Newcastle buyout

[Gb160]

Apparently he's a Spurs fan and there's always just been this underlying fear that one day he'd drop the Magpies and start eyeing us up.

Nah he's Chelsea mate...on record as saying he hates us.

 

[Led's Zeppelin]

what's the difference between a billionaire from England and one from the Middle East? Never understood the crying over the riches of club owners or complaining how clubs do it wrong, anyone who owns a club is only in it for financial gain, hell whoever just bought Newcastle will watch more matches than our current owner in the Bahamas does

The important thing isn't where they come from. (Though there's an interesting question regarding locality, since every football club has its location in its name and all competitions have a geographical focus, but that's another matter that we could come back to.)

It's whether and the extent to which they they bankroll the club beyond its natural resources.

Do you genuinely not understand the difference between owning a company, in this case a football club, and pouring vast and disproportionate external non-football-related funds into it so that it's core business (football) becomes irrelevant to its development?

The other element, whether the source of the external funds is ethical or not, is a totally different matter. We each have to make our own judgements on that, and hope that the law is effective.

 

[Gb160]

what's the difference between a billionaire from England and one from the Middle East? Never understood the crying over the riches of club owners or complaining how clubs do it wrong, anyone who owns a club is only in it for financial gain, hell whoever just bought Newcastle will watch more matches than our current owner in the Bahamas does

This can't seriously need explaining to you?
It's not where they're from thats the issue, it's what they and their regimes represent...google 'Saudi human rights record'

 

[Rocksuperstar]

Nah he's Chelsea mate...on record as saying he hates us.

Yeah? Everything I'd read was him being a closet Spurs fan. While that makes me feel a wee bit better, I still don't trust him though.

 

[brasil_spur]

what's the difference between a billionaire from England and one from the Middle East? N

Generally speaking English billionaires get there by running a successful business within the laws of the UK. Sure there is some "legal" tax dodging and potentially some moral issues in how they amassed their billions. But with the Middle East there is usually countless human rights issues related to how that wealth was generated.

 

[Gb160]

Yeah? Everything I'd read was him being a closet Spurs fan. While that makes me feel a wee bit better, I still don't trust him though.

I hate Spurs and I always have done, insists Newcastle owner Ashley

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has reacted accusations that he is really a Tottenham fan by saying that he 'absolutely hates Spurs'.

www.standard.co.uk

 

[Rocksuperstar]

This can't seriously need explaining to you?
It's not where they're from thats the issue, it's what they and their regimes represent...google 'Saudi human rights record'

The World Cup was given to Qatar, demonstrating how high up on the list of concerns human rights are to the footballing community.

 

[Gb160]

The World Cup was given to Qatar, demonstrating how high up on the list of concerns human rights are to the footballing community.

I sadly agree.

 

[DanielJohnCosta]

This can't seriously need explaining to you?
It's not where they're from thats the issue, it's what they and their regimes represent...google 'Saudi human rights record'

fair call, have no idea about them. If they are truly pieces of shit then fuck em

 

[Gb160]

fair call, have no idea about them. If they are truly pieces of shit then fuck em

They make Mike Ashley look like Captain Tom.

 

[Led's Zeppelin]

The World Cup was given to Qatar, demonstrating how high up on the list of concerns human rights are to the footballing community.

I think a lot of supporters were angry about it. But as long as we continue to pay up for the product, the authorities will do as they like, which usually involves lining their pockets.

 

[SpunkyBackpack]

There's also a big difference between how rich the owner is and how they run a football club and how much they put in, otherwise we'd all currently be talking about Barnsley, QPR and Stoke and their domination.

 

[Rocksuperstar]

I think a lot of supporters were angry about it. But as long as we continue to pay up for the product, the authorities will do as they like, which usually involves lining their pockets.

That's one of the problems of society now though - as everything has been monetized and globalized we're left with this situation where, even if you want to do your part and not support oppressive regimes, the fur trade, human trafficking, you have to really do your research to find out where they get their funding from.

There was a period in the late 90s where it was a hot topic, how banks would invest in overseas organisations that would arm or in some way support rotten shit going on, and you'd see ads on the tube reassuring consumers that a company's product didn't support the arms trade or exploit workers whatever, but now you can't realistically take a moral stand as the most vital elements of modern life are controlled by scumbags.

Look at Amazon - an incredible tool, something that has changed the lives of billions of people around the world, but all run by a guy who got caught up in his own success and now exploits his workforce mercilessly. Sure, we are all disgusted, but will I continue using Amazon? If I can help it then no, I will use independent retailers, but otherwise of course I will because it's such an all encompassing organisation that, in some cases, it's the only realistic option for me.

