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Football, law breaking, organised crime and plain old bias

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By on CQN BLOG & Comments

They were an icon against fascism, a club representative of a people, more than any national identity could ever be.  We saw commonalities between Barcelona and our own heritage.  While we did what we could to earn a seat at the top table, they packed out the biggest club stadium in Europe and were invariably second, third, or sometimes first in the football money league.

Catalan prosecutors have revealed that over a 17 year period, Barcelona paid €8.4m to the former vice-president of the Spanish refereeing committee, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, and his company.  The payments are not disputed, the former referee VP, claims the club employed him to ensure fairness.

He said, “I saw [Barcelona presidents] at most six times a year so they were calm that there were no decisions against FC Barcelona in the arbitration committee, that everything was neutral.”  The club claim they paid the money for Negreira to compile video reports to compliment information required by coaching staff.

Former Barcelona presidents, Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu, face corruption charges, the former recently spent two years in prison on separate charges before being acquitted on appeal.  The club’s current president, Joan Laporta, has not been indicted, although the story has a long way to run.

Compared to what happened in Scotland – disguised renumeration and undisclosed contracts to dodge taxes and gain a sporting advantage, paying millions to a referee chief – even if you accept either parties’ version of events, is on a different level.  Perhaps only Juventus can compete with what for so many of us was an iconic bastion of goodness in the game.

Although corruption exists in football, it is rare to see payments directly between parties who should never have such commercial dealings.  More commonly, this type of payment would go through a third party.  The industry is a heady environment for ambitious lawyers, who make up a sizeable portion of the players’ agent industry.  They commonly invoice significant fees to club and can easily pay equally significant fees out for other professional services.

You may know it goes on, but even if you had all the paperwork, proving what happened was something sinister can be impossible.  Which is why this is so shoddy, lazy, even.  It is time for us to stop pretending modern sport is some bastion of 19th century ethical endeavours and accept that law breaking, organised crime and plain old bias cannot reach our fields.  To believe otherwise does our athletes and the paying customer a disservice.

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  2. boondock saint on

    That is a fantastic picture of the old days of practice. How things have changed, possibly for the best, with regards to how players are pampered. I don’t know if young kids even go down the route as apprentices, but I loved it. We had to wash the gear, hang up the gear, polish all the boots, go get lunch for the coaches at the wee sandwich place at Parkhead cross, sometimes even having to go to the bookies for certain folks:))) We got to be around legends after the players had went home. The real legends were the people behind the scenes. The young guys also had to jog to barrowfield as we never had cars and some of us were too shy to ask for a lift. Jayzus I am ooollldddd:))))))

     

    Sean

  5. An Dún on

    I just loved that Barca side under Pep.

     

     

    I went over to watch them in 08, 09 and 10.

     

     

    It’s difficult for me to ever imagine seeing another team so good. The football was quite simply beautiful.

     

     

    I’ve gone off Barca in recent years primarily over the super league carve up that they’re central too. The Spotify Camp Nou is not mes que un club, it’s show me the money. Playing in Saudi, it just stinks.

     

     

    The referee payments are hugely damaging. I’ve no doubt other clubs were up to it and concealed the payments far more effectively but mes que un club is tarnished and will remain so for a long time.

     

     

    That team under Guardiola though, I’ll be boring my grandsons about that team one day.

  10. Weebobbycollins on

    Pampered players?

     

    I was pals and played with Billy Murdoch, Bobby’s young brother. The first time I went to his house in the Spittal we went in the back door and there hanging from the pulley in the kitchen was the white with green sleeves and shamrock strip. Bobby still hadn’t yet made his first team debut and his mum had to wash his strip. Can you imagine that happening today?

  12. Big Jimmy on

    I havent been on here for a few days due to being unwell all week…but now I have cheered up Today.

     

     

    My faourite Horse JUMP Trainer of the last 30 years or so, only had THREE Horses running Today…all at NEWBURY.

     

    i backed the Three Horses EARLY this morning in an EACXH WAY TREBLE…..because the Third Selection was Priced at 33/1 and it hadnt won a Race for a couple of years or more. I had HOPED that somehow it would be PLACED ?

     

     

    The first TWO SELECTIONS WON at odds of….15/8 and 0/30. I would NOT have normally backed a Horse at those Prices Each Way, but I felt compelled to do so, as the Third selection has been in such poor form and it was a BIG Price Today.

     

    After the first Two had Won the Bookie offered me just over £15.00 to CASH OUT…..after all my Bet was ONLY for a £1 Stake . I resisted Cashing Out and waited for the Third Selection to run.

     

    It WON at odds of 50/1….YA DANCER !

     

     

    My RETURN for my ONE POUND Bet was….” £330.30″

     

     

    I had also done another Horse line, which was a LUCKY 15 Bet for only £3.00 One Horse was a NON RUNNER….but the remaining THREE Selections ALL Won at odds of15/8. 0/30 and 16/5….

     

    That gave me a a return of approx ” £44.00″….( I have forgotten so I will double check the Return on that Line ) .

     

     

    So its been a very FINE Day Today….its great to beat the Bookies now and then !

     

     

    LOL

     

    HH.

