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Saudi Professional League 23/24

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  • Paraphrased from today's Mirror.

    Clubs in Saudi Arabia spent £701 million pounds on big name players last summer.

    According to Michael Emenalo (Saudi Pro League director of football) the focus will now switch to players in their prime.  However, it's not all plain sailing as the average attendance to a pro league game is just 8470 with some games attracting less than a 1000.

    One can only hope that their money doesn't ruin the game we all love.
    And those figures are distorted by a couple of big crowds that Al Hilal and Al Ittihad got for games against the other 'big 4'.

    13 of the 18 teams in the league have an average attendance less than 9k.
    11 of the teams recorded an attendance of less than 2k.
    1 team (Al Riyadh) got a crowd of 133 for a game.

    Of the 13 game weeks so far, in 11 of them the total for all games combined that week was less than Dortmund get for each home game.
  • Erm... Why do they need a Winter Break out there?
  • Erm... Why do they need a Winter Break out there?
    Think the Asian Cup is on, not sure if that's the reason why. 
  • Read an article the other day, and both Henderson and Gerrard live in Bahrain, as it's just over the border from their club, and more relaxed.
  • Just seen some shocking footage of Andy Delort going down with no one near him and having some sort of fit or seizure. This is in Qatar and hopefully he will be ok.
  • Jordan Henderson looks set to have his Contract cancelled, ahead of a move to Ajax
  • I'm sure the millions he has earned in his brief Saudi stint will have made it all worth it. Can't see him being the last of the mercenaries to jack it in early over there.
  • I'm sure the millions he has earned in his brief Saudi stint will have made it all worth it. Can't see him being the last of the mercenaries to jack it in early over there.
    Rumours about Firmino and Benzema.
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  • Paraphrased from today's Mirror.

    Clubs in Saudi Arabia spent £701 million pounds on big name players last summer.

    According to Michael Emenalo (Saudi Pro League director of football) the focus will now switch to players in their prime.  However, it's not all plain sailing as the average attendance to a pro league game is just 8470 with some games attracting less than a 1000.

    One can only hope that their money doesn't ruin the game we all love.
    "One can only hope that money doesn't ruin the game we all love"

    The game has always been about money from about the time that players stopped going to games on the bus, and the salary cap went. My guess s that's about 60 years ago. The Saudi development is just another stage. They have the spending power to shrink and sink the Premiership, my guess is that they will. It just a case of whether they want to see it though. 
  • Paraphrased from today's Mirror.

    Clubs in Saudi Arabia spent £701 million pounds on big name players last summer.

    According to Michael Emenalo (Saudi Pro League director of football) the focus will now switch to players in their prime.  However, it's not all plain sailing as the average attendance to a pro league game is just 8470 with some games attracting less than a 1000.

    One can only hope that their money doesn't ruin the game we all love.
    And those figures are distorted by a couple of big crowds that Al Hilal and Al Ittihad got for games against the other 'big 4'.

    13 of the 18 teams in the league have an average attendance less than 9k.
    11 of the teams recorded an attendance of less than 2k.
    1 team (Al Riyadh) got a crowd of 133 for a game.

    Of the 13 game weeks so far, in 11 of them the total for all games combined that week was less than Dortmund get for each home game.
    Look they have ample money to pour into 20,000 white elephants. Attendences totally irrelevant. Its all about soft power
  • Paraphrased from today's Mirror.

    Clubs in Saudi Arabia spent £701 million pounds on big name players last summer.

    According to Michael Emenalo (Saudi Pro League director of football) the focus will now switch to players in their prime.  However, it's not all plain sailing as the average attendance to a pro league game is just 8470 with some games attracting less than a 1000.

    One can only hope that their money doesn't ruin the game we all love.
    And those figures are distorted by a couple of big crowds that Al Hilal and Al Ittihad got for games against the other 'big 4'.

    13 of the 18 teams in the league have an average attendance less than 9k.
    11 of the teams recorded an attendance of less than 2k.
    1 team (Al Riyadh) got a crowd of 133 for a game.

    Of the 13 game weeks so far, in 11 of them the total for all games combined that week was less than Dortmund get for each home game.
    Look they have ample money to pour into 20,000 white elephants. Attendences totally irrelevant. Its all about soft power
    The soft power only works though if the rest of the world actually watches the Saudi League. 
  • Paraphrased from today's Mirror.

    Clubs in Saudi Arabia spent £701 million pounds on big name players last summer.

