UEFA FFP investigation - CAS decision to be announced Monday, 13th July 9.30am BST

[Roachy]

No offence taken at all :) I know full well the 5th team shouldn't bemoan that scenario as they haven't earnt the right to play in the CL in the first place. But the bigger the team that gets 5th, the bigger the noise. Let's hope that appeal is whacked in asap and it's absolutely solid and concrete.

Too right mate.

 

[Parisian]

Can anyone be kind enough to update me on where we're at?

From what I've briefly read:

1. There's a huge problem with the independence of the process through which City were punished.

2. Etihad may have been subsidised by Abu Dhabi Executive Council (which is what the emails refer to?), not by ADUG. This would not make them a related party therefore the case against City is nonsense and wouldn't stand up in any independent court.

Is that accurate?

Yes.

However, on the second point, i could see UEFA argue they are somewhat related. If not , how would City executives be aware of the source of the money and the details behind the payment of their sponsor.

 

[blueinsa]

I've jsut got to record (another) podcast so won't be back online until about 7. I'll have a good read of the article then but at least it's out there even if it may not be 100% perfect. I can work from there.

You will need an agent and manager at this rate mate ;-)

 

[Bluemanc100]

When it can’t be arsed being a file anymore.

Is a dossier a person who’s half Scouse and half Parisian?

 

[Manc in London]

very interesting article, offers optimism in the CAS appeal, but a scare that maybe UEFA have something nasty up their sleeve City aren’t aware of. The author also doesn’t hold out much hope if we fail at CAS and then try and take them to court. “We should assume the prospects of overturning the ban are slim and the damage exponentially grave”.... gulp.

I have heard this before but surely we have the right to respond to any allegations if the process is deemed to be fair. CAS rule on the fairness of the process.

 

[sir baconface]

I like it but he is not a sports lawyer,is that not like a divorce lawyer talking about corporate law?

Did you not see his disclaimer at the foot of the article? He was completely honest and transparent, not to mention better qualified than most of us on here.

 

[The Colonel]

I know most here think the media is completely against you...but driving home earlier actually heard Durham sticking up for you....and even stranger for him...making sense!
Basically saying, what have you actually done? Invested in a club to break into the "cartel", not loaded it with debt or run the club into the ground and boosted the local area and economy.
Have to say I agreed with him....throw it all out, you aint done anything wrong....and good luck!

Thanks for seeing the reality. It’s what we’ve all been saying for years. Refreshing to hear Durham call it as it is. He was bang on.

 

[sir baconface]

The State of Abu Dhabi? Are you an American or something? Abu Dhabi is an Emirate, like Sharjah, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah etc.., hence the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Isn’t an Emirate a state? If not, what’s the difference?

 

[mccity]

Haven’t spoke much on the forum, certainly not in a while but agree with all the sentiments.

Why the faux outrage? Why have Chelsea never received such visceral hatred, this despite their owner pumping millions in to the club, owing at least £1bn to him?

Do folk forget how poor the EPL would be if not for City and Chelsea? It would have been a procession for Man United over the last 20 years if not for these clubs.

Given the latter reason, I can’t see the league really caring all that much, nor do I think they would strip us. They know the EPL relies on money and competition for the lucrative television rights and what makes the EPL unique and sellable.

So I've posted a while ago about why Chelsea aren't treated the way City are. I think it boils down to three things:

1) Unbelievably I think the biggest factor was during Chelsea's initial rise from 03-07 Ferguson was still going strong at United. All fears of dominant newcomers could be put to one side knowing that the 'great Fergie' would be the last bastion of justice and stand up to the mean upstarts. His successes in 07-09 sealed that opinion. A lot of the anti-City talk went into hyperbole from around 2014, after Ferguson had retired. If it weren't for Klopp now winning it with Liverpool the anti-City rhetoric I reckon would have been even worse, as crazy as that might seem, as the fears of domination would have been far more real.

2) Chelsea never looked as looming as City did. Sure they spent money on players and on their academy, but City built an entire state of the art new training and academy complex, expanded the stadium, developed a singular style of play through ALL of the teams, set up the CFG, and have developed much better financially all things considered, on top of hiring the most significant manager of the past 20 years. I reckon there's more here too.

3) And finally, Chelsea hadn't been the moneybags team for too long before City got money. And City got money that blew Chelsea's money out of the water. And those initial 3 or 4 years after Chelsea's spending had already slowed down made City a far more terrifying threat to the elite than Chelsea with big transfer outlays going up until 2011. Why fight both City and Chelsea?



Chelsea still get a rough time in the press, although Lampard's presence has slowed it down. It's just nobody is afraid of them so the vitriol is kept to a low. I do recall a Chelsea supporting friend of mine getting bothered during their last title win under Conte as he felt the media was trying to unsettle and undermine the players and the manager the whole time, although that's just his opinion.

 

[Manc in London]

I know most here think the media is completely against you...but driving home earlier actually heard Durham sticking up for you....and even stranger for him...making sense!
Basically saying, what have you actually done? Invested in a club to break into the "cartel", not loaded it with debt or run the club into the ground and boosted the local area and economy.
Have to say I agreed with him....throw it all out, you aint done anything wrong....and good luck!

Durham 'sticking up' for us does not indicate a more balanced approach. Rather, a Talksport presenter is looking to maximise the income of the station by adopting a standpoint that will attract morons to download their shows, listen live, call in and retweet them on Twitter.