Topic: General Manchester City thread

[ToneLa]

Not sure we will get what we want which is proper punishment but it's good their stupid appeal was stopped even if it's at this early stage.

[swoopy]

Strange you'd appeal something before any punishment is dished out if you hadn't done anything wrong!

[Dim Glas]

Massive kudos by the way to fans of Bayern Munich, who ahead of their AGM tonight, have asked for the club to put a human rights clause in it's constitution, sadly, Bayern have refused  (cos money talks). 

They wanted an additional clause in the "Purpose and Responsibilities" section of the club's constitution which would have read: "The club is committed to upholding human rights in accordance with the United Nations Guiding Principles of Business and Human Rights and is committed to protecting these rights."

Full story here:
https://www.dw.com/en/bayern-munich-reject-human-rights-motion-ahead-of-annual-general-meeting/a-51264334

As much as I don't like Bayern the club and their soap opera, their fans are up there with the best when it comes to actually bringing to attention what they are not happy with regards their club, they do not stand idly by while their club takes money from UAE (sponsors in Bayerns case of course rather than owners).  Shame a couple other clubs didn't have fans who actually cared enough to question where the money is coming from. But of course, that would mean the threat of disappearing back to obscurity.

[Jshooters]

The boy is a belter.

https://twitter.com/5liveSport/status/1180914223871774720

  you're not wrong!  Savage stifling laughter throughout is ace...

[Alan_X]

Strange you'd appeal something before any punishment is dished out if you hadn't done anything wrong!

It wasn't an appeal. Arbitration is an interim process that is designed to get a quick decision before everyone spends loads on a trial. Adjudication is a similar process.

It's used for time-sensitive issues because it gives a quick decision without holding up work for too long. We use arbitration and adjudication in construction projects and it makes sense to use it for sports where there is a fixed calendar.

[Redsnappa]

So still a fair way past the already epic trek to Kiev then, in any case zero reason to mock them for not showing up in numbers for that one, unlike at the emptyhad.

Think it was the 3rd time they'd played them in five years or something too.

[Son of Spion]

Any they are the cancer that is causing this, so they will be cut adrift in any breakaway league.

The last thing I want is a breakaway league, I want the structure of football to stay exactly as it is, but anyone who thinks FSG, the Glazers, Barca, Real, Juve, Milan etc will sit back while the Arabs pour billions into those two clubs and just dominate is deluded.

I agree with you. I wouldn't like to see a breakaway league, but if push came to shove, it might be necessary. If it were to happen, those two cancers would be cut out. It has to be done to save the game. Bin those two off for the greater good.

Some short-sighted people might assume this is sour grapes talking, but far from it. I remember Forest turning up in the top league and tearing it up. They put the graft in and earned their success. Their emergence was something of a breath of fresh air, even if we did grow to hate the buggers. 

Look at what Leicester did not too long ago. Again, they were damn good for a season and thoroughly deserved their title win. No sour grapes over that either.

If City had worked their arses off and actually earned their success, and the wealth that brings, then hats off to them. Sadly though, it's all a horrible sham. It's off-the-peg 'success' that is hollow. What we are seeing is basically an oil state playing fantasy football club owner, but this is in our national sport and not on a computer screen. It's massive self-indulgence by people with too much money and not enough integrity. If City had actually grew organically and earned success then most of us would not begrudge it them in the slightest. We'd laugh at them giving United a pasting and probably say they deserved it given the misery of life as a City fan in the decades beforehand.

As things currently stand I , like you, can't see the genuinely big clubs putting up with these vanity projects long term. Look how long it took for clubs like Liverpool, Man United, Juventus, Madrid, Barcelona, Benfica, Milan etc to build their success, status and legend. It's actually this longstanding history that makes these clubs what they are. Do we really expect them to put up with grotesque vanity projects that take average clubs straight out of obscurity and into title winners virtually overnight? How long will they sit back and watch these crooks killing the game?

