Football Leaks/Der Spiegel articles

[Tim of the Oak]

General background article: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/feb/10/lynton-crosby-2022-qatar-world-cup-ctf-partners

"As part of the pitch document, named “Project Ball”, Crosby said CTF Partners could set up full-time war rooms around the world to spread negative stories about Qatar in the mainstream media, run fake grassroots campaigns on social media, and lobby potentially friendly politicians, journalists and academics."

Feels like something similar is being done on us.

For me this is the bigger angle. The smear.

I trust City have made changes to their communication to protect themselves in future. This is also an issue for FIFA, UEFA and football clubs in general.

City only need to improves some of their practices and stop some idiots writing confidential information down. No doubt putting a confidential header on many of these emails accelerated how quickly Der Spiegel could identify sensitive information.

 

[nmc]

City need to find out which club/clubs are paying this German shithouse paper to keep leaking stuff, the timing is very 'odd'

This has Bayern’s fingerprints all over it. Others maybe involved but they seem to be orchestrating a campaign of hate against us on behalf of the old guard. I expect our owners to be working on uncovering this and the whole pack of cards will come crashing down one day. This has some way to go before it plays out but it will no doubt get very nasty

 

[mosssideblue]

Trying to link a payment to a scout as a payment for Sancho. I very much suspect there's not one bit of tangible evidence to link the two. 2 plus 2 equal 6. Total nonsense.

Have to agree, timely shit stirring is my guess

 

[2sheikhs]

I think things will only really come to light if or when legal proceedings start.
It's how the media report the facts, or rather which facts they choose to report and which facts they choose to omit.
The club have stated that it's an orchestrated effort to discredit us, so it's about time we told them to either take a shit or get off the potty. This will have to come with the priviso that those making the accusations will be financially ruined if it turns out that they're making false allegations. The governing bodies and the media in general are never going to like us and the sooner we accept that the better.
This is a weekend where it's possible that we could become the favourites to win the premier league and win the first quarter of a possible quadruple. There's going to be a constant drip feed of this kind of shit as the various competitions reach their outcomes.

 

[trumpton]

Am I being thick here. According to the BBC article it states:

Football Association rules say young players cannot be represented by an agent until the year they turn 16.

Well surely it sould be Sancho being charged for having an agent at the age of 14!

 

[MillionMilesAway]

Am I being thick here. According to the BBC article it states:

Football Association rules say young players cannot be represented by an agent until the year they turn 16.

Well surely it sould be Sancho being charged for having an agent at the age of 14!

I think that's missing the point. No, Sancho couldn't have had an agent (officially), and the allegation is that the payment was made for scouting, but actually was for "agenting" unofficially - it's an alleged backhander, allegedly.
The alleged emails are allegedly headed 'agent fees'.

I don't think Sancho could be charged as he wouldn't have broken any rules; the middleman could be charged though if there was evidence.

(might have slightly overused alleged(ly) there)

 

[Skip Donoghue]

Am I being thick here. According to the BBC article it states:

Football Association rules say young players cannot be represented by an agent until the year they turn 16.

Well surely it sould be Sancho being charged for having an agent at the age of 14!

They have agents but you can’t sign a contract with an agent to represent you until 16
Agents will try to get their hands on the best talent early, they will supply kids with boots, sports gear etc to get them on side, take parents out for meals etc to build a relationship early, during this time no finance is involved and the lad isn’t tied to that one agent

 

[jitsubluedan]

I think City have hit the nail on the head when they made the comment that the articles were intended to damage their reputation (or words to that affect).

We’ve upset the established cartels in both the EPL and UCL. When Sheikh Mansour bought City, they all thought it wouldn’t last- remember the headlines: he’ll sell us as soon as he gets bored etc?

Well he hasn’t got bored and in fact, has delivered on the 10-year plan - look at how our club has grown and what’s more, we’re only going to get bigger. For me, that’s the issue.

Last year we became the second club in the EPL to hit £500m in revenue and I have no doubt that sent shock waves around the cartels; we’re now self sufficient and therefore, the intended controls of FFP have less (if any) impact.

So how do you stop us getting bigger? Damage our reputation which can affect sponsorship. We’ve read posts from blues in the US who have told us the Der Spittle (intended!) articles have altered people’s views of us.

The club definitely need to get to the bottom of this. There is one paper over here that is the main perpetrator of regurgitating the shit written about us and Pep has already called them out in a press conference.

The BBC like the lick spittles they are, pander to the red supporting persuasion; although my wife tends to think a lot of their pettiness comes from the fact that most of them probably have dicks as big as her little toe. Which, as she often points out, is none existent due to the ill-fitting footwear she had to wear in the seventies!

 

[Zin 'messiah' Zimmer]

If proved illegal, would the contract he received become null and void?

And if so that would surely make the sell on percentages being mooted as also now void.... stinks of rags

 

[M12Blue]

I think there is a high probability of this. Though it is more likely to be Bayern Munich or indeed Qatar.

Why qatar