It all started with Cristiano signing for Al Nassr last year. Karim Benzema, the Real Madrid striker and one of the best on the planet currently, decided to move to Al-Ittihad. He is joined by N’Golo Kante who had injuries last season but is still a very decent player on the field.
Ruben Neves from Wolves had interest from different Premier League teams. Not long ago, every other Arsenal fan wanted Mikel to bring him to Emirates, he is such a decent midfielder that he will start in any of the PL team’s midfield bar City. He has moved to Al-Hilal, at the age of 26 for a 3 year contract, and Wolves are getting £47m for him. Chelsea has shifted Hakim Ziyech and Edouard Mendy is expected to leave too. There are rumours of Koulibaly, Mahrez, Aubameyang, Neymar and a bunch of others.
Is it any difference to Chinese Super League or MLS? In short, yes.
China turned out to be a retirement home, so did MLS (and even now, they are). Players who had spent their best days, were moving to MLS and CSL, to earn a big fat check. Kind of a ‘grab whatever you can coz it’s going to be over soon’ round. But what Saudi League has managed differently is that, they have attracted some of the best and in-their-prime players. Though, Ronaldo had a bad season by his standards at Old Trafford, he could have literally walked into any of the teams he wanted. Benzema is still a hot entity in world football. Heck, I would have loved Neves at Arsenal for that amount of money.
Mendy is a Champions League winner. Riyad Mahrez, Bernando Silva, Gundogan, who all just won a trebble at City, are all being linked to different Saudi teams. We even have rumours for one of our own, Thomas Partey. Much like others, Partey is still in his prime and had a brilliant season with us. He still has couple of good years left in him.
What Saudi League has done, is, attract the attractive ones (money helps) and build from there. Any other league like Indian Soccer League are low on budget, they can’t pay millions and though the playing condition is a bit of hostile, it’s not as much as Saudi Arabia here. It’s the bottom up approach for Indian Football. It’s the top down for Saudis. Hear me out, Ngolo Kante is rumoured to have a net worth of 23m euros after playing in one of the richest league, in one of the richest clubs in Chelsea and winning almost everything. He will earn whooping 100m euros in his 4 year contract at the Saudi club. 4 times his net worth!
Is it going to last?
I don’t know. Unlike China and US, they have money and they can keep doing it forever. The lot that’s reaching Saudi this year (and the next year) will decide how famous they get, and how much impact it will have on European Football. English football in particular is rooted enough, and might not have impact in terms of revenue and popularity locally, but there’s a bigger market share outside and Saudi league will compete with it. Some of the neutral fans are invested in players (Ronaldo, Messi e.g.) rather than the club they play for.
What can the English club do?
Nothing, they have opened the pandora box. From an owner, who spent half a billion in one season, and now wants to shift some players and recoup some of that money, has a buyer outside Europe. Players, who were sitting on bench, being paid a whooping 100k/week wages will earn 10x of that. It’s a win-win for the club and the players as of now. It won’t be long before the players whom the club wants to keep, will ask for a transfer for that 10x money. It won’t be long before it further inflates the market because you have to pay substantially more to keep your prized possession from moving to Saudi (and MLS has opened the gate too with Messi and Image/TV rights).
In my honest opinion, it’s worse that the European Super League. Either it will ruin the financials all over, or it will force clubs to go back to grassroot level of developing footballer and instilling in them the club identity over money.
Only positive? For every Neves, there’s a Lukaku.
You are welcome to disagree with what I feel, because I haven’t seen anything like this. I don’t know how it will turn out. I would be more interested in your opinion about why/why not it’s a good thing for football in general and English Premier League in particular.
Bob
It’s never easy selling to a market that is flush with clubs wanting to sell, this particular period seems to be worse than most. In this situation, I’d see Edu’s job as finding the right fits for our outgoings and sell that to the clubs best suited. Assuming the fit is mutually beneficial, If the player doesn’t want to go, then let him train alone. The club has acted fairly in trying to help move the player on. Xhaka and Partey are of our own doing yet again.
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To be fair and for footballing reasons only, I’d keep Partey for one more season unless it’s all about to go pear shaped for him, then let him be someone else’s problem.
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I see Everton want Raul to get them out of the mire and find them players.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETxmCCsMoD0
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Come on no way Raul gets Pink Floyd. Corny seriously fits and they were Sweden’s biggest export.
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KSE needs an elite negotiator and salesperson who can sell dreams successfully while sedating Mikel – seducing if it’s a woman.
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There’s that and being more financially prudent in the issuing of packages and deals with the future firmly in mind assessed by an algorithm, perhaps?
