Uefa announce new official sponsorship deal with Paddy Power Pants
By Walter Broeckx
Somehow Nicklas Bendtner has something with his underpants. A few years ago we had the incident when after a game he was being caught with his trousers at knee height when leaving a club and showing his underpants. If I remember it correct Wenger was not that pleased with the incident. And with a few other incidents surrounding Bendtner since then.
I really wonder if he doesn’t make it at Arsenal (and it looks that way) how much all those incidents will have contributed to not making it. But that is something for another article.
The new underpants incident took place during the Euro 2012. After scoring a goal Bendtner showed a part of his underpants. Apparently Bendtner has a good friend called Paddy who gave him this and as a token of appreciation for this gesture Bendtner showed the underpants after having scored for Denmark. Because his mate having the last name “Power” Nicklas finds himself in trouble.
If his friend would be named Mc and something more Uefa would be fine with it. And Bendtner would be fine with it. But now he is fined with it. A fine of 100.000 euro and a one game ban.
Isn’t it nice how Uefa (just like Fifa) always give you an extra reason to hate them more than I already did before? Now I don’t care that much for Bendtner and his personal bank account as I think he will have enough money to deal with the fine and his friend Paddy will use his power to let him survive the two weeks lost of wages. And the one game ban is well I don’t care about international football and if Bendtner would stay at Arsenal I even would welcome this ban to be honest.
But the way Uefa reacts to this is just another example on what the only important thing is for Uefa. Uefa doesn’t care about football. They only care about money. Uefa doesn’t care about the players. The only thing they care about is their sponsors.
If Uefa would care about football then what about the fact that the refs are not doing enough to protect the players. I have seen a few dangerous and reckless tackles that in some cases totally went unpunished and didn’t get the deserved red card. I hope I will be wrong but I really fear that before the tournament is over we will see a terrible injury. You can see it coming. You can tackle with studs showing the ref will not blow (well some do actually thanks goodness) but don’t argue with the ref or the card will come out in a flash.
I agree you don’t have to argue with the ref but I still do think that making a foul that can cause serious injury is worse than a player saying something to the ref. As far as I know a word has never caused an injury as for a tackle… Don’t get me wrong I completely agree with given yellow cards to moaning players but the main task of the refs is to punish the dangerous tackles with yellow or red cards. I do think that the ref will have less moaning around him if he started doing it like that.
And I have noticed a lot of studs showing tackles this tournament. Maybe the players are trying to see how far they can go and for the moment the refs didn’t take much notice (apart from a few one). And we all know that what happens in a tournament (world cup or EC) it filters through to the national leagues. So I am holding my breath for what might happen in football next season.
Let us go back to the Power that controls football and I don’t mean Paddy of course but Uefa. They now give the signal that kicking your opponents in a dangerous way is normal. But showing your sponsored Paddy Power underpants is a criminal offence. I think Bendtner in a way can call himself lucky that it is 2012 and not 1012 because I think he would have been quartered and hung by now. Well maybe they have thought about that but maybe they keep that scoop for Fifa at the next World cup and for a Dutch Bavaria girl that is wearing the wrong dress.
I think at the headquarters of Paddy Power they must be laughing like mad with all this. I can tell you that when it happened I never even looked for a split second at Bendtner or his underpants. I’m not that interested in a man his underpants to be honest but that is just a personal thing. So I never saw the advert – until Uefa made a big thing about it.
If Uefa would have been smart they would have let it go and I would never have heard of Paddy Power at all. But now by drawing the attention to it I get all kind of pictures in my newspapers focussing on that illegal sponsor. And since then I have seen the name in large on pictures and written in the newspapers.
In fact by turning this in to a capital offence they have just played in the hands of Paddy Power. Had Uefa ignored it nobody would have noticed it that much. But now they made a fuss about it and so Paddy had his name in the papers for almost a week together with the picture of the famous underpants. In fact I think they are turning in to the most famous underpants in football by now. And Paddy will have his name mentioned even till September now. Because you can imagine that when Denmark plays its next international game the fact that Bendtner is suspended will be linked with his Paddy underpants again and we will see the pictures again coming in the newspapers. All thanks to the witch hunt from Uefa.
I rather would like it that Uefa does a witch hunt on dangerous play. I rather would like it that Uefa did something about serious foul play. Because that is what they should care about. Not a player showing a part of his underpants. But well football is not about football any more for Uefa. It is just a money spinning machine and the money is the all important thing for Uefa.