    According to Michael Emenalo (Saudi Pro League director of football) the focus will now switch to players in their prime.  However, it's not all plain sailing as the average attendance to a pro league game is just 8470 with some games attracting less than a 1000.

    One can only hope that their money doesn't ruin the game we all love.
    "One can only hope that money doesn't ruin the game we all love"

    The game has always been about money from about the time that players stopped going to games on the bus, and the salary cap went. My guess s that's about 60 years ago. The Saudi development is just another stage. They have the spending power to shrink and sink the Premiership, my guess is that they will. It just a case of whether they want to see it though. 
    They are not going to sink the Premier League regardless of how many big names go over there. Football in this country is not just about the money, as much as it seems like that. Football clubs are part of the culture here, how many real Man United or Chelsea or City or any other big club fans would stop going if they lost their biggest players to Saudi? Not many I would wager. That's real fans, not fake ones from around the world. 
  • Jordan Henderson looks set to have his Contract cancelled, ahead of a move to Ajax
    Hopefully it will be a fresh start for him.
  • Paraphrased from today's Mirror.

    Clubs in Saudi Arabia spent £701 million pounds on big name players last summer.

    According to Michael Emenalo (Saudi Pro League director of football) the focus will now switch to players in their prime.  However, it's not all plain sailing as the average attendance to a pro league game is just 8470 with some games attracting less than a 1000.

    One can only hope that their money doesn't ruin the game we all love.
    "One can only hope that money doesn't ruin the game we all love"

    The game has always been about money from about the time that players stopped going to games on the bus, and the salary cap went. My guess s that's about 60 years ago. The Saudi development is just another stage. They have the spending power to shrink and sink the Premiership, my guess is that they will. It just a case of whether they want to see it though. 
    And Lyle Taylor will play CL football. 
  • What a div. Ruined his reputation by going for the money then bails within a few months. Got to be one of the worst decisions ever football transfer wise.  I am surprised they are cancelling his contract having spent £12M on him. Maybe small fry for the Saudis but sets a slightly dangerous precedent for them.
    Mercenaries of the highest order.

    They make Lyle an angel in comparison.
  • iaitch said:
    I'm sure the millions he has earned in his brief Saudi stint will have made it all worth it. Can't see him being the last of the mercenaries to jack it in early over there.
    Rumours about Firmino and Benzema.
    Clarke Harris as well B)
  • iaitch said:
    I'm sure the millions he has earned in his brief Saudi stint will have made it all worth it. Can't see him being the last of the mercenaries to jack it in early over there.
    Rumours about Firmino and Benzema.
    Andy Scott has turned their heads
  • Paraphrased from today's Mirror.

    Clubs in Saudi Arabia spent £701 million pounds on big name players last summer.

    According to Michael Emenalo (Saudi Pro League director of football) the focus will now switch to players in their prime.  However, it's not all plain sailing as the average attendance to a pro league game is just 8470 with some games attracting less than a 1000.

    One can only hope that their money doesn't ruin the game we all love.
    "One can only hope that money doesn't ruin the game we all love"

    The game has always been about money from about the time that players stopped going to games on the bus, and the salary cap went. My guess s that's about 60 years ago. The Saudi development is just another stage. They have the spending power to shrink and sink the Premiership, my guess is that they will. It just a case of whether they want to see it though. 
    They are not going to sink the Premier League regardless of how many big names go over there. Football in this country is not just about the money, as much as it seems like that. Football clubs are part of the culture here, how many real Man United or Chelsea or City or any other big club fans would stop going if they lost their biggest players to Saudi? Not many I would wager. That's real fans, not fake ones from around the world. 
    UK is a small market. When all the top players are mopped up by Saudi's the rest of the world will be watching them not the Premier League. It will take a decade, but they can do it if they want to. You and I will be watching CAFC, and Chelsea fans will be watching Chelsea.
  • Sponsored links:


  • Paraphrased from today's Mirror.

    Clubs in Saudi Arabia spent £701 million pounds on big name players last summer.

    According to Michael Emenalo (Saudi Pro League director of football) the focus will now switch to players in their prime.  However, it's not all plain sailing as the average attendance to a pro league game is just 8470 with some games attracting less than a 1000.

