bluetonium
Well-Known Member
Ok, so then in future we turn our back on the pitch again when they play the anthem. What they going to do then, hold our eyelids open whilst they honour the sponsors for their lovely donations to the game, via the back pockets of UEFA? Expect 'oil-rich' City to pay your legal fees now, you scandalous greed-mongers? Oh, I can not wait to see the full picture revealed UEFA.
Until UEFA or an independent investigating body takes account of UEFA's actions and general shadiness, I would encourage fans of every club in Europe to do the same. UEFA are no better than FIFA, a lack of transparency, questionable selective implication or rules, out of touch with the modern game, and certainly not interested let alone representing the interests of the fans.
For this, and more, we have a right to protest our disgust at Europe's governing football body.
Bayern felt similar after the Moscow farce, hopefully more and more fans of other clubs will be alerted to the reality of the situation thanks to this Icelandic guys actions now. As other have mentioned, CIty in particular have reason to feel aggrieved by UEFA, hence the booing, and i hope the media start to get it right in why we are doing it and not just putting it down to FFP alone, and also that fans of other clubs can see what is going on and realize they too are being disadvantaged and ignored, particularly those outside the top echelon.
UEFA, as is common consensus among City fans at least, changed the FFP rules after reviewing our accounts, putting us in the crap and affecting our club seriously last year. We could have legally challenged them but decided not to do so to maintain a good relationship with our partners. When a legal challenge came in from elsewhere, UEFA changed the rules almost overnight, so they know what they did was wrong - ensuring financial stability and responsibly run clubs looks nothing like Platini's FFP. Maintaining the wealth of the current upper crust, very much does look like Platini's FFP.
They also have fined us as much for being mere seconds late on to the pitch for a UEFA game, as they did another club for racist chanting. People such as Platini and Rummenigge have publicly spoken out against Man City purely because we initially spent a lot of money or were linked to certain big players - officials in such positions should have no ability to sway and criticize any club in public especially when at that time no rules had been broken. The fact we have since built such a grand project, of which spend on first team players is just one part (and always fully justified by a profitable long term business plan), is something they are blind to. As is the changes and regeneration they are triggering in Manchester itself, the matchday experience efforts the club has reviewed and implemented. If some wealthy investor wants to buy Aston Villa, Morecame or even bloody Stockport County, outlines his or her vision and is of sound mind, then I and every other football fan should stand up for the right for that to happen. There should be other Man Citys and PSGs, at teals there should be the opportunity for it, it keeps the game exciting, fresh and evolving. To think that the FFP model or anyone could have considered City as potentially another Portsmouth or Leeds, seriously shows the laziness of these people to actually look at the project. The very best will adapt and still compete with the new challenges, the lazy and the badly managed will fall away. Trouble is seems, some of the latter are friendly with UEFA, and given UEFA's reputation for helping certain things along where personal gain is an interest,
And all the while, whilst I would not think for a second that they are all at it to a man in UEFA, certainly some are seemingly abusing their positions for personal gain. Now, City fan or not, every decent fan of every decent club should have a problem with that, and should be free to show that openly. I would be dreaming, but to see fans of every club boo or turn their backs for the next round of European games in protect, now that woudl be special. What are they going to do then, fine all the clubs? Stand together football fans, and show UEFA that it is our game, our clubs, and we deserve a better system of governance for our beloved game.
UEFA are feeding the rich and starving the poor, even as a City fan in our enviable position I can see that, we were on the other side of the bread line not too long ago after all, and football in general, the matchday experience, history and culture of the clubs, will be and are already being, scarified in UEFA's pursuit of profit and greed. And as a City fan for over 30 years, I can tell you these European games are the least enjoyable, least special, of any that I see y club play. It doesn't feel like it is about football, the fans, talent, hope, determination. There are reminders everywhere of the corporate money pig that the UEFA competitions have become.
So yes, Boo to you UEFA, Boo to your corruption, Boo to your unfair and opaque application of the rules and of punishments, Boo to your placing self preservation and greed over fan experience, Boo to you turning every competition round draw into the most prolonged, painful, bloated experiences since Darren Fletcher last went to the bog, Boo to the fact that you let TV licensing have a dominant effect on your competition draws, and certainly a big Boo to your hypocritical leader Platini, Boo, Boo, Boooooo!!!
Plus, as Ducado posted, and I re-post it here as I want to keep it fresh and in everyone mind:
European Convention on Human Rights, Article 10: Freedom of expression
1) Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises.
