Summer Transfer Thread 2023! - Closed (Maybe)

[Richard Arlison]

(Meh... We enjoyed the peak of every one of those players........ You make it sound like we cynically cashed in on them and trousered the cash, FFS!.)

Are you suggesting the upside to that era means nothing to you?

For me they were the most fun and most prolonged good times I've ever experienced on the terraces.

Would I swap that period just to say we're on par with the Scum in the painfully tedious 'net spend wars'? ..........No; I sure as fuck wouldn't!

Not saying it was cynical or not just saying that was the outcome.

 

[Airfixx]

Sure, but in that case they would be conspiring with clubs against UEFA.

Quite; but that's the shortsightedness (short-term greed) of FIFA/UEFA I speak of in a nutshell.

 

[daveyboy88]

What with the global demonising of Oil, and the push to greener futures they realise their tap of money is going to dry up somewhat, so better to funnel that enormous pile of cash into another revenue stream, what better than the global #1 sport of football.

They already own or have stakes in the biggest clubs in Europe and are buying more, now having their own league is a natural progression.

However with that said I'm skeptical of the future and success of their newly invented league, bit like the Chinese league, football has deep history in Europe and South America etc, it's a tribal game, families are divided over it, blood is spilt over it, it has taken many years to become the beast it is today.

Simply inventing a new league with teams means sod all if there's no history and reason to support other than some aging star names on the team sheets. No one wants to watch games in empty stadiums, and culturally there's a huge difference between Europe clubs and their vision.

How many European teams have global fans that relish the idea of getting the full match day experience of going to the ground and a pub before or after etc, people travel round the world to watch premier league games and experience this, you won't get a similar experience with their new found league.

exactly that. they cant replicate the culture and tradition of european football, especially in the fucking desert lol

 

[Richard Arlison]

What with the global demonising of Oil, and the push to greener futures they realise their tap of money is going to dry up somewhat, so better to funnel that enormous pile of cash into another revenue stream, what better than the global #1 sport of football.

They already own or have stakes in the biggest clubs in Europe and are buying more, now having their own league is a natural progression.

However with that said I'm skeptical of the future and success of their newly invented league, bit like the Chinese league, football has deep history in Europe and South America etc, it's a tribal game, families are divided over it, blood is spilt over it, it has taken many years to become the beast it is today.

Simply inventing a new league with teams means sod all if there's no history and reason to support other than some aging star names on the team sheets. No one wants to watch games in empty stadiums, and culturally there's a huge difference between Europe clubs and their vision.

How many European teams have global fans that relish the idea of getting the full match day experience of going to the ground and a pub before or after etc, people travel round the world to watch premier league games and experience this, you won't get a similar experience with their new found league.

Couldn't agree more.

You can see evidence of this with the MLS and Messi right now. That league is only just getting to the point of having a history and I'd be 20x more inclined to watch an MLS game than a Saudi league game with all their stars.

Football is about the clubs as much as it is the players.

If they wanted league's where they could buy the stars and people would follow, the US sports would have been a better bet but none of them, except Basketball, are truly global sports and Basketball clubs outside the NBA aren't good investments.

 

[Airfixx]

Not saying it was cynical or not just saying that was the outcome.

OK...... But, to my point, which outcome would you prefer?

A) The ride those players and Poch took us on.

B) Or a shit grind through the stadium build years, just so we can say "hey, at least our net spend looks good on paper vs the scum" (Not that that's financially possible given all the factors already noted, but for hypothesis sake)

?????


Your counter arguments distinctly point towards B..... But the opportunity to take a U-turn is still there.

 

[FightingIllini]

What with the global demonising of Oil, and the push to greener futures they realise their tap of money is going to dry up somewhat, so better to funnel that enormous pile of cash into another revenue stream, what better than the global #1 sport of football.

They already own or have stakes in the biggest clubs in Europe and are buying more, now having their own league is a natural progression.

However with that said I'm skeptical of the future and success of their newly invented league, bit like the Chinese league, football has deep history in Europe and South America etc, it's a tribal game, families are divided over it, blood is spilt over it, it has taken many years to become the beast it is today.

Simply inventing a new league with teams means sod all if there's no history and reason to support other than some aging star names on the team sheets. No one wants to watch games in empty stadiums, and culturally there's a huge difference between Europe clubs and their vision.

How many European teams have global fans that relish the idea of getting the full match day experience of going to the ground and a pub before or after etc, people travel round the world to watch premier league games and experience this, you won't get a similar experience with their new found league.

Not to be jingoistic here, but the most promising startup soccer league project outside of its traditional markets is definitely MLS, basically because of the know-how of America's global leadership in the sports and entertainment industry.

MLS and the Premier League are the only two leagues in the world I'm currently bullish on the medium-to-long term futures for, tbh. Possibly also Brazil.

 

[Richard Arlison]

Not on purpose anyway.

