Yesterday was a bit of a dour news day concerning the takeover of Newcastle United. The BBC reported that Premier League chief Richard Masters responded back to Hatice Cengiz, the fiancee of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
In his letter back to Cengiz, Masters assured her that the league was fully considering her concerns in their approval process.
This development was compound by a report from the Financial Times. It reveals that Masters has also recently met with beIN executives who are lobbying the league to block the takeover on broadcast claims.
Then there’s an exclusive in the Independent that 16 MPs and peers have written to the government expressing concerns with the Saudi involvement in the Premier League.
Thankfully, the government thus far has remained neutral in the process.
Today the Mail’s Helen Cahill is reporting that Saudi Arabia is working to send an olive branch to Qatar over the alleged broadcast piracy.
This is what Cahill writes in her report.
Saudi Arabia is set to work out a peace deal over TV rights with Qatar amid fears the row could scupper the takeover of Newcastle.
Sources close to negotiations have told The Mail on Sunday that the Saudi wealth fund bidding for the club have pledged to use their influence in government to open talks between the two nations after Qatari broadcaster BeIN Sports threatened to derail the £300million deal over claims of TV piracy.
We still believe the Premier League will approve this takeover because this consortium meets the requirements outlined in its guidelines.
The league is being ultra-cautious and as thorough as possible by giving credence to every call to block this takeover. This is probably a wise decision on their part.
This whole process has been infected with politics.
The Premier League should not cower to the pressure being applied. They must remain committed to the rules and regulations they have put in place for the owners’ and directors’ tests.
326 comments so far
Mund
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:46 PM
Comment #41Tom
She seems like one of those journalists who doesn’t discriminate us. Seems like a decent journalist from what I’ve saw
DubaiMicky
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:46 PM
Comment #42JohnJ, they did that about 2 years or so ago. No diplomatic relations, Muslim Brotherhood had an “Embassy” in Qatar as did ISIS, that was the problem.
Gothmog's Pyjamas
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:47 PM
Comment #43GeordieTom
not sure Cahill is either, although she did do this piece for staveley on her Barclays case, would assume she wont be anti-mandy
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/article-8086245/Amanda-Staveley-City-dealmaker-whos-suing-Barclays-1-6-Billion.html
Interesting to hear about Mandy’s past, was sectioned when she was younger, has huntington’s disease too..
Tackle from behind
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:49 PM
Comment #44Open question here:-
How (in what ways) are the EFL owners tests different from the PL tests?
Furthermore – do teams promoted from the EFL to the PL have to go through the PL owners tests?
Can anyone enlighten me please.
JohnJ
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:50 PM
Comment #45Gothmog’s Pyjamas
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:46 PM
Comment #40
JohnJ
The Qatar embargo happened in 2017 so has been in place for 3 years or so.
Yeah I know but it seems to me to be something the EPL have overlooked with all the other sh1te that’s being mooted.
geordietom
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:50 PM
Comment #46OP …
https://www.notre-planete.info/photos/5843_eruption-piton-fournaise-092016.jpg
geordietom
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:53 PM
Comment #47is it time for a joke yet 😀
Optimistic prime
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:53 PM
Comment #48Anglo
Could they fact the whole of the Geordie nation will be celebrating like they’d all just won the Euromillions be why they’re keeping this quiet.
Loads can say this won’t happen or that won’t happen.
Imagine if it’s the 9th of june and a sunny afternoon when Amanda and the PIF come racing in..
A few bevvies will already be flowing and which fan won’t atleast think of a stroll past the hallowed ground that is SJP.
Most have been on some form of lockdown and a fair few would turn up, just look at coast and parks, you know yourself SJP has a tractor beam that can’t be resisted.
It’s all guesswork, I’m still of the belief its Bein Beout sorting their shit. I can’t see how the PL would refuse the Golden goose and send it to different country
geordietom
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:54 PM
Comment #49cheers for the info lads …
Mund
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:54 PM
Comment #50Yes Tom
Gothmog's Pyjamas
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:54 PM
Comment #511 per hour Tom
Anglo Saxon
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:54 PM
Comment #52Tom think the blog needs to do some crowdfunding to pay you off my friend.
JohnJ
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:55 PM
Comment #53Tackle from behind
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:49 PM
Comment #44
I can’t ever recall one of the promoted teams into the EPL being held back or refused entry. In my opinion I think it’s pretty automatic that the teams that are in the final frame are the teams that come up.
Never known any probs with relegated teams going down either! 🙂
The Hit Man & Her
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:55 PM
Comment #54Yes we have never been given an announcement date. But somehow a high level, major financial deal has been publicly leaked, talked about, insiders have been eavesdropping and hinted at dates, told us processes are ongoing, somehow I am of the mind that the parties involved, Ashley – who has never given out more than the bare bones of need to know and which is precisely his policy, and a state investment fund, have been so indiscreet and careless in their negotiations that they have created a landslide of misinformation and speculation. Exactly the opposite of what those parties would want I should think.
All the protests about Human Rights, murders, broadcast rights infringements are exactly what they would want to keep a firm secret right through to the owners and directors test. And I will say again, these issues won’t have a bearing on that test, look at the rules and circumstances of it. It makes no sense they would be so careless as to jeopardise a deal like this by being so unprofessional.
It’s all very odd.
