comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 54 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 4 minutes ago
If the Saudi royal family owned Manchester United, principled supporters would have a great opportunity to make regular demonstrations about human rights at home matches. It would give us leverage to embarrass and pressurise an authoritarian state we could otherwise only dream of. I'm all for it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Why do you need to have Saudi owners to demonstrate? Whats holding you back to take a banner to the game now and demonstrate against the Saudis?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I can never quite tell whether you're facetious or just thick, Hulk. In case it's the latter, the point is that random people protesting against random thing will get no headlines and no traction; whereas United fans having a go at their own proprietors in and around the stadium would get plenty of media attention. Given that this hypothetical purchase would be all about PR, having negative publicity around it would undermine the whole vanity project.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I am not thick, United matches are aired on a global scale with one of the largest fan bases in the world. Do you think you if a large group of fans held up several banners in a Champions League match protesting against Saudi Arabia it wouldnt make the news? Whos thick?
If you were genuinely against Saudi Arabia you wouldn't need to wait for Saudi ownership to held a protest against Saudi Arabia.
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 12 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 54 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 4 minutes ago
If the Saudi royal family owned Manchester United, principled supporters would have a great opportunity to make regular demonstrations about human rights at home matches. It would give us leverage to embarrass and pressurise an authoritarian state we could otherwise only dream of. I'm all for it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Why do you need to have Saudi owners to demonstrate? Whats holding you back to take a banner to the game now and demonstrate against the Saudis?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I can never quite tell whether you're facetious or just thick, Hulk. In case it's the latter, the point is that random people protesting against random thing will get no headlines and no traction; whereas United fans having a go at their own proprietors in and around the stadium would get plenty of media attention. Given that this hypothetical purchase would be all about PR, having negative publicity around it would undermine the whole vanity project.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
With very little effect, if the green and gold campaign is anything to go by.
It's heartening to read that people are uneasy about this, rather than just seeing petrodollars.
And why wait with protesting against the Saudis until they bought you? Why not protest against the take over? What, so you can have the opportunity to protest against the owners once they own you, because it will get more media attention?
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 14 minutes ago
And why wait with protesting against the Saudis until they bought you? Why not protest against the take over? What, so you can have the opportunity to protest against the owners once they own you, because it will get more media attention?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It would be more about being unhappy with the owners of the football club you support than this week's happy clappy crusade down the bleeding heart social.
pretty transparent attempt at sportswashing, worked for City/ UAE so Saudi are trying it with man u.
Use Man Us massive and passionate fanbase to "launder" Saudi Arabias reputation.
comment by Redinthehead - FreeGaza - فلسطين (U1860)
posted 8 minutes ago
pretty transparent attempt at sportswashing, worked for City/ UAE so Saudi are trying it with man u.
Use Man Us massive and passionate fanbase to "launder" Saudi Arabias reputation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hard to disagree with that.
Apart from it hasn’t worked at all for Abu Dhabi, it’s brought significantly more interest and focus to a whole swathe of people that couldn’t point to it in on a map before (and probably still can’t).
That was never the motive though, it’s always been to eventually sell and make a profit.
comment by meltonblue (U10617)
posted 47 minutes ago
Apart from it hasn’t worked at all for Abu Dhabi, it’s brought significantly more interest and focus to a whole swathe of people that couldn’t point to it in on a map before (and probably still can’t).
That was never the motive though, it’s always been to eventually sell and make a profit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If they wait a couple of hundred years they'll probably get their two billion back. It's a long game.
They’ve sold some to Chinese investors that valued it at more than that already. Three to five years max and they’ll sell the rest.
All surplus capital is dirty.
No point in pretending otherwise.
It's akin to asking to choose between who would you least like as a fellow fan, Glitter or Saville.