    One can only hope that their money doesn't ruin the game we all love.
    "One can only hope that money doesn't ruin the game we all love"

    The game has always been about money from about the time that players stopped going to games on the bus, and the salary cap went. My guess s that's about 60 years ago. The Saudi development is just another stage. They have the spending power to shrink and sink the Premiership, my guess is that they will. It just a case of whether they want to see it though. 
    And Lyle Taylor will play CL football. 
    Paraphrased from today's Mirror.

    Clubs in Saudi Arabia spent £701 million pounds on big name players last summer.

    According to Michael Emenalo (Saudi Pro League director of football) the focus will now switch to players in their prime.  However, it's not all plain sailing as the average attendance to a pro league game is just 8470 with some games attracting less than a 1000.

    One can only hope that their money doesn't ruin the game we all love.
    "One can only hope that money doesn't ruin the game we all love"

    The game has always been about money from about the time that players stopped going to games on the bus, and the salary cap went. My guess s that's about 60 years ago. The Saudi development is just another stage. They have the spending power to shrink and sink the Premiership, my guess is that they will. It just a case of whether they want to see it though. 
    And Lyle Taylor will play CL football. 
    Ha! He's not good enough. Good enough for League  1 tho'? lets see at he end of the season,. I think yes and he will score against us
  • And we'll all say well done Lyle top stuff, you were so misunderstood by the fans........or maybe not.
  • Pleased to see Jordan Henderson clean up his reputation by going to Ajax.
  • What a div. Ruined his reputation by going for the money then bails within a few months. Got to be one of the worst decisions ever football transfer wise.  I am surprised they are cancelling his contract having spent £12M on him. Maybe small fry for the Saudis but sets a slightly dangerous precedent for them.
    Rumours are he might not get paid anyway - deferred the payments for tax reasons and as part of cancelling the contract (and costing the club £12m), he's had to agree to leave them.

    A lesson in learning to be happy with already being worth millions.
  • Paraphrased from today's Mirror.

    Clubs in Saudi Arabia spent £701 million pounds on big name players last summer.

    According to Michael Emenalo (Saudi Pro League director of football) the focus will now switch to players in their prime.  However, it's not all plain sailing as the average attendance to a pro league game is just 8470 with some games attracting less than a 1000.

    One can only hope that their money doesn't ruin the game we all love.
    "One can only hope that money doesn't ruin the game we all love"

    The game has always been about money from about the time that players stopped going to games on the bus, and the salary cap went. My guess s that's about 60 years ago. The Saudi development is just another stage. They have the spending power to shrink and sink the Premiership, my guess is that they will. It just a case of whether they want to see it though. 
    They are not going to sink the Premier League regardless of how many big names go over there. Football in this country is not just about the money, as much as it seems like that. Football clubs are part of the culture here, how many real Man United or Chelsea or City or any other big club fans would stop going if they lost their biggest players to Saudi? Not many I would wager. That's real fans, not fake ones from around the world. 
    UK is a small market. When all the top players are mopped up by Saudi's the rest of the world will be watching them not the Premier League. It will take a decade, but they can do it if they want to. You and I will be watching CAFC, and Chelsea fans will be watching Chelsea.
    Will never happen. Yes they will no doubt continue to sign big names in the twilight of their career and maybe the odd couple of younger players but it will never fully take off.

    There is too much prestige tied to the big European clubs and the champions league. No serious player is going there in his prime. The atmosphere at most games is awful, no one really wants to live there, and after just a short time we're already seeing some players want to leave. Henderson is the first, but there will be more.

    There's also the issue for now (although i'm sure it will change) in that Saudi clubs are only allowed 8 overseas players. The big 4 that are owned by PIF have already filled their quotas with players on multiple year contracts. So what happens next summer when they want to sign more big names? They're all on huge money, so will they just pay off existing players to go?
  • Paraphrased from today's Mirror.

    Clubs in Saudi Arabia spent £701 million pounds on big name players last summer.

    According to Michael Emenalo (Saudi Pro League director of football) the focus will now switch to players in their prime.  However, it's not all plain sailing as the average attendance to a pro league game is just 8470 with some games attracting less than a 1000.

