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

[KS55]

You'll not get an source out of him,he just likes spreading panic

Thanks. Much relieved.

 

[krswanny]

Right were 100% innocent. Sorry for trying to be unbiased.

In my opinion our chairman is the best around and its being reported in the media that we had the chance to take another pinch to avoid a ban.

This time he chose not to accept it and to fight it so he must know that we are innocent of the charges.

 

[Newman Noggs]

Use of the words "innocent" and "guilty", in my opinion, lend this grotesque charade some kind of bogus legitimacy. The phrase "we have decided not to abide by restrictions imposed by our rivals" may be more appropriate if, indeed, we haven't.

 

[cjn]

no it isn't,the reason they are coming after us is purely jealosly and protecting their own,every big business creatively accounts,we are singled out as the dirty arabs,they don't give a shit about the white american do dolllars,i don't know you are so quick to blame the club

I'm putting some blame with the club for getting us to the point where we now have to pray that CAS gets it right, which is by no means assured, or else we face some really bad consequences. I don't care what business you're in, if you let a dispute go far enough that you have to win an appeal or else you lose £150m or whatever in revenue plus suffer massive reputation damage, you probably fucked up somewhere along the way. I agree with all of what you're saying. FFP is garbage, it's unfair, maybe even racist, but I think we messed this up. We should've just handled it the first time around, or settled, or de-escalated it. It's a mess.

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

That’s quite the post.

You’ve started it by saying you aren’t bothering with doing any research in to UEFA’s charges and decision, then finish with “we clearly arent innocent”.

You’re right, it certainly is pointless.

It’s like the arguments you’d expect from fans of other clubs that just assume, they must have done something. Everyone is saying so.

Not what you expect from a City fan that would want to familiarise himself with the evidence to date.

 

[cleavers]

The phrase "we have decided not to abide by restrictions imposed by our rivals" may be more appropriate if, indeed, we haven't.

Bullied is missing mate.

 

[waspish]

Different set of circumstances here. How on earth do we renew any contracts if we're not in the CL. This squad have done EVERYTHING domestically. Where's the motivation for them to go again like that? Not saying that will happen, but it's a valid question. If a ban kicks in, we're gonna have a few years in the wilderness (like Chelsea). Not all doom and gloom but the new manager will be tasked with renewing the squad, using youth and getting us ready for 2023/24 European assault. Julian Nagelsmann anyone?

Certain players want to leave we will sell them and buy new ones who want to play for us.

 

[kaz7]

Talk about miss the point completely.

Manchester City are as guilty as hell of the rules they have broken. But that isn’t the point. Sheikh Mansour took over the club in 2008 and these rules we have broken came into being as a reaction in 2009. They are invented rules to protect a cartel. Those rules weren’t there in the 1950’s when Liverpool were bankrolled by the Littlewoods family. Every club before and since that has enjoyed any success has had investment. These rules are designed to stop that investment and therefore protect the future success and earnings of Liverpool, United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern... et al.

So of course we’re not innocent. A quick look in our trophy cabinet tells you that. The alternative was wandering around Asia asking people politely support us on social media and buy a shirt because we’re very nice people.

A look in our trophy cabinent tells us we are not inocent and we are as guilty as hell? What kind of crap is that?

 

[SidJames]

Absolutely nothing, you're right. Carry on.

I think what posters are saying is,where is this incriminating,damning evidence ?

I am hypothesizing here.It is also entirely possible we have done wrong legally,but UEFA feel we have done something wrong ethically.You know the script,"Not in the spirit of their agreement bullshit".Our accountants might have been a bit creative.I am sure many of us believe this is possible.But come on ffs all big business use work arounds. Look at Apple.Amazon etc.

What about Clubs with huge debts that siphon of huge profits to the Caymen Islands to avoid paying taxes.Or paying third parties etc.

Let he who has not sinned cast the first Stone.

I believe if we have done anything wrong,then we will have done nothing more than use a team of savvy accountants.Who will have assured us we were doing nothing wrong legally at the time.

That is my opinion.

 

[krswanny]

Just found this, don't know if its relevant :- https://www.espn.com/soccer/manches...tys-uefa-case-could-have-conflict-of-interest
Also just been looking on Rawk to see what the dippers are making of all this, very sad I know but I am either missing something or their is a virtual media blackout on the subject.

They aren't interested unless they are the victims :)

 

[Newman Noggs]

Bullied is missing mate.

Ha ha, smacks too much of victimhood. We're far from that. We're the only club with the bollocks and resources to take these fuckers on.

 

[Manchester_lalala]

Use of the words "innocent" and "guilty", in my opinion, lend this grotesque charade some kind of bogus legitimacy. The phrase "we have decided not to abide by restrictions imposed by our rivals" may be more appropriate if, indeed, we haven't.

