PL charge City for alleged breaches of financial rules

[halfcenturyup]

More than a decade ago, someone very well connected in Abu Dhabi posted on BM. He once wrote that: "Khaldoon Al-Mubarak ... is ... [very] media savvy (courtesy of him having a a former Burson-Marsteller executive as his right-hand man)". I admire Khaldoon immensely and have tremendous respect for his performance in chairing MCFC's board since 2008, but I wish we'd seen a bit more of his and Pearce's "savvy" with regard to this particular matter.

Good post as always.

Went back to read that guy's posts, btw. Must have missed them at the time. Very interesting. Whatever happened to him?

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

He's a businessman first and foremost, who is looking to set up the rags to be saleable. That won't be possible if the business is subject to rules that prevent investment, nobody will want it. Good that he's realised that, though.

It seems pretty clear that Ratcliffe and Khaldoon are on the same page. Ratcliffe(INEOS) has extensive business links with the Gulf region and moves in the same circles as Khaldoon. Despite all the tribalism I think this will be good for City and the Greater Manchester region in the long-term. The two Manchester clubs can be a very powerful lobby. This is a huge change from the David Gill "dirty tricks" era.

 

[mayo31]

Offered a deal? Source?

Sure I read it here

Lost amongst over 6000 pages

 

[give it to gordon]

Scruffy Jim not on board with the PL here...

Looking at the comments the rags don't seem to like Scuffy Jim or his views.

Personally I think he talks some sense, why are the pl trying to stop clubs spending money or trying to stop clubs competing against the best in Europe.

 

[mancboy]

This is basically true, regrettably. At the moment, the assumption is that we'll be guilty, which IMO disregards the absolutely plausible possibility that we could have acted within the scope of the regulations as applicable from time to time and nonetheless have achieved our objectives.

In general, I don't debate this stuff with people who can't tell me what at least one of the issues is that have given rise to some of these so-called charges. But in odd discussions I've had going back several years, I've encountered people who profess not to care whether we're strictly innocent. They think that, if we are, it's because we've exploited loopholes and we in any event breach the spirit of the law. Thus, we morally deserve punishment and they'll regard it as justified if it comes.

Frankly, the spirit of the law along with similar offshoots is a bullshit concept beloved only of legally illiterate clowns, and it counts for nothing in the real world. Argument relying on this risible notion will usually be backed up solely with assertions about us being owned by Abu Dhabi, who funnel money into the club through overvalued sponsorship. They can't cite evidence of that, but none is needed because, of course, everybody knows it's true.

I remember having a conversation a while back that went along exactly these lines. I happened to know that my interlocutor had recently benefitted from a significant tax break, so asserted to him that the spirit of the law dictated that he should stop being a tax-dodging **** and tip up the unpaid cash to the fiscal authorities. After all, it was evident that something was going on that wasn't right. For some reason, he thought I should have evidence before making such wild allegations against him, but he can tar City based exclusively on his own rank prejudice.

Unfortunately, I sense that this guy's view of City is quite widespread not only among other fans but within the game itself. This is the root of narratives concerning sportswashing, empty seats and the like. These paint us as a small club whose owners have a shady motive that can be fulfilled only through sharp practice. This, it's claimed, threatens the fabric of football as we know it and needs to be stopped as a matter of priority.

Whether or not City are successful in the ongoing challenge to the concept of associated parties, it's easy to see how the idea has become embedded that we urgently need to be stopped. Of course, there are direct rivals who are only too eager to saw us off at the knee and are willing to act in the utmost bad faith to achieve that, but they've also managed to create an atmosphere where a majority of PL clubs back measures that certainly push hard at the boundaries of competition law if they don't go beyond that.

I wouldn't estimate how tough this PR battle has been for MCFC. In its reporting of anything to do with our club's ownership and off-field activities, the British sports media is more one-sided than a fight would be between peak Mike Tyson and my works tea lady. And then there's the fact that ongoing investigations of our club have precluded any meaningful comment on the allegations against us apart from a simple denial.

It's to be hoped that the conclusion of the current PL case against the club will remove that barrier and allow us to put across our side of the story from a position of strength as the clear victors in the whole exercise. I tend to stick to my home turf when I post on BM and comment on legal rather than PR matters, but when I see the latter having this kind of effect on the former, it's hard for me not to opine that City need to undertake a major public relations effort at that stage.

And, while it's too late now, I also wonder how things have been allowed to reach this point. Notwithstanding the complexities I referred to in conveying our position to the wider public, could we really not have done better? We've completely failed to get our alternative version of events out there, and as a result have made life easy for our enemies, our detractors and their mendacious press cheerleaders.

More than a decade ago, someone very well connected in Abu Dhabi posted on BM. He once wrote that: "Khaldoon Al-Mubarak ... is ... [very] media savvy (courtesy of him having a a former Burson-Marsteller executive as his right-hand man)". I admire Khaldoon immensely and have tremendous respect for his performance in chairing MCFC's board since 2008, but I wish we'd seen a bit more of his and Pearce's "savvy" with regard to this particular matter.

They have been allowed to reach this point because the press will just print what they feel that their consumers want to read/hear and the idea of journalistic integrity fell by the wayside along time ago, it is similar to the trump situation in the states in that it doesnt matter what is said or printed in opposition to him, his supporters will decry and debunk it because they need to believe in him, this is what is happening here, it does not matter what is said or printed here (see martin samuel talking sense) because the red tops etc need to believe that we are guilty its fundamental to them that they are special because they have been told they are forever and a day and if they have not just been beaten but annihilated by a club that hasnt cheated but was just more inventive, better run, cleverer than them then it shows that anyone can do it so they arent special, their history means nothing and they are no better than anyone else so it has to be because we have cheated and so it doesnt matter what is said or printed as it will make no difference to them as they dont want to confront that reality.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

Looking at the comments the rags don't seem to like Scuffy Jim or his views.

