It's not that strange if you take the point of view that they're not after the truth, they just want mud to sling. If they're afraid that questioning Mancini would lead to the truth that there was no wrongdoing, and hence remove this particular lump of mud from their sweaty hands, they're going to avoid doing it.
Appreciate this may well have been what you were implying.
Not that simple. I expect the PL line will be that the deal with AbuDhabi/Mansour was disguised salary from City as the contracts were executed at the same time by the same execs and City paid the first two instalments.Mancini didn’t leave the club under good circumstances and they were actively lining up his replacement before a cup final. When these charges came out thought maybe he would have an axe to grind with the club, nothing has materialised. All he has to do is show his wage slips and it puts anything untoward to bed.
Liverpool an United fans would never accept any irrefutable evidence which exonerates City.Mancini didn’t leave the club under good circumstances and they were actively lining up his replacement before a cup final. When these charges came out thought maybe he would have an axe to grind with the club, nothing has materialised. All he has to do is show his wage slips and it puts anything untoward to bed.
I think there is a lot of truth in this. This sort of story usually starts as a bit of gossip which lays the seeds. The important thing is who makes the initial comment to the journalist who sets the hare running. In this case the hare became a Freedom of Information request by the Athletic.Maybe its just me, but the first thing I thought when reading these groundless rumours of Government involvement in that rag was... they've managed to get hold of information on how the panel matters are proceeding. They couldn't print it without getting themselves or someone else in trouble... and given the information they received they wouldn't want to anyway.
Basically, things aren't going well for the PL and their 115, so its time to start laying the groundwork for the 'they got away with it because of ...blah blah blah'. In short, when cleared, the governmental influence will be the PL's very own 'time barred charge get out'.
Have you met the average football fan? The club couldn't give a shit if your mate down the pub with his fake Yoonited and dodgy stream box who everyone thinks is a bit of a knob still think there's a conspiracy.If we are completely cleared by the PL, you can rest-assured that rival fans will be convinced of a conspiracy: state influence, diplomatic barriers, under the counter payments, or an army of lawyers who swore a decade's worth of litigation. This is the tribalism of football, and it is especially the case with certain clubs who cannot handle that they no longer represent the elite level in English football. When the case is won, this stuff will not go away. It is best ignored to focus on having the best team, the best owners, the best manager and a host of records.
That was my point.Have you met the average football fan? The club couldn't give a shit if your mate down the pub with his take Yoonited and dodgy stream box who everyone things is a bit of a knob still think there's a conspiracy.
If we are cleared we carry on as usual, and it's up to rest of the league to close the gap, and if we aren't we are staring down the barrel of some serious, serious sanctions.
Everything else is noise.
Ha, I know, I was embellishing it. The you was a general "you".That was my point.
Can we then demand an equal amount of scrutiny on the books of Liverpool and United?Let's face it - it's going to be a hefty fine, a possible 3 point deduction and maybe a one window transfer ban for "administrative" infringements. The fine will be big enough and face saving enough to be headline.
The more serious allegations (which I don't believe we are guilty of) will be swept away.