[Son of Spion]

Can't imagine why City would want to stop the FFP investigation in it's tracks. Nothing to hide I'm sure

If they were clean they would welcome the investigation because it would clear them completely and their reputation would actually be enhanced afterwards.

[Red Beret]

Only recourse is UEFA ensuring every ref, lino  or VAR marginal decision leads to elimination for City , there is no way they would allow losing face that much to them.

It would be the final irony that City - the constant whingers who complain of a conspiracy against them - could actually create a self fulfilling prophecy by being such complete and utter bastards that UEFA just pulls out all the stops to fuck them up on the pitch.

Give them a group of death every year in the CL till they get fucking bored.

[rob1966]

I agree with you. I wouldn't like to see a breakaway league, but if push came to shove, it might be necessary. If it were to happen, those two cancers would be cut out. It has to be done to save the game. Bin those two off for the greater good.

Some short-sighted people might assume this is sour grapes talking, but far from it. I remember Forest turning up in the top league and tearing it up. They put the graft in and earned their success. Their emergence was something of a breath of fresh air, even if we did grow to hate the buggers. 

Look at what Leicester did not too long ago. Again, they were damn good for a season and thoroughly deserved their title win. No sour grapes over that either.

If City had worked their arses off and actually earned their success, and the wealth that brings, then hats off to them. Sadly though, it's all a horrible sham. It's off-the-peg 'success' that is hollow. What we are seeing is basically an oil state playing fantasy football club owner, but this is in our national sport and not on a computer screen. It's massive self-indulgence by people with too much money and not enough integrity. If City had actually grew organically and earned success then most of us would not begrudge it them in the slightest. We'd laugh at them giving United a pasting and probably say they deserved it given the misery of life as a City fan in the decades beforehand.

As things currently stand I , like you, can't see the genuinely big clubs putting up with these vanity projects long term. Look how long it took for clubs like Liverpool, Man United, Juventus, Madrid, Barcelona, Benfica, Milan etc to build their success, status and legend. It's actually this longstanding history that makes these clubs what they are. Do we really expect them to put up with grotesque vanity projects that take average clubs straight out of obscurity and into title winners virtually overnight? How long will they sit back and watch these crooks killing the game?

To a lot of fans this might sound like sour grapes, but like with Leicester, while I cannot stand their little Englander fans and it pissed me off that they won the Premier League before we have, they at least did it the right way. Its not about keeping our little closed shop, its about clubs earning the right to compete. This lot down the East Lancs were just lucky, as has been stated on here before, that they had Manchester in their name - if they had been called Moss Side or Gorton, Abu Dhabi wouldn't have given them a second glance. Then they have basically cheated their way to where they are now and act like a right bunch of prima donna c*nts. They are a stain on our game and if not dealt with, then the league will become a playground of these backers from corrupt regimes - the Saudis shouldn't be anywhere near our league.

[Son of Spion]

To a lot of fans this might sound like sour grapes, but like with Leicester, while I cannot stand their little Englander fans and it pissed me off that they won the Premier League before we have, they at least did it the right way. Its not about keeping our little closed shop, its about clubs earning the right to compete. This lot down the East Lancs were just lucky, as has been stated on here before, that they had Manchester in their name - if they had been called Moss Side or Gorton, Abu Dhabi wouldn't have given them a second glance. Then they have basically cheated their way to where they are now and act like a right bunch of prima donna c*nts. They are a stain on our game and if not dealt with, then the league will become a playground of these backers from corrupt regimes - the Saudis shouldn't be anywhere near our league.

Yep, I don't really do sour grapes. When Everton had a great side for a few years in the 80s I acknowledged it and still do. For a short time they gatecrashed the party and deserved their success. Same with the Mancs under Ferguson. I knew via Liverpool's experience just how hard it was to grow, then maintain, success. It's incredibly tough. They achieved it, and although I loathed them when they were shite and just as much when they were good, I felt they earned their success. I saw idiots trying to discredit Liverpool's success over two decades, and I was adamant I was not going to turn into a sour arse if another club went on to emulate us.