Saudi have spoken up and have said the story is bollox and that meetings with the club are about sponsorship.
comment by Kung Fu Cantona 🙏🏼 🇵🇸 (U18082)
posted 18 minutes ago
Saudi have spoken up and have said the story is bollox and that meetings with the club are about sponsorship.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Regardless, Eric will be fuming
comment by The Post Nearly Man. Please don't take my Solskjaer away. (U1270)
posted 12 hours, 14 minutes ago
comment by Redinthehead - FreeGaza - فلسطين (U1860)
posted 8 minutes ago
pretty transparent attempt at sportswashing, worked for City/ UAE so Saudi are trying it with man u.
Use Man Us massive and passionate fanbase to "launder" Saudi Arabias reputation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hard to disagree with that.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is an example of it in action..
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/nov/24/manchester-city-fans-defence-uae-sportswashing-tribal-loyalty
“The UAE’s enormous investment in Manchester City is one of football’s most brazen attempts to ‘sportswash’ a country’s deeply tarnished image,” Amnesty International said this month, referring to claims of exploited labour and human rights abuses.
Back to the Saudi / Man Utd topic, what would have happened in the Kashoggi murder?
It is very real situation that the reputation of Saudi Arabia is at a low. With the Kashoggi murder and the fact Theresa May suppressed a report on terrorist funding which allegedly showed a lot comes from Saudi.
If this rumoured takeover goes ahead, Saudi Arabia has a band of 400m proxy supporters overnight.
Cheap at 3.4bn.
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 13 hours, 9 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 54 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 4 minutes ago
If the Saudi royal family owned Manchester United, principled supporters would have a great opportunity to make regular demonstrations about human rights at home matches. It would give us leverage to embarrass and pressurise an authoritarian state we could otherwise only dream of. I'm all for it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Why do you need to have Saudi owners to demonstrate? Whats holding you back to take a banner to the game now and demonstrate against the Saudis?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I can never quite tell whether you're facetious or just thick, Hulk. In case it's the latter, the point is that random people protesting against random thing will get no headlines and no traction; whereas United fans having a go at their own proprietors in and around the stadium would get plenty of media attention. Given that this hypothetical purchase would be all about PR, having negative publicity around it would undermine the whole vanity project.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I am not thick, United matches are aired on a global scale with one of the largest fan bases in the world. Do you think you if a large group of fans held up several banners in a Champions League match protesting against Saudi Arabia it wouldnt make the news? Whos thick?
If you were genuinely against Saudi Arabia you wouldn't need to wait for Saudi ownership to held a protest against Saudi Arabia.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for clarifying which of the two it was.
There are thousands of worthy causes that people could protest about. Human rights in Saudi Arabia would be low on my list because I have no traction - I'm not a citizen of the country, have never travelled there, and don't do business with it. Why would a group of United fans decide to single out that cause over protesting against a dozen other equally despicable regimes? And if they did want to protest about Saudia Arabia, why would they in particular do it at a football match, rather than e.g. in the city centre?
If the club were bought by the Saudi royal family, all of the above conditions would change. There would be a concrete connection between SA and the club, the fans would be associated with the owners - and in the eyes of many tainted by the association. Protests in this situation would become far more meaningful, would attract far more media attention, and would have a great deal more traction.
Pleased to spell it out in simple terms for the non-facetious.
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 1 hour, 15 minutes ago
comment by Kung Fu Cantona 🙏🏼 🇵🇸 (U18082)
posted 18 minutes ago
Saudi have spoken up and have said the story is bollox and that meetings with the club are about sponsorship.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Regardless, Eric will be fuming
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuming that it looks to be a load of nonsense ??? Please explain that one to me. Intrigued how I'd be fuming about that.
“Here is an example of it in action..
