Re: City & FFP (continued)
We still haven't a word from City or UEFA and the "leaks" finding their way into the press describe a state of affairs that makes Alice in Wonderland seem like a haven of sanity compared to UEFA. I fear that the most reliable information we have came from PB's post last night pointing out that the Sheikh was very unhappy because City had been assured by UEFA over a long period that the club was on track to comply, then at the very last minute the committee dealing with compliance had ruled out some of our revenue streams. This presumably is the committee headed by the Belgian banker who was so prudent himself that his bank needed a 9 billion euro bail out - probably funded in part by Sheikh Mansour! It is suggested that our deal with Etihad is, in fact, "doping" - in contrast to the sponsorship deals between Bayern Munich and Allianz and Bayern Munich and Audi, the club's two biggest sponsors, who, strangely enough, are also the two major share holders in the club! But we know that anyone associated with Bayern Munich has to be clean as a whistle, financially speaking - don't we President Hoeness? And, of course, Barca's finances are transparent....as are Manchester United's.
Then there's the Sheikh. Apparently UEFA are convinced he's at least 150 times more a threat to the game than buying titles and cups by paying referees. In fact he's such a threat he has to be hit with a world record fine, not for building an academy or rebuilding half of Manchester you understand, but for buying players...We don't want that kind in football.
The cynic in me says that UEFA have no - and never had any - intention of City passing the compliance test. I won't say Platini is actually happier with English clubs owned by money launderers from foreign parts and living in foreign cells and the like, but he does owe the English contingent of the G14 for the way they manfully overspent to turn the CL into UEFA's cash cow, and now it's pay back time.
So it's no good saying pay up and hope for the best next season or think of how many people won't like us if we go to court. UEFA are going in for the kill. But, they are not dealing with a wounded victim: they're dealing with someone who is honourable, honest, has integrity and a very clear view of where he's going. And he has the law on his side.
