Saudi Retirement Home

[Jimbo Ram]

1 minute ago, Ram-a-lama fa fa fa said:

fair enough mate. love your morals. unfortunately most people dont think like that. wish they did tho 👍

How much money do top sportsman need 🤔 I personally would rather earn 200k a week and play in the Prem…just about prevent having to go to the Food Bank. I love Rory’s attitude with the Liv golf debacle. Just pure greed. Sort of off topic but how wasn’t that second 🇸🇦💵 goal offside? Must have been 3 of them offside when the free kick was taken 🧐

[Mick Brolly]

Results and fixtures now available on BBC sport 

 

[TigerTedd]

4 hours ago, Mick Brolly said:

Results and fixtures now available on BBC sport 

 

Abha have clearly named themselves so they always end up top of the league at the start of the season. 

like calling your plumbing business A. A. Aaronson and sons. 

[Bris Vegas]

Neymar heading to Saudi. He is only 31. He has had a strange career. He is truly a world class player, you don’t have over 100 caps for Brazil scoring 70+ goals and recording like 50 assists too if you’re not world class.

He won the treble with Barcelona. Won the Copa America with Brazil.

But saying that I don’t think people will put him in the same bracket as Ronaldo or Ronaldinho. Vinicius Jr will probably end up with more honors. 

Neymar has had a successful career. But there is a perception that he hasn’t fulfilled his potential. That he should have achieved more. Leaving Barca for PSG made sense in that he wanted to leave Messi’s shadow and become an icon for PSG by leading them to a CL title, perhaps winning a Ballon d’Or. But it’s now looking like he only joined PSG so he can have it easy, on and off the field.

At 31 he should still have another 3 years at the very top level. But he is joining a Saudi side for millions.

Did he never really have that desire for football? Going back, his record is amazing, but it feels he has underachieved. 

[Foreveram]

16 minutes ago, Bris Vegas said:

Neymar heading to Saudi. He is only 31. He has had a strange career. He is truly a world class player, you don’t have over 100 caps for Brazil scoring 70+ goals and recording like 50 assists too if you’re not world class.

He won the treble with Barcelona. Won the Copa America with Brazil.

But saying that I don’t think people will put him in the same bracket as Ronaldo or Ronaldinho. Vinicius Jr will probably end up with more honors. 

Neymar has had a successful career. But there is a perception that he hasn’t fulfilled his potential. That he should have achieved more. Leaving Barca for PSG made sense in that he wanted to leave Messi’s shadow and become an icon for PSG by leading them to a CL title, perhaps winning a Ballon d’Or. But it’s now looking like he only joined PSG so he can have it easy, on and off the field.

At 31 he should still have another 3 years at the very top level. But he is joining a Saudi side for millions.

Did he never really have that desire for football? Going back, his record is amazing, but it feels he has underachieved. 

Now I’m confused, I thought 31 was too old for league one.

[Bris Vegas]

1 hour ago, Foreveram said:

Now I’m confused, I thought 31 was too old for league one.

Elite level players should be aiming for 34-35 still at the top level, especially with modern science. It’s probably different for players at a lower level where form and ability seems to dive once hitting 30.

That said, for a club like Derby, recruitment is the most important aspect. It’s more important than the manager. With the right recruitment even dinosaurs like Nigel Pearson can succeed.

And when you sign 31 year olds, you know there is no sell-on value.

Edited August 14, 2023 by Bris Vegas

[Stive Pesley]

On 14/08/2023 at 16:21, Bris Vegas said:

Neymar heading to Saudi. He is only 31. He has had a strange career. He is truly a world class player, you don’t have over 100 caps for Brazil scoring 70+ goals and recording like 50 assists too if you’re not world class.

He won the treble with Barcelona. Won the Copa America with Brazil.

Weird one for sure - only a year older than Harry Kane. Similarly successful at international  level except with trophies

[DarkFruitsRam7]

On 27/06/2023 at 13:06, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

Realistically, how long is it before Saudi buy their way into the Champions League?

 

On 27/06/2023 at 14:12, David said:

UEFA = Union of European Football Associations.

Would need a complete rebrand to go down that path, Saudi's will go it their way and create some Middle East trophy.

[Anag Ram]

On 14/08/2023 at 09:33, Mick Brolly said:

Results and fixtures now available on BBC sport 

 

Anyone else used to do two teams with the same initial letter on the football pools?
 

Would be a nightmare on this coupon.

[Day]

6 hours ago, DarkFruitsRam7 said:

 

Not happened yet, if clubs have to vote it through there is no way that will be approved.

[RoyMac5]

39 minutes ago, David said:

Not happened yet, if clubs have to vote it through there is no way that will be approved.

Money does all the talking - where and when was the WC staged? It'll make it easier for the rest home to recruit younger customers.

[Day]

48 minutes ago, RoyMac5 said:

Money does all the talking - where and when was the WC staged? It'll make it easier for the rest home to recruit younger customers.

Right, but like I say if it's the clubs that have to vote to approve, I can't see them doing it. Spanish and Italian clubs have hated the Premier League for spending shed loads of money, now the Saudi's have come in and taken it to new levels, Premier League clubs will not be happy. 

A lot of power in those countries to veto.

Even if they don't have the power, all they have to do is threaten another super league and power back in their hands.

[Day]

Basically this:

Until the Saudis make an official approach to UEFA about including a Pro League team, it is difficult to know exactly how the pan-European footballing organisation will react.

However, most analysts would agree that the Saudis would face an uphill struggle in trying to convince UEFA to once again reformat the competition for the sake of a Saudi "wild card". There could also possibly be major kickback from European clubs who would be denied access to a spot in favour of a Saudi club.

Saudi Arabia gaining access to a UEFA competition could also potentially see Pro League clubs forced to acquiesce to UEFA's financial fair play regulations meant to ensure that clubs do not spend more than they earn. Adherence to these regulations could mean an end to the Saudi strategy of luring top talent away from Europe with huge amounts of money.

https://www.newarab.com/news/could-saudi-arabias-top-clubs-play-champions-league#:~:text=Saudi Arabia's bid to become a global force in football&text=Saudi Arabia see an opportunity,the 2024-25 season onward.

[SSD]

Can't link it for some reason, Celtics old superstar Jota who went to Saudi for £25 million wants out already after a month.

Obviously having no idea of the situation, this just seems very bizarre. If Glasgow seems a better place than Saudi Arabia then something isn't right...

[Day]

9 minutes ago, SSD said:

Can't link it for some reason, Celtics old superstar Jota who went to Saudi for £25 million wants out already after a month.

Obviously having no idea of the situation, this just seems very bizarre. If Glasgow seems a better place than Saudi Arabia then something isn't right...

Sounds like it wasn't his decision in this link

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-transfer-news/jota-sees-celtic-transfer-exit-30749014

[Bessie1]

According to The Sunday Times, “only 696 people watched Al-Ettifaq’s 1:0 loss at Al-Riyadh in which Henderson played.”  Henderson and Gerrard like Saudi so much that they live in Bahrain with “permissive alcohol laws”.  Henderson is quoted as saying: “money has never been a motivation”.  So I wonder what his motivation was, to go to Saudi and play in front of 696 fans. 🤔