The likes of Abu Dhabi are different though. They have no credibility and any trophy they purchase is void and meaningless. It's not about closed shops, it's about doing it without blatant cheating. Abu Dhabi are the guy who turns up to the graduation ceremony and collects his degree like all those who have worked their arses off to be there, yet he had all the answers bought, paid for and supplied to him for free. He's a fraud, and so are Abu Dhabi FC. If they did it clean then they'd fully deserve their place and any honours they pick up, but the facts are they are juiced up to the eyeballs.

[rob1966]

They treat us like we are thick too. The Etihad sponsorship was such a blatantly inflated deal it was comical, however, they got away with more than doubling the world record deal and realised they could just take the piss. Now they just straight up make up figures and expect us all to fall for it. Bigger commercial income than us and Utd, Puma kit deal bigger than ours and Utds deal with Adidas, its so blatant and they do not give a fuck.

[Son of Spion]

They treat us like we are thick too. The Etihad sponsorship was such a blatantly inflated deal it was comical, however, they got away with more than doubling the world record deal and realised they could just take the piss. Now they just straight up make up figures and expect us all to fall for it. Bigger commercial income than us and Utd, Puma kit deal bigger than ours and Utds deal with Adidas, its so blatant and they do not give a fuck.

Yep, they really tested the waters there, got away with it with ease so knew they could take the piss at will from there on.

I'd love to know what their commercial income would really be without the sham deals they have. It's absolutely absurd that they even pretend to have a genuine commercial income bigger than us and their neighbours. Both of us global entities, whilst Abu Dhabi's reach doesn't extend much further than Greater Manchester, and they are even the minority club in their own city. If it wasn't so serious, it would be hilarious.

[Dim Glas]

Days later, that TWIIIIIIIICE at the end is still cracking my up 

Guardiola has previous for classic gif giving form Liverpool games.

[rob1966]

Everton are bigger than them. Based on the amount of City shirts I see, they have fuck all commercial revenue, they don't sell out games, they beg for people to go to League games and CL games. Chelsea has gone to general sale, limited to 6 tickets per person - they claim only two blocks left. There are 13 blocks with tickets for the Shaktar game, again general sale limited to 6 per person.

[Skeeve]

If City had worked their arses off and actually earned their success, and the wealth that brings, then hats off to them. Sadly though, it's all a horrible sham. It's off-the-peg 'success' that is hollow. What we are seeing is basically an oil state playing fantasy football club owner, but this is in our national sport and not on a computer screen. It's massive self-indulgence by people with too much money and not enough integrity. If City had actually grew organically and earned success then most of us would not begrudge it them in the slightest. We'd laugh at them giving United a pasting and probably say they deserved it given the misery of life as a City fan in the decades beforehand.

As things currently stand I , like you, can't see the genuinely big clubs putting up with these vanity projects long term. Look how long it took for clubs like Liverpool, Man United, Juventus, Madrid, Barcelona, Benfica, Milan etc to build their success, status and legend. It's actually this longstanding history that makes these clubs what they are. Do we really expect them to put up with grotesque vanity projects that take average clubs straight out of obscurity and into title winners virtually overnight? How long will they sit back and watch these crooks killing the game?

You get a lot of City fans trying to claim that without this ludicrous spending they wouldn't be able to break into the closed shop at the top, but the reality is that nobody would be giving them shit about a spending spree to give themselves a kickstart to get up into contention and then build from there, it is the insane levels of spending that have kept happening season after season that ensures people consider their results and club to be a complete joke as there's nothing earned about anything they do, merely paid for.

[rob1966]

You get a lot of City fans trying to claim that without this ludicrous spending they wouldn't be able to break into the closed shop at the top, but the reality is that nobody would be giving them shit about a spending spree to give themselves a kickstart to get up into contention and then build from there, it is the insane levels of spending that have kept happening season after season that ensures people consider their results and club to be a complete joke as there's nothing earned about anything they do, merely paid for.

2nd placed Leicester would have something to say about that.

