UEFA FFP investigation - CAS decision to be announced Monday, 13th July 9.30am BST

[nmc]

I'm 6 months on here and so far have avoided giving my opinion on the subject. Seeing as you have specifically asked I will share my thoughts. Firstly I have noticed a real change in mood in the last few weeks since the poll went up and @projectriver provided his brilliant analysis.

Now gets ready to run for the hills*

As an outsider looking in and what I feel is the general consensus among other fans is City are obviously guilty. In so many ways it reminds of 2 cases, the John Terry/Anton Ferdinand case and the Suarez/Evra case. The Chelsea fans weren't as ferocious as they were inwardly delighted to have a racist as captain but still wouldn't have it be said that only true version of events was the one provided by their spiritual leader. With Liverpool you had players wearing t-shirts in support and supporters learning intricate pieces of law and Montevideo slang and swearing blind their man is the victim when literally everyone else is looking at them and saying what the fuck is wrong with them? To this day they won't have anyone say Suarez was a wrongun despite a mountain of evidence and a series of various crimes for differnet teams in different countries. They wanted to sue the FA, Ferguson,Evra, UEFA and anyone else that didn't believe them. It was only the eventual intervention by sponsors that had them put their guns away. In 20 years time those fans will still reject any accusation he made racist remarks.

I think something similar will happen here, City will lose and eventually sponsors/investors will demand a line is drawn underneath this. I won't line, I do think City are guilty but I don't think this is anywhere near as clear cut as the Suarez case simply because there is so much more involved and City at every level (bar internet security) seem to be world leaders, add in another jurisdiction which UEFA have no rights in and it becomes a much closer call. It's so technical and so huge that there is a massive chance someone in UEFA has fucked up somewhere along the line, I suspect City's bluster is based around having the confidence that the best legal team money can buy will find that mistake.

* you did ask.

Its all about opinions, and none of us have a definitive view, personally I'm clinging to the fact that our owners are putting their own and the UAE's reputation firmly and very publicly on the line here and I find it very hard to believe that given their natural conservatism and culture of respect they'd push this hard unless those expensive lawyers had given them rather 'good odds'. Equally, the bullish statements coming from the club are at odds with normal UAE culture and again these will have been cleared by our legal representatives. Of course UEFA are not backing down either so someone's onto a hiding - I just pray its not us.

 

[nmc]

What are we guilty of?

Challenging the elite

 

[Sir peace frog]

I seem to remember my children's illustrated Bible has a splendid picture of David with his sling shot about to fell goliath, but was a little light on pictorial evidence of the subsequent bumming.

" after the battle,david weak and in pain went to brendas mudhut,he was offered some water and carrot cake,he drank thirstly from the goblet,but declined the cake as he wasn't very hungry , in pain from his stomach injury and chaffing from his fighting underpants david lay down but couldnt get comfy,,he decided to lay on the bed in a do,the book ends there due to water damage sad;y

9 months after the fight, david gave birth to a beautiful baby boy in a stable in Bethlehem, goliath as we now know after studying the scriptures was the father

 

[BobbyBoy]

What are we guilty of?

Breaking the FFP rules that all clubs entering European competition agree to.

Edit: apologies for using the word guilty, as projectriver as pointed out on a few occasions guilty or innocent isn't the correct description.

 

[GRB]

Breaking the FFP rules that all clubs entering European competition agree to.

sniffy sniffy...

 

[tolmie's hairdoo]

Breaking the FFP rules that all clubs entering European competition agree to.

Which rule?

Guilty of what?

Please be specific.

I also agree to pay my taxes each year, I am not breaking the law by exploiting any loophole the law/any oversight affords me.

 

[dario2739]

I'm 6 months on here and so far have avoided giving my opinion on the subject. Seeing as you have specifically asked I will share my thoughts. Firstly I have noticed a real change in mood in the last few weeks since the poll went up and @projectriver provided his brilliant analysis.

Now gets ready to run for the hills*

As an outsider looking in and what I feel is the general consensus among other fans is City are obviously guilty. In so many ways it reminds of 2 cases, the John Terry/Anton Ferdinand case and the Suarez/Evra case. The Chelsea fans weren't as ferocious as they were inwardly delighted to have a racist as captain but still wouldn't have it be said that only true version of events was the one provided by their spiritual leader. With Liverpool you had players wearing t-shirts in support and supporters learning intricate pieces of law and Montevideo slang and swearing blind their man is the victim when literally everyone else is looking at them and saying what the fuck is wrong with them? To this day they won't have anyone say Suarez was a wrongun despite a mountain of evidence and a series of various crimes for differnet teams in different countries. They wanted to sue the FA, Ferguson,Evra, UEFA and anyone else that didn't believe them. It was only the eventual intervention by sponsors that had them put their guns away. In 20 years time those fans will still reject any accusation he made racist remarks.

I think something similar will happen here, City will lose and eventually sponsors/investors will demand a line is drawn underneath this. I won't line, I do think City are guilty but I don't think this is anywhere near as clear cut as the Suarez case simply because there is so much more involved and City at every level (bar internet security) seem to be world leaders, add in another jurisdiction which UEFA have no rights in and it becomes a much closer call. It's so technical and so huge that there is a massive chance someone in UEFA has fucked up somewhere along the line, I suspect City's bluster is based around having the confidence that the best legal team money can buy will find that mistake.

* you did ask.

What utter bollocks... firstly, there is zero comparison between our case and two cases of racism – you then spout rubbish about the Suarez/Evra incident... no proof? Suarez admitted what he said, but claimed it isn't meant in a racist way!

As for thinking we're guilty and saying most neutrals think we are... I wonder why... couldn't be because a highly biased media, who pander constantly to Liverpool and United, have slanted their articles to say we are is it? Or UEFA, who are renowned for their integrity and honesty.
Enlighten us - why do you feel we're guilty, what proof do you have to back up your opinion?

 

[BobbyBoy]

Which rule?

Guilty of what?

Please be specific.

I also agree to pay my taxes each year, I am not breaking the law by exploiting any loophole the law/any oversight affords me.

I will go with Forbes for this one.

Manchester City was found guilty of two charges: of falsely inflating sponsorship revenues when making submissions as part of the Financial Fair Play (FFP) compliance process; of breaching regulations by failing to cooperate in the investigation of the case by the Club Financial Control Body (CFCB).

 

[BillyShears]

Which rule?

Guilty of what?

Please be specific.

I also agree to pay my taxes each year, I am not breaking the law by exploiting any loophole the law/any oversight affords me.

Exactly. Yer man there is showing himself to be buying the narrative. The emails don’t show anything other than poor personal judgment in some of their personal content. The interpretation of the relevant financial details is almost impossible from the outside.

 

[Marvin]

I will go with Forbes for this one.

Manchester City was found guilty of two charges: of falsely inflating sponsorship revenues when making submissions as part of the Financial Fair Play (FFP) compliance process; of breaching regulations by failing to cooperate in the investigation of the case by the Club Financial Control Body (CFCB).

The hacked emails in Der Spiegel state that the Etihad sponsorship that City received was £65m. How is that inflated?