Sportsbet.io's English Premier League Football Pool Discussion Thread

[hilariousetc]

I think that's what they should do and play it as some sort of tournament within a month or two after the domestic leagues have finished or something. All teams fly to a neutral county and play all the games in the same ground or two. You probably don't need to play both legs then either so that will cut the tournament down by half. I think it will have to be done something like this as organising pan-European matches is much more difficult than the domestic games if they even get going anytime soon.

I think they will still keep the 2-legged format. They have to for the Last 16 round because the 1st leg has already been played (2nd as well for some teams) and then there's not a big difference in number of games if you play 1 or 2 - it comes down to difference of 6 games (4 in QF and 2 in the semis). These are the ones that bring the highest revenue though so I have a feeling clubs would be required to play them as it was meant to be.

Well they can play them for this round. Both legs really don't need to be played after that, especially if they're on neutral grounds.

Also - the 'one or two grounds' rule would be hard as well - the grass would be beyond repair for the final few games.

These aren't Sunday league pitches they're playing on. If they can play on a handful of grounds for tournaments I'm sure they can make it work for this. Maybe it would be a squeeze on one or two and they could probably get more done if they have a handful and play them like they would in the EUROs or whatever.

Yeah, can't see Newcastle going the way of Chelski or Citeh. EVEN if they found a way to circumvent FFP, there's no longer a road to moneybag trophies in the EPL if you can't back it up with actually decent coaching and strategy. Think the Toon Army is just business sense now, an owner reviled for years, a club still capable of attracting big name coaches, a decent fanbase that's hungry. Might be more of an Arsenal money-spinner than Sheikh-powered ambition.

Most football clubs just seem like vanity pieces and ego boosts for billionaires these days. Russian oligarchs and Arab oilmen have so much money they don't know what to do with it. I'm sure it will only get worse over time as well. The Financial Fair play rules came too late really. I'm sure there'll always be snaky ways you can get around them as well like City were apparently doing.

Newcastle fans hate Mike Ashley so for them I guess a new owner is great even if it’s headed by a guy with blood on his hands. Like others have said you can’t just spend hundreds of millions on players any more due to tighter FFP rules. I suppose the first target for Newcastle is to try & get Europa League football & try to win a trophy.

They'll hate whoever the new owner is if they don't splash the cash or bring them some sort of success. It's fairy rare that fans seem to like their owners or chairmen unless they somehow revolutionise the team. Owners obviously always treat the clubs as a business where fans don't see their teams as such.

[1714740550]

1714740550

[cryptofrka]

Well they can play them for this round. Both legs really don't need to be played after that, especially if they're on neutral grounds.

I'm not saying it's needed, I'm saying that there will be the same disputes with television companies that paid for more broadcasts as the ones you're having now. It will come down to logic that it's the easiest option for all to play these games too, and we're talking about just 6 of them.
I'm just trying to guess how they will approach it, without offering personal opinions.

These aren't Sunday league pitches they're playing on. If they can play on a handful of grounds for tournaments I'm sure they can make it work for this. Maybe it would be a squeeze on one or two and they could probably get more done if they have a handful and play them like they would in the EUROs or whatever.

Sure they are not, but neither is Wimbledon and look at the pitch on day 1 and on day 7 of the tournament. Maybe it is doable, I do not know, it just seems less risky to play it on 4-5 pitches instead of 2. It seems that Bundesliga is the closest to returning to normal, so if I had to bet on it, I'd say it will be played somewhere in Germany.

[hilariousetc]

Well they can play them for this round. Both legs really don't need to be played after that, especially if they're on neutral grounds.

I'm not saying it's needed, I'm saying that there will be the same disputes with television companies that paid for more broadcasts as the ones you're having now. It will come down to logic that it's the easiest option for all to play these games too, and we're talking about just 6 of them.
I'm just trying to guess how they will approach it, without offering personal opinions.

Well there's lots of factors involved and things to consider but would TV companies prefer no games or a few less? One party is probably going to have to compromise on something at some point. If the games are behind closed doors they might not like that either. They always seem a little less exciting when that happens, but also at the same time maybe many more people would tune in given the circumstances. I think the most sensible thing is to just play the games as normal when safe to do so, but that is probably going to breach the TV contracts and they might come for their money if the games aren't played within a certain time. I'm not sure if it would be wise for companies like Sky to fall out with the PL over this though as the PL could easily burn them by taking the rights elsewhere. 

These aren't Sunday league pitches they're playing on. If they can play on a handful of grounds for tournaments I'm sure they can make it work for this. Maybe it would be a squeeze on one or two and they could probably get more done if they have a handful and play them like they would in the EUROs or whatever.

