Saudi Pro League

[LeftWinger]

I just wondered what everyone's thoughts on the Saudi Pro League are?

In a time when we're suffering from a cost of living crisis and ordinary people are struggling to put food on the table - we have veterans of the 'working man's game' earning absolute obscene amounts of money. Jordan Henderson will be earning £69 for every minute of every day whether he's awake or asleep. Cristiano Ronaldo will be earning £326 per minute (£3.3m per week). Presumably this is completely unsustainable and just the mega rich (most likely rich through questionable means) throwing money around like it's going out of fashion.

Players like Jordan Henderson are comfortable abandoning his beliefs when offered £700k a week. Who can blame him?

I've said for years that one day a big name player will retire at a very young age as it's like they've won the lottery. You only need a certain personality that isn't really interested in football to earn a lot of money at a young age for this to happen. Most of these players going to Saudi are players past their best getting one last pay day. But it won't be long before a big name youngster makes the move, pockets a huge amount of cash and then retires in his mid-20s. David Bentley retired at the age of 29 - you wonder if he'd have made the money early in his career in the Saudi League whether he'd have quit earlier.

I'm not a particular fan of the Premier League and how money has completely taken over it (and made it uncompetitive for most) - but I just think the Saudi League is further ruining football. I for one won't be paying any attention to it. Player wages are killing the game and until clubs start to control them (Rovers last accounts showed we paid 147% of our turnover on wages - this wouldn't happen in the real world) it'll just get worse. 

I also watch Rugby League and the salary cap has at least made it more competitive in general - but you've still only had 3 grand final winners in 17 years - so I'm not even sure that is the answer. FFP hasn't helped at all in football either.

The days of a Jack Walker coming in and taking his local club to glory are also long gone. No actual supporter can afford the sums of money these Saudi owners can put on. All the extra money is just going towards making the players richer and richer. 

I certainly don't love the game as much as I did when my dad first took me as a kid in the 90s. It's also hard when taking my son to a 2/3 empty stadium watching a team that struggles to compete. He'd have loved going during the peak days of the 90s/00's. 

I started writing this topic at 9:05am and I've made £8.40 in that time. Ronaldo has earned more than £6,500. 

Top 10 earners in Saudi Pro League:

https://www.givemesport.com/the-10-highest-paid-players-in-the-saudi-league-next-season-ft-ronaldo-benzema-firmino/#jordan-henderson---al-ettifaq

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

23 minutes ago, LeftWinger said:

I just wondered what everyone's thoughts on the Saudi Pro League are?

In a time when we're suffering from a cost of living crisis and ordinary people are struggling to put food on the table - we have veterans of the 'working man's game' earning absolute obscene amounts of money. Jordan Henderson will be earning £69 for every minute of every day whether he's awake or asleep. Cristiano Ronaldo will be earning £326 per minute (£3.3m per week). Presumably this is completely unsustainable and just the mega rich (most likely rich through questionable means) throwing money around like it's going out of fashion.

Players like Jordan Henderson are comfortable abandoning his beliefs when offered £700k a week. Who can blame him?

I've said for years that one day a big name player will retire at a very young age as it's like they've won the lottery. You only need a certain personality that isn't really interested in football to earn a lot of money at a young age for this to happen. Most of these players going to Saudi are players past their best getting one last pay day. But it won't be long before a big name youngster makes the move, pockets a huge amount of cash and then retires in his mid-20s. David Bentley retired at the age of 29 - you wonder if he'd have made the money early in his career in the Saudi League whether he'd have quit earlier.

I'm not a particular fan of the Premier League and how money has completely taken over it (and made it uncompetitive for most) - but I just think the Saudi League is further ruining football. I for one won't be paying any attention to it. Player wages are killing the game and until clubs start to control them (Rovers last accounts showed we paid 147% of our turnover on wages - this wouldn't happen in the real world) it'll just get worse. 

I also watch Rugby League and the salary cap has at least made it more competitive in general - but you've still only had 3 grand final winners in 17 years - so I'm not even sure that is the answer. FFP hasn't helped at all in football either.