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/nov/24/manchester-city-fans-defence-uae-sportswashing-tribal-loyalty”
That isn’t an example of it in action, that’s a prime example of where being associated with City has brought them increased focus, not less. I thought It was completely wrong that Ronay even sought the association in that particular case
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 51 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 13 hours, 9 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 54 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 4 minutes ago
If the Saudi royal family owned Manchester United, principled supporters would have a great opportunity to make regular demonstrations about human rights at home matches. It would give us leverage to embarrass and pressurise an authoritarian state we could otherwise only dream of. I'm all for it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Why do you need to have Saudi owners to demonstrate? Whats holding you back to take a banner to the game now and demonstrate against the Saudis?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I can never quite tell whether you're facetious or just thick, Hulk. In case it's the latter, the point is that random people protesting against random thing will get no headlines and no traction; whereas United fans having a go at their own proprietors in and around the stadium would get plenty of media attention. Given that this hypothetical purchase would be all about PR, having negative publicity around it would undermine the whole vanity project.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I am not thick, United matches are aired on a global scale with one of the largest fan bases in the world. Do you think you if a large group of fans held up several banners in a Champions League match protesting against Saudi Arabia it wouldnt make the news? Whos thick?
If you were genuinely against Saudi Arabia you wouldn't need to wait for Saudi ownership to held a protest against Saudi Arabia.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for clarifying which of the two it was.
There are thousands of worthy causes that people could protest about. Human rights in Saudi Arabia would be low on my list because I have no traction - I'm not a citizen of the country, have never travelled there, and don't do business with it. Why would a group of United fans decide to single out that cause over protesting against a dozen other equally despicable regimes? And if they did want to protest about Saudia Arabia, why would they in particular do it at a football match, rather than e.g. in the city centre?
If the club were bought by the Saudi royal family, all of the above conditions would change. There would be a concrete connection between SA and the club, the fans would be associated with the owners - and in the eyes of many tainted by the association. Protests in this situation would become far more meaningful, would attract far more media attention, and would have a great deal more traction.
Pleased to spell it out in simple terms for the non-facetious.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Exactly. It's a simple social science argument. Connections (in this case to KSA) causing disconnections (to the clubs fans), leading to disruption ( e.g. protests).
Also Hulk, these are rumours, would be a bit silly to protest a rumour. If it is confirmed that a bid is forthcoming, I'm various supporters groups have gauged opinion and will take action.
Sky's Bryan Swanson retweeted a ME source, saying the takeover wasn't happening and the meetings were simply to do with sponsorship. Was gonna do an article but couldn't be bothered having to point out the obvious differences in taking sponsorship money from MBS and him actually owning the club.
“If this rumoured takeover goes ahead, Saudi Arabia has a band of 400m proxy supporters overnight”
I don’t think it works like that.
comment by Eric_the_king (SE85) (U21241)
posted 1 hour, 41 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 1 hour, 15 minutes ago
comment by Kung Fu Cantona 🙏🏼 🇵🇸 (U18082)
posted 18 minutes ago
Saudi have spoken up and have said the story is bollox and that meetings with the club are about sponsorship.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Regardless, Eric will be fuming
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuming that it looks to be a load of nonsense ??? Please explain that one to me. Intrigued how I'd be fuming about that.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy to take sponsorship money off them Erik, so moral so much fortitude.
comment by gratedbean (U4885)
posted 31 minutes ago
“If this rumoured takeover goes ahead, Saudi Arabia has a band of 400m proxy supporters overnight”
I don’t think it works like that.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It does.
As the man city fans defending the UAE re Bridges shows. Sod all to do with football, far removed from their lives but because it is the owners of Man city involved it provokes blind support from the Man City fanbase.
comment by MBL. (U6305)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by Eric_the_king (SE85) (U21241)
posted 1 hour, 41 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 1 hour, 15 minutes ago
comment by Kung Fu Cantona 🙏🏼 🇵🇸 (U18082)
posted 18 minutes ago
Saudi have spoken up and have said the story is bollox and that meetings with the club are about sponsorship.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Regardless, Eric will be fuming
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuming that it looks to be a load of nonsense ??? Please explain that one to me. Intrigued how I'd be fuming about that.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy to take sponsorship money off them Erik, so moral so much fortitude.
