Modern football has been going down the pan for years now, but, it may just have reached its zenith with this year's European Cup.
Of the four semi finalists, two are the playthings of tyrannical, human rights abusing nation states, one is the insurance policy of a criminal oligarch and the final, egalitarian option...... Real Madrid.
So we have three host organisms for grand scale sports washing, and General Franco's team.
Is this rock bottom?
Or have we new depths to plumb?
So the criminal Oligarch prevails, meaning Abu Dhabi Citeh have still won one less European trophy than Aberdeen.
This pleases me........but modern fitba is still shite.
Oh, and, no, I didn't watch it.
I checked the half time score and bet "o goalscorer" in the second half.
So do we fancy the Despotic nation or the criminal Oligarch in the Sports washing cup final?
I'll probably pass even though it's free to watch.
Chelski, Abu Dhabi out.
Rumours that Barca and Atletico have blinked also.
Looks as if the wheels have come off already.
I confess, I find this rather funny.
It's been coming.......probably since Bosman, certainly since 1992.
Seeing the Murdoch controlled media organs wailing and nashing is risible.
Gary Neville's rant was impressive......but also thirty years too late.
The sad fact is, to these "global brands", the domestic fanbase now count for the square root of fuck all.
The lads that stood on the Stretford End watching Arthur Albiston and Lou Macari, the guys that jibbed into the Annie Road end to watch Heighway, Hall and Callaghan, the lads that stood on the Shelf watching Chivers, Peters, Coates, The Kippax and Sumerbee, Lee......their children and grandchildren have been priced out of supporting their team.
But thankfully, there's billions of "subscribers" in Asia, Cheina!, Dubai, America who will pony up the readies.
And it's these types, unencumbered by the baggage of history, that the money dudes have in mind.
Shite state of affairs, but all of our own making sadly.
As to my domestic league? Well, the two behemoth organisations that have ruined it are so detached from reality that they will be wondering why they're not invited.
Oh................look.
European Super League: Uefa furious at 12 major clubs signing up to breakaway plans - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56794673
It's never ending.
Aye, that's true but that's grand scale FIFA corruption, which has been here.....certainly all my life.
It just strikes me that this year's semi line up is the ultimate "the bad guys have won" moment.
Next year’s World Cup being held in Qatar?