I have heard a rumour that Uefa actually was looking for a way to play the EC without having teams on the field but the sponsors didn’t like the idea at all to just show 2 x 45 minutes of only rotating advertising boards and somehow a survey amongst people who bought tickets showed that they also were not really willing to pay for just that.
PS: I have nothing to do with gambling at all but just to show my middle finger to Uefa I have tried to use the name of that sponsor as much as possible (could we ask them to pay us Tony?)
PS2: In fact I really don’t like it when a player has a gambling office as a private sponsor
PS3: In fact I think it should be forbidden by law that gambling offices cannot sponsor football teams at all.
PS4: Just as I said Fick Fufa 2 years ago, I will now say Feck Uufa (that sounds about right).
PS5: Bendtner will appeal the ban and the fine much to the enjoyment of Paddy Power
———————————————-
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“Any publicity is good publicity”
…never rung more true in what paddy power have done. The fact that the media have picked this up means the paddy power brand is highlighed in the daily’s further advertising paddy power (for free)- PR masterstroke! (crafty irish eh! and that is assuming paddy power is actually based in ireland)
or could this be a subversive marketing ploy by uefa and paddy power whereby paddy power asked Uefa to make a fuss about it so for the ensuing media coverage, in receipt of a secret payment? It could be Uefa or an idividual @Uefa who influnces what Uefa bans/decides upon receiveing a secret payment to raise the bendy/paddy power issue and make a stink about it? Both unlikely, but not inconceivable at corrupt Uefa…
Bendtner has also increased his personal profile, as he is now the most talked about striker in Europe. Never a bad thing when you’re looking for a move to a new club.
That should also help Arsenal move him on at a realistic price as well
Good that you point this out, Walter.
Showing the top band of underpants is clearly an heinous crime.
The fine from Yoofa is even more than for Wenger’s “crimes”.
Of course there’s nothing wrong with the racism – hence the incredibly paltry fines, or no fines at all. Balotelli had to be restrained by his team-mates after scoring Italy’s 2nd goal. Does anyone know what his beef was, please.
I wonder how things will go with the Eng v Ukr match tonight, racism-wise???
Funny you mentioned the Fick Fufa article. I dug it out yesterday to show someone how the IOC will do things for *London2012 (*am I even allowed to write that?)
FICK FUFA: Fifa demand their own car lane, no tax, and total control of clothing and street advertising
http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/6698
LOL alzation, good shout!
Walter, ban Dogface and his gambling resumes? YES!!!
I think it is a funny prank but I don’t have an issue with Uefa’s reaction over this as Bendtner knew exactly what he was doing. The rules are clear and simple.
You mention Uefa being all about money and yes they are but only because the players demand more and more money and the fans demand more and more success gained through transfer fees and wages. Uefa have to protect the investment of its key sponsorship partners otherwise there is no money to pay these footballers the ludicrous wages to pay the football the fans want to see.
Compare Bendtners fine with the recent paltry fines imposed by EUFA on a few National associations for racist chanting infringements and it is obvious where their priorities lie. Makes you wonder as to the moral integrity of Platini and EUFA.
Notoverthehill: Why are you trying to upset Dogface? lol!
It is just sad that football lovers all over the world cannot unite. We just don’t seem to realise what power we have and how we can hurt FIFA, UEFA, FA and the lot.
Immagine if we let them organise their tournaments as usual and nobody shows up for the tickets? We then put out our own slogan: “Refocus on protecting the game and making it fair for all, or get the hell out of football”. Even their sponsors will be hurt; and they will be ruined for that tournament at least.
I am 10000% with Mick on this one.
Stuart would that be a bad thing? Paying them less money? Uefa should not care about the money the players can get. They should care about the sport itself.
The question should be asked : would Messi be not as good if he would earn half whatever he is on? He still would be the same player with the same skills. Just a fraction less rich.
So why should Uefa bother to make sure the players can earn that much money?
The answer to my question: because otherwise they (Uefa top dogs – not dogface) wouldn’t make that much money themselves?
UEFA fines:
£45,000 Spain 2004 (racism),
£16,500 Serbia 2007 (racism),
£10,000 Croatia 2008 (racism).
£71,000 in total when it comes to racism
Now if you decide to expose your underwear with a sponsor on you;ll get a fine of £80,000, just like Mr Bendtner got one.