So chew on that UEFA, although you seem to follow your own rules and processes and are a law unto yourselves, if you want to take us on with regard to the above then go on, I dare you.
Until UEFA or an independent investigating body takes account of UEFA's actions and general shadiness, I would encourage fans of every club in Europe to do the same. UEFA are no better than FIFA, a lack of transparency, questionable selective implication or rules, out of touch with the modern game, and certainly not interested let alone representing the interests of the fans.
For this, and more, we have a right to protest our disgust at Europe's governing football body.
Bayern felt similar after the Moscow farce, hopefully more and more fans of other clubs will be alerted to the reality of the situation thanks to this Icelandic guys actions now. As other have mentioned, CIty in particular have reason to feel aggrieved by UEFA, hence the booing, and i hope the media start to get it right in why we are doing it and not just putting it down to FFP alone, and also that fans of other clubs can see what is going on and realize they too are being disadvantaged and ignored, particularly those outside the top echelon.
UEFA, as is common consensus among City fans at least, changed the FFP rules after reviewing our accounts, putting us in the crap and affecting our club seriously last year. We could have legally challenged them but decided not to do so to maintain a good relationship with our partners. When a legal challenge came in from elsewhere, UEFA changed the rules almost overnight, so they know what they did was wrong - ensuring financial stability and responsibly run clubs looks nothing like Platini's FFP. Maintaining the wealth of the current upper crust, very much does look like Platini's FFP.
They also have fined us as much for being mere seconds late on to the pitch for a UEFA game, as they did another club for racist chanting. People such as Platini and Rummenigge have publicly spoken out against Man City purely because we initially spent a lot of money or were linked to certain big players - officials in such positions should have no ability to sway and criticize any club in public especially when at that time no rules had been broken. The fact we have since built such a grand project, of which spend on first team players is just one part (and always fully justified by a profitable long term business plan), is something they are blind to. As is the changes and regeneration they are triggering in Manchester itself, the matchday experience efforts the club has reviewed and implemented. If some wealthy investor wants to buy Aston Villa, Morecame or even bloody Stockport County, outlines his or her vision and is of sound mind, then I and every other football fan should stand up for the right for that to happen. There should be other Man Citys and PSGs, at teals there should be the opportunity for it, it keeps the game exciting, fresh and evolving. To think that the FFP model or anyone could have considered City as potentially another Portsmouth or Leeds, seriously shows the laziness of these people to actually look at the project. The very best will adapt and still compete with the new challenges, the lazy and the badly managed will fall away. Trouble is seems, some of the latter are friendly with UEFA, and given UEFA's reputation for helping certain things along where personal gain is an interest,
And all the while, whilst I would not think for a second that they are all at it to a man in UEFA, certainly some are seemingly abusing their positions for personal gain. Now, City fan or not, every decent fan of every decent club should have a problem with that, and should be free to show that openly. I would be dreaming, but to see fans of every club boo or turn their backs for the next round of European games in protect, now that woudl be special. What are they going to do then, fine all the clubs? Stand together football fans, and show UEFA that it is our game, our clubs, and we deserve a better system of governance for our beloved game.
UEFA are feeding the rich and starving the poor, even as a City fan in our enviable position I can see that, we were on the other side of the bread line not too long ago after all, and football in general, the matchday experience, history and culture of the clubs, will be and are already being, scarified in UEFA's pursuit of profit and greed. And as a City fan for over 30 years, I can tell you these European games are the least enjoyable, least special, of any that I see y club play. It doesn't feel like it is about football, the fans, talent, hope, determination. There are reminders everywhere of the corporate money pig that the UEFA competitions have become.
So yes, Boo to you UEFA, Boo to your corruption, Boo to your unfair and opaque application of the rules and of punishments, Boo to your placing self preservation and greed over fan experience, Boo to you turning every competition round draw into the most prolonged, painful, bloated experiences since Darren Fletcher last went to the bog, Boo to the fact that you let TV licensing have a dominant effect on your competition draws, and certainly a big Boo to your hypocritical leader Platini, Boo, Boo, Boooooo!!!
Plus, as Ducado posted, and I re-post it here as I want to keep it fresh and in everyone mind:
European Convention on Human Rights, Article 10: Freedom of expression
1) Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises.
So chew on that UEFA, although you seem to follow your own rules and processes and are a law unto yourselves, if you want to take us on with regard to the above then go on, I dare you.