Topic: General Manchester City thread

[wampa1]

So FFP introduced to prevent clubs spending loads of money can be circumvented by clubs spending loads of money.

[Red Beret]

Seriously, if it was one of our players the majority here would probably defend the player too wouldn't they?

Silva isn't an Everton player though.  He does, however, play for the club that has the best chance of stopping us.

[rob1966]

UEFA must have shit themselves when their legal team told them it could actually cost them money being dragged through the courts. Can't be having UEFA losing any money. Much easier just to fine City and give themselves even bigger Christmas bonuses.

The owner is personally worth £17 billion, the family is worthy trillions. UEFA are admitting City are that rich they can do what the fuck they want as they can afford to spend hundreds of millions dragging it out in court for years and UEFA cannot.

Expect City to announce a new £1 billion sponsorship deal any time soon.

[Walshy nMe®]

It's just so depressing isn't it.

For some reason I held some hope that football would unite and tell these clubs they cannot just break the rules and get away with it.

I bet a lot of owners across the world are fuming and I wouldn't bet against sensible people like Henry and Co. walking away from football shortly.

Why fight against a country that can do what it wants?

[Red Beret]

The article says that the reasoning why they haven't been given a ban is because they will have years of 'expensive arguments' with City and that is hard to justify when there are other side trying to  get through FFP loopholes too.

It was alleged that £50m in sponsorship came from the holding company of City's owner not Etihad (shock). Also alleged that £30m was paid to Mancini from Al Jizira, Sheik Mansour's company in Dubai.

Da fuq?

Have they just said it's not worth punishing City because so many other clubs are trying to fuck up FFP it's not worth enforcing via the courts? 

Despicable pieces of shit, the lot of them.

[Son of Spion]

Bloody hell. 

Marine would probably get a bigger turnout on the streets of Crosby if they won something than Abu Dhabi got there. 

[Father Ted]

‘So many clubs are trying to break the offside trap it’s just not worth enforcing the offside rule!’

What nonsense, their dodgy owners have flashed a few bribes around and got away with it yet again.

[Skeeve]

Seriously, if it was one of our players the majority here would probably defend the player too wouldn't they?

You missed the crucial word from that post, evertonians, it isn't their player.

[Something Worse]

It's just so depressing isn't it.

For some reason I held some hope that football would unite and tell these clubs they cannot just break the rules and get away with it.

I bet a lot of owners across the world are fuming and I wouldn't bet against sensible people like Henry and Co. walking away from football shortly.

Why fight against a country that can do what it wants?

We've done a pretty good job while they're cheating, as have Leicester and Chelsea. Once Pep goes I expect them to regress back to a normal title-challenging level rather than a 100pt machine.

[RobbieRedman]

You missed the crucial word from that post, evertonians, it isn't their player.

My point was football fans are generally a bit hypocritical and will tend to stand by their own

Everton are just bitter, hardly a newsflash

[Red Beret]

Just have to hope that we're too far ahead for it to matter when they spend £300m in January on defenders. 

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

Surely theyre opening a can of worms here regarding teams whove already been fined/banned etc. Id want my fucking money back arguing if we had enough money to be a fucking nuisance uefa wouldnt touch us so its hardly fair they banned us and let them off, especially as their case is much more of a fucking piss take. Id sue for the ban and loss of income plus any money back due to fine paid

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

Thought this was in the hands of the court of arbitration anyway so its not up to uefa yet

[TepidT2O]

Sorry, is that letter saying that only 114 went to the Shaktar game???

Thats...

Extraordinary

[Skeeve]

Sorry, is that letter saying that only 114 went to the Shaktar game???

Thats...

Extraordinary

It is just a group game and Donetsk is about another 1000 km further away than Kiev.

[Son of Spion]

It's just so depressing isn't it.

For some reason I held some hope that football would unite and tell these clubs they cannot just break the rules and get away with it.

I bet a lot of owners across the world are fuming and I wouldn't bet against sensible people like Henry and Co. walking away from football shortly.

