The Super League | FA + PL: New Charter & Fines | UEFA: Settlement

[TheBlueDune]

John Henry video apology now released. Fair play for facing the camera, none of our lot will, but as if anyone is going to accept it.

That'll appease the Dipper hordes. Even the owner can now claim it wasn't his fault.

It's not as if they hold grudges or continually hark back to 'istorical events. It'll all be forgiven and forgotten by next week.

 

[nmc]

I completely agree - I've been going to matches for just short of 30 years... the point I am trying to make (probably quite badly lol) is that even if YOU are happy with that scenario our owners certainly are not... they don't want to be the "best of the rest" they 100% want to be the "best of the best" and I'm not sure I would want them to change in that mindset?

The Mike Ashley comment is 100% valid though - in business (and like it or not football is now a business) you either strive to be the best and crush your competion or you tread water and can't be arsed... there is no middle ground.

I for one cannot forget the amazing things out owners have done for this club - for the record I really didn't want the ESL and I'm buzzing we're out of it and it looks like the crazy idea is dead... but some posters have gone full on toxic in bashing our owners and I'm sorry for feeling the need to defend the people that I consider some of the best club owners in world football... you can disagree if you like (it's a forum and I'm fine with that) it's just the lack of appreciation for some of the best years I can rememeber as a City fan that irks me.

At the end of the day this will allo blow over (or not) and we can hopefully get back to what matters to us - the football

Agree with this and whilst I was against the ESL the importance of money cannot be downplayed in the modern game - take a look in the Transfer forum and see how many are happy with Danny Ings if we can’t afford Haarland.

 

[come-on-barney]

Please hear me out.

I believe that most on here are doing our owners a grave disservice. Let’s examine the facts, and then draw some conclusions based on the available evidence.

A Super League has been mooted for quite some time. I can find proposals from June 2019 where it was mooted by European clubs. One of the drivers of the proposal at that time was Agnelli (who has now fallen from power) from Juventus. At that time, a Guardian article stated that he wanted to ‘close the financial gap between his club and the premier league clubs’.

So I think it’s safe to conclude that this new proposal built upon that initial shot across the bows.

The next critical piece of evidence is from Tolmie. He has more inside information than any of us on here. He has stated for quite sometime (well before these events) that Ceferin has been an ally of City. In March last year, Ceferin was interviewed on Sky and said City remained a ‘valuable asset‘ for UEFA. I trust Tolmie’s information on our relationship with him.

I also think it’s completely implausible that both Ceferin and our owners were caught off guard by this current proposal. As Tolmie said, our owners know more about politics (particularly of the Machiavellian kind) than any of us will ever know. They would have known well in advance that this was coming.

So who was going to benefit most from this proposal? Certainly our premier league rivals, most of whom are economic basket cases. Also the Spanish/Italian axis. It would have, in one fell swoop, saved them from ongoing financial misery. So was it in our interests for this to go ahead, thereby allowing these hopelessly run businesses to catch up with us? My conclusion would be a resounding no.

Let’s then look carefully at what transpired. City leaked information that they were reluctantly dragged into the agreement. Ceferin is interviewed and urges the Premier League clubs to change their minds. Then there are leaks that two English clubs are waivering. Then City responds to the fans concerns and withdraws from the proposal, and Ceferin issues a statement that he is ‘delighted’ and welcomes City ‘back into the European football family’.

Now look at the fallout. Woodward and Agnelli have gone. The American owners are completely disillusioned. Our European enemies are left clinging at a mirage. We remain on course to continue the development of our long term sustainable business model. The super league is dead in the water. Our enemies in the Premier League will continue to hate us, and remain financial basket cases.

If this was Survivor, we have outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted our European and Premier League enemies.

His statement came out within minutes of our announcement. No way you get a statement out that fast if it’s not been pre-prepared.

 

[Damocles]

Do also find it quite ironic Sterling and kdb where amongst the most vocal. The same two who want to be paid circa 400k a week in the midst of a pandemic whilst the club announces losses £120 mil.

Don't think about it. Keep supporting. City til I die. We beat the cartel again. Don't think about it. We were forcibly dragged in. Bluemooon. Great lad that Kev. Really him who wrote that statement. Loves City he does. Don't think about it. Look here's another football match to watch.

 

[Tricky_Trev]

That'll appease the Dipper hordes. Even the owner can now claim it wasn't his fault.