What does this show?It shows that UEFA is nothing but a disgrace. They talk about kicking racism out and stuff but all they do is show off. For example what Uefa did after RVP got that ridiculous red card against Barca during 10-11 season? They did nothing. In fact it was RVP who lost his appeal against his one match suspension. Arsene Wenger and Samir Nasri both were banned for one match by UEFA due to improper conduct following their criticism of Busacca after the match. Wenger was also fined €10,000(the amount of money Croatia were fined for racism). Massimo Busacca not only killed the game exposing UEFA’S true colours but that year he was given the position of Head of Refereeing Development with FIFA. Now what was that? It shows that Football is run by a bunch of Dictators. They lie and they spill tosh all the time. They are bunch of hypocrites!
Walter
How do you hang a man if he is quartered first?
Hung, drawn (to make it easier for quartering) & then quartered 🙂
Very good article btw
Philip, you hang him in 5 different pieces 😉
How you said theyvshouldvhave just ignored it instead of five all that publicity to paddy power. The same mistake was made at the last world cup where a bunch of good looking Dutch girls were arrested because they were wearing these orange dresses that were handed out in packs of Bavaria beer. There was no logo on them aside from a tiny tag that even cameras wouldn’t be able to read but by arresting them they gave so much publicity to the company
Dutch gunner I agree – more and more firms are moving into this sort of marketing, because Uefa and Fifa fall for it every time and act in a way to maximise the publicity.
Imagine gambling companies making secret payments to footballers in return for on field actions!
What can go wrong!
Mick, I’m also with you.
Neutral, the fines you highlighted blew me away.
I wonder if one of the requirements to join FIFA/UEFA is to consent to a full frontal lobotomy to ensure the part of the brain that helps make moral decisions no longer influences the actual decisions made. 😛
Have to feel a bit sorry for Nic. Wearing Paddy Power pants isn’t half as offencive as those aweful Ray Winstone “bet in play, naaaaaaah!” adverts before each half of a football match. 😛
@SouthernGunner,
There can be no sympathy for a footballer who can take pants from a betting organisation and displays said pants to the watching world. Surely it must have occurred to him and his poor old Dad (agent) that this would expose them to not only ridicule for ding something so stupid in itself, and also to the accusation that his many shit performances and bad passes while at arsenal and wherever he may decide continue his career are dictated by his friends in the emerald isle.
Walter, paaddy power is going to pay the 100,000 Euro they fined Bendtner but they said that UEFA is deeply cynical and hysterical. As of me i think UEFA are the YAKUZA of football if you can promote Busacca if you can promote him to that extent then you know exactly what you are doing and what you want.
@all,
Fines have been good revenue streams for governments of all kinds and i cannot see UEFA being any different, think parking wardens.
I am sure they factor in income from fines in their financial planning for the year ahead and it might have been mentioned in the last meeting the need to hire more administrators to boost this rich income stream!
This issue brought up in the comments section highlights Uefa’s commitment to inproving human values within football, What sort of message are they sending out. Totally disgusting.
I want to underline part of Walter’s remarks — that there have been an AWFUL lot of studs-showing tackles these past weeks that have been given a play-on sign. Sometimes players leapt over the tackle (which should still be a foul), but a couple have connected, and the punishments weren’t proper. If this is the top standard of refereeing in Europe, I’m not optimistic about future Champions League runs…
Perhaps we could secretly stencil Paddy Power on the soles of the Italian’s boots? I’m sure UEFA would be very quick to stamp out any studs up action then.
http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/5753
And what has changed since then….
@ Ugandan Gooner
My previous post was meant as a joke.
@SouthernGunner,
Sorry, sense of humour failure on my part. the focus somehow seems to have escaped the fact that a bookmaker is paying a player to influence the action on the pitch, which is pants in my book, like i said failure.
Walter,
Paying them less money would be a great thing, I would love it to cost a fiver to go to a game but unfortunately everything costs more these days. Our demand for more as fans has also played a part in these ridiculous wage rises and the monmey has to come from somewhere.
This is a bit like FIFA making a fuss over the Dutch models promoting Bavaria beer at the last world cup. Soon after Lidls were full of it and it was in fact quite good.
@ Ugandan Goon
No problem, mate. 🙂 You do make a good point, though. Professional sportsmen & bookmakers aren’t exactly a mach made in heaven :S
Wonder if we’ll see anymore players pulling similar stunts?