The days of a Jack Walker coming in and taking his local club to glory are also long gone. No actual supporter can afford the sums of money these Saudi owners can put on. All the extra money is just going towards making the players richer and richer. 

I certainly don't love the game as much as I did when my dad first took me as a kid in the 90s. It's also hard when taking my son to a 2/3 empty stadium watching a team that struggles to compete. He'd have loved going during the peak days of the 90s/00's. 

I started writing this topic at 9:05am and I've made £8.40 in that time. Ronaldo has earned more than £6,500. 

Top 10 earners in Saudi Pro League:

https://www.givemesport.com/the-10-highest-paid-players-in-the-saudi-league-next-season-ft-ronaldo-benzema-firmino/#jordan-henderson---al-ettifaq

Didn’t they try this sort of thing in Columbia in the 1950’s ? Alfredo DeStefano was one of the players to go there. Several England internationals went too but were then banned by the FA. A publican I knew in later life was a referee over here and he went to ref in the games there. He told me he carried a revolver with him everywhere he went in Columbia !

I don’t think it lasted long, although the organisers were rich, they weren’t as wealthy as the lot running this league.

[LeftWinger]

10 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Didn’t they try this sort of thing in Columbia in the 1950’s ? Alfredo DeStefano was one of the players to go there. Several England internationals went too but were then banned by the FA. A publican I knew in later life was a referee over here and he went to ref in the games there. He told me he carried a revolver with him everywhere he went in Columbia !

I don’t think it lasted long, although the organisers were rich, they weren’t as wealthy as the lot running this league.

A bit before my time, but fingers crossed history repeats itself (as in it doesn't last long). I remember Andreas Escobar being murdered in 1994 for scoring an own goal in the World Cup.

 

[Mike E]

Retirement home for over-the-hill players.

Glorified Masters League.

[Upside Down]

A mickey mouse league for mickey mouse players.

Anyone who accepts the money the saudis are offering has absolutely nothing about them.

[Armchair supporter supremo]

Its gross & pathetic. Any player going there is just selling out, simple as that.

It won't be on my radar at all, the only football I follow is rovers, even with the premiere league  watching motd occasionally is about as far as my interest in that goes.

Also I don't watch or follow any other sports at all, just find it all very boring as a spectator. 

Personally find it tedious having womens football constantly forced onto us these days. Obviously not because I don't think women should be playing football or anything sexist like that! It's just simply that i find it boring as hell and it only seems 'popular' because the media keeps telling us it is, even though I imagine the crowds in the stands would suggest otherwise

Edited August 18, 2023 by Armchair supporter supremo

[Ossydave]

Similar in many ways to the Chinese Super League a few years ago.  Stupidly huge contracts to mainly aging global superstars.  Back then they rarely bought decent defenders though so you had the likes of Hulk, Tevez  & Oscar smashing goals in against awful defences, I know a few defenders have gone to Saudi so there may be a slight improvement in the standards.  They did start televising games on BT sport (I think) and I'd watch the odd one on a Sunday morning, the games were almost unbearable though and seemed massively corrupt too given some of the decisions, VAR had been introduced then.  They'll no doubt try the same with the Saudi league.

The Chinese FA then started with restrictions, reducing numbers of players and 'charging' clubs a fee for making multi million pound signings.

It all soon fizzled out, whether it will in Saudi remains to be seen, I imagine they have much deeper pockets there so may continue to P money away, time will tell........

[DE.]

Should be easy enough for Hendo to throw a couple hundred grand a week from his wages to women's rights and LGBT charities as a way of continuing to show support - he can probably find a way to live on the measly £500k pw left over, so I'm sure he'll be right on it 👍

Football continues to be a grotesque reflection of Western society as a whole. EFL still feels somewhat normal, relatively speaking, but the highest level of the game - Champions League included - is just totally soulless. Goes without saying the Saudi Pro League falls into the same category, just without the highest level of the game part.

[LeftWinger]

27 minutes ago, DE. said:

Champions League included - is just totally soulless. 

