General Premier League Thread 2022-23 - mod note in OP 12/03/23

TheCitizen · 09-02-2023 06:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120220954#Comment_120220954

Not a City fan. I support Celtic. Totally neutral on the EPL bar used to have a soft spot for Arsenal.

If Man United and Liverpool are took over by similar owners that City and Newcastle have which has been predicted, I wonder how that will affect the debate around all these issues.

ShamoBuc · 09-02-2023 06:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120221129#Comment_120221129

Well if they end up breaking the rules like City, then they should be punished like City hopefully will be.

If they don't break the rules, then fine.

Not much of a debate in fairness.

OmegaGene · 09-02-2023 07:14PM

According to the bbc taking the knee is making a comeback for the next two weeks, waste of time in my opinion but each to their own I guess

watching footballers do that isn’t changing peoples mindset

TheCitizen · 09-02-2023 07:56PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120221172#Comment_120221172

So it doesn’t matter what murderous despotic regime owns these clubs so long as they don’t get caught falling foul of the EPL’s financial governance regulations?

~Rebel~ · 09-02-2023 08:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120221305#Comment_120221305

It's nowhere near enough, but I'll never complain about something happening over nothing happening.

And it's very clear to see that whenever they do it, it gets talked about. It clearly provokes thought, opinion, and conversation about it. That's enough of a positive for me for it to be worthwhile, given that it's literally a 5 second action.

nullzero · 09-02-2023 08:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120221129#Comment_120221129

I made an assumption based on your username. Apologies.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120221452#Comment_120221452

As a United fan the thoughts of Qatar buying our club sickens me specifically for the fact they're up to their necks in human rights abuses.

ShamoBuc · 09-02-2023 09:25PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120221452#Comment_120221452

In relation to breaking the rules, No, which is what the thread has been primarily about since the City news broke.

As regards owners, I would of course not prefer such owners at the club I follow, a feeling most fans would share I think.

However, it isn't exactly my choice.

TheCitizen · 09-02-2023 09:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120221820#Comment_120221820

It isn’t exactly your choice either way. Not sure why folk would get hung up on some financial regulations but then apparently not so much on human rights issues.

breezy1985 · 09-02-2023 09:45PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120221875#Comment_120221875

We get "hung up" on the breaking of financial regulations.

We also get hung up on various owners. People can be angry about two separate issues at the same time.

City still cheated either way.

~Rebel~ · 09-02-2023 09:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120221926#Comment_120221926

Yeah, exactly... it's not like there hasn't been absolutely loads of chat on here about the problems with nation states and horrible regimes owning clubs.

09-02-2023 10:03PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120220506#Comment_120220506

It again shoes op was talking out his hoop which needs to be shown up every time he does it.

Casamerio was signed late and needed time to get into the team, Martinez had a while to get back after the world cup, the circumstances of why they haven't played together aren't going to happen ever again tbh.

So you can't say they are unreliable based off that either, I mean you can but it would be fairly ridiculous.

09-02-2023 10:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120221305#Comment_120221305

Might not change adults opinions but also it might give some pause for thought might change a small percentage. And what about the kids watching whose parents might not be teaching them well seeing there sporting heros do this could be helping them have different mindsets then they would otherwise.

Even if it's a slight positive then why not,.it's deffo not doing any harm I really have no idea why it annoys people tbh.

Fitz* · 09-02-2023 10:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120221988#Comment_120221988

To be fair, it's only Varane's fitness that can be unreliable. As you said, Martinez post WC & Casemiro settling in / suspensions have mainly caused their absenteeism.

OmegaGene · 09-02-2023 10:26PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120222054#Comment_120222054

I don’t think anyone is annoyed

09-02-2023 10:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120222078#Comment_120222078

Ya exactly and if someone pointed to that as a potential problem that'd be grand but as you said yourself there really is much in the way if data to draw any sort of proper conclusion,it's just as I said op talking out his hoop as he does

09-02-2023 10:30PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120222093#Comment_120222093

Some people do get very annoyed sorry I didn't mean to imply you were,

~Rebel~ · 09-02-2023 11:36PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120222093#Comment_120222093

Lots of people do get really really annoyed about it though, occasionally on here, but very much so on social media etc. There was plenty of it on here from one fella ranting about it during the World Cup for sure, which is the last instance of a kneel I think.

Brendan Flowers · 10-02-2023 09:46AM

I'm a MUFC supporter (I travel over to maybe 5 or 6 games most seasons) and I'll hold my hands up and admit that I'm not too bothered about who buys the clubs as long as it's an owner who'll run the club properly and invest club money back into the team/infrastructure. I know I'll probably get heavily criticised for saying I'm not bothered if a Middle East Nation buys the club. But even just going to matches for years, I've never concerned myself with who owns/has shares in some of the airlines I fly with, I'll book hotels without considering where those profits end up, I buy clothes/merchandise from companies that I know have awful histories of running child labour camps, and so on. And as I type this I do wonder am I a terrible person for using these products/services! But I know I'm going to continue using all these things. And I know I'll continue supporting MUFC and going to Old Trafford no matter who the owner is.

I'm sure there are a small number of people out there who boycott anything possible that in any way is tied to Nations/companies known for human rights violations. And to them I honestly say well done. They're better people than me. And the most telling thing of all is if I wanted to prove to myself that I could even have made a small gesture against nations with awful human rights records, I could have easily boycotted the Qatar World Cup. Simple really, just not watch a couple of dozen football matches for a few weeks. And I couldn't even do that!

