The Live Match Discussion Thread: 2019/2020

[Paddingtonwolf]

BTW Kampl has possibly the most annoying hair this side of Limahl

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

To put it mildly, I have no love for either of these clubs. Can they both lose?

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Both hideously financially doped. Hope the winner comes from the other semi final for definite. Don’t have a real preference but you would imagine Bayern will be the better side. Although Lyon bring the first French winner would piss off PSG so much and that would be glorious.

 

[Alan]

Genuinely, if these two are financially doped, how is that different from City, or Chelsea, or even us?

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Cough, Marseille in 1993, cough...

(They didn't get stripped of that, just the Ligue Un title from that year)

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Forgot that...

Alan. PSG have handed out fees of nearly half a billion on Mbappe and Neymar alone. I’m sure that was found behind the sofa...

 

[Alan]

Not sure I see the problem in paying exorbitant fees for players with exorbitant value.

I don't necessarily like it any more than the next guy, but if you're going to compete in the UCL you need a certain class of player... And fees for that type of player aren't getting any lower.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I'm not a huge fan of a drinks company taking over a fifth tier club and effectively buying a spot at the top table when theoretically, the rules of the domestic league should prevent that (they've also got a stadium on the cheap too).

I'm certainly not a fan of Qatar effectively owning a major football club given the absolute state of that country.

It's not so much financial doping, more what they each stand for.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Because FFP says they can’t afford it. Same with City and Chelsea. They got to the top table and then encouraged nobody else with wealthy owners to join in that way. It’s organic growth for teams like us now although Fosun obviously gave us a big hand up in the Championship. And we paid our piddling fine without murmur because we did better than even those in charge of the club could expect. These doped clubs shit on FFP.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Plus as dan says there are hideous regimes engaging in sportswashing at City and PSG

 

[Alan]

I'm not a huge fan of a drinks company taking over a fifth tier club and effectively buying a spot at the top table when theoretically, the rules of the domestic league should prevent that (they've also got a stadium on the cheap too).

I'm certainly not a fan of Qatar effectively owning a major football club given the absolute state of that country.

It's not so much financial doping, more what they each stand for.

I've got a lot more time for this line of thinking than the financial one tbh.

Maybe I'm cynical, but without a hard salary cap (which, granted, would almost certainly never be able to be introduced in world football at this point), sitting with the big kids of Europe for any extended period of time is going to require ethically questionable wads of cash. I'm not sure I see a way around that.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Both are valid. And both are a great reason to hope these clubs win fuck all.

I was so damn glad that the Saudi murderers got fucked off out of a Newcastle deal. They are up there with North Korea as desirables

 

[Alan]

I just think the financial argument is very stones in glass houses.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

It isn’t. We have spent the same as Brighton in the last five years. Mbappe transfer fee was more than both. Have a look at the PSG income in that time.

 

[Alan]

It isn’t. We have spent the same as Brighton in the last five years. Mbappe transfer fee was more than both. Have a look at the PSG income in that time.

Unsure what you're getting at with PSG's income... They posted revenue north of $600m for the 2019 fiscal year. They're the 11th most valuable club in the world.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

And their income is doped to fucking fuck.

 

[Alan]

Based on what?

I'm not trying to be deliberately obtuse here, I legitimately don't know what you're getting this from.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Their TV income for their home league is piss all. Yes, champions league income. But you are seriously telling me without dodgy shit they could blow Real Madrid off the hand for a player of galactico status and also make the nearest to Messi at Barcelona an offer that makes him want to leave?

It’s like Walsall signing Harry Kane

 

[Alan]

Forbes reports their overall broadcast income as $247m (from the 17/18 season, to be fair)... Which hardly strikes me as piss all.

Whether you find Forbes trustworthy is a different matter, I suppose.

 

[PuntsWolf]

They make a killing from match day income I assume due to their ticket prices being extortionate.

And also their TV money could easily be doped by Bein Sports (ergo Qatar).