I really hope the current challenge holds up as it could have big consequences for the PL’s case. City’s current challenge is that recent rule changes should not retrospectively apply to rule breaches made more than 10 years ago. I think the other challenge on Conflict of Interest in respect to the barrister is just more time wasting from them and a ‘may as well try it’ challenge. It’s that first challenge I am worried about. As we saw with CAS, City know how to even get arbiters to overturn a punishment for reasons that don’t even make sense.
It seems that most of the big PL clubs want the investigations sped up but I question how possible that is if City are using every delay tactic possible including challenging everything. I highly doubt they have only 2 challenges in the pipeline and are releasing them piecemeal to draw out the entire process - like a guilty party would do.
For me the TDF cycling years from 1999-2005 basically ceased to exist in my mind because of what Armstrong and US Postal did, and I feel there will be a similar dark cloud of nothingness over the PL if the charges stick. The only question is whether that dark cloud runs from 2011 to 2024 (probably the earliest this will be completed and hugely optimistic) or 2011 - 2026/27/28 if City get their way. Remember, if things aren’t going their way they will go full scorched earth and will try to ruin the PL as much as they can, which means stretching the process out, trying to win more titles to ensure no other club gets them. Another reason why I think this Cancer Club needs to fuck off into the lower leagues.
Even if found guilty, it still doesn’t account for the dodgy business they’ve done for the accounting periods beyond 2018 (?) which might be yet another drawn out investigation. I absolutely don’t think the PL will go soft on punishment, judging by some of the charges being for their lack of cooperation suggesting they will take a heavy hand, but I really really really want something beyond a points deduction because they probably still have the quality to get out of the relegation zones. I truly want them to be sent to the lower leagues.
I don’t for one second believe that there is any genuine willingness around (neither at political, judiciary or football level) to apply a harsh punishment on them.
History has already shown otherwise in the case of CAS, and the PL willingly inviting Saudi Arabia to the table tecently, so I wonder how you and others come to that belief?
(Just read that Juventus have been docked ten points in their league for financial wrongdoings, but clubs being punished in Italy is far more common than in England. A harsh punishment of Abu Dhabi would be a first in the history of the PL as far as I know.)
Can’t stand Man Utd. But at least they are a proper club. Hopefully that doesn’t change. Legends built over generations, club tragedy, club greats, iconic managers, large and passionate fan base.
They are rivals in the best sense of the word.
Usually I don’t want them to win a thing, but I’d be fine if they won the FA Cup, if only to stop Man City winning the treble.
The silver lining, if Man City do win the treble, and let’s say they win both finals at a canter, is that it will hopefully pile on the scrutiny, as it is all by foul means.
Hope I’m wrong, but I don’t see any kind of fitting punishment coming their way even if found guilty.
I believe they’ll ride it out and eventually plead guilty to a handful of the less serious changes, They’ll get a paltry points deduction, sufficiently low enough to ensure they’ll still win the league, unless there’s a challenge like the ones we’ve put in recently.
For me, I think it’s all too late. They’re now in a position where their business is able to demonstrate that it’s compliant or at least more than it was, having been able to fatten themselves up on consistent CL revenue and PL wins.
For me the punishment would have to be so severe that it reflects what they’ve been able to achieve in kind and that basically, to me means removing the viability of Abu Dhabi continuing their ownership. Basically making it not worth their efforts anymore. Had action been taken years ago, punishment could have been less severe.
The only way for the FA is to nail them hard on anything from 2008 to 2010/2011 for the accounts irregularity and anything after that would be to check if the player’s contract and payments made out of the club can be reconcilled.
Failure to get anything more than 100 charges on Man City will be an clear indicator to the Government there needs to be an independent regulator on the PL and possibly the FA.
the worst part of the whole thing, is the sheikhs are selectively going about the process of destroying some of the favorite sports events of the Western culture.
North American sports have somewhat successfully insulated itself from this through their own rules (NFL owners decide on who gets a franchise, not the league commissioners…as an example) But the Saudi’s already own clubs in multiple countries and have relegated all other English clubs to a second tier of competition against their financial might.
Then to have the balls to fight the charges at a snails pace while they rack up titles… it stinks
LIV tour is just another recent example. Am surprised they don’t have a F1 team. oh wait…
Just like a former drug lord who has laundered the proceeds, got the power and the money, and now deciding to go down the straight path and only invest in legitimate businesses and close all the dodgy things from his past.
Hilarious that Guardiola is saying he wants it resolved quickly, while his club is doing everything it possibly can to produce delays…because that is exactly how they beat UEFA’s charges.
