PL charge City for alleged breaches of financial rules

[Churchlawtonblue]

Absolute fucking hatchet job thinly disguised as journalism on The Athletic tonight!

Manchester City, the Premier League and the season everything might change

A few excerpts:

There are some (executives) who are so worn down by the decade-long pursuit of City that they fear Manchester City’s case may result in a financial settlement rather than a sporting penalty. Then there are rival executives who consider this outcome to be impossible, utterly outrageous, and say it would cast the death knell for financial sustainability not only within the English game but across European football.

…

As one Premier League club executive says: “The collective view I’ve heard is that an appropriate sanction would have to be a points deduction so substantial — we are talking here between 70 and 80 points — that it guarantees City a season in the Championship.”

Another of the sport’s leading figures suggests the punishment ought to be more creative, that a number of points could be deducted from City in each of the next three seasons, meaning the club’s chance of Champions League qualification would be severely restricted. Another compares the City case to that of the English rugby union side Saracens who, when Premiership champions in 2019, were deducted 35 points, hit with a £5.36million ($6.9m at current rates) fine and relegated to the second division owing to non-compliance with the league’s salary-cap rules.

…

A coach who came up against City has simply made his mind up about their guilt and argues they have not achieved their success with the same level of discipline as their rivals, but suspects it is too late now to truly remedy the matter. At the same time, there are fears that a failure to convict and punish City poses major questions about the Premier League’s ability to run itself, particularly with the prospect of an independent regulator still looming next year. Numerous club executives say their incentives to follow the rules would be greatly diminished if the Premier League proves toothless on City.

…

In English football, nobody is prepared to put their name to quotes about the City case. That is not the same for La Liga president Javier Tebas, who has been a longstanding critic of the impact of clubs linked to nation-states. City always insist they are not owned by the state of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), but Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan is the deputy prime minister of the UAE and the minister of presidential affairs. He is the majority shareholder in City via Newton Investment and Development, a company he wholly owns and which is registered in Abu Dhabi.

Tebas tells The Athletic: “It is difficult for me to say what is proportionate in England because I don’t know so well the English rules and law. But I can refer to what happened at UEFA… then what happened at CAS — in a resolution I would describe as a joke — is they took the sanction away. It was a very controversial decision to take away that sanction. Now, let’s see, I won’t dare to predict, but I am aware that there is a lot of concern among many clubs in the Premier League about what happens with City. What happens with Man City is a before and after moment for the Premier League itself.”

…

And so on…

Anyone would think the Euros are over, the Olympics are over, and City are about to embark on the chance to win a FIFTH STRAIGHT TITLE!!!

UFB…Oh wait, no, it’s entirely predictable!

If you thought the whole of English football was praying for an Arsenal title win last season, one can only imagine the narrative we face this season.

Let the games begin!

Why on earth read that rag?

 

[Silva61]

It’s all being staged managed. Masters knows full well he shouldn’t say anything.

But there he was giving interviews to every platform with comments such as ‘we’ve a responsibility to enforce the rules’.

When he said that, was he implying that he and his staff don't make them up, if not then who does, is it the 20 clubs or a smaller sub committee before being put to the vote.

 

[lancs blue]

We just have to accept the fact that we are universally despised.

An indication that we have truly arrived at the top of the pile. I love it!

 

[terraloon]

Or the PL have dropped some.

I think that’s less likely for two reasons 1) Ornstein (yes I Know ) in a podcast yesterday was making the claim that the number of charges has increased and when he asked the PL about this he says they declined to comment
2) The time set aside for the hearing is now said not to be 6 weeks but 10

 

[wolviedinho]

For those that haven't read it, there's nothing new in that article to give any cause for concern from what I can see. Even if the quotes from "PL execs" are genuine, they will have no bearing on the case. They just read like fan fiction, the sort of wishful thinking you see on RAWK or Red Cafe when it come to prospective punishments. If anything, you can sense a bit of desperation that things may not go their way and this is a final throw of the dice to try and exert pressure on the IC.