Why fight against a country that can do what it wants?

I actually find it astounding that there aren't procedures in place to prevent such horrific people buying up football clubs. I know about the 'fit and proper' thing, but that's clearly unfit for purpose. Football has made a rod for its own back by allowing tyrants like these to come in and basically destroy the fabric of the sport.

What they are saying is that the tyrants that own one football club are more powerful than football itself. Now how on earth was this allowed to happen? They are being allowed to come in and pervert the entire sport in this country for their own ends and to the detriment of the sport and its integrity.

Personally, I wish that football would bin off the likes of Abu Dhabi, PSG and Chelsea. Let them make their own tyrants league with its own plastic trophy while the rest of us carry on with tighter regulations where club's spend what they generate via the sport itself. When an organism has a cancer, you either cut the cancer out or it kills the organism. The likes of these cancers on the vital organs of the game need removing, and fast. I'm truly amazed that every other club in the game is not up in arms over these fake, plastic clubs that are little more than a supposedly respectable front for crooks and tyrants.

[jillcwhomever]

The owner is personally worth £17 billion, the family is worthy trillions. UEFA are admitting City are that rich they can do what the fuck they want as they can afford to spend hundreds of millions dragging it out in court for years and UEFA cannot.

Expect City to announce a new £1 billion sponsorship deal any time soon.

You also have to consider the legal implications of any ban. Presumably they would have looked into whether they could use any of the leaked documents, no one has really been able to say beyond doubt, as to whether they would stand up in a court of law. The moment any ban was announced City and their bunch of Abu Dhabi arses would have been threatening them with legal action and all the other things they do on a daily basis, to anyone who opposes the hideous organisation they represent. The interesting stuff would be if the other clubs make noises and insist UEFA do something or suddenly we have the prospect of a breakaway league back on the agenda.

[jillcwhomever]

UEFA must have shit themselves when their legal team told them it could actually cost them money being dragged through the courts. Can't be having UEFA losing any money. Much easier just to fine City and give themselves even bigger Christmas bonuses.

Let's just see the real reason for this decision before just assuming things. Do you know whether any of those leaked documents would stand up in court for example?

[rob1966]

You also have to consider the legal implications of any ban. Presumably they would have looked into whether they could use any of the leaked documents, no one has really been able to say beyond doubt, as to whether they would stand up in a court of law. The moment any ban was announced City and their bunch of Abu Dhabi arses would have been threatening them with legal action and all the other things they do on a daily basis, to anyone who opposes the hideous organisation they represent. The interesting stuff would be if the other clubs make noises and insist UEFA do something or suddenly we have the prospect of a breakaway league back on the agenda.

The breakaway league with City and PSG excluded has suddenly become highly likely with that decision. All the owners will be thinking fuck you, people pay to watch us, Barca, Real, Man Utd, Juve, not them cheating bastards. No-one outside of East Manchester gives a shit about City, they can't even fill their own ground.

[Gray Hamster]

Let's just see the real reason for this decision before just assuming things. Do you know whether any of those leaked documents would stand up in court for example?

So a leak has suggested that City will not face a ban from 1 competition for cheating.  I would suggest we all wait and see what the overall punishment will be before everyone starts speculating on if they got off lightly or not.

If this results in evidence of corruption, illegality etc all out into the public domain and city end up with fines, sanctions, transfer bans etc this would be a PR disaster for Abu Dhabi and hell for the club.

I will wait and see what their actual punishment is before passing judgement. Missing out on a year in the champions league could end up being a holiday in the park, compared to what they might end up with!

I suspect that there may be a little bit of pressure on UEFA in the coming months to make sure the above happens.

[alonsoisared]

There never seemed too big a chance that they would actually get punished for this. My understanding is the damage in question was done years ago and they got away with it then with a poxy fine, making it nigh on impossible for UEFA to revisit it. They've got off on a technicality and the fact that UEFA are shit scared of their lawyers. As dodgy as some of their sponsorships are, aren't they able to make an argument (however ludicrous it sounds) that they are currently, technically, self-sufficient?

