strongest leagues in Europe, no one missed that hour and spent it glued to the TV, those were unforgettable times.

Football has been losing its charm for years, now it's hard for me to force myself to watch a game from start to finish, the last thing I watched was the world cup, mostly because of a national teams format and it's like the biggest sport event in the world. Speaking of the world cup, I think that one of the goals of the Saudis is for the 2030 world cup to be hosted by them.

It is definitely worrying that more and more players (and coaches) are going to the Saudis. All of this is obviously targeted and maybe in a few years we will be watching broadcasts of clubs called "AL something". I just hope they don't destroy tennis the way they destroy football.

How much do players today even care about the club or the sport they play? I also read an article about the NBA and a coach declares that he is more afraid of one/some of his players playing Fortnite until late at night, than of their injuries! It is very questionable in which direction modern sport is going, young generations today are interested in completely different things such as video games and YouTube channels, they don't want to watch a 2-hour game (let alone a 4-hour tennis match) nor do they have the concentration for that at all.

 

[Kieran]

I just recently read an article about the Saudi Football League and exactly how players in their prime or close to it leave when they are offered unimaginable figures... it's not just players who have served their time anymore. Neymar just signed for Al Hilal. They offered Mbappe and PSG one billion dollars just to bring him at least for one season, I think it was around 700 million for the player and around 300 million for the club. Those are abnormal figures for a league that doesn't even have 30 years of tradition if I'm not mistaken and was built on oil money. It's a society where a few people rule and modern slaves from the poorest regions of the world serve them and build their infrastructure.

When I grew up in the 90s, the Italian league was more popular than the English one (at least for us Croats), the players who played in Serie A at that time are now seen as icons and legends of that era. We all imitated those players, collected Panini pictures and stuck them in albums. Every week on Monday evening there was a preview of all the matches in the 5 strongest leagues in Europe, no one missed that hour and spent it glued to the TV, those were unforgettable times.

Football has been losing its charm for years, now it's hard for me to force myself to watch a game from start to finish, the last thing I watched was the world cup, mostly because of a national teams format and it's like the biggest sport event in the world. Speaking of the world cup, I think that one of the goals of the Saudis is for the 2030 world cup to be hosted by them.

It is definitely worrying that more and more players (and coaches) are going to the Saudis. All of this is obviously targeted and maybe in a few years we will be watching broadcasts of clubs called "AL something". I just hope they don't destroy tennis the way they destroy football.

How much do players today even care about the club or the sport they play? I also read an article about the NBA and a coach declares that he is more afraid of one/some of his players playing Fortnite until late at night, than of their injuries! It is very questionable in which direction modern sport is going, young generations today are interested in completely different things such as video games and YouTube channels, they don't want to watch a 2-hour game (let alone a 4-hour tennis match) nor do they have the concentration for that at all.

Exactly. And I remember the italian serie A in the 90’s, it was sublime. There’s a rumour I read today that Neves went to Saudi as an undercover operation to ultimately “loan” him to Newcastle, to get around the Financial Fair Play rules.

This level of financial doping allied with foreign interference has to be taken out. The Arab interest in football is malicious. It’s sportwashing at an outrageous level.

And I do believe they’ll come for tennis…

 

[tented]

And I do believe they’ll come for tennis…

That has already begun …

Billie Jean King says partnership between WTA, Saudi Arabia would be beneficial for both sides

 

[Kieran]

That has already begun …

Billie Jean King says partnership between WTA, Saudi Arabia would be beneficial for both sides

She talks a lot of nonsense, doesn’t she? “To see it is to be it.” Right. I seen a doughnut, but please, don’t eat me!

 

[don_fabio]

There’s a rumour I read today that Neves went to Saudi as an undercover operation to ultimately “loan” him to Newcastle, to get around the Financial Fair Play rules.

I wouldn't be surprised if this "little scheme" is true, after all Newcastle is now practically owned by Saudis.

This level of financial doping allied with foreign interference has to be taken out. The Arab interest in football is malicious. It’s sportwashing at an outrageous level.

Agree, it has become too much. Feels like it is everywhere in football, the Arab money. It should be regulated somehow, not to mention smaller clubs who stand no chance against the the clubs with unlimited budget. Many clubs have sold their soul to the devil and perhaps more will, maybe is too late now.

And I do believe they’ll come for tennis…

It will get ugly if it comes to that I'm afraid.

 

[Kieran]

I wouldn't be surprised if this "little scheme" is true, after all Newcastle is now practically owned by Saudis.

Yeah, they’re 80% owned by them. I must say, there’s something sinister and dodgy about Saudi Arabia owning a football club in the UK. Man City are in the same situation and I know Man Utd fans who are praying for Qatar to buy their club. I can’t believe how low their standards have fallen.

I think they’ll definitely make a move on tennis. Reading that BJK article above, I can’t believe how stupid and gullible some so-called liberals are. There’s a concept that states that if we’re nice to tyrants and give them Olympic Games (China) or World Cups (Russia) it’ll encourage them to be more liberal and improve the lot of their downtrodden peoples, but actually it only encourages them to be worse.

The same will happen with the Arab states. They won’t improve their human rights record, there’ll be no freedom for their minorities. They’ll take it - as they all do - as a sign of weakness and ride roughshod over objections..

 

[Jelenafan]

I"m confused , last time I looked Patrrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Tyreek Hill, John Burrow, Derek Henry, Bosa, etc, were all still playing in NFL cities in the States.

Oh.

Never mind.

 

[Kieran]

I"m confused , last time I looked Patrrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Tyreek Hill, John Burrow, Derek Henry, Bosa, etc, were all still playing in NFL cities in the States.

Oh.

Never mind.

We’re talking about a global game, not your local ‘World Champions of America’ type thingy…

 

[Fiero425]

No one's talking football! I guess I'll throw a little info on today's Conference Games w/o making a whole thread! KC & Mahomes played very well; esp. their defense to handle the #1 seed Balitimore Ravens in their house, 17-10! The SF 49'rs had to come back to win over the Detroit Lions, 34-31! The Lions were in control in the 1st half, 24-7! The Lions obviously forgot how to score until it was too late!

 

[Moxie]

No one's talking football! I guess I'll throw a little info on today's Conference Games w/o making a whole thread! KC & Mahomes played very well; esp. their defense to handle the #1 seed Balitimore Ravens in their house, 17-10! The SF 49'rs had to come back to win over the Detroit Lions, 34-31! The Lions were in control in the 1st half, 24-7! The Lions obviously forgot how to score until it was too late!

@Kieran is taking a break and won't be here to tell you that this thread isn't about the NFL. But what the heck? Others have tried it before. Personally bummed about the Ravens.

 

[don_fabio]

I have no idea what you're talking about. Ravens, Lions, Pelicans. Sounds like something you see on a National Geographic TV channel.