It's not as if they hold grudges or continually hark back to 'istorical events. It'll all be forgiven and forgotten by next week.

To be honest the overwhelming majority are giving him abuse.

 

[franksinatra]

S

One line in a statement from the Arsenal board and you think they’ve done a better job than we have.

Cool.

In relation to the two clubs respective statements, yes Arsenals statement is more explanatory, more designed to appease fans and build bridges and that was the only point I was making.

Hopefully the club will address this today and provide more than a 21 word statement, saying we have withdrawn.

 

[nmc]

I’m rather hoping there is a fine, for pulling out, in the documents we supposedly signed. A rather big one. I’m just hoping that rather than finding its way into Perez’s bank, that it’s shared amongst the rest of the teams in each of the domestic leagues effected.

I don’t want to see us fined... that money would end up in Real and Barca’s pockets. So no.

 

[dubblue]

I'm torn, this was a 'massive' fck up of epic proportions and it's hard to forgive what we've seen and heard, e.g. the Glazer statement on the website ffs!!

But I think the guys in charge have a lot more goodwill in the tank than any of the Yanks at the other clubs so I think in the end I'll be willing to put it behind and move on.

Some form of communication from them would be nice though.

On your last sentence,they literally couldn’t care less about us “legacy fans”. Forget what’s been said to us in the last 13 years, nothing they say can repair this. They are better off just staying silent and dumping their end of season PR interview with khaldoon.

 

[vincent]

That'll appease the Dipper hordes. Even the owner can now claim it wasn't his fault.

It's not as if they hold grudges or continually hark back to 'istorical events. It'll all be forgiven and forgotten by next week.

Depends if they make top 4. Fickle footy fans. They’ll by fine if they do get top 4 and sign couple of world class players.

 

[kippaxwarrior]

That'll appease the Dipper hordes. Even the owner can now claim it wasn't his fault.

It's not as if they hold grudges or continually hark back to 'istorical events. It'll all be forgiven and forgotten by next week.

Think its too late for Henry, lot of unrest with Liverpool fans. I don't think its enough to save him

 

[SilverFox2]

It was never going to happen. It was so batshit crazy.. it really wasn’t worth getting stressed about. Us and TBF the Chavs were never into this but felt we couldn’t afford to be left out in the cold imo. The two cornerstones of the premier league are not coming out of this looking good though. The media seems to hold them accountable and let’s be honest it is largely their owners vision.

Frankly it matters little to us, the media, referees, var, PL and UEFA hate us anyway so what's new?
Perhaps us fans will be wrongly associated with it but what's new in us taking rubbish from other fans?

What's happened is gone and the media will have great difficulty blaming just City. Our collective club enemies have been sorted out, they are still in debt and they have abandoned Clubs who signed the letter to UEFA.

Not a bad outcome to a plan borne of the hubris the former G14 excel at.

Lesson to all not to ignore your fans in the UK. This is where grass roots matter and current owners of all Clubs are simply a temporary custodian of that office with that Club.

Just an opinion.

 

[schfc6]

The other clubs are run by successful, clever men, but they are men that invest for a return, a very , very big
difference.

I though we were run to boost a Nations PR, a living , amazing advert of how their nation works and is seen to the wider world.

Exactly. By your own logic then, would it not leave room to believe that we were miss sold this or at the very least given an minimal amount time to properly do our homework. Sold a fixed job by people only invested in greed.

 

[nmc]

Just seen Henry on Sky trying to save his (baggy) skin. Looks as insincere as Donald Trump.

 

[BlueAnorak]

Please hear me out.

I believe that most on here are doing our owners a grave disservice. Let’s examine the facts, and then draw some conclusions based on the available evidence.

A Super League has been mooted for quite some time. I can find proposals from June 2019 where it was mooted by European clubs. One of the drivers of the proposal at that time was Agnelli (who has now fallen from power) from Juventus. At that time, a Guardian article stated that he wanted to ‘close the financial gap between his club and the premier league clubs’.

So I think it’s safe to conclude that this new proposal built upon that initial shot across the bows.

The next critical piece of evidence is from Tolmie. He has more inside information than any of us on here. He has stated for quite sometime (well before these events) that Ceferin has been an ally of City. In March last year, Ceferin was interviewed on Sky and said City remained a ‘valuable asset‘ for UEFA. I trust Tolmie’s information on our relationship with him.