-------------------------
How could he be upset about that when no deal regarding sponsorship was reached?
Say they did buy the club and wanted to rid the emblem of a devil, but would fund the purchase of neymar and VVD.. what would be the reaction from man u fans?
comment by Redinthehead - FreeGaza - فلسطين (U1860)
posted 3 minutes ago
Say they did buy the club and wanted to rid the emblem of a devil, but would fund the purchase of neymar and VVD.. what would be the reaction from man u fans?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Well that wouldn't happen obviously. Why get rid of the emblem that is synonymous with United. Makes no sense.
Aside from the point that they couldn't just come in and buy Neymar and VVD. I highly doubt the finances would add up.
comment by MBL. (U6305)
posted 46 minutes ago
comment by Eric_the_king (SE85) (U21241)
posted 1 hour, 41 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 1 hour, 15 minutes ago
comment by Kung Fu Cantona 🙏🏼 🇵🇸 (U18082)
posted 18 minutes ago
Saudi have spoken up and have said the story is bollox and that meetings with the club are about sponsorship.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Regardless, Eric will be fuming
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuming that it looks to be a load of nonsense ??? Please explain that one to me. Intrigued how I'd be fuming about that.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy to take sponsorship money off them Erik, so moral so much fortitude.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Are you making stuff up again Loz? You are aren't you? I'm not happy with that deal at all. I'd love it if we terminated all ties with them. We don't need Human Rights Abusers money like you lot do.
Sign in if you want to comment
Saudi want to buy Man United
Page 6 of 7
6 | 7
posted on 17/2/19
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 54 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 4 minutes ago
If the Saudi royal family owned Manchester United, principled supporters would have a great opportunity to make regular demonstrations about human rights at home matches. It would give us leverage to embarrass and pressurise an authoritarian state we could otherwise only dream of. I'm all for it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Why do you need to have Saudi owners to demonstrate? Whats holding you back to take a banner to the game now and demonstrate against the Saudis?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I can never quite tell whether you're facetious or just thick, Hulk. In case it's the latter, the point is that random people protesting against random thing will get no headlines and no traction; whereas United fans having a go at their own proprietors in and around the stadium would get plenty of media attention. Given that this hypothetical purchase would be all about PR, having negative publicity around it would undermine the whole vanity project.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I am not thick, United matches are aired on a global scale with one of the largest fan bases in the world. Do you think you if a large group of fans held up several banners in a Champions League match protesting against Saudi Arabia it wouldnt make the news? Whos thick?
If you were genuinely against Saudi Arabia you wouldn't need to wait for Saudi ownership to held a protest against Saudi Arabia.
posted on 17/2/19
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 12 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 54 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 4 minutes ago
If the Saudi royal family owned Manchester United, principled supporters would have a great opportunity to make regular demonstrations about human rights at home matches. It would give us leverage to embarrass and pressurise an authoritarian state we could otherwise only dream of. I'm all for it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Why do you need to have Saudi owners to demonstrate? Whats holding you back to take a banner to the game now and demonstrate against the Saudis?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I can never quite tell whether you're facetious or just thick, Hulk. In case it's the latter, the point is that random people protesting against random thing will get no headlines and no traction; whereas United fans having a go at their own proprietors in and around the stadium would get plenty of media attention. Given that this hypothetical purchase would be all about PR, having negative publicity around it would undermine the whole vanity project.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
With very little effect, if the green and gold campaign is anything to go by.
It's heartening to read that people are uneasy about this, rather than just seeing petrodollars.
posted on 17/2/19
*hold
posted on 17/2/19
And why wait with protesting against the Saudis until they bought you? Why not protest against the take over? What, so you can have the opportunity to protest against the owners once they own you, because it will get more media attention?
posted on 17/2/19
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 14 minutes ago
And why wait with protesting against the Saudis until they bought you? Why not protest against the take over? What, so you can have the opportunity to protest against the owners once they own you, because it will get more media attention?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It would be more about being unhappy with the owners of the football club you support than this week's happy clappy crusade down the bleeding heart social.
posted on 17/2/19
pretty transparent attempt at sportswashing, worked for City/ UAE so Saudi are trying it with man u.