Sure they are not, but neither is Wimbledon and look at the pitch on day 1 and on day 7 of the tournament. Maybe it is doable, I do not know, it just seems less risky to play it on 4-5 pitches instead of 2. It seems that Bundesliga is the closest to returning to normal, so if I had to bet on it, I'd say it will be played somewhere in Germany.

Tennis pitches are completely different to football pitches though. They're on much more delicate turf, are much smaller and have a more intense amount of play on the same parts of the pitch over and over. I'm sure the powers that be know roughly how many games can be played on a pitch before the turf gets fucked up so whether it's two pitches or ten I'm sure they'll be able to figure it out.

[tokeweed]

Check out Patrice Evra at IG.  Hilarious!  He's prolly bored out of wits at home.  Lolol. 

[hilariousetc]

So it's been a little over a month since the football stopped. Anyone feel like it's much more than that? The post below doesn't seem like two months ago but has anyone else been watching a lot of films/reading a lot of books the past month? I haven't made a single bet since it stopped either. Kinda miss the weekends.

I need a better hobby when my team isn't playing. Scenes of RH and CA chatting together makes me feel old.

Watch a film or read a book. I don't bother watching games I'm not interested in or have a bet on or something. There's just too many games and you can spend the entire weekend just hazily watching matches back to back as there's always going to be something on. I always loved this Mitchell and Webb sketch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MusyO7J2inM

Oh, and if you watched or watch the Mitchell and Webb sketch above the football finally did end  ....

Latest news on the PL

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52326617

Finishing the season in a 40-day window was one of the scenarios discussed at a Premier League meeting on Friday.

Top-flight clubs remain committed to playing all 92 remaining fixtures this season but did not discuss a deadline by which action must resume.

Clubs were expected to debate a 30 June deadline to end the season but instead discussed "possible scheduling models".

The Premier League said it "remains our objective" to complete matches but currently "all dates are tentative".

Apparently teams are suggesting pumping in fake crowd noise if the games go on behind closed doors:

Premier League clubs could use fake crowd noise if they play behind closed doors after the coronavirus suspension is lifted.

Brighton are one of several teams to have discussed playing artificial sound to help generate an atmosphere.

The Times claims top-flight sides are exploring ways to “minimise the loss of home advantage” if matches are to go ahead without any spectators at their own grounds, rather than neutral venues, which is also a possibility.

Today’s report also states clubs are looking into covering the huge amount of empty seats that would be visible to viewers.

https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/11389447/coronavirus-sport-live-premier-league-norman-hunter-dead-efl/

Not sure how I feel about that. Maybe they should add a laugh track instead  .

[cryptofrka]

...
Apparently teams are suggesting pumping in fake crowd noise if the games go on behind closed doors:
...

Oh boy, this sounds like a really strange thing to do. I know players hate to play in empty stadiums (Croatian teams have to do that often because of some issues with fans) and the players always mention that as a huge drawback. But making artificial sounds seems kinda weird

____________

In the meantime I watch quizzes, they are actually fun. Lot of good banter and I can see where I am in my knowledge of the game (hint: I'm horrible).

This is one of them, if you find things like that interesting give them a try. I quite liked it.

[tokeweed]

^ ^  God no.  I'd rather watch the atmosphere for what it really is than put fake fake crowd noise.  It's dumb.  And I'm pretty sure fans are gonna watch it anyway.

Edit:  And what if by some dumb luck, Liverpool loses the rest of their matches and City wins theirs...  

[BitSat19]

^ ^  God no.  I'd rather watch the atmosphere for what it really is than put fake fake crowd noise.  It's dumb.  And I'm pretty sure fans are gonna watch it anyway.

Edit:  And what if by some dumb luck, Liverpool loses the rest of their matches and City wins theirs...  

And as you wake up you check still living in lock down

[DeathAngel]

Whichever way we complete the season is not going to be ideal but we will see it completed. The fake atmosphere is weird but I wouldn’t be against it, I know for sure Napoli do that, their stadium is half full at times but still very (suspiciously) loud. Spurs got caught doing it a few seasons ago too & I think Man City have.

I don’t care, I just want to see 22 men in shorts kick a ball around a field again

[LTU_btc]

So it's been a little over a month since the football stopped. Anyone feel like it's much more than that? The post below doesn't seem like two months ago but has anyone else been watching a lot of films/reading a lot of books the past month? I haven't made a single bet since it stopped either. Kinda miss the weekends.

Just over month? Damn, it feels like there is 3-4 months without football. Sometimes I wake up in good mood, but then I realize that's just another day of f*cking quarantine.
I didn't started to watch more movies or read books, because I still struggling to find time for it - I still have to go to work. And I'm still trying to bet on football leagues that are still in action .
During weekends I'm just watching a lot of classic EPL, Champions league, LaLiga or World Cup games which brings me nostalgia. And sometimes I just watch random documentary on Youtube.
Putting fake crowd noise in empty stadiums - it's such terrible idea. I hope they aren't going to implement this.

