Newcastle Utd (and Viz)

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Qatar Vs Saudi Arabia really is a heel programme

 

[Mikey_Fitzgerald]

Newcastle have had a narrow escape and may realise that in the fullness of time | Jonathan Liew

Only when a new owner buys out the hated Mike Ashley will the club’s fans appreciate the Saudi Arabia deal was not the one they needed to hitch themselves to

www.theguardian.com

The first thing to point out is there may be less to all this than meets the eye. Many of the world’s economies are bracing themselves for a deep and painful recession. The Covid-19 crisis has devastated Saudi Arabia’s oil revenues, driving a £22.3bn deficit in the second quarter of 2020. The International Monetary Fund estimates the economy could shrink by 6.8% this year. The country has already been forced to triple VAT and cut benefits. In this context, perhaps it has simply decided that ploughing untold fortunes into a huge, open-ended project with a worrying reliance on Jonjo Shelvey may not be the most propitious investment.

 

[jaycee]

Matrix really needs to be smashing his front door through,hes a stranger danger

 

[PhilM]

Arise Toon army.

 

[boris]

I'm starting to believe this is just a wind up now.

Surely he can't think this is normal behaviour.

 

[Daveysgingerlovechild]

Newcastle have had a narrow escape and may realise that in the fullness of time | Jonathan Liew

Only when a new owner buys out the hated Mike Ashley will the club’s fans appreciate the Saudi Arabia deal was not the one they needed to hitch themselves to

www.theguardian.com

The first thing to point out is there may be less to all this than meets the eye. Many of the world’s economies are bracing themselves for a deep and painful recession. The Covid-19 crisis has devastated Saudi Arabia’s oil revenues, driving a £22.3bn deficit in the second quarter of 2020. The International Monetary Fund estimates the economy could shrink by 6.8% this year. The country has already been forced to triple VAT and cut benefits. In this context, perhaps it has simply decided that ploughing untold fortunes into a huge, open-ended project with a worrying reliance on Jonjo Shelvey may not be the most propitious investment.

The Shelvey line cracked me up.

 

[Yarrgh]

What is interesting with this stuff, is it's just not cutting through at all. The PL have not felt compelled to issue a single statement. It's been 2 weeks nearly since they pulled out and it's really out of the news cycles. Soon clubs start coming back, an the focus will be back to signings, pre-season games, who's going to win the league etc.

If as they think- the PIF were waiting for the fans to show their support they could come back, then what more can they do than the last 2 weeks? 100,000 signatures I believe (albeit most of them will be duplicates and paid for accounts by foreign money) and plenty of moaning, yet no signs of coming back to the table at all.

If it could be redeemed you would have expected a couple of things to happen. Firstly PIF (not Staveley) to make a clear statement-outlining specific disagreements with the PL's approach. Also stating very clearly that they intend to stop piracy and will allow Bein back in (probably with an apology to both Bein and the PL for taking that unecessary approach). You'd also get a statement from the PL, stating clearly that if certainconditions are met, they are open to investment.

Neither has happened. With each passing day it becomes less likely. The petition is already slowing and losing momentum. Once the season starts up again, most of the regular fans will get back to supporting the team as best as they can and the embaressing nonsense will be left behind once and for all.

During the last few months the PL has had a rather large and thorny issue to resolve. And it was nothing to do at all with PIF, the Saudis and the takover.

They were ensuring that the premier league competition went ahead and minimised the financial impact on their member clubs. I didn't agree, and still don't, that the competition should have continued when faced with a global pandemic and it should have been cancelled - and frankly the asterisk part of the system was a damp squib. BUT, they did save their member clubs from an incredible amount of financial impact that could have killed a few of those clubs. Pragmatically they did what needed to be done and used their resources to ensure that the PL carries on with as little impact as could be. Perhaps, and it's a very small perhaps accompanied by the world's smallest violin, the PL could have pointed to the fact that this wasn't their priority. That no one officially involved in the technicalities of the bid (Ashley or PIF) have apportioned any blame about this, speaks volumes. PIF said it was a prolonged procedure and nothing else in their statement when they pulled out. Mike Ashley probably is doing his Michael Corleone impersonation, "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!"

So if that means that a strangely behaving PIF/ Saudi Arabian bid wasn't their first priority, especially with their support for tv piracy and refusing to say who was in charge. It almost seems like they tried to swing a purchase through whilst they thought they had a chance to not be challenged as vigorously as they should be.