We might look at countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar and berate their abysmal human rights records, but the west is guilty for shitty business practices and fringe abuses of human rights, exploiting the workforce and driving people into poverty. In a lot of ways I feel we should probably mow our own lawn if we're going to moan about the nieghbours garden.

 

[spursfan77]

There's also a big difference between how rich the owner is and how they run a football club and how much they put in, otherwise we'd all currently be talking about Barnsley, QPR and Stoke and their domination.

Stoke are a good point actually. They were being praised in the media the other day for something they’d done financially in the current climate. Such a two faced approach from the papers. The owner of Stoke is behind F365. A company that makes its money out of the misery and financial hardship of thousands of desperate people.

 

[dontcallme]

what's the difference between a billionaire from England and one from the Middle East? Never understood the crying over the riches of club owners or complaining how clubs do it wrong, anyone who owns a club is only in it for financial gain, hell whoever just bought Newcastle will watch more matches than our current owner in the Bahamas does

Think the argument is partly against the methods used to obtain the wealth. Anyone who has looked into wealth in the Middle East and how it is used finds it pretty appalling.

A look into preparations for the world cup in Qatar has revealed modern day slavery being used to build the stadiums. Essentially by allowing certain wealthy owners access to our country we are giving access to our country to people based on their wealth who otherwise wouldn't be allowed it.

 

[Japhet]

Another nail in the coffin of a sport that used to be the bastion of the working classes. Now it's all billionaires waving their dicks at each other and stands full of tourists and Fortnum & Masons customers. Newcastle fans generally won't give a shit about human rights abuses or being a rich persons toy, as long as they win something or sign top players on obscene wages. Many of our fans would be exactly the same as was evident in the debate when we hired Mourinho. Think I might drop down a division or 2 to remind myself what it's meant to be about. On the other hand, I might not bother at all.

 

[dontcallme]

There's also a big difference between how rich the owner is and how they run a football club and how much they put in, otherwise we'd all currently be talking about Barnsley, QPR and Stoke and their domination.

The billionaire using their funds simply to buy success did take the competitive element out of the sport.

I read a bit about Utd's rise to the top starting from the late 80's. Their board was very progressive with marketing their club to get top sponsorship deals and maximise their income. It took a few years but through this wealth they started to dominate football.

Then Jack Walker used his money to take Blackburn to the top but he didn't have the wealth to sustain this or make them a huge club so it was short-term success.

Expanding the CL to 4 English teams did create a competitive element with Utd, Arsenal, Leeds, Newcastle, Chelsea, Liverpool and ourselves desperate for our place. Leeds essentially bankrupt themselves in their desperation for the CL and eventually the Sky 4 was formed.

We tried to get into the CL in "the right way" but ultimately it was Chelsea's and City's money that got them to the top.

It is what it is, but ultmately top level football changed forever with these owners. It's just not really competitive anymore and any achievement by these clubs doesn't feel like one.

 

[Japhet]

The billionaire using their funds simply to buy success did take the competitive element out of the sport.

I read a bit about Utd's rise to the top starting from the late 80's. Their board was very progressive with marketing their club to get top sponsorship deals and maximise their income. It took a few years but through this wealth they started to dominate football.

Then Jack Walker used his money to take Blackburn to the top but he didn't have the wealth to sustain this or make them a huge club so it was short-term success.

Expanding the CL to 4 English teams did create a competitive element with Utd, Arsenal, Leeds, Newcastle, Chelsea, Liverpool and ourselves desperate for our place. Leeds essentially bankrupt themselves in their desperation for the CL and eventually the Sky 4 was formed.

We tried to get into the CL in "the right way" but ultimately it was Chelsea's and City's money that got them to the top.

It is what it is, but ultmately top level football changed forever with these owners. It's just not really competitive anymore and any achievement by these clubs doesn't feel like one.

I think there are also very strong elements of modern life and culture involved. Instant gratification and then straight on to the next 'must have' item have become synonymous with happiness and satisfaction, where in reality those things achieve the exact opposite.

 

[Metalhead]

every time another club wins the lottery our position becomes more and more fraught, especially with the stadium debt to contend with. Now we have 3 financially doped clubs to compete with. sickening !!

Tbf the stadium debt is much more manageable now that it has been repackaged although obviously the current situation is bound to have repercussions in the short to medium term. Added to that, the (hopeful) naming rights deal will ease the burden even more.

 

[thebenjamin]

Saudi Arabian Royal Family vs the Abu Dhabi Sovereign Wealth Fund. The winner gets to successfully cover up their crimes abasing humanity! Jumpers for goalposts.