[jillcwhomever]

So a leak has suggested that City will not face a ban from 1 competition for cheating.  I would suggest we all wait and see what the overall punishment will be before everyone starts speculating on if they got off lightly or not.

If this results in evidence of corruption, illegality etc all out into the public domain and city end up with fines, sanctions, transfer bans etc this would be a PR disaster for Abu Dhabi and hell for the club.

I will wait and see what their actual punishment is before passing judgement. Missing out on a year in the champions league could end up being a holiday in the park, compared to what they might end up with!

I suspect that there may be a little bit of pressure on UEFA in the coming months to make sure the above happens.

That's what I am hoping for, they could as you say punish them in other ways. The results though will be the same namely Abu Dhabi will use their best lawyers to grind the whole judgement to a halt. There was always a risk of that, I am assuming they can put an appeal in against a transfer ban say nothing of fines and sanctions?

[rob1966]

That's what I am hoping for, they could as you say punish them in other ways. The results though will be the same namely Abu Dhabi will use their best lawyers to grind the whole judgement to a halt. There was always a risk of that, I am assuming they can put an appeal in against a transfer ban say nothing of fines and sanctions?

A transfer ban can be suspended until CAS looks at it. I think they would take a ban on the chin but anything else they would drag it through the courts for years. £1 billion is loose change to these people.

[jillcwhomever]

A transfer ban can be suspended until CAS looks at it. I think they would take a ban on the chin but anything else they would drag it through the courts for years. £1 billion is loose change to these people.

Thanks rob. I assumed that would be the case, it could well be as to how other clubs feel about what UEFA decide then. Either way, we have some interesting months before finding out. There will be plenty of rumours being started on the back of this.

[rob1966]

Thanks rob. I assumed that would be the case, it could well be as to how other clubs feel about what UEFA decide then. Either way, we have some interesting months before finding out. There will be plenty of rumours being started on the back of this.

Barca got Suarez from us while their ban was under suspension on appeal, as well as Rakitic and Ter Stegen. CAS upheld the ban

[Ghost Town]

Yeh let's see what actually happens before getting our knickers in a twist.

Either way the idea of fan ownership has to be given a boost by these shenanigans. Even if it's just a 51% rule, with curbs on how much can be spent on the team - wages included - rather than how much can be brought in by the club. The former is surely easier to police and control as most clubs have to publish accounts, and if transfer fees have to be declared to the FA then it will be harder to hide stuff.

[CraigDS]

Yeh let's see what actually happens before getting our knickers in a twist.

Either way the idea of fan ownership has to be given a boost by these shenanigans. Even if it's just a 51% rule, with curbs on how much can be spent on the team - wages included - rather than how much can be brought in by the club. The former is surely easier to police and control as most clubs have to publish accounts, and if transfer fees have to be declared to the FA then it will be harder to hide stuff.

Fan ownership isn't going to happen. Clubs are worth wayyyy too much now.

That wouldn't stop what City are doing - bumping wages onto parent clubs, hiding wages that get paid directly from the owners, etc.

[blert596]

Am I reading this right? Are they saying that they won't ban City because they could keep them tied up in expensive courts for years, when it will be easier to go after lower hanging fruit who wont be able to pay expensive lawyers for eternity.

Is this a green light for City/PSG to do whatever they like? I'd doubt clubs will allow this to go ahead without repercussions if true.

Coupled with a single game ban for Silva they've had a good week so far considering their letter of complaint is likely to get Sundays result turned over, Sterling knighted, and Gomez banned for 8 games.

Fucking meffs.

[campioni]

Let's just see the real reason for this decision before just assuming things. Do you know whether any of those leaked documents would stand up in court for example?

The article on the Athletic suggests UEFA will issue City with a fine instead of a ban. They still have to find them guilty to justify fining them. It also says in the article City are likely to challenge the fine or whatever punishment they get as they believe they’ve done nothing wrong. In that case UEFA will still have to legally prove the wrongdoing.

