The Sportswashing mega thread.

[Zidane98]

I'm sure Jordan Henderson is loving developing football in Saudi Arabia so much that 700 fans turn up.

Lucky there is no accountability for these clubs as they would be bankrupt within about 5 days considering their wage bills.

 

[Zidane98]

Saudi League is getting atrocious attendance figures despite a virtually unlimited budget to sign star players on huge wages.

 

[SM]

If the same players had instead moved to the A-League, what sorts of crowds do you think it'd get?

Kante and Benzema running out for Victory, Henderson and Mane at Glory, Neymar at Roar..

 

[Zidane98]

If the same players had instead moved to the A-League, what sorts of crowds do you think it'd get?

Kante and Benzema running out for Victory, Henderson and Mane at Glory, Neymar at Roar..

Pretty big crowds. We would sell out AAMI if Kante / Benzema signed.

chef would become a member for sure

 

[SM]

Pretty big crowds. We would sell out AAMI if Kante / Benzema signed.

chef would become a member for sure

Watching the Beckham documentary made me sad about how much progress the MLS made and continues to make, but that the same can't be said for the A-league.

 

[Zidane98]

Watching the Beckham documentary made me sad about how much progress the MLS made and continues to make, but that the same can't be said for the A-league.

Yes, very good point. A-League has huge potential. A big factor in its favour is being aligned with the European season.

The MLS did go backwards massively before recovering to where it is now. And having a population of 300 million does help!

Some very encouraging signs this season with quality locally developed youf galore getting their chance.

Irankunda is a step above any Saudi product already.

 

[SM]

Yes, very good point. A-League has huge potential. A big factor in its favour is being aligned with the European season.

The MLS did go backwards massively before recovering to where it is now. And having a population of 300 million does help!

Some very encouraging signs this season with quality locally developed youf galore getting their chance.

Irankunda is a step above any Saudi product already.

I guess the reason I bring it up is that back in the day a big way to attract crowds was bringing in these 'name' players, but now the Chinese and Saudi leagues have hoovered them all up. Makes it really difficult to attract the Eurosnobs.

 

[Zidane98]

I guess the reason I bring it up is that back in the day a big way to attract crowds was bringing in these 'name' players, but now the Chinese and Saudi leagues have hoovered them all up. Makes it really difficult to attract the Eurosnobs.

True.

There will be players available that don't want to play in Saudi no matter the money on offer. Just got to find them.

 

[SM]

True.

There will be players available that don't want to play in Saudi no matter the money on offer. Just got to find them.

Unlikely to be household names though.

 

[Frank Bunn]

Gerrard and Henderson’s Al-Ettifaq lost to Al-Riyadh this weekend in front of 696 fans.

702 fans went to watch Clitheroe v Newcastle Town in the 8th tier of English football on Saturday.󠁧󠁢

3,195 attended Bury v Wythenshawe Town in the 9th tier.

5th tier Oldham sold out their 3,049 away allocation against Rochdale.

 

[Zidane98]

Gerrard and Henderson’s Al-Ettifaq lost to Al-Riyadh this weekend in front of 696 fans.

702 fans went to watch Clitheroe v Newcastle Town in the 8th tier of English football on Saturday.󠁧󠁢

3,195 attended Bury v Wythenshawe Town in the 9th tier.

5th tier Oldham sold out their 3,049 away allocation against Rochdale.

Such a strong sporting culture over there means there will be a clear legacy left by hosting WC2034 there just down the road from recent hosts Qatar.

 

[Zidane98]

Gerrard and Henderson’s Al-Ettifaq lost to Al-Riyadh this weekend in front of 696 fans.

702 fans went to watch Clitheroe v Newcastle Town in the 8th tier of English football on Saturday.󠁧󠁢

3,195 attended Bury v Wythenshawe Town in the 9th tier.

5th tier Oldham sold out their 3,049 away allocation against Rochdale.

Hendersons weekly wage is probably the same as all players from 4th to 9th tier.

 

[Zidane98]

Oof.