I went to the second leg of City and Real Madrid last season in their tunnel club.

Whilst it's a great experience as a one off - it's not football as I love it.

They had a DJ outside the players entrance and then the players all went down a red carpet through the bar area when they arrived. Then it pretty much turned into a nightclub as soon as they game finished.

Give me a pie and a pint stood in the freezing cold any day of the week.

[DE.]

9 minutes ago, LeftWinger said:

I went to the second leg of City and Real Madrid last season in their tunnel club.

Whilst it's a great experience as a one off - it's not football as I love it.

They had a DJ outside the players entrance and then the players all went down a red carpet through the bar area when they arrived. Then it pretty much turned into a nightclub as soon as they game finished.

Give me a pie and a pint stood in the freezing cold any day of the week.

I remember at the Carrow Road game last season watching in confusion as Norwich and Rovers walked out, Freed From Desire blaring out of the ground's speakers as plumes of flame shot up from the edges of the pitch. It was pretty cool, don't get me wrong, and I know it was because the match was on Sky... but it seemed a bit much for a couple of Championship cloggers. I can only imagine how a CL match feels these days. 

[Exiled_Rover]

3 hours ago, LeftWinger said:

I just wondered what everyone's thoughts on the Saudi Pro League are?

In a time when we're suffering from a cost of living crisis and ordinary people are struggling to put food on the table - we have veterans of the 'working man's game' earning absolute obscene amounts of money. Jordan Henderson will be earning £69 for every minute of every day whether he's awake or asleep. Cristiano Ronaldo will be earning £326 per minute (£3.3m per week). Presumably this is completely unsustainable and just the mega rich (most likely rich through questionable means) throwing money around like it's going out of fashion.

Players like Jordan Henderson are comfortable abandoning his beliefs when offered £700k a week. Who can blame him?

I've said for years that one day a big name player will retire at a very young age as it's like they've won the lottery. You only need a certain personality that isn't really interested in football to earn a lot of money at a young age for this to happen. Most of these players going to Saudi are players past their best getting one last pay day. But it won't be long before a big name youngster makes the move, pockets a huge amount of cash and then retires in his mid-20s. David Bentley retired at the age of 29 - you wonder if he'd have made the money early in his career in the Saudi League whether he'd have quit earlier.

I'm not a particular fan of the Premier League and how money has completely taken over it (and made it uncompetitive for most) - but I just think the Saudi League is further ruining football. I for one won't be paying any attention to it. Player wages are killing the game and until clubs start to control them (Rovers last accounts showed we paid 147% of our turnover on wages - this wouldn't happen in the real world) it'll just get worse. 

I also watch Rugby League and the salary cap has at least made it more competitive in general - but you've still only had 3 grand final winners in 17 years - so I'm not even sure that is the answer. FFP hasn't helped at all in football either.

The days of a Jack Walker coming in and taking his local club to glory are also long gone. No actual supporter can afford the sums of money these Saudi owners can put on. All the extra money is just going towards making the players richer and richer. 

I certainly don't love the game as much as I did when my dad first took me as a kid in the 90s. It's also hard when taking my son to a 2/3 empty stadium watching a team that struggles to compete. He'd have loved going during the peak days of the 90s/00's. 

I started writing this topic at 9:05am and I've made £8.40 in that time. Ronaldo has earned more than £6,500. 

Top 10 earners in Saudi Pro League:

https://www.givemesport.com/the-10-highest-paid-players-in-the-saudi-league-next-season-ft-ronaldo-benzema-firmino/#jordan-henderson---al-ettifaq

RL has been hurt by the Salary Cap, it's allowed the tail to wag the dog and the overall standard of the league has plummeted. 

As for the Saudi Pro League - I'm not sure what they get out of it. They've already bought multiple clubs around the world, so their name is out there. Artificially pumping up a farmer's league (what are there, 8 teams?) is an odd choice, but they essentially have a bottomless pot of money so they can afford to do it. I think the football governing bodies will shadow-ban anyone that goes to the Saudi Pro League from international football as the traditional super powers in Europe can't compete financially with oil money. 

