I have to sort of wonder if Abu Dhabi have been utterly stupid or stupendously arrogant.
We all know they are at the Emptyhad to try to cleanse their appalling image and reputation as a regime. They are clearly sensitive over how they are perceived. They buy a non-descript football club in the shadows of three bigger clubs within the North West area and look to make a good name for themselves. Now all that makes good sense up to now.
The problem is, instead of gradually improving the facilities, the management and the team whilst living within the club's means they, instead, make the club look like the drug dealer with no legitimate means of support who is living in a detached house with a pool, drives a Lamborghini and puts two fingers up to homeless people as he drives past. I mean why bring so much unnecessary attention on to yourself? OK, you get away with it for a while, but at some point questions get asked. Awkward questions, and when the answers don't stack up, well it all comes crashing down.
Have they acted out of absolute stupidity, arrogance, or both?
They came in looking to enhance their reputation but, instead, all they have done is taint it even further. To top it off, if they lie and cheat their way through a dirty legal battle they'll look yet worse still. They'll expose themselves as the dirty, disgusting bullies they really are.