Anglo Saxon
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:55 PM
Comment #55Gothmog’s Pyjamas, stop egging him on.
Zele
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:56 PM
Comment #56WLtoon,
Because the games will be played behind closed doors no one knows whether home advantage will still apply coupled with the potential of more injuries than normal may lead to some unexpected results.
I suspect that teams that win their first two games will survive.
Ordinarily teams that don’t win loose their confidence and become quite nervous with the anxious crowd getting on their backs but under closed door matches that scenario may not occur.
The remains games of the season could be a nervous time sitting at home.
Zele
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:57 PM
Comment #57Remaining games
JohnJ
Jun 7, 2020 at 12:59 PM
Comment #58How about when the takeover is confirmed we all head to open spaces with out Black & White tops on! Just to show the world how cuffed & happy we are!!!!! 🙂
Optimistic prime
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:01 PM
Comment #59Tsunki
Could it be all signed and sealed barring confirmation of PL status for next year.
Could this be the reason behind them not being bothered about speculation etc
It’s been mentioned on here before, obviously that’s not something you’d want public as the effects on team and management could be catastrophic .
JohnJ
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:02 PM
Comment #60Head to open spaces with our Black & White tops on! Think my open space would be Tynemouth long sands near Crusoes!
WLtoon
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:02 PM
Comment #61The only people saying anything about the takeover are journo,s.
What have the Reuben,s said. Nothing
What has PIF said. Nothing.
What has Staveley said. Nothing.
Everything we hear is just hearsay and opinions. Journo,s are trying to set a direction for this takeover.
The consortium have said zilch, and that is the way it should be.
Australian Pie
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:02 PM
Comment #62Whoever gets relegated besides maybe Norwich will be looking to blame that corona virus has treated them unfairly.
i sympathise with them but at the end of the day better squads handle increased injuries better, better squads handle not having the fans there better and hence the right teams will likely go down
geordietom
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:03 PM
Comment #63https://dnre29p915wg3.cloudfront.net/media/catalog/product/cache/1/thumbnail/700×700/0dc2d03fe217f8c83829496872af24a0/n/e/newcastle-98-away_1_1_1_2_1_1_1_1_2_2_3_1_2_2_2_1.jpg…
this is the newcastle top i take on my travels …
Optimistic prime
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:03 PM
Comment #64Zele
Bundesliga sort of suggests home advantage counts for zip.
I’m bracing myself for 3 straight losses due to that and our usual slow start.
Mund
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:03 PM
Comment #65OP
Some have mentioned that on here but my thing on that is would Mike Ashley sit there and just accept that?
jane
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:03 PM
Comment #66The Hit Man & Her i couldn’t have said it better…but i said it first! you stole your ideas from me!
Gothmog's Pyjamas
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:03 PM
Comment #67OP
If you believe George Caulkin, which i probably would, then the buyers have still been answering Qs this past week on the piracy issue,so think it is still ongoing.
After this wait, and with the barclays case starting now for Mandy, i cant see them holding off announcing it as they have lost more time already than they planned. They are in it for the long term too so dont think relegation would make them walk away.
Jib
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:04 PM
Comment #68Cahill defo wont be antiMandy
They both went to Cambridge
HC from 2010 to 2015
geordietom
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:04 PM
Comment #69sorry lads i dont do eggs … 😀
Australian Pie
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:04 PM
Comment #70I see it between the bottom 6 with Southampton and Newcastle safe, also think looking at the fixtures West Ham will be ok.
Australian Pie
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:05 PM
Comment #71My pick would be
20.Norwich
19.Aston Villa
18.Watford
geordietom
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:05 PM
Comment #72ANGLO ….
tis ok mate i dont need the money lol…
Anglo Saxon
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:07 PM
Comment #73OP A few bevvies I can guarantee I will be drunk for a whole week mate first time ever.
Tackle from behind
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:07 PM
Comment #74Cheers JohnJ
I was away down a rabbit hole, thinking if the PiF were refused by the PL, then we got relegated, the PiF could then buy a EFL club, pass their tests and get promoted to the PL who then couldn’t refuse.
WLtoon
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:08 PM
Comment #75Zele
As far as we are concerned , i think it could work in our favour playing behind closed doors. I agree that certain players wont feel as much pressure and could perform much better, i,e Joelinton, Bentaleb.
I think we need 3 points, honestly cant see Brighton or Bournemouth getting 38 points on the board with the fixtures they have left.
Anglo Saxon
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:08 PM
Comment #76Tom mate some of your jokes are ok it’s just the 99.9% that’s not.
jane
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:09 PM
Comment #77WLtoon #61 join the club you see it too.
Optimistic prime
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:09 PM
Comment #78Goth/Mund
Not sure Ashley would but if they’re the only player in town with ready cash in place MAYBE.
I find a lot of the journalists hard to believe, George os one of the better ones but I’m not sure he really knows anything either.
If it’s easier to take over the club in the Championship will the team take one for the team 🙂
Gothmog's Pyjamas
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:09 PM
Comment #79Man City’s appeal against their European ban starts tomorrow.
Could have huge consequences for us if it gets overturned, basically would mean we could set up the same over-priced sponsorship deals wihth Saudi companies to give us a push.
geordietom
Jun 7, 2020 at 1:11 PM
Comment #80I came to work this morning and was shocked to find that our company was bought over by a firm in Madrid.
No one expects the Spanish acquisition.