Much like The Hundred I won't watch a second of it. 

[Admiral Nelsen]

1 hour ago, Exiled_Rover said:

RL has been hurt by the Salary Cap, it's allowed the tail to wag the dog and the overall standard of the league has plummeted. 

As for the Saudi Pro League - I'm not sure what they get out of it. They've already bought multiple clubs around the world, so their name is out there. Artificially pumping up a farmer's league (what are there, 8 teams?) is an odd choice, but they essentially have a bottomless pot of money so they can afford to do it. I think the football governing bodies will shadow-ban anyone that goes to the Saudi Pro League from international football as the traditional super powers in Europe can't compete financially with oil money. 

Much like The Hundred I won't watch a second of it. 

 

It's certainly harmed the top teams, making it hard for Wigan and a couple of others to be as dominant as they were. I'm not so sure about whether it has harmed the overall state of the game. 

 

It begs an interesting question though about how much the standard of player really matters for fans. One of the arguments that you always get against a salary cap - or other interventions to ensure competitiveness - is that we can't do it because we'll suddenly see an exodus of talent to other countries. Speaking personally, I'd be perfectly happy for the Prem to be knocked down a peg or two and lose some of its stars if the league was made more competitive on a week to week basis. 

[Andy]

Both Russia and China have tried it (albeit to a lesser degree) in the recent past and I expect the Saudi project to follow a similar path - ie fade into obscurity.

I haven’t met a single person who is interested in watching the Saudi league, irrespective of who is playing in it, so it will effectively become a rich men’s plaything and little else.

[Dreams of 1995]

12 minutes ago, Andy said:

Both Russia and China have tried it (albeit to a lesser degree) in the recent past and I expect the Saudi project to follow a similar path - ie fade into obscurity.

I haven’t met a single person who is interested in watching the Saudi league, irrespective of who is playing in it, so it will effectively become a rich men’s plaything and little else.

The football market doesn't end on the borders of the UK though

Plenty of supporters in Africa and the Middle East tend to follow the player instead of the team

There will be fans of Benzema and Ronaldo who will watch the Saudi league purely to see them two play. When players of that calibre start to join people will watch

I still don't think it will compete long term. The FAs of European countries will not allow any player who plays in Saudi to represent their national team. I honestly think it may hurt Neves' chance for Portugal. With the Euros coming up it was a bizarre move to make

Nobody can blame the players for taking the money. At the end of the day, a lot of the money splashed about in the Prem comes from equally dirty hands

[benhben]

Was debating this the other day. Some of the players going over there are young enough to still compete at the highest level i.e. Neymar, Henderson, Mane, Mahrez etc, but have gone for the money. Now if you offered me who isnt a millionaire to go over for that money id go tomorrow...however these players are already multi multi millionaires and already have more money in their accounts than theyll be able to spend in their lifetime. 

Would £700k a week make any difference to their lifestyle (during and after their carreer) to the £150 or £200k they would get in europe? Surely prestige and legacy would be more important to someone who already has money coming out of their eyeballs.

Obviously not though. 

[DeeCee]

The FA will cave in, like they always do, money talks 😞

[Exiled_Rover]

1 hour ago, Admiral Nelsen said:

 

It's certainly harmed the top teams, making it hard for Wigan and a couple of others to be as dominant as they were. I'm not so sure about whether it has harmed the overall state of the game. 

 

It begs an interesting question though about how much the standard of player really matters for fans. One of the arguments that you always get against a salary cap - or other interventions to ensure competitiveness - is that we can't do it because we'll suddenly see an exodus of talent to other countries. Speaking personally, I'd be perfectly happy for the Prem to be knocked down a peg or two and lose some of its stars if the league was made more competitive on a week to week basis. 

I cancelled my season ticket at Wigan Warriors a couple of seasons ago because I was bored every Friday night. The teams of the early 2000s would obliterate the teams on show now. 

[Admiral Nelsen]

Just now, Exiled_Rover said:

I cancelled my season ticket at Wigan Warriors a couple of seasons ago because I was bored every Friday night. The teams of the early 2000s would obliterate the teams on show now. 