 

[UnitedWarrior93]

I’d 100% go MLS too, Saudi league is hot garbage.

 

[SM]

Hendersons weekly wage is probably the same as all players from 4th to 9th tier.

3rd-9th tier more like it.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

If the same players had instead moved to the A-League, what sorts of crowds do you think it'd get?

Kante and Benzema running out for Victory, Henderson and Mane at Glory, Neymar at Roar..

Not much better honestly, especially with the prices to attend games those marquee players would cost the average punter to watch here

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

I’d 100% go MLS too, Saudi league is hot garbage.

Money is tax free (mostly) though over there . But yes I would play in the MLS myself for the New England Revolution (and only them)
Go Revs

 

[SM]

Not much better honestly, especially with the prices to attend games those marquee players would cost the average punter to watch here

How much did it cost to watch Del Pierro, Heskey, Ono and Gallas when they came out?

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

How much did it cost to watch Del Pierro, Heskey, Ono and Gallas when they came out?

Those players were well past their prime and nowhere good as those players you mentioned anyway.

I think (maybe naively) Australia, the A League/our domestic league will be able attract the type of marquee players you have suggested, but probably not for another 2 decades (the MLS and the US had a massive head start on us, such as hosting the world cup in 1994 etc)

 

[SM]

Those players were well past their prime and nowhere good as those players you mentioned anyway.

I think (maybe naively) Australia, the A League/our domestic league will be able attract the type of marquee players you have suggested, but probably not for another 2 decades (the MLS and the US had a massive head start on us, such as hosting the world cup in 1994 etc)

How many of the players I mentioned are still in their prime??

Do you understand what a hypothetical is?

 

[Zidane98]

Those players were well past their prime and nowhere good as those players you mentioned anyway.

I think (maybe naively) Australia, the A League/our domestic league will be able attract the type of marquee players you have suggested, but probably not for another 2 decades (the MLS and the US had a massive head start on us, such as hosting the world cup in 1994 etc)

So are nearly all the players heading to the Saudi league.

Yet teams play in front of crowds of a few thousand and ticket prices are dirt cheap too in Saudi.

There just isn't a sporting culture over there and no amount of money wasted on the game will change that. It's a very bad thing that the game is totally reliant on the government funding the leagues.

If Ronaldo signed for Victory crowds would easily fill Marvel regularly. That's the difference. Australian football fans turn up in big numbers when stars come.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

So are nearly all the players heading to the Saudi league.

Yet teams play in front of crowds of a few thousand and ticket prices are dirt cheap too in Saudi.

There just isn't a sporting culture over there and no amount of money wasted on the game will change that. It's a very bad thing that the game is totally reliant on the government funding the leagues.

If Ronaldo signed for Victory crowds would easily fill Marvel regularly. That's the difference. Australian football fans turn up in big numbers when stars come.

You are probably right, although I still remember David Villa playing a few guest games for Melbourne City and our crowds hardly got a boost from it.

The MLS model is one league I firmly believ3 we need to model our domestic league going forwards (once we get a couple more teams in the next season, we should introduce another cup tournament)

Our sporting culture is a lot more like the US's than Europe. I don't believe promotion/relegation is a viable concept here.

 

[Zidane98]

You are probably right, although I still remember David Villa playing a few guest games for Melbourne City and our crowds hardly got a boost from it.

The MLS model is one league I firmly believ3 we need to model our domestic league going forwards (once we get a couple more teams in the next season, we should introduce another cup tournament)

Our sporting culture is a lot more like the US's than Europe. I don't believe promotion/relegation is a viable concept here.

City got 13k for Villas last home game. I believe thats a record for non derby home crowds although I do recall some big crowds when Cahill signed up.

 

[banzai]

Australia decided against bidding for the 2034 World Cup. So Saudi Arabia get it uncontested.

 

[Zidane98]

Australia decided against bidding for the 2034 World Cup. So Saudi Arabia get it uncontested.

Until they summon another outspoken journalist to an embassy to be dismembered and have it taken off them.