I don't know if it's been done but Utd's poodle in the MUG says that Woodward only knew about the launch 24 hours in advance. Obviously we know that they had they are heavily implicated in its design but I think Perez launched it out of the blue. The question is what was City's thinking?
- Heaven sent opportunity to get Liverpool and Man Utd out in the open. "We'll go Florentino". ANd when they are all signed up. Immediately, resign, and force everyone else out so there's no ESL and maximum possible embarrassment to Liverpool and Man Utd. Already cost Woodward.
- We were caught off-guard and accepted for fear Real Madrid and Barcelona and Man Utd would sail off into the sunset never to be seen again.
I don't like option 2 because it seems to me that City although shocked perhaps by the timing would have known all about the ESL and surely it would not work. How on Earth could it be expected to operate in parallel with the Premier League?
I think people outside of Manchester City will struggle to get their heads around this but City fans and executive have had a traumatic 2 years and this is very much the type of underhand horse-trading and dodgy deals we expect. Don't forget this follows Spygate as well as FFP and CAS. We have been at war for a decade. I can well imagine that MCFC have been looking for an opportunity to press the red button for years.
This is the first time since the takeover that we are on an equal footing with the cartel. They've basically been destroyed. By act of God, or by act of a cunning plan?