Just wanted to let you guys know you're not alone. What UEFA is doing and has been doing for years is disgusting, inherently corrupt and is destroying football. Sport without competitivity isn't worthwhile and UEFA seem hell bent on eradicating any form of competitiveness (except where it favours their "chosen few"). They've already destroyed football in Italy by crippling us, Inter, with their sanctions and once they were done with us and we got on something approaching an even foot again, they've hunted down and are hunting down Milan (how interesting that UEFA never took the slightest interest in seeing that Juventus were punished for calciopoli or in pursuing a suitable punishment instead of the ridiculously flimsy penalty that was handed down).
It's not that the clubs they've gone after haven't compromised the rules so much as that the rules are compromised themselves. An example from Serie A, Juventus win it every year so their prize money is huge. That allows them to invest more money which increases their dominance (and lets not kid ourselves, we all know who is going to win the scudetto again this year, and the next, and the next...) which allows them to invest even more money ad infinitum. Financial Fair Play has been set up by a cartel of clubs and those in cahoots with these clubs. UEFA as anyone with even a cursory knowledge of football knows is inherently corrupt. UEFA pontificating about morals and dishing out punishments? That's like taking lessons in morality from Jimmy Saville.
I have firmly believed from day one that UEFA's FFP rules were eminently challengeable in a legal context. In what other business can you tell somebody that they can't invest their own money to grow a project??? The way City have been run since your current owners came in has been exemplary. They speculated to accumulate, an age old business practice, and having done so wisely and astutely are reaping deserved rewards. That a mafia-like organisation like UEFA is now sticking its nose in because they don't like "the new kids on the block" (and I use that term with tongue firmly in cheek; City have always been a massive club and similarly to Inter, unlike other clubs like Liverpool, United, Juventus, your and our fans don't only turn up when the team is winning).
I always hoped we would try to fight UEFA but we were in a mess because of the Moratti-Thohir-Suning ownership saga and by the time Suning came in, I think they felt it was better to just get FFP out of the way and build. I genuinely think your owners however are savvy, wealthy, well-connected, intelligent and committed enough to be the club which finally takes UEFA down from its pedestal. I have nothing but respect for Manchester City, your owners and your project and I hope as much as you do that you manage to give UEFA a bloody nose over this. If they get away with it this time, I shudder to think what the future holds for football. Whilst United are riddled with debt, Juventus have posted debt on the Irish stock exchange for the last couple of years, UEFA are targetting a club which seriously has its house in order and is a shining example for how to run a football club.
Best of luck and I will be supporting you every step of the way.
Forza City!