Saudi Arabia obviously wants the 2030 World Cup and may well bribe and cajole their way to it. As has been done by others many times before.

In terms of making their domestic league a power center of the global game, they don't really have an angle that I find terribly convincing.

But owning controlling stakes in many of Europe's biggest clubs can get them close to having a controlling stake in the world's biggest entertainment property. Especially when you consider the impact AI video production may have on the movie and music industries.... Live sport will get more and more important.

 

[Richard Arlison]

OK...... But, to my point, which outcome would you prefer?

A) The ride those players and Poch took us on.

B) Or a shit grind through the stadium build years, just so we can say "hey, at least our net spend looks good on paper vs the scum"

?????


Your counter arguments distinctly point towards B..... But the opportunity to take a U-turn is still there.

Why would B make our net spend look like the scum?

They blew us out the water over the last 5 years.

 

[Stov]

I’m in London right now. Paris is so much more beautiful.

I've been to Paris multiple times have always been underwhelmed.

Can name many cities more beautiful. London and Paris are on a par IMO.

 

[r-u-s-x]

City has been doing the same though. They do replace one or two first teamers annually, but if you look at their starting XI, most have been around for a while. They just do it more strategically and are an "easy decision" for players to join, so they usually get their first choice players.

As you say they replace one or two first steamers, that's all you need to do. They also have the luxury of spending big bucks and easing them in where most other teams they are expected to play.

We tried to do this with Richarlison, we'll see if it's successful but the backlash of 60m wasted was immediate thats not the same at city. And if he is not successful it's a huge hit for us, that's not the same at city (Phillips).

 

[Rebrov_Likes]

I think we'll struggle to get anyone better than Lo Celso to play second fiddle to Maddison. At the end of the day, key players are called key players for a reason

I’m not suggesting buying a similar player to Maddison, but another key player who could contribute in making or scoring goals.

Gio is a good back up, but has been here on and off for four years and never made a significant contribution in the PL to winning matches.

 

[FightingIllini]

But owning controlling stakes in many of Europe's biggest clubs can get them close to having a controlling stake in the world's biggest entertainment property.

Buying Newcastle was a much smarter play than what they're currently doing for their domestic league in the transfer market. Especially at the fantastic price they got.

 

[Spurs_in_Pune]

Not on purpose anyway.

Saudi Arabia obviously wants the 2030 World Cup and may well bribe and cajole their way to it. As has been done by others many times before.

In terms of making their domestic league a power center of the global game, they don't really have an angle that I find terribly convincing.

Qatar got the world cup without these saudi shenanigans of buying players from Europe. So why would the Saudis do that when there is a Qatari model to follow?

 

[Airfixx]

Why would B make our net spend look like the scum?

They blew us out the water over the last 5 years.

(It's a hypothesis)

Go back, read our posts again... Then get back to me......

 

[Richard Arlison]

Buying Newcastle was a much smarter play than what they're currently doing for their domestic league in the transfer market. Especially at the fantastic price they got.

Absolutely.

They are going to host friendly games at St James park with the Saudi NT playing. Geordies will pack that and support the Saudi team because they are so in love with the investment their new owners are bringing in.

 

[Rebrov_Likes]

Is a false equivalent. You can't compare golf, where you can entice the best players to play in it, because they'll be playing each other regardless of the organization the tournaments are organized by, to a sport with teams in numerous FAs in numerous countries and already set trophies with prestige that goes back decades.

Much more difficult to replicate in football what they did in golf.

Since Qatar played in the Copa America, I think we can assume anything is possible in football if the right money is offered.

 

[Airfixx]

Qatar got the world cup without these saudi shenanigans of buying players from Europe. So why would the Saudis do that when there is a Qatari model to follow?

Everyone knows Qatar was a massively corrupt sham..... FIFA's (albeit pitiful) credibility couldn't sustain pulling the same stunt twice within 1 bidding cycle.

Saudi's need to at least project that there's a semblance of a footballing nation there; however, the WC would be more of a sports-wash than being part of the power-grab for the game itself as a commercial entity.

 

[Get in!]

View: https://x.com/deadlinedaylive/status/1691806988362006971?s=46&t=DK3x3JffKkqwqcsQdIeO_A

That’s what? Approx €250m less ambitious than our worst rivals in the last 5 years? Despite having the same revenue or better and already having the best #9 in the world at your club, begging to be supported to win trophies?

Levy needs to leave this football club

And, with your logic, 150 million more ambitious than City.

At some point you have to get it through your thick heads that the amount of spending means fuck all, if it's not done smartly.

 

[Shadydan]

View: https://twitter.com/SpursITKhub/status/1691829886376133026

 

[Airfixx]

Absolutely.

They are going to host friendly games at St James park with the Saudi NT playing. Geordies will pack that and support the Saudi team because they are so in love with the investment their new owners are bringing in.

I just puked.