grobyfox1990

Interesting for sure. I sometimes look back to the summer and World Cup of 2006 as the best point in the history of the world. But it was probably because we figured out how to get alcohol and girls to talk to us

Yeh middle class rich for sure but upside in salary is always gonna be limited in a back office role. Second point, spot on. Biased beef which I’m strangely taking out on a football forum

Lol compliance grind my gears so I’m in no position to fairly answer that. Doesn't stack up to me though. No one has or will ever get rich doing a compliance job, it’s wholly unglamorous, no real career progression, so what calibre of people you gonna attract. Prob not the type who are able to stop serious fraud

You have to tick 1000000 compliance boxes before you get near the damn box. Because some compliance drone in an M&S suit and an overinflated sense of worth wants to stop you being there. HR and compliance really have ruined everything

Yeh true tbf, like going to an Irish bar in Malaga and saying all the food in Europe is sh1t. Disneyland is designed to be a plastic church of dumb money extraction. The food in New Orleans is off the charts, base line 9/10, even a road side snack there is better than the best food in Italy and france. I’ll be at World Cup 2026 for sure

Yeh can see where you're coming from. And ofc there was the famous 'leak' of his diary during his first term which showed hours of TV and burger time.

Ah fair enough yeh I see where you are coming from. Although I would not agree with domestic disillusion given the TV figures from last season plus 98.7% stadium utilisation rate. Defo agree all the new tournaments are driven by TV and their record income and viewing figures internationally, I am not aware of any evidence of matchday fans calling for the club world cup or whatever it is.

Absolutely. They've kinda earned it because they vote in such huge numbers but also c'mon. Like you said the wealthiest generation to ever live, mainly built up due to unearned wealth, and that record will presumably carry on for a few generations.

All 380 PL matches are televised abroad. Because total audience has gone up, that means total audience per match has gone up. Which are the new countries they are selling to? The PL has been televised in 212 territories since 2015. Yes they are in answer to your second question as there's a huge offshore gambling market in HK.

Have no desire or will to retire as I have enjoyed all my jobs for the constant challenge and variety of tasks as the industry constantly changes, however obvs still need to aggressively plan for it as I do not want to give up any quality of life. I feel very sorry listening to the late 50s early 60s types in the offices scratching down the days until they can leave, wishing their lives away. Again however I fully recognise that one day that will be me, and I will be reduced to complaining about the state of 'modern football' and those pesky kids 'these days'. Hopefully I can put that off for as long as poss by calling around my network as soon as I get sick of my job.

Not true for the PL. It is now the most watched league in the world, another record year across all international markets and in the USA, just shy of 550m viewers. 59% of the total UK audience watched PL football last season. The overseas rights are going up to £6.7bn from season 25/26. Stadiums were 98.7% full last season. I am friends with a sports lawyer who works with UEFA and PL contracts predominantly, very interesting work if you're a fan. The popularity of the sport is booming hence all the extra matches and competitions. Don't confuse some ramblings on social media with reality.

Because boring Americans with their HR culture as well as back office compliance people who make up silly rules to justify their otherwise pointless and entry level jobs in the limited period they have before technology takes over their tickboxing say it's not allowed. Good on the MPs!!

Very true. And we probably all knew that at the time which is why we put our lives on hold to enjoy every moment of it. Well I did at least! And it was worth it!

Villa park looks like it’s totally bouncing. Very jealous. Good memories of the lead up to Sevilla and atletico when I was so excited I thought I was gonna have a stroke

In 20 years time people 20 years younger than today's current crop of people who have suddenly realised their best days are well past them will be saying the game's gone. That's how life works.

Highly highly doubt he controls his own social media or watches debates. He'll be briefed on it. One month before election date surely he would've been campaigning all day yday.

Yeh maybe I am reading too much into it. He tried to find the middle ground in abortion (which I guess Trump does try to do). He dodged J6 quite well, it's clear he thinks Trump lost, and said he'd work with Kamala if she wins. His branding was very un-Trump, it was a decent debate held by two people who appear to have the country's best interests at heart. I thought they were trying to pitch Vance as Trump-lite, which was not what it was yday. Maybe wrong but I can imagine NYC property developer of the year 1986 being p1ssed off at Vance today.

Well that was incredibly boring. I was hoping for another prime time American bake-off with both calling each other names, lying, cheating and launching personal attacks. Both were civil to each other and talked about boring things like policy and legislation. To think this was primetime US network TV?!!? Network TV is gone mate honestly, it's a shambles, it was way better in my day, ticket office shambles, it's a joke mate. Better in my day. Game's gone. It's gone mate. On a serious note, the rumoured 'rift' between Trump and Vance seems pretty apparent now. He seems so far off the Trump message. Can see that relationship ending in disaster before Nov 5. Walz comes across way better against an opponent than he does individually.

A week is a long time, Durres is v nice but it’s just a beach resort. You should defo go to Tirana, bus is less than a quid and even a taxi around £30/40 (in 2022). Lake orhid in Macedonia a decent day trip too

I’ve been to Stevenage. Very convenient with the big free car park opposite the ground and under tunnel walkway straight to the ground. Straight off the A1. Nice setup. The owner Phil Wallace has a home in jersey and uses the island to dodge his tax, the team have played a few pre season matches, and train here.

You gotta wonder why political parties don't hire competent marketing and communications bods, or just normal people tbf. All this looks terribly bad on Starmer. As a voter, I agree with his policies of making the hard choices now and the softer things like cutting the winter fuel payments and a bigger push on getting people off benefits and into work. Would hope others are too, but in a world where Labour made foul about every example of Tory sleaze, it probably isn't the case

People thinking JSO have any role to play, positive or negative, in climate change. Whilst ignoring the Finch ruling going to court in a month or so now. probably due to the dumbing down of the world in general, which is the grind gearer.

This 'spontaneity' point always comes up but then gets blown out by a weekend of bangers. What about Justin's second goal on Sat was down to a system. Do get the point about players from previous periods being amazing if they played in this day and age due to the huge professionalisation of the game and all parts of their lives, but impossible to prove.

Drain the swamp

I’ve been a child for most of my existence. Doesn’t mean I should act like a child now (no jokes pls). Calling a spade a spade shouldn’t be frowned upon. The quality of football and the athletic ability of the players in the championship last season was utterly hideously appalling. That being said I saw chesterfield v Grimsby a few weekends ago which was great. Both teams attacking and kept it on the floor.