Personally I think he talks some sense, why are the pl trying to stop clubs spending money or trying to stop clubs competing against the best in Europe.

rag supporters don't like the thought of anybody other than themselves being able to compete . That's how they were succesful historically and they won everything.

They are also amongst the most stupid which explains so much...............

 

[wolviedinho]

United boss speaks common sense. A bit of a shock. Both he and Khaldoon have now namechecked Alison Brittain PL Chair. That speaks volumes. Ratcliffe showing signs of knowing what he is doing.

Laying the groundwork for when the case collapses for a more cordial relationship with the rags and move masters on for Britain to take over. He is toast.

 

[TShed]

Old Jimbo probably sees an opportunity to oust scousers and tarquins and will happily settle for a few more knockout lottery cup wins but needs to be runners up and secure long term guarantees of CL football he is also a excellent business man and ain’t stupid when it comes to examining our business model as delivered and more importantly it’s projected objectives

 

[KS55]

Sure I read it here

Lost amongst over 6000 pages

PB apparently.

 

[feedmpenzaandhewillscore]

Laying the groundwork for when the case collapses for a more cordial relationship with the rags and move masters on for Britain to take over. He is toast.

Getting conflicting signals from the rags on what relationship they want with City. Radcliffe is talking sense on the over regulation of the financial rules and at the same time United are writing witness statements for the Premier League for the current legal stand off we have with them.

 

[Cobwebcat]

United boss speaks common sense. A bit of a shock. Both he and Khaldoon have now namechecked Alison Brittain PL Chair. That speaks volumes. Ratcliffe showing signs of knowing what he is doing.

This.

He makes some excellent points. If blues want to laugh at him for getting a few words wrong you are missing the point. This guy agrees with Khaldoon.

Note that they have now both name checked Alison. No coincidence.

 

[Oldham Exile]

Old Jimbo probably sees an opportunity to oust scousers and tarquins and will happily settle for a few more knockout lottery cup wins but needs to be runners up and secure long term guarantees of CL football he is also a excellent business man and ain’t stupid when it comes to examining our business model as delivered and more importantly it’s projected objectives

As much as it is my nature to reject anything that can seem positive re the scum red bastards - I suspect that you may be spot on here and scruffy Jim would rather be part of the winning model

Happily, that could also be good for us - and I can get over it if it helps to fuck off those oh so entitled redscouse twats who I want to see disappear in our rearview mirror

 

[Nails]

As much as it is my nature to reject anything that can seem positive re the scum red bastards - I suspect that you may be spot on here and scruffy Jim would rather be part of the winning model

Happily, that could also be good for us - and I can get over it if it helps to fuck off those oh so entitled redscouse twats who I want to see disappear in our rearview mirror

Yes, that was clearly a total annihilation of Masters, as well as Arsenal and Liverpool. Interesting times.

 

[wolviedinho]

Getting conflicting signals from the rags on what relationship they want with City. Radcliffe is talking sense on the over regulation of the financial rules and at the same time United are writing witness statements for the Premier League for the current legal stand off we have with them.

Self interests will always be put first. Cant trust any of them.

 

[Rory Bluelow]

Laying the groundwork for when the case collapses for a more cordial relationship with the rags and move masters on for Britain to take over. He is toast.

I’m sure Scudamore was Chairman AND Chief Exec at least for a time. I think your comment is correct.

 

[TheGhost]

I wouldn’t start doing the victory lap just yet lads and lasses.

 

[Brightwell Bros.]

I'm struck, not for the first time recently, by how far away wider discourse about FFP has got from "here to protect clubs from dodgy owners spending what they don't have" to "here to stop rich owners running away with the league". Regulation for the latter is going to be vastly different to the former, and we have ended up with a right regulatory mess.

 

[give it to gordon]

What's interesting is City and the rags now both have seriously successful businessman.
Both know how to run and build successful relationships and businesses.
Both can see the pl is run by knobheads and its bonkers to try and stop investment coming into the league.
Both know it's bonkers, the best league in the world is trying to destroy itself.

The pl is running scared because they haven't got the brains to compleat against the world's top business people. But the pl is happy to do as the yank owners want.

 

[Kinkys Left Foot]

United - hung by their own petard I believe.

I posted an overview of Swiss Rambles analysis of uniteds likely PSR figures shortly after they were knocked out of the CL last year as it seemed almost certain they would fail without CL income. That is of course unless they can secure a large amount of income from somewhere which means either increased sponsorship money or sales of assets. Not sure they have any hotels to sell so i suspected at the time players would go. I'll have to review the end of season numbers and see what the likely outcome is although I suspect scruffy Jim has just given us a clue.

 

[remember arthur mann]

Looking at the comments the rags don't seem to like Scuffy Jim or his views.

Personally I think he talks some sense, why are the pl trying to stop clubs spending money or trying to stop clubs competing against the best in Europe.

We're in the best position of any team, efficiently run, self financing and FFP compliant. City should have stuck and not challenged the PL. Leave the dippers, rags and all the other fookers struggling. City can carry the torch for England in Europe. Stuff the rest.