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

[BobKowalski]

Not really. One year is essentially a £90m fine.

Yeah. A blip. Chelsea have missed out on CL several times. So have ManU. Arsenal ditto. A one year absence is a pain. Three years though is serious shit.

If they are pushing for one year ban as the opening move where do they go from there when it gets to lawyers and serious horse trading behind closed doors? A one year ban is a weak opening move and doesn’t indicate they have a strong case.

 

[VOOMER]

I think this is a fairly blatant attempt to try a ruin our image, by a disgruntled cartel of clubs. They have an odious prick used to the limelight to run with it. When they have to back down, which they ultimately will have to do, FFP will be dead.

 

[northwichblue]

UEFA statement made. Referred to the “chamber”

Do they mean the shithouse

 

[Marvin]

Of course I have realised that but the club has bent over backwards to do everything the right way and are still getting battered. I prefer the analogy of appeasing a bully, eventually you will have to deal with him or he will just continue making your life a misery. The problem we have is the people who run the media, we will never get a fair say or hearing there so the hearts and minds battle is lost unless we make inroads into it.

Up against decades of prejudice and idea that Britain is the home of liberal democracy and fair play and the UAE is the playground of the idle rich despot subjugating his people which ignores the whole history of development.

Perhaps UEFA know full well they don't have a case, but are content to file it anyway to protect their image, and City have to rely on CAS to bail us out.

 

[Keeper!]

I know one thing for certain, I would not like to piss off Mr Khaldoon Al Mubarak.

The guy is a class gentleman, but he gives me the impression of a man who does not like to be taken for a ride, a man when crossed is ruthless but always fair and honest.

I hope Ms Gill, Parry and co are ready and they have no previous which may come back to haunt them.

You and Sir A have a few tales don't you David......

 

[shevtheblue]

As I said the other day, if somebody is capable of hacking, they are also capable of doctoring. Impossible to prove as even if they are true, City will be able to provide alternative emails that show different.

They may not be doctored, but emails and actual financial statements that have been independently checked are different things. As far as i understand it, all the financial agreements were looked over independently and signed off, so if they are going off what it says on emails and assuming there is a paper trail to support them, they're probably gonna be bolloxed.

 

[dickie davies]

And ranking points, and image damage. It's more than just cash.

Ranking points don't matter if you're the PL Champions

 

[dario2739]

The natrative has been set, whatever we achieve will be tainted due to the braindead masses being spoonfed the shite by the mass media, the days of journalistic integrity are dead, mainly due to social media, it's fuckin criminal this team and manager and out club in general has to defend itself agsinst all this fuckin nonsense, when everbody should be eulogising and celebrating a wonderful football team.

Thought about this, this morning listening to the radio in the car – they were talking about Leeds last night, and how most people were glad they weren't coming up – they still are tainted with the 'Dirty Leeds" brush... after how many years? So imagine, in this day of any absolute gobshite being able to pass themselves off as a journalist because they have a blog, or any old bitter nob-head can have their say on social media... It doesn't matter that Liverpool, United, Arsenal etc. are all guilty of financial doping over their history... it's us that are stuck with that association.
Personally I hope the club use the full weight of the Law to bring down every fucker involved in this targetted campaign. We've played nice for far too long, but the people high-up in UEFA, FIFA, the FA etc. etc., do not play nice... so let's wipe that nest of vipers out, once and for all!!!

 

[lancs blue]

The natrative has been set, whatever we achieve will be tainted due to the braindead masses being spoonfed the shite by the mass media, the days of journalistic integrity are dead, mainly due to social media, it's fuckin criminal this team and manager and out club in general has to defend itself agsinst all this fuckin nonsense, when everbody should be eulogising and celebrating a wonderful football team.

This whole thing is a smear campaign driven by the old G14 clubs, I suspect that there are even elements in UEFA that are none too keen on it - note the reported comment by the Greek member of the IC that not everyone was in agreement on a punishment - but threats of a breakaway super league scare the shit out of them.

 

[jrb]

Don’t worry, Vicky Kloss and her PR team will be all over this, making sure those who need to be briefed will be.

