Going viral now @Argyle. Time to get your empty apology sorted. Maybe don't go with "hi all" at the top his time.
No need to thank me, I'm "here to help".
@UTCTom If the club charges more for DD then more people will pay by credit card. Credit card fees are higher than DD fees, so it seems counter intuitive the club will ultimately make less.
FIFA undermines the credibility of its disciplinary process and the authority of its referees with its special treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s undeniably one of the greats of the game, a fabulous footballer (if in inevitable decline at 40), hugely important for Fifa in marketing and spreading the game through his 1bn social media followers, and a Messi-Ronaldo last dance at the World Cup is a dream for Fifa and TV. But justice should be blind to status and commercial value.
Fifa could have gained some respect by punishing Ronaldo properly as they do other players. And Portugal would surely survive the group stage without Ronaldo for two games, which should have been his punishment for violent conduct. Ronaldo elbowed Dara O’Shea in the back, was initially given a yellow card which was rightly upgraded to a red by VAR for violent conduct which usually brings a three-match ban. So Fifa has effectively undermined VAR.
Ronaldo has already served one game, with Fifa now suspending the other two for a year. How convenient. USA, land of the freed. Fifa did get Messi into the Club World Cup...
And will any player sent off in the March play-offs expect similar clemency from Fifa?
It was Ronaldo’s first dismissal in 226 internationals, an impressive disciplinary record, that bought him sympathy from Gianni Infantino’s organisation. Fifa says in its statement that “if Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension set out in the disciplinary decision shall be deemed automatically revoked and the remaining two matches must be served immediately”.
The key word here is “gravity”. Fifa admits the seriousness of Ronaldo’s offence and yet punishes him lightly. A good day for marketing. A bad day for discipline.