Use Man Us massive and passionate fanbase to "launder" Saudi Arabias reputation.
posted on 17/2/19
comment by Redinthehead - FreeGaza - فلسطين (U1860)
posted 8 minutes ago
pretty transparent attempt at sportswashing, worked for City/ UAE so Saudi are trying it with man u.
Use Man Us massive and passionate fanbase to "launder" Saudi Arabias reputation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hard to disagree with that.
posted on 17/2/19
Apart from it hasn’t worked at all for Abu Dhabi, it’s brought significantly more interest and focus to a whole swathe of people that couldn’t point to it in on a map before (and probably still can’t).
That was never the motive though, it’s always been to eventually sell and make a profit.
posted on 17/2/19
comment by meltonblue (U10617)
posted 47 minutes ago
Apart from it hasn’t worked at all for Abu Dhabi, it’s brought significantly more interest and focus to a whole swathe of people that couldn’t point to it in on a map before (and probably still can’t).
That was never the motive though, it’s always been to eventually sell and make a profit.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
If they wait a couple of hundred years they'll probably get their two billion back. It's a long game.
posted on 17/2/19
They’ve sold some to Chinese investors that valued it at more than that already. Three to five years max and they’ll sell the rest.
posted on 18/2/19
All surplus capital is dirty.
No point in pretending otherwise.
It's akin to asking to choose between who would you least like as a fellow fan, Glitter or Saville.
posted on 18/2/19
Saudi have spoken up and have said the story is bollox and that meetings with the club are about sponsorship.
posted on 18/2/19
comment by Kung Fu Cantona 🙏🏼 🇵🇸 (U18082)
posted 18 minutes ago
Saudi have spoken up and have said the story is bollox and that meetings with the club are about sponsorship.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Regardless, Eric will be fuming
posted on 18/2/19
comment by The Post Nearly Man. Please don't take my Solskjaer away. (U1270)
posted 12 hours, 14 minutes ago
comment by Redinthehead - FreeGaza - فلسطين (U1860)
posted 8 minutes ago
pretty transparent attempt at sportswashing, worked for City/ UAE so Saudi are trying it with man u.
Use Man Us massive and passionate fanbase to "launder" Saudi Arabias reputation.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hard to disagree with that.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Here is an example of it in action..
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/nov/24/manchester-city-fans-defence-uae-sportswashing-tribal-loyalty
“The UAE’s enormous investment in Manchester City is one of football’s most brazen attempts to ‘sportswash’ a country’s deeply tarnished image,” Amnesty International said this month, referring to claims of exploited labour and human rights abuses.
Back to the Saudi / Man Utd topic, what would have happened in the Kashoggi murder?
It is very real situation that the reputation of Saudi Arabia is at a low. With the Kashoggi murder and the fact Theresa May suppressed a report on terrorist funding which allegedly showed a lot comes from Saudi.
If this rumoured takeover goes ahead, Saudi Arabia has a band of 400m proxy supporters overnight.
Cheap at 3.4bn.
posted on 18/2/19
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 13 hours, 9 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 54 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 4 minutes ago
If the Saudi royal family owned Manchester United, principled supporters would have a great opportunity to make regular demonstrations about human rights at home matches. It would give us leverage to embarrass and pressurise an authoritarian state we could otherwise only dream of. I'm all for it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Why do you need to have Saudi owners to demonstrate? Whats holding you back to take a banner to the game now and demonstrate against the Saudis?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I can never quite tell whether you're facetious or just thick, Hulk. In case it's the latter, the point is that random people protesting against random thing will get no headlines and no traction; whereas United fans having a go at their own proprietors in and around the stadium would get plenty of media attention. Given that this hypothetical purchase would be all about PR, having negative publicity around it would undermine the whole vanity project.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I am not thick, United matches are aired on a global scale with one of the largest fan bases in the world. Do you think you if a large group of fans held up several banners in a Champions League match protesting against Saudi Arabia it wouldnt make the news? Whos thick?
