Comments on: Football Corruption in the English Premier League: The Story So Far

By: squaretan

squaretan — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 18:36:19 +0000

To Martek, it’s not football becomes boxing. It is football becomes like Wrestling (WWE). It’s happening i am telling you. At times you can see some players purposely make a stupid tackle just to get ‘himself’ sent off. To my friend Ahmed, nothing to offend but you should put yourself into the bookmakers shoes. The Whole World is betting on a favorite and strong team to win a match, what would you do if you are the bookie? Accept all the bets and let the strong team whack the weaker team? Then, today there will be no more people who are interested in taking bets because they will loose like shit. Make sense right? Just a comment no hard feelings brother!

By: Martek

Martek — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:11:40 +0000

It’s about time this investigation began before football becomes boxing. One serious problem is that the appearance of conflict of interest or corruption is in many ways as damaging as the corruption itself, possibly even worse in the sense that it continually erodes the public’s confidence in the game. The first American baseball commissioner Kennesaw Mountain Landis, in dealing with the infamous throwing of the 1919 World Series by the Chicago White Sox (The Black Sox scandal), banned all association with gambling or gamblers and the rule is rigorously enforced. Witness the lifetime ban given to one of the best ever to play that game, Pete Rose.

In the EPL and in many corners of the footballing world, this is a serious problem. I mean, Aston Villa has 23 Red as their shirt sponsors for goodness’ sake. And how many EPL and SPL teams have betting links on their Web sites? All of them. How on Earth can anyone not see the clear and obvious appearance of a conflict of interest there? This association with gambling has to cease NOW before this gets out of hand.

If fans want to gamble, and there is nothing wrong with that, they can do it on their own time. They don’t need the teams to lead them there. I can think of few more self-damaging actions on the part of teams. And don’t think a major, league-damaging can’t happen, because it definitely can.

By: Terry Lane

Terry Lane — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:51:10 +0000

As I commented on http://www.buzzinfootballblog.co.uk/redknapp-flames-police-corruption-dawn-raid/111/ on the subject of bungs, there’s no smoke without fire.

It’s about time those people in and around football would stop playing games & admit bungs, payments, gifts – whatever you want to call them do take place in football as they do in many professions. But why does Harry Redknapp keep getting singles out, as George Graham & Brian Clough were before him.

Why not just open the whole debate by saying, it goes on, so what?

By: Ahmed Bilal

Ahmed Bilal — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:30:17 +0000

ST – give it a rest mate.

I was a bit disappointed with the press circus around Harry’s questioning, surely the police have more tact?

By: squaretan

squaretan — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 11:13:36 +0000

Haiz… Until now not many still believe that soccer is all about putting a show on the pitch. Something like WWE ! Just put yourself in the bookies shoes, The whole world is betting on TEAM A to win, i wonder how many billion would that be, if everyday the favorites win, who wants to be bookie? RIght?