There's emotion, romance, and football fandom. Then there's the realities of a board of directors and the fiduciary duties of that board. Your post is pot on.
The question of returns is really at the root of this. The Americans want to jack their returns up and FAST. Roman and Mansour can probably afford to sit on the asset for another ten years, but the reality is with Silver Lake at the table also and with the harsh fact that they are going to go and head and try and do this regardless of City's stance, City had little choice.
Be on the outside pissing in or on the inside pissing out.