[Son of Spion]

You get a lot of City fans trying to claim that without this ludicrous spending they wouldn't be able to break into the closed shop at the top, but the reality is that nobody would be giving them shit about a spending spree to give themselves a kickstart to get up into contention and then build from there, it is the insane levels of spending that have kept happening season after season that ensures people consider their results and club to be a complete joke as there's nothing earned about anything they do, merely paid for.

Just like you get body builders claiming that they couldn't have made the Mr Universe stage without the steroids.

The reality is that the shop isn't really closed at all. Leicester blew that myth out of the water. Forest blew it out of the water back in the day too. If you build something good enough, you find the doors to the shop are actually open.

[Raid]

Sadly not surprised about their Oliver complaint. The best referee in the league inserted for the most important fixture, and by and large got everything right. Yet these morons cry like it was the biggest stitch up in football.

All has a similar feel about it to when Chelsea tried to take Mark Clattenburg to the cleaners after they got beat at home by Manchester United. Similar shithouse paranoid club, similar shithouse paranoid support

[Skeeve]

Just like you get body builders claiming that they couldn't have made the Mr Universe stage without the steroids.

The reality is that the shop isn't really closed at all. Leicester blew that myth out of the water. Forest blew it out of the water back in the day too. If you build something good enough, you find the doors to the shop are actually open.

While a nice story, I don't think Leicester completely invalidate the claim, their current position and their previous win seem to rely on some of the regular top sides tripping up rather than actually dragging themselves up to compete against them, in any case the actions of City go well beyond a simple boost and have been a systematic attempt to circumvent all FFP controls and to buy as many trophies as they can get their grubby paws on.

[dimwit]

I think this will be the straw that breaks UEFA. FSG, The Glazers, Barca, Real, Juve, Milan, Bayern all know they hold the real power and they all know that if they started their own European Super League, taking the top 4/5 from each of the major leagues, fucking City and PSG off in the process, Sky would pay the billions into them. Adidas, Nike etc wouldn't care, they'd still get the global coverage, the millions of LFC, Utd, Barca and Real fans around the world wouldn't give a fuck. We might not like the fact we don't play in the Prem any more, but the ones who really count these days, ie the Sponsors, would welcome it with open arms.

Sky last weekend, Wolves v Watford. Replace that with Bayern v Barca, LFC v Real, Utd v Juve etc etc. and sky would love it.

I'd rather a breakaway league with City, Chelsea and PSG in it.

And anyone trying to follow that route. Monaco was bound to be one if not for the divorce, Anzhi was one, we really don't know the intentions of Chinese invest in Serie A.'

There's chitchat about Leeds or ManU being the next plaything for UAE.

Let them measure their balls in their own sandlot and let everyone else concentrate on football.

[spen71]

Surely If they have nothing to hide they would let themselves be investigated.   Then if they are cleared they will say “told you we are clean”

[Medellin]

To a lot of fans this might sound like sour grapes, but like with Leicester, while I cannot stand their little Englander fans and it pissed me off that they won the Premier League before we have, they at least did it the right way. Its not about keeping our little closed shop, its about clubs earning the right to compete. This lot down the East Lancs were just lucky, as has been stated on here before, that they had Manchester in their name - if they had been called Moss Side or Gorton, Abu Dhabi wouldn't have given them a second glance. Then they have basically cheated their way to where they are now and act like a right bunch of prima donna c*nts. They are a stain on our game and if not dealt with, then the league will become a playground of these backers from corrupt regimes - the Saudis shouldn't be anywhere near our league.

Nah..116 years after our first.
That 'never won the Prem' just doesn't wash with me at all.
Same competition,same clubs .same everything but we've never won it 18 times
How many League cups do we have..🤔

[Golyo]

As things currently stand I , like you, can't see the genuinely big clubs putting up with these vanity projects long term. Look how long it took for clubs like Liverpool, Man United, Juventus, Madrid, Barcelona, Benfica, Milan etc to build their success, status and legend. It's actually this longstanding history that makes these clubs what they are. Do we really expect them to put up with grotesque vanity projects that take average clubs straight out of obscurity and into title winners virtually overnight? How long will they sit back and watch these crooks killing the game?