But even that statement isn’t exactly accurate. City have always tried to work with UEFA and we were going to pass the requirements in 2014 until they fucked us over. Now they’re relying on stolen emails to fuck us up even more.

 

[kaz7]

Mate, didn't FFP come in before City was taken over with the big investments? FFP as a concept is a reasonable fair one although I do believe it should have some flexibility to capture additional investment. I do believe owners should be allowed to invest more it's their perogative really. And maybe the other PL clubs were lobbying against City that is conceivable. But once the rules have been established then its a different game.

My strategy would be too challenge the proportionality of the punishment and get it reduced but looks like the club is gearing for the fight of all fights which I feel will have far reaching repurcussions for City.

We have clearly stated if the facts are used we are in the clear,on thst basis acepting a year is not even on

 

[marco]

Different set of circumstances here. How on earth do we renew any contracts if we're not in the CL. This squad have done EVERYTHING domestically. Where's the motivation for them to go again like that? Not saying that will happen, but it's a valid question. If a ban kicks in, we're gonna have a few years in the wilderness (like Chelsea). Not all doom and gloom but the new manager will be tasked with renewing the squad, using youth and getting us ready for 2023/24 European assault. Julian Nagelsmann anyone?

''a few years'' worst senario is 1 year ban from CL this is not going to cause massive problems and players wont be lining up to leave if that happens,so this is going te result in a few years in the wilderness,,absolute tosh mate

 

[BamberBridgeBlue]

Fair enough if you don’t have the time or inclination to comb through what little evidence is publicly available. Ridiculous though to continue with your assertion that we’re obviously guilty in that case.

Jesus wept, some people.

The point is that some people care if we broke the rules on FFP that came into force in 2009, that were a reaction to investment in clubs like City, PSG, Red Bull etc. I don’t care if we did break them. 1, how can you prove it? (Unless you have illegally obtained evidence which is therefore inadmissible) and 2. Those rules were placed there for us to break.

Yes question if we broke the rules, but question whether the rule is also valid. This is (in some respects) similar to the Bosman ruling situation. If I won a fortune on the lottery, invested it well and then decided to invest the lot in Crawley Town. Then that’s my business. It’s not for anybody else to say I can’t sign Lionel Messi because I didn’t sell enough pies last week or my Twitter following is down 22% in Malaysia.

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

Lot of City blue tinted shades here. We're not innocent, we've known that for years. Its funny how supposed adults can be so biased just because they "bleed for their club". I agree the penalty itself is harsh and think we should fight to have it reduced but we deserve to pay some form of penalty.
I keep seeing the sentiment "other clubs do it all the time." If that makes skirting and breaking rules okay I sure as hell hope you aren't raising children or have a job that overlaps with my interests.
That it's us... of course they are twisting the knife and piling on but we fucked up and we should be held accountable.
That this is all some elaborate anti-City conspiracy is rubbish and makes me realize how much sport- as much as it can unite- does just as much to polarize.

I have never believed there has been an "elaborate anti-City" conspiracy but surely you can't doubt that we have some powerful enemies who have done their best to damage us. Just look at the stuff which is in the public domain. Our computers have been hacked at least twice (Pinto and Liverpool FC); our commercial rivals have leaked stories to the media to damage us; false information has been published about our players (Raheem); our owners (a fake torture video which had no connection to Sheikh Mansour); our fanbase (multiple smears about our support for human rights abuses, our attendances etc etc) We have seen our manager accused of "being paid off books" in a press conference with no evidence.
These things are not directly connected in some sort of grand conspiracy but they add up to a witchhunt. All most City fans want is fairness.

 

[SidJames]

You don't get hit with such a penalty if you've done absolutely wrong.

Have you seen who makes up the UEFA organisation ?

All our enemies.

All those that want to destroy City.

So yes it is 100% possible we are being stitched up on stolen ambiguous material.That was open to interpretation.

Forgive me,but you sound like you have already formed an opinion that our Club is rotten to the core .

 

[Blue Mist]

Yesterday I went upstairs and dug through my 'Throw it in here' draw and I found my Hate Football - Love City badge, given many years ago by the Fanzine City Til I Cry. It will now be worn every time I go out and worn with pride.

 

[mancityvstoke]

Have you seen who makes up the UEFA organisation ?

All our enemies.

All those that want to destroy City.

So yes it is 100% possible we are being stitched up on stolen ambiguous material.That was open to interpretation.

Forgive me,but you sound like you have already formed an opinion that our Club is rotten to the core .

Like quite a few other suss posters

 

[sir baconface]

Again, unlike some here I'm not wasting my life combing through to figure out what we did and didn't do. We clearly arent innocent and if you can't admit maybe we've skirted rules to get where we are then it's pointless.

You are an empty vessel, pal.

Totally incapable of supporting your own assertion.