She’s sharp, tuff, and good at her job.

 

[Keeper!]

As I said the other day, if somebody is capable of hacking, they are also capable of doctoring. Impossible to prove as even if they are true, City will be able to provide alternative emails that show different.

Does anyone know how stolen emails would stand up in court?

Or would a judge simply dismiss any evidence than was obtained by theft?

 

[Thaksinssoldier]

The only way i can see UEFA taking this seriously is if they can take Der Spiegels 'evidence' as a whistleblowing leak rather than hacked accounts. I assume if its a whistleblowing leak then it could probably be used as evidence in an actual court of law?

The hacker is in court and about to go to jail.

Whistleblowing is someone on the inside leaking something. Hacking is someone stealing something.

Different things.

 

[MillionMilesAway]

Ranking points don't matter if you're the PL Champions

True, but City won't always be champions.

 

[The slaughtered lamb]

Surprised the investigators leaked it to the press as it gives City an opening to attack not just the process but the motivation behind it. Should have kept it in house although the leak does reduce the chance for a negotiated settlement and make open conflict more likely which may have been the thinking behind the leak.

I have to say I'm finding this whole thing a bit odd.

City are absolutely adamant that they've not done anything wrong, to the point where it's not even confidence as opposed to outright bullish certainty.

UEFA must know that City are going to take this to a court where there's legitimate independence eventually, and they're opening themselves up to damages, to publicly being slapped down and to further undermining of FFP if they carry on without a good case.


So what's going on? Either UEFA are doing something they know will get humiliatingly knocked down in a proper court, or the club's confidence is completely misplaced.

This is where our previous 'take a pinch' and keep our powder dry approach is paying off imo. We've let them rubbish us in the media for years to the point where it's drove many to distraction. UEFA and the cartel have got into the habit of thinking they can say, leak and do whatever they want in the media and we won't retaliate...until now. It looks like they've dropped themselves right in it by leaking info to the press in what was supposed to be an independent investigation and it's difficult for them to go back - wasn't today supposed to be the day our ban was announced? Well shit or get off the pot.

Not only that but it looks like City are hugely confident that the only 'evidence' UEFA has is the leaked emails from that discredited German rag. Maybe there is evidence of wrongdoing in the emails, but I can't see them going into a court with the only evidence being illegally obtained and I doubt our management can either. But again, due to our previous softly softly approach they've thought we would roll over and have our tummy tickled again.

 

[hammocity]

Ranking points don't matter if you're the PL Champions

Thats true, I doubt we would fall that far down the coefficients if we missed one year. If we did it and ended up it say Pot 3, the Pot 1 and 2 teams would be a bit pissed off.

 

[shevtheblue]

The hacker is in court and about to go to jail.

Whistleblowing is someone on the inside leaking something. Hacking is someone stealing something.

Different things.

Yep i know, but how do you prove he is where the information came from? From memory, i believe there are some laws that protect the whistleblowers identity from being leaked, so they might be able to just make it all up so they can get the evidence into court..

 

[George Hannah]

Don’t worry, Vicky Kloss and her PR team will be all over this, making sure those who need to be briefed will be.

She’s sharp, tuff, and good at her job.

All's well that ends well......? That's not altogether likely here I'm afraid

 

[MillionMilesAway]

Nah if theres no case to answer the IC dont pass it up.

True, but I don't think many believe that there is nothing to it - I had disregarded that option.

 

[spiny]

The EUFA stance appears to be that the CL is their competition so clubs who enter do so under their rules, including FFP which they found City have breached.
City appear to not just be questioning FFP but EUFA itself and related parties perceived to be setting out to smear the Clubs' reputation and damage their commercial interests.

The stakes are very high on both sides and could be taken to a higher court. It will be interesting to see if other parties become involved. For example FIFA already has an agenda with EUFA. There is also the possibility of legal questions over cartels and anticompetitive practices coming to the fore that would over-ride EUFA competitions and FFP.

 

[dickie davies]

True, but City won't always be champions.

Two on the bounce mate, we're on a roll (or a barm)