IncognitoMan · 10-02-2023 12:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120223027#Comment_120223027

There's a world of difference between this approach and what you see from some fans of certain new found wealth clubs.

Recognise and criticize the owners if they have such records don't go to bat for them defending them online. Or using whataboutery any time legit questions are asked about them. People are allowed to still support their football clubs.

I will be supporting Utd still but I for sure will not be supporting Qatar if it is them who get the club.

breezy1985 · 10-02-2023 12:24PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120223706#Comment_120223706

Exactly. I don't agree with the owners or sponsors of most clubs I support but I'm not going to deprive myself of one of my favourite past times to make a futile stand against people who have never heard of me or care about my opinion.

I support AC Milan so I am well used to dodgy owners and dealings.

McFly85 · 10-02-2023 01:02PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120223706#Comment_120223706

Think this is why the charges against city are massive for the premier league. If they don’t stick or City get away relatively lightly then you’ll have Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia and Qatar all in the same league spending a fortune, with City and Newcastle in particular spending far more than would be possible without the owners deep pockets.

If that happens then as much as I love supporting Liverpool it feels like it would kill the interest(including if Liverpool were among the teams bought). What would be the point of a league that essentially has 1 subset of teams playing by different rules than the rest, with each one of them outspending the other in a bid to come out on top while obliterating the European football market in the process. It would essentially be a super league with the balance of power in England instead of Spain or Italy, and as a sporting competition it would have all the integrity of WWE.

breezy1985 · 10-02-2023 01:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120223916#Comment_120223916

If they get away with it we might as well just go ahead with the European Super League and free the match going fans of normal clubs from the globalized beast the EPL has become.

Brendan Flowers · 10-02-2023 03:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120223706#Comment_120223706

While I do agree that fans should support the club and not the owners, I think a lot of fans are also being goaded into this behaviour of supporting their owners by rivals going after them due to their clubs ownership. And this is down to some illogical off pitch football tribalism. I don't judge Newcastle fans for being delighted with the current situation at their club. There's a thread in this forum about sportswashing and I remember a few months back some people saying that they didnt expect Newcastle fans to turn their backs on the club, but that they did expect them to be out protesting the human rights issues in Saudi Arabia at every game. And I bet if I was to go back and look for the posters that were making these comments, we'd see from their post history that they watched the World Cup. If someone expected Newcastle fans to protest their owners every other week, I'd expect that same person to protest the World Cup by not watching it.

Both Man United and Liverpool are apparently up for sale now. I honestly hope if one of the clubs get bought by Middle Eastern owners, that the other is also bought by a group from the Middle East. Because if only one is owned by a Middle East group, a portion of the other set of fans will become insufferable on their high houses connecting their rivals to human rights violations, condemning fans, belittling any footballing achievements, etc, even if all success achieved is through revenue generated by the club.

Fitz* · 10-02-2023 04:01PM

@Brendan Flowers do you not fear that if yet another club get bought out by a nation state and becomes a sportwashing vehicle, that the league essentially becomes a plaything league? Competitiveness will be lost, whatever local factors were still present will be lost.

Instead of a Manchester's Derby, it's effectively Qatar vs Abu Dhabi at Sunday 4.30 with Saudi Arabia vs Bahrain at 2.00. Super Sunday indeed there. Whichever nation state has flashed the most cash wins. Gone will be the days of smart coaching, smart recruitment and innovations. Football was always a game for the working class. Perhaps was is the key word here.

Some of those owners come from states where they are the rulers and never questioned on any choices they make. They are not elected democratically. They can do what they want and expect to get away with it. This mentality can be seen in the Man City cases where they have blatantly done what they wanted - cheated and lied - and expect to get away with it. As they are so used to it. The Premier League has rules and 1 of the 20 already ignore them. What happens when 3,4,5,6 start ignoring them? Does it just become a free for all then?

yourdeadwright · 10-02-2023 04:27PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120224859#Comment_120224859

While i agree with most of the above i don't with " Gone will be the days of smart coaching, smart recruitment and innovations "

You already have City & Newcastle state owned, Chelsea spending as much as them, United always spending a fortune every summer , so even if United & Liverpool are also state owned u'll still need to have smart coaching & recruitment to out on top ,

You do have to laugh at "We want or Club back " brigade who'll then happily hand there club over to a state just because the have a shed load of oil money , Footballs a funny aul game,

breezy1985 · 10-02-2023 06:35PM

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/feb/10/football-daily-email-manchester-city-pep-guardiola

I have no problem with a manager who tries to separate the politics and job but Pep was never one of those.

His morals are about as bullsht as his beloved Barcelona's.

All I could think of is "today I feel gay, Muslim, ginger etc."

EltonJohn69 · 10-02-2023 06:38PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120225554#Comment_120225554

I didn’t expect him to go full victim.

Fitz* · 10-02-2023 06:45PM

Is there any reason why Pep singled out Daniel Levy?

SlickRic · 10-02-2023 08:44PM

Pep has no morals when it comes to Qatar or its money.

Never has.

Of course he was going to double down.

He's also making the very sensible bet that his owners will fight this until the PL can't afford to keep going.

~Rebel~ · 10-02-2023 08:48PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120226102#Comment_120226102

Yup, and with his extended contract expiring in 2 seasons time, there's a fair chance he'll be out the gap before the final judgement comes in anyway.

General Premier League Thread 2022-23 - mod note in OP 12/03/23

Comments