It had to be Newcastle, whose potential takeover has brought such differing views because it is 80% funded by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.
Because of the Saudi’s terrible human rights record, Amnesty International are dead against it.
Some Premier League clubs are also against it, but probably because they don’t want to see another top club competing seriously for those four Champions League places every year.
And beIn Media Group based in Qatar, say their feeds for the Premier League games are being pirated by a Saudi Arabian station beoutQ, which they have known about for over a year now.
That last concern seems to be the one that has caused the Premier League a problem in their ongoing owners’ and directors’ tests.
There is nothing in the tests that mention anything about piracy of the Premier League games.
The current tests are whether the would-be buyers have a criminal background and stuff like that – as it befits a fit and proper person test – the former name of the tests for any would-be owners of a Premier League club.
There’s news today in the Chronicle that Sky Sports pundit Neville hosted an impromptu question and answer session on Twitter on Saturday morning and here’s Gary’s opinion about the takeover:
We either adopt a policy of working with nations to improve policies we don’t like or we alienate them until they change to our way. ( we aren’t perfect ) .
I prefer to collaborate and set targets where they change their ways than not communicate / deal with and not impact them https://t.co/zrVoQcOYdL
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) May 9, 2020
This reminds us a bit of how politics and sports collided over 40 years ago.
It was when then US President Jimmy Carter withdrew the US team from the Moscow 1980 summer Olympic Games as a protest for the Soviet Union invading Afghanistan and refusing to withdraw by a specific date.
That did very little, other than to prevent the American athletes from competing at an Olympic Games and was, of course, all about politics.
We hope politics and something Newcastle (the club and the City and our fans) have nothing to do with, the Saudi’s terrible human rights record, will not negatively impact the takeover of Newcastle United.
But you never know.
Comments welcome.
44 comments so far
The Hit Man & Her
May 9, 2020 at 1:24 PM
Comment #1Apart from Bruce actually still being in this poll I still don’t understand on what basis anyone thinks Pochettino would be the ideal candidate, after all what is it that people KNOW he can do as opposed to HOPE he can do, or are we getting carried away with the Young Foreign Manager magic wand effect?
the white tino
May 9, 2020 at 1:25 PM
Comment #2With all the talk about who Bryan Ferry supported, got me thinking of all the famous and wealthy toon supporters all over the world, and how soon we’d see them in the cathedral as supporters or come out and talk openly about their love of Newcastle United
DubaiMicky
May 9, 2020 at 1:28 PM
Comment #3When I was in my teens I was a member of Houghton Cycling Club, (I’d been moved to that area), Bryan Ferry was a member too, but way before me, he donated a gold disc to the Christmas raffle. I didn’t win it.
Jib
May 9, 2020 at 1:28 PM
Comment #4Tsunki
Us that KNOW footy
KNOW he had Spurs in the top 4 four seasons in a row
without spending a fortune plus the small matter of
a CL final
The Hit Man & Her
May 9, 2020 at 1:32 PM
Comment #5If this takeover dies happen (sorry still can’t get optimistic enough to believe it fully just yet) I think there will be a surge in support for the Toon that will overwhelm the adverse publicity our known enemies will try to push out. And I don’t think it will be an inflation by plastic fans, more the confirming of renewed enthusiasm by bona fide long time supporters previously suppressed by the years of awful governance by the despised Ashley. I don’t think we are the kind of club that will be affected too much by plastic fanship. Not in the awful way man it’s have done for years, or the glory riders like Chelsea or man city have. I don’t think we would make life so easy for them here 🙂
geordietom
May 9, 2020 at 1:33 PM
Comment #6jib …
i used pidgeon spanish …
DubaiMicky
May 9, 2020 at 1:34 PM
Comment #7Hit Man, weirdly our remoteness will help stop the deluge of plastic fans too. Look at the population with say 10 miles of citeh or chelski, many, many times more than ours.
Jib
May 9, 2020 at 1:34 PM
Comment #8I went camping Beadnell bay one Easter as a yoof
Saturday night the band at Beadnell Towers (now a boutique hotel)
was The Northern Gas Board (early incarnation of Roxy Music)
AncientC
May 9, 2020 at 1:34 PM
Comment #9cleveleysbob, not familiar with 2008 global recession? Even Michael Gove didn’t blame Labour for “bankrupting the country” because it’s patently untrue.
A little more research required I’d say.
Jib
May 9, 2020 at 1:35 PM
Comment #10Tom
Careful you don’t get droppings on your device
lesh
May 9, 2020 at 1:36 PM
Comment #11Clevelys
Your words from previous: ‘the Tory’s want us to keep as much of our own money as possible, so that we decide what to spend it on not the gvmt.’, roughly translate into privatisation.
Bearing in mind that that pillar of propriety, Tramp, will soon be testing Bowis’s (Cummings) commitment to protect the NHS when the US-UK trade talks get serious.
The Hit Man & Her
May 9, 2020 at 1:38 PM
Comment #12Howay jib first of all don’t try and claim you know footy remember Wanyama & Bournemouth, Real Valllecano and the Jogger Perez who wasn’t Ayoze? Just reel back in your inclusion of the footy knowledge club.
As for pochettino, I don’t doubt his ability to manage a club per se, but did he land at a broken club with a mismatched squad of workmanlike players? Did he start building the squad himself? Did he win anything? I want to know your considered understanding and proof as to why he can mend this squad, this club even, and take it upwards? How do you know he can do that? Is his track record lengthy and proven, enough for someone who has just spent hundreds of millions and wants things to go well right from the off? Do regale us with your insight!
lesh
May 9, 2020 at 1:39 PM
Comment #13AncientC
Tyrone and other right-leaners don’t do objective research. If they find what suits their ideals, that’ll be good enough to prove the point they’re looking to justify, they’re happy.
