Premier League 2023/24

[DavidMarrio]

• Leaked emails from the UK ambassador say the Premier League agreed to "settle their differences" with the PIF so that the Newcastle deal could go ahead

• Publically, both the Prem and UK government had said no pressure was put on the Prem by the government to accept this deal, and that the UK government had no role in the deal

• FOI requests by the Athletic have shown that the Government had discussions with the Prem throughout including teams meetings with the foreign office and Prem, that the Foreign Office had communication plans in place as far back as June 2020 for a deal to have been both accepted and rejected, and Foreign Office officials had discussed the idea of sportswashing and how it could instead show off Saudi progress with Womens Sport through this takeover

• The FOI request was delayed to assess how releasing these documents could harm Saudi-UK relations - as such, much has been redacted to "protect commercial interests" and "safeguard national security"

• Senior premier league sources reiterated under anonymity that there was no pressure from the Government to force this deal, and that it was approved solely by the Prem board

• The Foreign Office had preprepared questions that would likely be asked of the government regarding the takeover such as human rights questions and questions about Jamal Khashoggi

 

[Colly]

It's weird how it's all so obvious and all known at the time, therefore nothing will come of it despite actual evidence. Pretty much sums up this country.

[Colly]

Good old self serving football clubs...

 

Also:

😂

Safe to say that independent regulator is probably needed.

[Bobfoc]

Money always wins in the end.

[gunnar hendershow]

Surely a huge part of the voting philosophy here is to not deter national investment funds or state-run organizations from buying clubs at a markup.

[The Lusophone]

Surprised it was only 7 given that there's a lot more than that involved in multiclub ownership:

Arsenal owners: 2 clubs
Villa owners: 4 clubs
Bournemouth: 3 clubs
Brentford: formerly 2 clubs, now 1
Brighton: 2 clubs
Chelsea: 2 clubs
Palace: 4 clubs
Everton: 8 clubs including minority stakes
Man City: 12 clubs
Man Utd: 3 clubs including minority stakes
Newcastle: at least 5 clubs
Forest: 2 clubs
Sheffield: 5 clubs
Spurs: formerly 5 clubs, now 1
Wolves: 1 club, linked to takeovers of others

Shoutout Enic for being early pioneers in multiclub ownership - they owned stakes in 5 clubs starting in the 90s.

[Adam]

Everton is just one club, surely? 777 don't own us yet so wouldn't have been voting.

But aye, that was never going to pass with the 14/20 votes needed.

[The Lusophone]

4 minutes ago, Adam said:

Everton is just one club, surely? 777 don't own us yet so wouldn't have been voting.

But aye, that was never going to pass with the 14/20 votes needed.

Sure, same with United. But I imagine they may have voted with that in mind. 

[METALMAN]

Nationalise them all 

Edit: just remembered Man City and Newcastle are already nationalised 

[DavidMarrio]

Think it just screams more and more that the Prem arent fit to make these sort of decisions and there needs to be an independent body. 

The charges against City only came about when there was talk about an independent body. The Everton decision came about when it felt like there was a bit more pressure. 

 

[DavidMarrio]

 

 

 

[Colly]

BBC think it was a vote about Newcastle apparently. Makes the other 6 seem very altruistic.

 

 

[stokeriño]

9 minutes ago, DavidMarrio said:

 

 

 

The fact that there's even an element of "We expected this of Newcastle, City, Chelsea etc., but not from YOU, Saudi prince-owned Sheffield Utd??" just further evidences that it takes a lot more than reality to break people of their preconceived notions of who the "good" and "bad" clubs are.

[Gazz]

Ruben Neves rocks up in Sheffield now 1st Jan just for the craic.

[Colly]

Honestly wouldn't surprise me if we go nowhere near him. Or if we were one of the 13...

[DavidMarrio]

I saw a point which I thought was quite decent really in that although PIF own a few of the Saudi league teams and Newcastle, why would they splash money on people to bring them to the Saudi League to then just loan them out when they're trying to boost their own country and leagues profile.  Especially when the season runs alongside the european leagues. 

[Colly]

It's a story that's only really come about off the back of the Tonali ban really, Neves slots into that space fairly easily. The press ran with it, and the clubs shat it to rush this rule change in. Ignores exactly what you say, PIF would have to decide who they loved more.

I'm just hoping we loan Mitrovic instead...

[Hobo]

i'd be surprised if Liverpool don't score at all in this game

[Colly]

Chelsea are a weird side. Much as the goal we conceded was from a daft Lascelles error I spent the first half wondering how they're struggling so much, some of the passing and playing on the break was excellent. Then the last 40 minutes came and you understand why.

Completely ignore the fact that they'd managed to get two players booked for kicking the ball away (how thick do you need to be to be the second one?), but after giving away a stupid goal from overplaying it at the back at 3-1 down they just kept trying to start every move from their own goal line. Genuinely baffling tactics, and a complete lack of leadership. It feels like they've got Thiago Silva plus a gang of 20 year olds and no one wants to take any responsibility, not least the captain who managed to get himself sent off. We had 3 keepers and 4 teenagers on the bench, with an hour gone and the game still winnable Chelsea should have been punishing our tired legs, not collapsing. Absolute chalk and cheese to how we've built our side where everyone fits the system and has the character to do what's needed, makes you realise that just spending doesn't make a football team.

Might have just been a bad day at the office, but if that's what they're usually like they're knackered.

[Bobfoc]

Chelsea generally seem to bring in players and managers who are good on paper, but they're underachieving to a remarkable degree. With the resources and pulling power they still have, they ought to be a top four side at the very least.