This however will be soon old news. Let's be honest, who apart from Newcastle fans cares overly that a murderous regime like the Saudis taking over Newcastle fell through? Most will be glad it fell through - we really do not want to see them or their sort washing their reputations in English football.

 

[JimmyJeffers]

Your fans poo on seats

 

[Yarrgh]

Your fans poo on seats

But they do can wear Tag Hauer watches and drink Budweisers if they wish.

 

[Connor]

Get this Hadaway fella locked up for the good of the local playgrounds and schools

 

[maccavennie]

lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

Breathe

And

lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

Slight dribble down below, quick clean up and change

And

lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

Oh these geordie ferrets haven't half brightened up many a gloomy day these past few months. If I could I'd buy them all a sausage roll as a way of saying thanks.

 

[JimmyJeffers]

lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

Breathe

And

lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

Slight dribble down below, quick clean up and change

And

lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol lol

Oh these geordie ferrets haven't half brightened up many a gloomy day these past few months. If I could I'd buy them all a sausage roll as a way of saying thanks.

F me. A 41 smiler!!

 

[maccavennie]

F me. A 41 smiler!!

41#cans sitting on a wall
And if one geordie #can should accidently fall
There'll be 40 #cans sitting on the wall
40 #cans sitting on a wall
And if one geordie #can should accidently fall
There'll be 39 #cans sitting on the wall.

 

[catcherintherye]

During the last few months the PL has had a rather large and thorny issue to resolve. And it was nothing to do at all with PIF, the Saudis and the takover.

They were ensuring that the premier league competition went ahead and minimised the financial impact on their member clubs. I didn't agree, and still don't, that the competition should have continued when faced with a global pandemic and it should have been cancelled - and frankly the asterisk part of the system was a damp squib. BUT, they did save their member clubs from an incredible amount of financial impact that could have killed a few of those clubs. Pragmatically they did what needed to be done and used their resources to ensure that the PL carries on with as little impact as could be. Perhaps, and it's a very small perhaps accompanied by the world's smallest violin, the PL could have pointed to the fact that this wasn't their priority. That no one officially involved in the technicalities of the bid (Ashley or PIF) have apportioned any blame about this, speaks volumes. PIF said it was a prolonged procedure and nothing else in their statement when they pulled out. Mike Ashley probably is doing his Michael Corleone impersonation, "Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in!"

So if that means that a strangely behaving PIF/ Saudi Arabian bid wasn't their first priority, especially with their support for tv piracy and refusing to say who was in charge. It almost seems like they tried to swing a purchase through whilst they thought they had a chance to not be challenged as vigorously as they should be.

This however will be soon old news. Let's be honest, who apart from Newcastle fans cares overly that a murderous regime like the Saudis taking over Newcastle fell through? Most will be glad it fell through - we really do not want to see them or their sort washing their reputations in English football.

Yes I mean that is another interesting angle.

I don't think people really appreciate just how big a crisis time it as for the PL, like UEFA and other bodies. Not just for the football clubs, but also for their own employees. If there are no games, and no TV money they go bust. They were risking being sued etc. Not an easy situation at all. The other angle on this, is also that any guidance from government may not have been forthcoming.

Also bear in mind Southamptons takeover is also taking months. I mean that does happen. To get up and walk away during that process is absolutely ludicrous. It shows they are not in any way serious about buying, never mind investing in the club/area.

My own view is that someone in the Saudi court was blagged by Staveley about how easy and quick it would all be. Give her 250m, let her run it and make a few quid off Newcastle. I think the PL asked for fairly reaosnable bits of information- who owned Newcastle- what was happening re piracy etc and the answers werne't forthcoming. They probably felt they could just railroad the PL, who would back down. They didn't, and maintained a consistent position.

You know what it reinds me of? Brexit and the EU (the PIF are brexiteers the PL are the EU). The EU's negotiating position was consistent throughout. UK didn't like it, and had to eventually give the EU what they wanted or cancel it. Same idiocy, same impulse blaing the PL/EU etc. Not perfect orgs by any stretch, but quite consistent and realistic in what they say.

On the final point, it already feels quite old news now. The petition is slowing. Nobody are joining their 1 man protests. No news station are touching it I(mainly because of the numerous libellous accusations being made so they can't) and very quickly the new season starts. It's about 1 month away. No news station will take Staveley seriously, even if Im sure she tries to drop tit bits of information out which will get them all excited. If this was going to be resurected it would have been done by now

 

[Jimishorts]

oh my days