Jib
May 9, 2020 at 1:41 PM
Comment #14I seem to remember in that period Gordon Brown sold more than half of our gold reserves at the bottom of the market 401 tonnes out of a 715 tonne holding at $275 an ounce raising a measly $3.5billion
lesh
May 9, 2020 at 1:41 PM
Comment #15Correction to @13
Tyrone = Tories and other right-leaners……
Jib
May 9, 2020 at 1:44 PM
Comment #16They don’t do objective research. If they find what suits their ideals, that’ll be good enough
how insightful
lesh just described himself perfectly
The Hit Man & Her
May 9, 2020 at 1:44 PM
Comment #17I would definitely agree that the NHS Trusts are an unmitigated disaster and their handling of money a complete mess.
cleveleysbob
May 9, 2020 at 1:44 PM
Comment #18Tsunki at 5, well said, I hearted that.
I’ll not respond to Ancient or Lesh as I promised to stick to football, but hahahaha!
AncientC
May 9, 2020 at 1:44 PM
Comment #19Lesh, yes, it’s the age old ‘Socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor’.
lesh
May 9, 2020 at 1:45 PM
Comment #20Jiblets
Yet another revelation from your CV?
Your an economist as well as everything else and really should offering your services to Bowis.
Jail for Ashley
May 9, 2020 at 1:46 PM
Comment #21Jib,
Was that on the way back from watching Shakespeare or on the way there, or had you given Shakespeare a miss that Easter?
geordietom
May 9, 2020 at 1:48 PM
Comment #22Estoy seguro de la adquisición en nuestro club sucediendo…
lesh
May 9, 2020 at 1:48 PM
Comment #23Jib
The band ferry was in was known as The Gas Board. No Northern in it I’m afraid.
Jib
May 9, 2020 at 1:51 PM
Comment #24Ha ha ha
The Gas Board
fruedian slip
DOH
Jib
May 9, 2020 at 1:51 PM
Comment #25Freudian even
Jib
May 9, 2020 at 1:53 PM
Comment #26Jail for Ashley
Jib,
Was that on the way back from watching Shakespeare or on the way there, or had you given Shakespeare a miss that Easter?
Is that some kind of attempt at humour ?
Way over my head I’m afraid
lesh
May 9, 2020 at 1:54 PM
Comment #27Jail for Ashley
Don’t mock Jib. He knows all there is to know about Shakespeare.
A great theatre goer, he’s been to see The Sonnets umpteen times.
Ron Knee
May 9, 2020 at 1:56 PM
Comment #28Soundtrack of my life: Bryan Ferry
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2007/mar/18/popandrock.features10
Jib
May 9, 2020 at 1:56 PM
Comment #29ah so
lesh thinks it’s funny
that’s good
jail and lesh
an ex sunlun supporter and a guy that’s never been to a footy match in his life
cleveleysbob
May 9, 2020 at 1:58 PM
Comment #30John Gibson, hitting it on the head in Chron as usual. Spot on.
http://c.newsnow.co.uk/A/1030986721?-11058:809
Ron Knee
May 9, 2020 at 1:58 PM
Comment #31Ferry was born in 1945. I didn’t realise he was *that* old!
Munster Mag
May 9, 2020 at 1:59 PM
Comment #32Jib, spot on re Poch. Really lifted Spurs profile and it was a stunning CL run.
cleveleysbob
May 9, 2020 at 2:08 PM
Comment #33I’d be happy with Poch or Rafa, although I voted Allegri in the poll.
Rafa I think would be great for “rebuilding” the club. Downside is possibly that he’s not great on bringing through the young players. Longstaff only got his chance due to injuries/suspensions.
Poch has a reputation for developing young players, but his record at Spurs was pretty good overall despite that “not winning anything” that will haunt him until he does.
I think I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that I’d like Rafa as DoF and if we had Poch as Head Coach, it would be a dream team if they could work together, but I suspect Rafa wouldn’t go for that option, so it’s either/or in all likelihood.
Jail for Ashley
May 9, 2020 at 2:10 PM
Comment #34Jibbers,
You once told us that as a yoof you went to Shakespeare country every Easter, that wasn’t long before you claimed Homer was a Roman. That’s the trouble with porkues Jibley, they catch you out.
Lovem or Hatem
May 9, 2020 at 2:11 PM
Comment #35A country / government with a sovereign currency cannot go bankrupt.
Ron Knee
May 9, 2020 at 2:13 PM
Comment #36Unbelievable:
The White House@WhiteHouse
On May 8, 1945, America and Great Britain had victory over the Nazis!
“America’s spirit will always win. In the end, that’s what happens.”
geordietom
May 9, 2020 at 2:15 PM
Comment #37alas poor Yorick I knew him Horatio …
Jib
May 9, 2020 at 2:21 PM
Comment #38I don’t know about South Shields but when I was a kid
the Easter hols were at least two weeks.
You really are a thick c u n t Jail
Jail for Ashley
May 9, 2020 at 2:21 PM
Comment #39You can tell the blog is quiet when you know the two hearts Jibley’s getting for every comment are coming from geordietom and Munter, they’ll get a triple up when EGB gets back from his stone circle later on.
geordietom
May 9, 2020 at 2:25 PM
Comment #40you know when the blogs quiet when jail comes on and has a go people , so who hearting yours ? …
oh i know your favourite 19 posters …