Facts will win out against external pressure.

They can howl all day long at the moon and it will make no difference to the paper tail and senior people the club puts forward to defend its position and explain the situation.

None of us know how city paid this or that but the people in charge do and even after the allegations surfaced at UEFA and now the premier city have not changed how they conduct themselves commercially nor how the books are recorded. Apart from I think the fordham situation.

Let’s say uefa and the league is correct about the financial situation. City after being uncovered by de spiegal continue to keep fudging the numbers?

The spotlight has been on for years. The accounts picked over but still mansour is sneaking money in via ethiad?

We would have made a deal and took the hit once discovered by the German rags.

I can only assume we have done nothing wrong in a legal/financial sense, no more bending the rules than anyone else.

The more I think about the pinch from uefa the more I am glad they screwed us by moving the goalposts. Otherwise we would have been fucked over by the league already. Once bitten and all that, khaldoon wont be so easily manoeuvred again.

Check mate time for the red cunts who ultimately fear competition and being resigned to past glories.

A bloody win is still a win.

 

[Shirley]

I think that’s less likely for two reasons 1) Ornstein (yes I Know ) in a podcast yesterday was making the claim that the number of charges has increased and when he asked the PL about this he says they declined to comment
2) The time set aside for the hearing is now said not to be 6 weeks but 10

A claim you say….

 

[Revolver]

The wretched Crafton who appears to be a Utd fan is simply trying to make money out of us by pandering to the red hordes. Any time there is mention of the charges he flags up on x his dreary article where he “investigates” us.

However I can’t think of anything he’s written about City that has found to be illegal. Some journalist.

Hes too cowardly to quote his sources for his latest effort apart from a man who it’s reported to have supported a right wing Spanish party.

Crafton is very keen to show his support for those he thinks are being persecuted (no problem with this idea) but when it comes to City, well there’s money to be made.

Pathetic.

 

[Silva61]

Stack up the hyperbole and hysterics about City to fever pitch so if found guilty only a huge punishment will be suitable. That will get us out of the way at least for a while.
If, on the other hand we are cleared, then we will simply be labelled as the club that broke the PL and made it inevitable that the American red cartel could flounce off and start the ESL, under their own leadership and governance which I believe has been their plan all along.
Nobody to stop them hoovering up all the money and prizes between themselves.

If City win there is no ESL without the PL champions.

 

[halfcenturyup]

I think that’s less likely for two reasons 1) Ornstein (yes I Know ) in a podcast yesterday was making the claim that the number of charges has increased and when he asked the PL about this he says they declined to comment
2) The time set aside for the hearing is now said not to be 6 weeks but 10

The number of allegations referred to the disciplinary panel hasn't increased. People have just learned to read and count since the February 2023 announcement. Have another read of it. It was never 115.

 

[terraloon]

Funny cheslea been shit for a few years not a threat no noise when they've sold a hotel and woman's to themselves admitted to giving players agents off the books payments so they get those players! Hazard was one of them and sold for 130m! Now would have they failed PSR if they didn't get him if it was fair!?

It’s generated less comments than cities issues but Masters made reference to their on going investigations against us.


Make of it what you will but here’s what he said

“Obviously what we're talking about is something historic; it's complicated where we have the club talking to us about things that happened under previous ownership. All I can say is that the investigation and discussions are reaching a conclusion, but until that happens, I can't say what's going to happen next."”

I am not a betting man but if I were I would put money on a settlement being agreed in advance of an IC which will be a significant ( tens of millions ) fine, a transfer embargo and possible suspended points deduction.

The PL for me are already putting a narrative out there in terms of it being complex, it being historical that the club owners as of now and not past incumbents are the ones who are dealing with.

But above all they will want our case out the way before Cities gets into full swing and whilst not a precedent in any way they , the PL , will want to send out the illusion they are “ tough” and Chelsea will probably be happy to pay over the money( £100million ) that they still are holding back from the sale