I’ve maybe jumped the gun with my criticism of UEFA but it’s based on the way they have dealt with things in the past. We’ll see what happens with this one.

[Medellin]

Expected fuckall done so I'm not disappointed.

[newterp]

https://theathletic.com/1377968/2019/11/14/exclusive-manchester-city-set-to-avoid-champions-league-ban/

I'm so shocked 

me too!! I was sure that the FFP investigation that was taking absolutely forever was going to punish them. So so certain!

[rob1966]

Fan ownership isn't going to happen. Clubs are worth wayyyy too much now.

That wouldn't stop what City are doing - bumping wages onto parent clubs, hiding wages that get paid directly from the owners, etc.

Or Qatar paying Neymar £300 million to be the 2022 world cup ambassador

[Ghost Town]

Fan ownership isn't going to happen. Clubs are worth wayyyy too much now.

Ok if not ownership then some kind of covenants or control that prevents owners from having a totally free hand. Look what Newcastle have just done, selling off adjacent land that the club might one day have expanded into. That's a decision that will affect the club long after the current owner has gone, and so he shouldn't be allowed to make those kind of changes. That's my view, anyway

That wouldn't stop what City are doing - bumping wages onto parent clubs, hiding wages that get paid directly from the owners, etc.

I guess what I'm saying is that the only way to prevent what City are doing is transparency and control at the point of transaction. Transfer fees to be declared by law, total remuneration (including all sponsorship and tricksy stuff) to staff and players to be declared by law, and a hard limit on the total spend, regardless of where it came from and how it is split between players. Let them smuggle as much cash into the club as they want; if they can't actually spend it on the team then it's not so much of an issue.

If something like this can't be done - and I accept it may not be possible - then the game remains fucked up and there's no solution. It will just get worse.

[kennedy81]

The article says that the reasoning why they haven't been given a ban is because they will have years of 'expensive arguments' with City and that is hard to justify when there are other side trying to  get through FFP loopholes too.

It was alleged that £50m in sponsorship came from the holding company of City's owner not Etihad (shock). Also alleged that £30m was paid to Mancini from Al Jizira, Sheik Mansour's company in Dubai.

So basically City have threatened them with years of expensive legal action, and we all know UEFA like money. When you're as rich as Abu Dhabi, there's always a way round every obstacle.

This was always a non-starter folks. A ban wouldn't have stopped them continuing to cheat and would only have fueled their conspiracy theories. At least they can't make that case now.

Plus we might get a chance to knock them out of the CL again.

[LiamG]

So basically City have threatened them with years of expensive legal action, and we all know UEFA like money. When you're as rich as Abu Dhabi, there's always a way round every obstacle.

This was always a non-starter folks. A ban wouldn't have stopped them continuing to cheat and would only have fueled their conspiracy theories. At least they can't make that case now.

Plus we might get a chance to knock them out of the CL again.

Thats the thing, one of the wealthiest people in the world own them, they'll get past anything uefa throw at them

[kezzy]

So how do the athletic know this but no one else has reported it.  Also if it’s true then what do AC Milan do about it as they are serving a ban for something similar or something like a tenth of what the plastic cheats have been charged with. 

[FiSh77]

Just have to hope that we're too far ahead for it to matter when they spend £300m in January on defenders. 

Who?

They're at their limit for non homegrown players, they could basically get rid of Otamendi to free up one slot, can't think of too many English/English trained players they would buy or clubs would be willing to sell to them, not fucking Otamendi off in the summer and Sane's injury has fucked them up

Expect a £90m bid for Tyrone Mings then

[Zlen]

Tell you what. If we do win the league ahead of these it will be the biggest achievement in football in ages. It will certainly be all the sweeter for it.

Fucking disgusting club, from owners down to the last empty blue seat.

[Lush is the best medicine...]

European super league then if that happens

[Sir Capon of Debaser]

European super league then if that happens

UEFA caught between a rock and a hard place LOL