I also think it’s completely implausible that both Ceferin and our owners were caught off guard by this current proposal. As Tolmie said, our owners know more about politics (particularly of the Machiavellian kind) than any of us will ever know. They would have known well in advance that this was coming.

So who was going to benefit most from this proposal? Certainly our premier league rivals, most of whom are economic basket cases. Also the Spanish/Italian axis. It would have, in one fell swoop, saved them from ongoing financial misery. So was it in our interests for this to go ahead, thereby allowing these hopelessly run businesses to catch up with us? My conclusion would be a resounding no.

Let’s then look carefully at what transpired. City leaked information that they were reluctantly dragged into the agreement. Ceferin is interviewed and urges the Premier League clubs to change their minds. Then there are leaks that two English clubs are waivering. Then City responds to the fans concerns and withdraws from the proposal, and Ceferin issues a statement that he is ‘delighted’ and welcomes City ‘back into the European football family’.

Now look at the fallout. Woodward and Agnelli have gone. The American owners are completely disillusioned. Our European enemies are left clinging at a mirage. We remain on course to continue the development of our long term sustainable business model. The super league is dead in the water. Our enemies in the Premier League will continue to hate us, and remain financial basket cases.

If this was Survivor, we have outwitted, outplayed, and outlasted our European and Premier League enemies.

Pretty much as I see it

 

[onceabluealways]

An excellent and well thought out article.
Pity some fans can`t get the gist of this.
Our Owner and his staff would have taken the view "damned if we do, damned if we don`t".

Anyone who thinks City’s owners knew nothing about the ESL until last Thursday are being very Naive, unless our owners decided not to be as professional as they’ve been for the last 10 years

 

[Dubai Blue]

Not sure how the government can restrict work permits that means you can’t play in one competition but allow them for another, don’t think that’s stand up in a court of law tbh.

Of course it wouldn't

 

[Nicholas van Whatsisface]

Think its too late for Henry, lot of unrest with Liverpool fans. I don't think its enough to save him

Nah - he’ll be alright.

A couple more tub thumping gestures like that, a few well timed PR stories released through their media lackeys, and it’ll all be our fault again.

 

[nmc]

The ESL collapsed less than 12 hours after we pulled out. To me that proves it was never a viable proposition in the first place. Forget fan power, media criticism and global condemnation; it was only ever an attempt to win concessions from UEFA. Hopefully that bit has failed though the coefficient issue still exists.
The rag, dippers, Arse and Spurs may have to play with the rest of us but they also have the four biggest grounds and largest match day revenue. Not sure about dippers corporate facilities.
Those clubs have less money than they claim they'd get, but they aren't exactly poor. The stadium costs could hurt Spurs and Bingo's toothpaste bill could impact the dippers, but none will really struggle as the ESL was always pie in the sky and they knew it.

The key to this was the number 6 - so long as they stuck together the other 14 PL clubs couldn’t expel them. Once we or Chelsea broke ranks the 4 or 5 left behind could be expelled from the PL (15 clubs have the requisite 75 percent majority) even as a leveraging tool - and that’s why Liverpool and United folded because they faced the prospect of having to negotiate their way back into the PL from a point of relative weakness.

 

[onceabluealways]

I don't think our owners misjudged how the fans would take it. This plan put them in a bad position, the current status quo is to our benefit but if Super League got going we would have to be in it or we would become irrelevant.

Unlike Bayern or PSG they would have joined but would have been allowed at a later date, they can wait to see which way the wind blows and join 'reluctantly' later. As English teams were likely to be over represented we didnt have that luxury. Sign up now or forever outside.

If we sign up and it went ahead we were in. If it failed well everyone already hates us so we lose little. But the potential gains of failure should not be over estimated - removing a couple of senior UEFA executives who have previously tried to stop us, to cause PR problems at the established History clubs that the media love and who have actively tried to stop us (as part of the hateful 8 / 9), to reduce the ability of the big 2 spanish clubs to finance transfers. Our owners will have judged these things.

They didn't tell fans, or players, as it would have leaked. For all we know we phoned Cerafin to keep him informed, and to ensure that the snakes were removed - we dont know. By leaving first, with Chelsea (who I think are in a similar position to us with regards to this), we minimise our exposure as much as possible and allow UEFA to see us as the lesser of the evils.

Was this a good thing to do no, but it is totally understandable.

Either Cerafin is an extremely good actor or he didn’t have a clue what was happening

 

[93.20]

Can we still boooooo the Champions League anthem?