[Trofo]

There is already one club that will let their supporters pay 10 bucks or something like that and upload their photo. Then the club will print out a real size cardboard cutout and fix it on the stands. Add those fake crowd noises and we will have a really strange atmosphere  

[buwaytress]

Most football clubs just seem like vanity pieces and ego boosts for billionaires these days. Russian oligarchs and Arab oilmen have so much money they don't know what to do with it. I'm sure it will only get worse over time as well. The Financial Fair play rules came too late really. I'm sure there'll always be snaky ways you can get around them as well like City were apparently doing.

Yeah, it's really not the same thing anymore these days, being a club owner just 20 years ago and being one now. I know it's unfair to some people, but when even all the billionaire owners from Asia and elsewhere come in for a foreign club, it's just another showpiece to their own personal trophy cabinet. I've seen myself the emails shared by a former Air Asia employee (whose CEO bought over QPR in THAT season when Aguero won the league for City.

It literally went something like: Everything went well this year. Except for that premier league investment heh heh.

So it's been a little over a month since the football stopped. Anyone feel like it's much more than that? The post below doesn't seem like two months ago but has anyone else been watching a lot of films/reading a lot of books the past month? I haven't made a single bet since it stopped either. Kinda miss the weekends.

Christ it does not feel like two months at all! I didn't watch that many more films (I sadly stopped reading a long time ago) but I have been putting a lot of time into job-hunting and updating my past work online. Paycuts started and I think it will only get worse.

Haven't bet for ages either. I think I stayed betting about 2/3 days after EPL stopped but not since.

Anything else you guys been picking up besides reading/watching?

Oh Canned laughter. Wow.

[DeathAngel]

There is already one club that will let their supporters pay 10 bucks or something like that and upload their photo. Then the club will print out a real size cardboard cutout and fix it on the stands. Add those fake crowd noises and we will have a really strange atmosphere  

I’m OK with the fake crowd noises to try & create an atmosphere but I draw the line at charging people to have a cardboard cut out figure of themselves in their seat at the game, now that is weird.

[hilariousetc]

So it's been a little over a month since the football stopped. Anyone feel like it's much more than that? The post below doesn't seem like two months ago but has anyone else been watching a lot of films/reading a lot of books the past month? I haven't made a single bet since it stopped either. Kinda miss the weekends.

Just over month? Damn, it feels like there is 3-4 months without football.

Yeah, it does seem like at least 2-3 months.

Putting fake crowd noise in empty stadiums - it's such terrible idea. I hope they aren't going to implement this.

I'd rather have nothing than fake noise. To be honest, I think not having crowds might add a little extra to the games. At least will make them memorable for that and a sign of the times. You can often here everything the players say which gives the game an extra dimension.

Edit:  And what if by some dumb luck, Liverpool loses the rest of their matches and City wins theirs...  

I'd like to see the odds on that. I could see them losing a game or two but I think they'll be fine.

There is already one club that will let their supporters pay 10 bucks or something like that and upload their photo. Then the club will print out a real size cardboard cutout and fix it on the stands.

Really? Not sure if it's a joke or not but would be kind of funny to see. Maybe clubs could make some extra money by covering the seats in huge banners that are sponsored. Might help cover for some of the lost ticket revenues.

Most football clubs just seem like vanity pieces and ego boosts for billionaires these days. Russian oligarchs and Arab oilmen have so much money they don't know what to do with it. I'm sure it will only get worse over time as well. The Financial Fair play rules came too late really. I'm sure there'll always be snaky ways you can get around them as well like City were apparently doing.

Yeah, it's really not the same thing anymore these days, being a club owner just 20 years ago and being one now. I know it's unfair to some people, but when even all the billionaire owners from Asia and elsewhere come in for a foreign club, it's just another showpiece to their own personal trophy cabinet. I've seen myself the emails shared by a former Air Asia employee (whose CEO bought over QPR in THAT season when Aguero won the league for City.

It literally went something like: Everything went well this year. Except for that premier league investment heh heh.

Football clubs are rarely big money spinners for people, unless you can get one of the big cups that actually make a shit load of money Man United etc. For most owners it's just another thing to put on their business CV and stroke their own egos. Would be pretty cool to actually own a football club though. Would be a great chat up line as well. Hey girl, you heard of Chelsea football club? Well, I own them 

[Trofo]

There is already one club that will let their supporters pay 10 bucks or something like that and upload their photo. Then the club will print out a real size cardboard cutout and fix it on the stands. Add those fake crowd noises and we will have a really strange atmosphere  

I’m OK with the fake crowd noises to try & create an atmosphere but I draw the line at charging people to have a cardboard cut out figure of themselves in their seat at the game, now that is weird.