    One can only hope that their money doesn't ruin the game we all love.
    "One can only hope that money doesn't ruin the game we all love"

    The game has always been about money from about the time that players stopped going to games on the bus, and the salary cap went. My guess s that's about 60 years ago. The Saudi development is just another stage. They have the spending power to shrink and sink the Premiership, my guess is that they will. It just a case of whether they want to see it though. 
    They are not going to sink the Premier League regardless of how many big names go over there. Football in this country is not just about the money, as much as it seems like that. Football clubs are part of the culture here, how many real Man United or Chelsea or City or any other big club fans would stop going if they lost their biggest players to Saudi? Not many I would wager. That's real fans, not fake ones from around the world. 
    UK is a small market. When all the top players are mopped up by Saudi's the rest of the world will be watching them not the Premier League. It will take a decade, but they can do it if they want to. You and I will be watching CAFC, and Chelsea fans will be watching Chelsea.
    UK is a small market, hilarious :D 
  • Paraphrased from today's Mirror.

    Clubs in Saudi Arabia spent £701 million pounds on big name players last summer.

    According to Michael Emenalo (Saudi Pro League director of football) the focus will now switch to players in their prime.  However, it's not all plain sailing as the average attendance to a pro league game is just 8470 with some games attracting less than a 1000.

    One can only hope that their money doesn't ruin the game we all love.
    "One can only hope that money doesn't ruin the game we all love"

    The game has always been about money from about the time that players stopped going to games on the bus, and the salary cap went. My guess s that's about 60 years ago. The Saudi development is just another stage. They have the spending power to shrink and sink the Premiership, my guess is that they will. It just a case of whether they want to see it though. 
    They are not going to sink the Premier League regardless of how many big names go over there. Football in this country is not just about the money, as much as it seems like that. Football clubs are part of the culture here, how many real Man United or Chelsea or City or any other big club fans would stop going if they lost their biggest players to Saudi? Not many I would wager. That's real fans, not fake ones from around the world. 
    UK is a small market. When all the top players are mopped up by Saudi's the rest of the world will be watching them not the Premier League. It will take a decade, but they can do it if they want to. You and I will be watching CAFC, and Chelsea fans will be watching Chelsea.
    Will never happen. Yes they will no doubt continue to sign big names in the twilight of their career and maybe the odd couple of younger players but it will never fully take off.

    There is too much prestige tied to the big European clubs and the champions league. No serious player is going there in his prime. The atmosphere at most games is awful, no one really wants to live there, and after just a short time we're already seeing some players want to leave. Henderson is the first, but there will be more.

    There's also the issue for now (although i'm sure it will change) in that Saudi clubs are only allowed 8 overseas players. The big 4 that are owned by PIF have already filled their quotas with players on multiple year contracts. So what happens next summer when they want to sign more big names? They're all on huge money, so will they just pay off existing players to go?
    Yes, it's the lack of history, club rivalries and atmosphere. They'll never be able to replicate the derbies etc that makes the EPL so popular around the world. 
  • edited January 18
    Pleased to see Jordan Henderson clean up his reputation by going to Ajax.
    Saw a good piece in the Guardian today about Henderson, which said he appears to be living his career in reverse: the classic model would be to emerge as a young hopeful at Ajax, move to Liverpool and enjoy European success and then, when the legs start to go, join Sunderland.
  • edited January 18
    Paraphrased from today's Mirror.

    Clubs in Saudi Arabia spent £701 million pounds on big name players last summer.

    According to Michael Emenalo (Saudi Pro League director of football) the focus will now switch to players in their prime.  However, it's not all plain sailing as the average attendance to a pro league game is just 8470 with some games attracting less than a 1000.

    One can only hope that their money doesn't ruin the game we all love.
    "One can only hope that money doesn't ruin the game we all love"

    The game has always been about money from about the time that players stopped going to games on the bus, and the salary cap went. My guess s that's about 60 years ago. The Saudi development is just another stage. They have the spending power to shrink and sink the Premiership, my guess is that they will. It just a case of whether they want to see it though. 
    They are not going to sink the Premier League regardless of how many big names go over there. Football in this country is not just about the money, as much as it seems like that. Football clubs are part of the culture here, how many real Man United or Chelsea or City or any other big club fans would stop going if they lost their biggest players to Saudi? Not many I would wager. That's real fans, not fake ones from around the world. 
    UK is a small market. When all the top players are mopped up by Saudi's the rest of the world will be watching them not the Premier League. It will take a decade, but they can do it if they want to. You and I will be watching CAFC, and Chelsea fans will be watching Chelsea.
    The richest, most popular and most viewed league in the world is hardly a small market. 4 Saudi clubs owned by PIF is not going to threaten that.

    The PL basically laugh at the Saudi league and clubs see it as a chance to offload unwanted players. 
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