If you were genuinely against Saudi Arabia you wouldn't need to wait for Saudi ownership to held a protest against Saudi Arabia.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for clarifying which of the two it was.
There are thousands of worthy causes that people could protest about. Human rights in Saudi Arabia would be low on my list because I have no traction - I'm not a citizen of the country, have never travelled there, and don't do business with it. Why would a group of United fans decide to single out that cause over protesting against a dozen other equally despicable regimes? And if they did want to protest about Saudia Arabia, why would they in particular do it at a football match, rather than e.g. in the city centre?
If the club were bought by the Saudi royal family, all of the above conditions would change. There would be a concrete connection between SA and the club, the fans would be associated with the owners - and in the eyes of many tainted by the association. Protests in this situation would become far more meaningful, would attract far more media attention, and would have a great deal more traction.
Pleased to spell it out in simple terms for the non-facetious.
posted on 18/2/19
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 1 hour, 15 minutes ago
comment by Kung Fu Cantona 🙏🏼 🇵🇸 (U18082)
posted 18 minutes ago
Saudi have spoken up and have said the story is bollox and that meetings with the club are about sponsorship.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Regardless, Eric will be fuming
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuming that it looks to be a load of nonsense ??? Please explain that one to me. Intrigued how I'd be fuming about that.
posted on 18/2/19
“Here is an example of it in action..
https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/nov/24/manchester-city-fans-defence-uae-sportswashing-tribal-loyalty”
That isn’t an example of it in action, that’s a prime example of where being associated with City has brought them increased focus, not less. I thought It was completely wrong that Ronay even sought the association in that particular case
posted on 18/2/19
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 51 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 13 hours, 9 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 10 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 54 minutes ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 4 minutes ago
If the Saudi royal family owned Manchester United, principled supporters would have a great opportunity to make regular demonstrations about human rights at home matches. It would give us leverage to embarrass and pressurise an authoritarian state we could otherwise only dream of. I'm all for it.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Why do you need to have Saudi owners to demonstrate? Whats holding you back to take a banner to the game now and demonstrate against the Saudis?
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I can never quite tell whether you're facetious or just thick, Hulk. In case it's the latter, the point is that random people protesting against random thing will get no headlines and no traction; whereas United fans having a go at their own proprietors in and around the stadium would get plenty of media attention. Given that this hypothetical purchase would be all about PR, having negative publicity around it would undermine the whole vanity project.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
I am not thick, United matches are aired on a global scale with one of the largest fan bases in the world. Do you think you if a large group of fans held up several banners in a Champions League match protesting against Saudi Arabia it wouldnt make the news? Whos thick?
If you were genuinely against Saudi Arabia you wouldn't need to wait for Saudi ownership to held a protest against Saudi Arabia.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for clarifying which of the two it was.
There are thousands of worthy causes that people could protest about. Human rights in Saudi Arabia would be low on my list because I have no traction - I'm not a citizen of the country, have never travelled there, and don't do business with it. Why would a group of United fans decide to single out that cause over protesting against a dozen other equally despicable regimes? And if they did want to protest about Saudia Arabia, why would they in particular do it at a football match, rather than e.g. in the city centre?
If the club were bought by the Saudi royal family, all of the above conditions would change. There would be a concrete connection between SA and the club, the fans would be associated with the owners - and in the eyes of many tainted by the association. Protests in this situation would become far more meaningful, would attract far more media attention, and would have a great deal more traction.
