Players unhappy with Saudi Pro League

[Peabody]

So what is different than they expected. They have signed a contract ,is there an escape clause for them and if so surely they lose a lot of money.

I have no sympathy for them, when I was their age I and many others were forced into 2 years National Service where we could be sent to all kinds of nasty places and our pay was about £2 per week. There was no escape clause in our contracts.

You right there

[boyboy]

Thought it was the case that if Henderson wanted to come back he would only pay tax on the Saudi earnings if and when he brings the money back into the country. May be wrong about this though.

[Kemosabe]

He would need to establish non-residence first by residing outside the UK for an entire year.   Otherwise he is liable to UK tax on the Saudi income.

If he can meet that test, he can bring the capital sum that he has saved from his Saudi earnings back to the UK (and won't pay tax on it). 

However, once he comes back, if he is earning an income from the capital that he has earned in Saudi and saved (e.g. if he is earning bank interest on it, anywhere in the world), then that would be subject to UK tax in subsequent years.

To get technical, the only way he could avoid paying tax in future years on Saudi money that he keeps outside the UK would be if he qualified as "non-domiciled" in the UK and elected to pay UK tax on a so-called "remittance basis".  But I think it highly unlikely that he would meet the test, given that he was born in the UK.

[HV71]

It makes me feel really good about the state of football when players want to put on an England shirt but might not be happy to pay tax in the UK

Very patriotic

[FFC1987]

Those doom merchants saying the Saudi league was taking over and the prem will basically cease to be are awfully quiet.......

[Yorkie_FFC]

When this all started with the 1st high profile transfers naturally it brought conversation. I remember chatting to mates and the one thing that kept coming up was the lifestyle in Saudi, it is a very conservative country compared to what most are used to especially if taking their families. The UAE in general is less conservative (Still relative strict on certain things) but especially Dubai are used to Western culture and do (if not taking the piss) allow certain degree of flexibility

[Logicalman]

How many people on here have left one job for another only not to find it how they expected and ended up looking for employment elsewhere? Its just what happens, no different to footballers. Can't actually see any issue with players looking to leave for pastures new.

I believe you are correct when talking about 20-28 year olds, and that is their biggest problem, age. As we get older and (hopefully) wiser, one realizes that green pasture may well be astro-turf and not of the lushness one was led to believe, I am constantly offered more money to move employers, but am quite happy to see my working years out doing what I do, and with whom, now, being that middle-sized fish.

[Cambridge Away]

It makes me feel really good about the state of football when players want to put on an England shirt but might not be happy to pay tax in the UK

Very patriotic

That's how i felt about Queen Elizabeth. Still, she is 'supported' nonetheless. It'a a crazy world we live in

[rusty shackleford]

No sign of Mitro being unhappy. Pizza must be good out there

[I Ronic]

Some of the Middle Eastern countries make up their own rules anyway. Getting out of a contract prematurely can be much much harder, and more expensive than you could imagine. Whilst I don't approve of draconian actions by employers or indeed the State, I would not have much sympathy for the footballers affected.

All mention here has been about the players and their tax positions. However will the clubs be willing to take a big loss. I doubt it. They'll want their money back and make a point about why these players are on big money deals. As mentioned above, theyre in for a few surprises.

[FFC1987]

Some of the Middle Eastern countries make up their own rules anyway. Getting out of a contract prematurely can be much much harder, and more expensive than you could imagine. Whilst I don't approve of draconian actions by employers or indeed the State, I would not have much sympathy for the footballers affected.

All mention here has been about the players and their tax positions. However will the clubs be willing to take a big loss. I doubt it. They'll want their money back and make a point about why these players are on big money deals. As mentioned above, theyre in for a few surprises.

Clubs don;t own the players....the league does but same point remains. It's embarrassing for the Saudi league to lose all these marque signings so I can;t see that much happening unless they all had decent clauses.

[Free Elvis Hammond]

Has there been much on why players are unhappy? I've seen mention of heat/humidity (who'd have imagined that of Saudi Arabia?) and low attendances (who'd have imagined that of Saudi Arabia?)

[FFC1987]

Has there been much on why players are unhappy? I've seen mention of heat/humidity (who'd have imagined that of Saudi Arabia?) and low attendances (who'd have imagined that of Saudi Arabia?)

General facilities. Talksport said yesterday that Hendo's club don't have a proper gym and when they asked for a new one, the club/league said they would need to pay for it.....

[Craven Mad]

I am no fan of the Saudi league, and am delighted to see all the fallout since the summer, but I'm surprised that - with all the league's cash - they're failing to fix such simple points.

If the players are unhappy playing in empty stadiums, then why doesn't the league just pay transient workers to 'support' the teams en masse? Similar to how Qatar managed to build their World Cup facilities so quickly.

I'm not saying it's ethical (not that the Saudis would care), but given the wages paid to the players, it seems totally financially viable to pay subsistence sums to 1000s per match, just to show up and sing/shout for a couple of hours...

Regardless, I hope the league fails miserably and the sellouts (like Henderson) aren't welcomed back to Europe with open arms.

[King_Crud]

How many people on here have left one job for another only not to find it how they expected and ended up looking for employment elsewhere? Its just what happens, no different to footballers. Can't actually see any issue with players looking to leave for pastures new.

there's a difference between moving jobs and finding you don't click with your boss or the job description doesn't match the role. But there's nothing these footballers wouldn't have known already, or discovered with a bit of due diligence. Apparently it's quite hot in Saudi Arabia, and not many people go to the games there. This seems to be causing some upset for players. What a shock