  13. Big Jimmy on

    AN TEARMANN on 24TH MARCH 2023 3:17 PM

     

    ParkheadcumSalford.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Get yourself a tea,sit back and watch this

     

     

     

     

     

     

    https://youtu.be/4AUQW1Ticoo

     

     

     

     

    ……………….

     

    MAGICAL !

     

    I had the privilege of watch JINKY during those heady days.

     

     

    Whit a Player the Wee Man was.

     

    JINKY R.I.P.

     

    YNWA.

     

    HH.

  19. Big Jimmy on

    CORRECT SCORES……

     

     

    Last weekend I Placed a LUCKY 15 Bet on the Fitba in England, and ALL FOUR Selections were for Correct Scores.

     

    I had SHEFF UTD to Win 3 – 2 at odds of 33/1.

     

    I had BRIGHTON to win 5- 0 at odds of 8/1.

     

    I had MAN UTD to win 3 – 1 at odds of 10/1.

     

    ALL three Correct scores had came up, SADLY….My FOURTH Selection…ARSENAL beat CYRSTAL PALACE 4 – 1.

     

    I had Arsenal to win by the Correct Score of 4 – 0 !

     

    THAT PALACE Goal DONE me out of quite a few Quid…The BASSA’s !

     

     

    HH.

  23. Hot Smoked on

    “MODERATOR1888 on 23RD MARCH 2023 10:57 PM

     

    HOT SMOKED

     

    If you wana take that and have a pop at me

     

    Thanks man”

     

     

    I am sorry that I did not make it clear that my post was humorous.

  24. Scaniel on

    BIG JIMMY,

     

    Now that I see you on, I’ve asked Paul for your email address. Can you check that he’s passed the message or given you mine. Alternatively, you can get mine from AN TEARMANN.

     

    Cheers

  25. Big Jimmy on

    BIGRAILROADBLUES on 24TH MARCH 2023 4:28 PM

     

    Big Jimmy

     

     

     

     

    Gerrintaethum!!!!

     

     

    ……………….

     

     

    Cheers Mate.

     

    I watched the Racing Today, so you can imagine that I was SHOUTING for the 50/1 Shot all the way up the run in…..it NEARLY got caught close to the line, but it held on !

     

     

    LOL

     

    HH

  26. Big Jimmy on

    SCANIEL on 24TH MARCH 2023 4:47 PM

     

    BIG JIMMY,

     

     

     

     

    Now that I see you on, I’ve asked Paul for your email address. Can you check that he’s passed the message or given you mine. Alternatively, you can get mine from AN TEARMANN.

     

     

     

     

    Cheers

     

    ……………

     

    I will Text AN TEARMANN and ask him to send me your EMAIL ADDY.

     

    I hope that everything is okay Mate ?

     

    HH.

  31. Scaniel on

    BIG JIMMY. Thanks, Pal

     

    I’m out doing the donkeys just now but I’ll catch you later. ( Just some info for you rather than the blog).

     

    Is that Nicky Henderson you follow? Think I can recall you mentioning that before.

  34. petec on

    Brendans team wisnae ruthless enough. We should have scored 10.

     

     

    This Celtic team will go to the 100th/91st minute looking for goals.

  35. bigrailroadblues on

    Scaniel 5.15

     

    Hope you’re well. I’ll be driving down with Jimmy whenever is acceptable. What’s the nearest hotel/bnb to your place? I can’t put up with Jimmy’s jokes without a beer. 🙄🍻

  36. Coneybhoy on

    Just for a laugh; list your favourite players who wore the classic 1-11 numbers. You had to see them play at the ground or live on TV

     

     

    I find it hard to remember who had the shirts so maybe missing good guys out

     

     

    For me

     

     

    1. Boruc

     

    2. McGrain

     

    3. Boyd

     

    4. Aitken

     

    5. Van Dijk

     

    6. McLeod

     

    7. Larsson

     

    8. McStay

     

    9. Sutton

     

    10. Nicholas

     

    11. Burns

  38. petec on

    Coneybhoy

     

     

    That would be an incredible team.

     

     

    I honestly think we huv the Best Manager possible.

     

     

    A made in Heaven Marriage.

     

     

    I’m guessing you urnae real old skool that witnessed the awesome Lions.

     

     

    That team would beat Everyone out of sight.

     

     

    Substitutes?

     

     

    We are getting Bigger and Stronger under Ange.

     

     

    Celtic in the Champions League next Season will be going on a Massive Attack. Everyone is aware how potent this Celtic team is.

     

     

    Another Tune…

     

     

    It’s Friday, it isnae quite 5to5

     

     

    CELTIC

     

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffnzMBstT4o&list=RDMM&index=2

  40. scullybhoy on

    1. Boruc

     

     

    2. McGrain

     

     

    3. Gemmell

     

     

    4. Aitken

     

     

    5. King Billy

     

     

    6. McLeod

     

     

    7. Larsson

     

     

    8. McStay

     

     

    9. King Kenny

     

     

    10. Tommy Burns

     

     

    11. Lennox

  41. Jinkyredstar on

    AN TEARMANN on 24TH MARCH 2023 3:17 PM

     

     

    AT – wonderful footage of Jinky – I am in tears, my youth mapped out in front of me in a series of mazy runs – terrific, thank you for posting.

  42. scullybhoy on

    I am not sure if George Connolly wore 6 but if he did, I would swap him for the Rhino.

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