Mark Clattenburg

happy said:
Well I don't wish to labour the point but if there was a scrap of evidence pointing towards corruption in the game at this level then these very same journalists would be all over it in a heartbeat...a story like this would be career defining for any journalist and in these days of decreased 'paper sales it would be manna from heaven for the press.
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A well-known broadsheet journalist was handed a complete dossier consisting of analysis, transcripts of telephone calls, emails etc. proving that corruption existed in the PL. But he refused to publish it. Why that was I don't know but it could be genuine fear for his safety, legal reasons or that no one wanted to be the first to kill the goose that laid so many golden eggs. It would kill the PL and destroy the revenue streams it generates for individuals and companies. Nothing will happen until someone or somebody with nothing to fear gets involved.

Andrew Jennings was seen as a bit of a crank with an agenda while pursuing Blatter and FIFA for years. No one really took him seriously but they do now since the FBI got involved. Yet it was all there and had been for years. People were saying they knew all about it yet no one said anything until the cork came out the bottle. Doping in cycling was hushed up on an industrial scale yet there were plenty of people who suspected and even knew for sure what was happening.

Match-fixing and corruption have been rife in football at various levels and to varying degrees for years and years. Why is the world's most high-profile and richest league so immune?
 
happy said:
So, let's get this straight. He was subtle enough to let two yellow card challenges go but then gives a decision so ludicrously incorrect that he exposed himself to questions regarding his impartiality?

Hardly Machiavellian in its construct is it.

Anyhoo, it's been a few hours since the incident and despite the best efforts of the Bluemoon Brains Trust there has been a startling lack of evidence other than an article from the BBC which confirmed people in the Far East like a bet (well, durr as the kids say). Throw in a bit of casual racism and a splash of xenophobia, a hint of delusion and a handful of paranoia and hey presto....the new breed of entitled City fan, 'we must be being cheated because we lost'. The lack of empirical evidence or facts to support your claim does nothing to dampen the enthusiasm for outrageous accusations and bitter recrimination.

You've become what you hated, you are United fans*

Cynicism is a self imposed blindness, if you are wrong you're unhappy and bitter, if you are right you're disappointed and bitter...the original lose:lose.

*I'm sure this will be picked on so just for the avoidance of doubt I am not saying that you support United just that you are displaying all the spoiled brattish traits of the entitled red that we all know so well.
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I think you are a bit harsh here to be honest. The decision was so bad (one of the worst in an important game in a long time) that either this ref is an incompetent fool or else he has an agenda against our football club which may or may not be organised and intentional. Therefore I for one don't think that the accusations are either outrageous or bitter. The only outrageous thing yesterday was the ref's decision.
 
Prestwich_Blue said:
And why is that? Because our rivals get more hits/clicks and therefore generate more revenue for them. And negative stuff on us attracts fans of our rivals so a negative slant on a City story will attract far more clicks than a positive one. The social media experts working at these media outlets tell the journalists how to generate most clicks. That's why the MEN will always use "Manchester United" in a headline, as they know that will generate far more hits than "Man Utd".

and, given that, why then do you find it so difficult to believe that the football authorities would disadvantage us to the advantage of our more popular rivals? It doesn't have to be bent Asian bookies causing the problem. If Sky, BT or the PL want particular outcomes then why wouldn't they put pressure on the football authorities to influence those? They pay them vast fortunes after all and their revenue streams relay on people buying subscriptions to their packages and watching the games.

How many times have other commercial companies used underhand or even illegal tactics to manipulate markets to their advantage and to the detriment of others, including consumers? And if you are a bookie, if you're taking tens or hundreds of millions of dollars in bets on PL games each weekend, why wouldn't you be tempted to make sure the outcomes are weighted in your favour?

Is that so hard to believe?
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Well it's a little less black and white than that. It would be hopelessly naive of me to suggest that there is no corruption in English football, indeed bookies removed time of first throw-in from coupons because certain players were hoofing the ball out of play from the kick-off and pocketing their 'winnings'.

What little I know is based on facts and the facts that I know suggest that there is no evidence to suggest corruption amongst referees, if there was then I can assure you that the jackals in the press would be all over it.

The anti-City 'agenda' is pandering to the need for goodies and baddies, City winning isn't a story, we should win we're fabulously wealthy. City losing is a story.

Journalists are there to sell 'papers or provide click-bait, SKY are there to sell adverts nothing more, nothing less...when was the last time you read a report? Reports don't sell, opinions sell, journalists do what they are told when they are told to do it.
 
We're not really here said:
Don't do that to him PB. He clearly sees himself as above us all.
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Another representative from the ranks of the hard of thinking, I mentioned these links earlier....be aware though I used some long words so either ask for help or try not to move your lips when your reading.
 
happy said:
Well it's a little less black and white than that. It would be hopelessly naive of me to suggest that there is no corruption in English football, indeed bookies removed time of first throw-in from coupons because certain players were hoofing the ball out of play from the kick-off and pocketing their 'winnings'.

What little I know is based on facts and the facts that I know suggest that there is no evidence to suggest corruption amongst referees, if there was then I can assure you that the jackals in the press would be all over it.
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With the greatest respect, the evidence I have suggests otherwise and the the club are fully aware of this as they paid for that evidence and, more importantly, it was acted on.
 
Prestwich_Blue said:
With the greatest respect, the evidence I have suggests otherwise and the the club are fully aware of this as they paid for that evidence and, more importantly, it was acted on.
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Well that's fine, as I said I can only base my opinions on the facts that I have available, I am more than happy to accept that you may be better informed but then again I don't know what you know so I can't be expected to comment upon it

I have no reason to doubt the veracity of your claims but until I see evidence you'll forgive me for not accepting your truth ahead of my own.
 
I think that the club's policy is to keep a dignified silence. We're trying to court favour with everyone all at the same time.
If we keep suing people or stop giving interviews etc, it might create an aura of us against the world and our ownerswwant to be inclusive, not ostracised.
 
xenon_ said:
You may honestly have just made my year, never mind my day. I can already feel a weight lifting off my shoulders.
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I aim to please
Its helpful to be actually "in the Know" thanks to my job working with the FA
 
MCFC97 said:
I aim to please
Its helpful to be actually "in the Know" thanks to my job working with the FA
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Did you also know Meanwhile Dyke, will step down as FA chairman in July after changing his mind about standing for a second term..

Get the flags out or should that be the rags out:-)
 
happy said:
Another representative from the ranks of the hard of thinking, I mentioned these links earlier....be aware though I used some long words so either ask for help or try not to move your lips when your reading.
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Do you know me you arrogant so and so? Have you any idea what I do for a living or my education? You are bang out of order. If you stopped being so smug I would happily debate with you. If someone has a different view that is fine. Why be so condescending? Is that a big enough word?
 
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