I forgot to mention that money will be going to some charity or something humanitarian anyway and that makes it ok in my book. And now i remembered that the club is Borusia Monchengladbach, not sure if I spelled that correctly

[buwaytress]

Football clubs are rarely big money spinners for people, unless you can get one of the big cups that actually make a shit load of money Man United etc. For most owners it's just another thing to put on their business CV and stroke their own egos. Would be pretty cool to actually own a football club though. Would be a great chat up line as well. Hey girl, you heard of Chelsea football club? Well, I own them 

Yeah, which is why I wonder if Newcastle could be another Arsenal or Ajax copy, make money, no need to necessarily win trophies except the occasional small cup;) Though oil princes who're also busy funding wars right now probably just want a legitimate channel for funneling money heh.

I used to play football with this guy a lot, and he used a "Hey girl, I play football for ABC club reserves" and then has "pics" to prove it. Sadly, it worked a lot cause he's just name some English sounding club that he knows the girl won't know.

I wonder if being a woman owner works as well?

[hilariousetc]

Football clubs are rarely big money spinners for people, unless you can get one of the big cups that actually make a shit load of money Man United etc. For most owners it's just another thing to put on their business CV and stroke their own egos. Would be pretty cool to actually own a football club though. Would be a great chat up line as well. Hey girl, you heard of Chelsea football club? Well, I own them  

Yeah, which is why I wonder if Newcastle could be another Arsenal or Ajax copy, make money, no need to necessarily win trophies except the occasional small cup;) Though oil princes who're also busy funding wars right now probably just want a legitimate channel for funneling money heh.

It's probably easier for foreigners to buy clubs than it is for a UK resident because it will be much harder to check where all the money came from. Some countries are worse than others for either money laundering or accounting for where all the money came from. If you're a Russian or Saudi you probably just say oil and they check your books and that's good enough . The oil rich Arab nations are trying to branch out though because they know their wealth isn't going to last forever when the oil runs out so that's probably why they're buying football clubs. That's why places like Dubai are spending shit loads to try change their perception in the West and boost their tourism now so it becomes a popular spot as that's where their money will come from in the future.

[examplens]

It's probably easier for foreigners to buy clubs than it is for a UK resident because it will be much harder to check where all the money came from. Some countries are worse than others for either money laundering or accounting for where all the money came from. If you're a Russian or Saudi you probably just say oil and they check your books and that's good enough . The oil rich Arab nations are trying to branch out though because they know their wealth isn't going to last forever when the oil runs out so that's probably why they're buying football clubs. That's why places like Dubai are spending shit loads to try change their perception in the West and boost their tourism now so it becomes a popular spot as that's where their money will come from in the future.

not quite like that, but maybe you are close. They people Arab or Russian buying football club because they want to be more recognizable and improve its international reputation. Nothing more. Foreign club owners which are primarily interested in money coming from a country with the real economy, market-based. (Read: USA, ManUTD, Liverpool...)
the difference is in where the first group earn a lot easier (for example, reduced to a minimum or without the cost of mining rent)


btw, what will be the first Newcastle investment?

[buwaytress]

It's probably easier for foreigners to buy clubs than it is for a UK resident because it will be much harder to check where all the money came from. Some countries are worse than others for either money laundering or accounting for where all the money came from. If you're a Russian or Saudi you probably just say oil and they check your books and that's good enough . The oil rich Arab nations are trying to branch out though because they know their wealth isn't going to last forever when the oil runs out so that's probably why they're buying football clubs. That's why places like Dubai are spending shit loads to try change their perception in the West and boost their tourism now so it becomes a popular spot as that's where their money will come from in the future.

I've stopped fooling myself a long time ago when it comes to financial due diligence. Too many legal shortcomings and loopholes, big money wants in (world's biggest and most valuable company, even with $10 per barrel oil), lawyers do what needs to be done. Like you said, it just needs to say oil.

@examplens can't speak about Russia but I think the oil-producing gulf nations do want this for recognition and reputation-building, but it's definitely more about their future and reducing its reliance on oil.

And it's a simple model, already shown by the Scandinavians and West Europe. Invest the oil, diversify in overseas investments with your sovereign wealth fund, and do well. Problem is the Gulf nations are still embroiled in conflict abroad. They're doing all sorts of things now, want to be blockchain hubs, humanitarian hubs... you'd be surprised how much Gulf money props up UN organisations these days.

Strange they haven't really got into bed in a big way with crypto yet.

[DeathAngel]

People seem to think Newcastle will be like Man City spending billions on their squad. They won’t be able to, the City takeover was in 2008 before FFP, Newcastle don’t make a lot of money as they’re not a well supported club outside of Newcastle. Sure they’ll be better than they are now but they’re not going to compete at the top of the table any time soon.