Funny that you mention Juventus. Their owners are doing the same as City's with the Jeep sponsorship.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

Funny that you mention Juventus. Their owners are doing the same as City's with the Jeep sponsorship.

they also have the most popular player on the planet and the number isn’t totally insane

[Golyo]

they also have the most popular player on the planet and the number isn’t totally insane

I am talking about ripping up a contract, and then signing another one for a higher amount. It's not how business works normally.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

To a lot of fans this might sound like sour grapes, but like with Leicester, while I cannot stand their little Englander fans and it pissed me off that they won the Premier League before we have, they at least did it the right way. Its not about keeping our little closed shop, its about clubs earning the right to compete. This lot down the East Lancs were just lucky, as has been stated on here before, that they had Manchester in their name - if they had been called Moss Side or Gorton, Abu Dhabi wouldn't have given them a second glance. Then they have basically cheated their way to where they are now and act like a right bunch of prima donna c*nts. They are a stain on our game and if not dealt with, then the league will become a playground of these backers from corrupt regimes - the Saudis shouldn't be anywhere near our league.

Makes you wonder how we could possibly be the most successful Club in the country.

[harleydanger]

So the bottom line seems to be FFP is a joke if you’re city , if you have enough money and power to absolutely shit all over it, then the “governing body” will be so scared of you that you can practically do whatever you want.

Hate being the one to break it to you but that’s life.

Rich people don’t face the same justice as poor people unless they’re incredibly stupid. Our entire society is set up for that.

[Son of Spion]

Funny that you mention Juventus. Their owners are doing the same as City's with the Jeep sponsorship.

Really? I wasn't aware of that.

[Filler.]

To a lot of fans this might sound like sour grapes, but like with Leicester, while I cannot stand their little Englander fans and it pissed me off that they won the Premier League before we have, they at least did it the right way.

I sit in the Cornershop v Kasabian corner of the Leicester idea. It IS sour grapes as that was a great title win to watch and follow. Spoke volumes to others and more importantly to us. It may be a 'one-off' but they brought hope that it wasn't, no matter what the numerical advantage is. We're doing the same thing in a way. City have bamboozled UEFA, and we got bamboozled that we were keen to play ball.

You don't get to allow the deaths of 1500 underpaid workers to get away with it scot free AND gain huge amounts of money at the same time without a very strong and powerful lawyer/money base.

[dimwit]

Really? I wasn't aware of that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnelli_family

excerpt from there:

Main article: John Elkann

John Elkann (1976–) is the chairman and CEO of Exor, an investment company controlled by the Agnelli family, which controls Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), CNH Industrial, Ferrari, Juventus F.C., Cushman & Wakefield and the Economist Group. In 2013 he was considered to be the world's fourth most influential manager under the age of 40 by Fortune magazine.[27] He was chosen as heir to the family empire in 1997 by his grandfather Gianni Agnelli who died in 2003. Elkann chairs and controls the automaker Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (which owns the Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Mopar and Ram brands)

These are as dirty as, propably more sinister than adfc.

edit: forgot to bold the obvious

[Son of Spion]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnelli_family

excerpt from there:

Main article: John Elkann

John Elkann (1976–) is the chairman and CEO of Exor, an investment company controlled by the Agnelli family, which controls Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), CNH Industrial, Ferrari, Juventus F.C., Cushman & Wakefield and the Economist Group. In 2013 he was considered to be the world's fourth most influential manager under the age of 40 by Fortune magazine.[27] He was chosen as heir to the family empire in 1997 by his grandfather Gianni Agnelli who died in 2003. Elkann chairs and controls the automaker Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (which owns the Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Mopar and Ram brands)

These are as dirty as, propably more sinister than adfc.

edit: forgot to bold the obvious

Thanks for that. I've also just done a bit of Googling on the subject.

I had no idea who owned Jeep, although I assumed they were still American.