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Time will tell, Bob.
Tony
Bob is bullshitting you about his disdain for hot temperatures and high humidity. He’s a veteran of the coasts and jungles of central America for chrissakes! Bob – have you read Mosquito Coast or seen the film? That mega fridge that the father built. The coast and cays of the Yucatan and Belize were pretty full-on but I imagine it just got that extra bit stickier and gnattier down your way.
I know that feeling of inner city heat though. Washington DC was insane in summer. Down here on the SW coast of Wales, thankfully there’s usually a westerly breeze at some stage of the day.
The heat… The dust… The flies… The auld shileleagh! Get the beers in Bob – that’ll cool things down.
https://www.theguardian.com/football/2023/jun/26/pakistan-india-football-south-asian-cup
Hi Ambarish, Hoopah, Divyanshu
I saw this and thought of you. I don’t know if you watched it but it sounded like the kind of full-on sporting occasion that one expects between India and Pakistan these days. I see your man Chhteri played his part.
Igor Stimac sounds like he’s taking a leaf out of Arteta’s book of being sporting to the opposition…
Stimac used to play for Southampton back in the day i think which possibly helps to explain why he can be an arsehole.
Kroenke,
When I first went to Utila the island’s electricity ran on a generator which was turned off at around 10pm. Being much younger and getting accustomed to the heat made it more manageable, as well as being able to snorkel in the Caribbean in my luck breaks! Obviously sea breezes were a feature but a still, humid day was to be endured. By the end of my time there I was usually sleeping with aircon. The sand flies were the worst aspect of the island though. Vaguely remember Mosquito Coast…
‘Inner city heat’ is brutal! Working when it’s over 26c is harsh. Yesterday after walking the dog I mostly kept still!
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/jun/26/elton-john-at-glastonbury-review-headline-pyramid-stage
Isn’t it marvelous how you still can’t see the join… Yeah right!
Someone should tell Watford’s favourite and baldest son that he needs a smaller syrup because his head has shrunk with age a bit like something from a West African ju-ju market.
I’m no longer a fan of that old nazi Morrissey but I’ll always remember a wonderful quote of his about Elton John…
‘I’ve been a sworn vegetarian for as long as I can remember, but I’d give it up in an instant if someone brought me Elton John’s head on a plate….’
Tony
Not sure if you’re a fan of the little fella (I doubt it given the stuff I know you’re into) but there ought to be a soundproofed geriatric jail on Mars for rock stars who refuse to put their axes, drums, pianos anything down. Elton, the Stones, Paul McCartney the lot of ’em. I’d even pilot the Rocket! 🚀
Kroenke, funnily enough I was having a slightly heated discussion with my step daughter On Saturday whilst watching Guns n Roses, about ageing musicians performing. She argued that if they’re way past their peak they shouldn’t perform, I argued that nostalgic pleasure is real and trumps the faded talent issue. I guess we both had a point! We agreed to differ!
The thought of eating Elton John’s head is more than disgusting, just imagine him turning up on a silver platter with an apple stuffed in his mouth!
KP
I liked Elton in his Goodbye Yellow brick Road 73 days. He had such a good writing partnership with Bernie Taupin. They went their own ways after and I lost interest in Elton for maybe a decade or so where some of his hits I liked. Talented guy for sure.
Now just hold on a minute the Rolling Stones needs to stay but the Stone Roses and others you mention are an embarrassment. Their live sets and I’ve got many BluRays/files of them, are just excellent. Bassist, Darryl Jones, as with Guy Pratt with Floyd added to the Stones musicality greatly, and probably elongated their career and what else Mick Jagger fancied lengthening.
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Great Bass line in Out of control from live in Bremen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6Zgp3Kw6Q0
#keepthestonesearthbound
Mind you, KP, I read that they were playing with Bill Wyman, the statue like bass player, again. Maybe they can be put on the pending list.
The above track was 98. Cuba was an excellent gig, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXnQp8EJEvE
RIP Charlie missed not forgotten.
Bob
I entirely agree with your daughter. These old bands are rock and roll establishment which ought to be mutually exclusive terms. In my view, they and the awful programmes that Simon Cowell make should be discredited (note I don’t use the word ‘banned’) and the way should be genuinely cleared for younger and original talent. If the festival phenomenon started with Woodstock, I doubt that Bill Haley, Mel Torme and Perry Como were considered for the headline acts. Glastonbury just looks to me like an exemplification of white, smug englishness saying look how edgy we are sipping prosecco watching Elton John reprise his back catalogue for the 500,000th time.