 

I'm a lapsed Wigan fan too. No arguments that the game has been on its backside, but I think there are loads of factors which account for that more than the salary cap. Thursday night games, slower games, the fact the league table basically doesn't mean anything until September. If anything the salary cap has done a good job of making the smaller clubs more competitive. 

 

It's all academic really because there's no way in hell that it will actually be introduced, but I suppose my point is that I think it would be a good thing that the Man City of 2033 would get handsomely beaten by the 2023 team because they weren't allowed to massively outspend everyone else.

[Exiled_Rover]

26 minutes ago, Admiral Nelsen said:

 

I'm a lapsed Wigan fan too. No arguments that the game has been on its backside, but I think there are loads of factors which account for that more than the salary cap. Thursday night games, slower games, the fact the league table basically doesn't mean anything until September. If anything the salary cap has done a good job of making the smaller clubs more competitive. 

 

It's all academic really because there's no way in hell that it will actually be introduced, but I suppose my point is that I think it would be a good thing that the Man City of 2033 would get handsomely beaten by the 2023 team because they weren't allowed to massively outspend everyone else.

City haven't outspent their peers though, they've just spent it more wisely - Chelsea and Manchester United have spent a fortune too. Newcastle and Arsenal are evidently hot on their trail.

[Admiral Nelsen]

32 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

City haven't outspent their peers though, they've just spent it more wisely - Chelsea and Manchester United have spent a fortune too. Newcastle and Arsenal are evidently hot on their trail.

 

Yes, so my issue isn't so much that one club wins everything, and there have always been big clubs and small clubs. My point is that I'd be perfectly happy seeing Haaland play for Real Madrid, Salah play for Bayern Munich and De Bruyne play for Juventus if it made our domestic competition more competitive.  

 

Thinking also about Rovers in the here and now, Championship clubs are almost universally making huge losses every year (unless they sell a prized asset), mainly because of paying out massive wage bills which have become the going rate because of wage inflation in the top division. If the elite were made to live every so slightly more within their means, I think the wider pyramid would be much healthier. 

[simongarnerisgod]

this saudi lark is just another trend.first started with the MLS,loads of 30+ year olds when for one last contract,7/8 years ago,everyone was flocking to china for a payday,thats dropped off and now it saudi land,footballers will go where the money is

[Norbert Rassragr]

I did see a kid in a Ronaldo shirt near B&M in Coventry today. 

[Upside Down]

Call me old fashioned, but there is only ever going to be one Ronaldo.

[AllRoverAsia]

5 hours ago, simongarnerisgod said:

this saudi lark is just another trend.first started with the MLS,loads of 30+ year olds when for one last contract,7/8 years ago,everyone was flocking to china for a payday,thats dropped off and now it saudi land,footballers will go where the money is

MBS knows Saudi has to move away from oil sales dependency. One avenue is making Saudi a tourist destination. Towards that goal he wants Saudi to host a WC and has targeted 2030 or 2034. The upgrade to the Pro League is towards that. All the main leagues in Saudi are recruiting foreign players, not just at the top end and at all level wages are the attraction. They will get a WC in the above timeframe, FIFA like money and they gave 2 billion US to someone just for 'advice'.

It is sports washing but who are we to criticise when we have earned billions and still do for supplying them for decades.

[Upside Down]

1 minute ago, AllRoverAsia said:

MBS knows Saudi has to move away from oil sales dependency. One avenue is making Saudi a tourist destination. Towards that goal he wants Saudi to host a WC and has targeted 2030 or 2034. The upgrade to the Pro League is towards that. All the main leagues in Saudi are recruiting foreign players, not just at the top end and at all level wages are the attraction. They will get a WC in the above timeframe, FIFA like money and they gave 2 billion US to someone just for 'advice'.

It is sports washing but who are we to criticise when we have earned billions and still do for supplying them for decades.

Exactly.

Bear in mind the repressive house of saud is only in power in Arabia due to the UK and US governments.

Their crimes against humanity are permitted and openly supported by those governments.