Pleased to spell it out in simple terms for the non-facetious.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Exactly. It's a simple social science argument. Connections (in this case to KSA) causing disconnections (to the clubs fans), leading to disruption ( e.g. protests).
Also Hulk, these are rumours, would be a bit silly to protest a rumour. If it is confirmed that a bid is forthcoming, I'm various supporters groups have gauged opinion and will take action.
Sky's Bryan Swanson retweeted a ME source, saying the takeover wasn't happening and the meetings were simply to do with sponsorship. Was gonna do an article but couldn't be bothered having to point out the obvious differences in taking sponsorship money from MBS and him actually owning the club.
posted on 18/2/19
“If this rumoured takeover goes ahead, Saudi Arabia has a band of 400m proxy supporters overnight”
I don’t think it works like that.
posted on 18/2/19
comment by Eric_the_king (SE85) (U21241)
posted 1 hour, 41 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 1 hour, 15 minutes ago
comment by Kung Fu Cantona 🙏🏼 🇵🇸 (U18082)
posted 18 minutes ago
Saudi have spoken up and have said the story is bollox and that meetings with the club are about sponsorship.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Regardless, Eric will be fuming
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuming that it looks to be a load of nonsense ??? Please explain that one to me. Intrigued how I'd be fuming about that.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy to take sponsorship money off them Erik, so moral so much fortitude.
posted on 18/2/19
comment by gratedbean (U4885)
posted 31 minutes ago
“If this rumoured takeover goes ahead, Saudi Arabia has a band of 400m proxy supporters overnight”
I don’t think it works like that.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It does.
As the man city fans defending the UAE re Bridges shows. Sod all to do with football, far removed from their lives but because it is the owners of Man city involved it provokes blind support from the Man City fanbase.
posted on 18/2/19
comment by MBL. (U6305)
posted 19 minutes ago
comment by Eric_the_king (SE85) (U21241)
posted 1 hour, 41 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 1 hour, 15 minutes ago
comment by Kung Fu Cantona 🙏🏼 🇵🇸 (U18082)
posted 18 minutes ago
Saudi have spoken up and have said the story is bollox and that meetings with the club are about sponsorship.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Regardless, Eric will be fuming
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Fuming that it looks to be a load of nonsense ??? Please explain that one to me. Intrigued how I'd be fuming about that.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Happy to take sponsorship money off them Erik, so moral so much fortitude.
-------------------------
How could he be upset about that when no deal regarding sponsorship was reached?
posted on 18/2/19
Say they did buy the club and wanted to rid the emblem of a devil, but would fund the purchase of neymar and VVD.. what would be the reaction from man u fans?
posted on 18/2/19
comment by Redinthehead - FreeGaza - فلسطين (U1860)
posted 3 minutes ago
Say they did buy the club and wanted to rid the emblem of a devil, but would fund the purchase of neymar and VVD.. what would be the reaction from man u fans?
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Well that wouldn't happen obviously. Why get rid of the emblem that is synonymous with United. Makes no sense.
Aside from the point that they couldn't just come in and buy Neymar and VVD. I highly doubt the finances would add up.
posted on 18/2/19
comment by MBL. (U6305)
posted 46 minutes ago
comment by Eric_the_king (SE85) (U21241)
posted 1 hour, 41 minutes ago
comment by Hulk's little brother Yoda (U1250)
posted 1 hour, 15 minutes ago
comment by Kung Fu Cantona 🙏🏼 🇵🇸 (U18082)
posted 18 minutes ago
Saudi have spoken up and have said the story is bollox and that meetings with the club are about sponsorship.
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Regardless, Eric will be fuming
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Fuming that it looks to be a load of nonsense ??? Please explain that one to me. Intrigued how I'd be fuming about that.
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Happy to take sponsorship money off them Erik, so moral so much fortitude.
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Are you making stuff up again Loz? You are aren't you? I'm not happy with that deal at all. I'd love it if we terminated all ties with them. We don't need Human Rights Abusers money like you lot do.
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