The Clash had it right when they penned that track 1977
In 1977 I hope I go to heaven
‘Cause I been too long on the dole
And I can’t work at all
Danger stranger
You better paint your face
No Elvis, Beatles, or The Rolling Stones
In 1977
In 1977
Anyway,who believes EJ is actually going to retire? I saw what was vaunted as the Who’s last ever gig at the Birmingham NEC in about 1980. They were back on the circuit in months. So will Elton be when the lame and toupee industries undergo inflation. Old Elton might need shrinkflation as well.
I get your point to some extent Tony but it’s striking that bands that walked the walk are happy now not to be taking to the stage using zimmer frames and have therefor grown old more gracefully.
When Jagger leaves this mortal coil, I’m have expecting some Tory ballbag to call for a national week of mourning. I find the likes of de Niro and Pacino becoming father’s again in their 70s equally yuck.
Phew! This all makes such a welcome change from speculating whether the bubble blowers are going to serve up Rice. I took a rarish dip into LG today. Soooooo fucking dull.
Just got a soft spot for the stones, Kp, but good analogy with Perry Como and Woodstock.
Did you see Lil Nas or Lizzo- this old git didn’t know where to look. My five year old grandson thought it was hilarious.
https://images.perthnow.com.au/publication/C-11090305/94d3c2fd4cf6274bb5c7acf4ba930cc41972b153.jpg?imwidth=1024&impolicy=pn_v3
https://binaries.irishnews.com/2023/06/24/195920450-506b4821-e5dd-4d31-ab5a-5b4416560c78.jpg
Hi Bob
It seems risqué but if you look back at Donna Summer, Silvester (not the Manure reject that played so badly for us! ) or Frankie Goes…. It all seems hackneyed and the opposite of avant garde.
If you think about some of the genuine original, novel acts that we saw (Kraftwerk, Joy Division, the Pistols, Soft Cell to name but a few) the whole industry comes across as eggbound 🥚🥚🥚 and lazy these days. I was talking to a mate the other day about the absolute wonder that was music between say 77 and 85, each genre with their own avid cult following. Punk, new wave, ska, heavy metal, reggae, disco, soul, goth, synth pop, garage bands, mod revival, rnb revival, and Dexy’s who stood out on the own. And record labels were also much more adventurous and willing to take risks. Other genres have come along since (dance music, drum and base, grunge, indie) but that time was just so fucking rich in terms of variety, and kids really defended one style against another. It would be terrific if today’s and future generations reattempted genuine originality and freshness.
Add David Bowie to Dexys of course.
KP-that might be a bit if a cynical take, you just have to look a little harder nowadays…acts like Ween, King Gizzard, anything Jack White, Vulfpeck, Goose, Frank Ocean, Eels, Dungen, 21 Pilots, Civil Twilight, Crown Lands, Greta Van Fleet, Beck etc…I just think there’s a very peculiar dichotomy out there in the musical universe right now, as music has never been more and less accessible…Cheers
Kroenke, I guess that we go way back so when we see a contemporary band who is ‘trendy’ I know I regularly consider that their sound is derivative. “sounds just like…insert who you will’.
I completely agree with your point about musical variety and originality. Nowadays you can access all manner of new music but just like everything else algorithms will point you in the same direction. Did I mention the week before last I saw The Beat (the original singer Dave Wakeling at least!) supported by Bow Wow Wow.
I was drinking buddies with Dave Ball for a few years in a boozer off the Marylebone High Street in the late 80s, early 90s. Genuinely lovely bloke.
“Kai Havertz could soon become one of the Premier League’s most expensive signings of the summer transfer window despite enduring a difficult season with Chelsea” SKY
hardly a ringing endorsement of our first “big” deal of this TW…I’ll take a bit of a wait and see approach on this one in the hopes that we can somehow unlock the Bayer version, with him playing primarily in the 8 hole
KP-what’s really gone the way of the Dodo is live music venues, of the smaller, more local variety, as there’s not enough good bands who actually play fucking instruments…turn on some AGT bullshit and people are going gaga for someone playing a subpar guitar lick or an electric violin, almost as if Hendrix and/or Nash the Slash never existed…I’m somewhat fortunate as I raised my kids on my musical leanings so when they bring something new to me it tends to be something of merit
simply put, if we fail to secure Rice and/or Caicedo, then try to act like Fofana or Lavia or even Onana are readymade viable alternatives, the shits going to hit the fan…all the above players are currently depth pieces and not the kind of individuals you throw away Partey for, especially with Jorginho eagerly waiting in the wings for Arteta/Edu to screw the pooch this summer