[royhendo]

Close links to the Mysterious World Of Hassinator thread here - Agnellis and Elkanns. Sprezzatura!

[royhendo]

Blue Moon podcast was good n reasonable. VAR blamed, not Oliver really. VAR/ref, City weakness, and us being stronger all to blame, see us as big favourites to win the league now, all very calm and old fashioned.

[Red_Mist]

Blue Moon podcast was good n reasonable. VAR blamed, not Oliver really. VAR/ref, City weakness, and us being stronger all to blame, see us as big favourites to win the league now, all very calm and old fashioned.

I bet secretly they don’t see us as big favourites! They’re bound to say we are though

[rob1966]

I sit in the Cornershop v Kasabian corner of the Leicester idea. It IS sour grapes as that was a great title win to watch and follow. Spoke volumes to others and more importantly to us. It may be a 'one-off' but they brought hope that it wasn't, no matter what the numerical advantage is. We're doing the same thing in a way. City have bamboozled UEFA, and we got bamboozled that we were keen to play ball.

You don't get to allow the deaths of 1500 underpaid workers to get away with it scot free AND gain huge amounts of money at the same time without a very strong and powerful lawyer/money base.

I've always hated Leicester, they were our bogey team, broke our home unbeaten run, first team I saw us lose at home to, so while them winning the league was great for footy, I wasn't happy it was them - their behaviour in Europe the next season, enforced that.

Mad thing is, even though they are Mancs, City fans used to be OK with us. Our kid ran a pub in the middle of Manc, Utd fans caused murder, City fans were always a right laugh - they had a humour about them at the game. Those fans deserved some success and if they had done it properly I wouldn't have minded, but the modern lot are utter c*nts who deserve nothing

[Mighty Zeus]

What they should do is make a replica of the Premier League trophy. Actually, they should make it four times as big, so it's super important and valuable and covetable.

And then they should send some City Group staff down to Hackney Marshes on a Saturday. Select enough teams for a league, put them all on professional wages, get every team a sponsorship deal.

And then break away from the bent, corrupt Premier League, which is rigged and unfair to them, and compete in the new league, which they can call the English Super League. Or something.

Make a victory 19 points, so they can set incredible points records as they win the league every season. And the trophy will be much bigger and more valuable and worthwhile than the stupid common pauper's Premier League trophy. We will all watch, super jealous but admiring of their success, wishing our side would know such glory.

And, actually, they can do the same in Europe. They can form a breakaway league with Paris St German. And instead of playing the football, in which victory can never be guaranteed no matter how much money you spend, they can simply get impartial auditors in, and literally count the zeros on the football clubs bank accounts. No national tax laws or FFP to get in the way.

They should totally do this.

[So… Howard Philips]

Mad thing is, even though they are Mancs, City fans used to be OK with us. Our kid ran a pub in the middle of Manc, Utd fans caused murder, City fans were always a right laugh - they had a humour about them at the game. Those fans deserved some success and if they had done it properly I wouldn't have minded, but the modern lot are utter c*nts who deserve nothing

Going back 40 years or so all of the City fans I knew were sound, knew their football and had a sense of humour. Weirdly they were all decent players themselves. United fans were entitled and full of bluster.

How things change, hey?

[CraigDS]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnelli_family

These are as dirty as, propably more sinister than adfc.

I’d definitly not go that far.

[Red_Mist]

City fans were always a right laugh - they had a humour about them at the game

Yep, a very self-deprecating humour. I know an old school city fan who is still the same, never been able to shake it off despite all their success. He’s sound. I was in London with him once in the 90s and he somehow persuaded me to go to watch City play Fulham away. We were stood in the pouring rain (no roof in the away end in those days at craven cottage) and Fulham slotted another goal to make it 4-0. The City supporters response? “It’s just like watching Brazil” and no, they weren’t complimenting Fulham! It sort of summed them up back then. A bit shite but they didn’t really care and dealt with it with humour. Ironically it was probably more fun following them then than now!