Manchester City’s Financial Doping

[Halcyon Daze]

I sincerely hope that you’re right.
I pray that this is the case.

We have to wait and see.

Incidentally, nothing about what I’ve said relates to any form of Arsenal self entitlement. This is about healthy competition, a long gone concept that expired in 2003. I’m just saying from a league brand and commercial perspective, it’s not necessarily all lost.

 

[db10_therza]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1724692975018459144

£713m man fml

Feels like just yesterday when Arsenal would put up £200m numbers and we’d be like boom ting

 

[HattoriHanzo]

Incidentally, nothing about what I’ve said relates to any form of Arsenal self entitlement. This is about healthy competition, a long gone concept that expired in 2003. I’m just saying from a league brand and commercial perspective, it’s not necessarily all lost.

We all know how it started back in 2003. with Chelsea,
Then City in 2008, and Newcastle in 2021.

After Roman departure, Chelsea is not what they were in his era.
And he was forced to leave due to things beyond FA and football.

But City is still here, Newcaste also.

We all know that City should be punished harshly.
If only some of 115 charges against them will stand, they should be relegated.
No doubt about that.

As I said, we must wait and see what will happen.

 

[2Smokeyy]

City aren’t getting charge lads. There’s a better chance of Chelsea winning the CL this season than it happening.

Ngl this one isn’t hitting the same as when Chelsea done it. They just scooped up every target that Arsenal and Utd wanted back then. Had more trust in our 04/05 team to go the whole way too.

 

[Halcyon Daze]

City aren’t getting charge lads. There’s a better chance of Chelsea winning the CL this season than it happening.

Ngl this one isn’t hitting the same as when Chelsea done it. They just scooped up every target that Arsenal and Utd wanted back then. Had more trust in our 04/05 team to go the whole way too.

Didn’t want to hear what’s real and true, didn’t fit my agenda. Back to reality. Gutted.

 

[SuperMikel]

City aren’t getting charge lads. There’s a better chance of Chelsea winning the CL this season than it happening.

Ngl this one isn’t hitting the same as when Chelsea done it. They just scooped up every target that Arsenal and Utd wanted back then. Had more trust in our 04/05 team to go the whole way too.

Truth is no one knows what will happen. Serie A relegated Juventus, so if City are found to have broken all sorts of rules the PL will be under immense pressure from the other clubs.

The rest of the teams should boycott matches against Man City if the evidence is there, but no punishment is given.

 

[Blankety Blank]

In normal world it would be more damaging for FA not to relegate the cheaters.

The problem is that it's not a normal world.

Abramovich pretty much signalled the end for 'normalish' football.

Man City being owned by a nation took it to whole new frightening level.

Saudi Toon could scarily even take it further given time.

Imho the premier league/FA won't/can't do anything substantial against City because the UAE could tie them up in legal action & bankrupt them.
They are 'rightly' in self preservation mode sh!t scared.
It stinks but it's where we are

Same with Toon if they are ' caught' in the future.

Major media partners like Sky won't push for fairness because they only care about product. There is too much at stake. if the league comes crumbling down what happens to the 100s of millions they have ploughed in for the TV deal.

The Government want to maintain good relations with the UAE & Saudi for investment purposes so they won't want it pursuing.

Fairness in the game , it's long gone boys.

 

[SuperMikel]

The problem is that it's not a normal world.
Abramovich pretty much signalled the end for 'normalish' football.
Man City being owned by a nation took it to another level.
Saudi Toon could even take it further given time.
Imho the premier league/FSmA won't do anything substantial against City because the UAE could tie them up in legal action & bankrupt them. They are 'rightly' in self preservation mode scared
Same with Toon if they are ' caught' in the future.
Major media partners like Sky won't push for fairness because they only care about product. if the league comes crumbling down what happens to the 100s of millions they invested in the TV deal.

The Government want to maintain good relations with the UAE & Saudi for investment purposes so they won't want it pursuing.

You do realise the UK economy is vastly bigger than the UAE and Saudi Arabia?

The Middle Eastern countries want Western assets and legitimacy. Middle Eastern government want to be able to invest in the UK. People talk about the Middle East like its were the worlds riches are at. Reality is its one of the most underdeveloped regions in the world.

'UAE could tie them in in legal action & bankrupt them (the premier league). Do you have any idea the backlash that would occur in the UK if the UAE ****ed with premier league football - the biggest cultural and recreational export of the UK. Look what happened with the proposes ESL. That was supposed to be a money spinner however the fans pulled the rug out from under it.

City are being investigated, and if the charges are rubbed stamped guilty, they are going down. Just because they are owned by a crown prince, means **** all. The UAE are not ancient Rome or Athens. Dubai not the centre point of the world. The UAE is number 31 in terms of its GDP. FFS Mexico is a richer country.

 

[Blankety Blank]

You do realise the UK economy is vastly bigger than the UAE and Saudi Arabia?

Yes but the UK government actively encouraged the league to accept Saudi Toon for trade benefits.

The Middle Eastern countries want Western assets and legitimacy. Middle Eastern government want to be able to invest in the UK. People talk about the Middle East like its were the worlds riches are at. Reality is its one of the most underdeveloped regions in the world.

Sure & they have been buying Western assets for years. No problem. They own lots of things. However when nation states start buying sports teams it's wholly wrong. The premier league can't even stop that so I have little faith in them.

'UAE could tie them in in legal action & bankrupt them (the premier league). Do you have any idea the backlash that would occur in the UK if the UAE ****ed with premier league football - the biggest cultural and recreational export of the UK. Look what happened with the proposes ESL. That was supposed to be a money spinner however the fans pulled the rug out from under it.

Well they have already not assisted them for years. Don't see why they won't wield their power to drag it out further?
Ok I agree it's more of a hypothetical situation so no I don't think it will happen. But imho the UAE will definitely not play ball/tie them up legally until a compromise on 'punishment' is reached so the fairness of the verdict is in question.

City are being investigated, and if the charges are rubbed stamped guilty, they are going down. Just because they are owned by a crown prince, means **** all. The UAE are not ancient Rome or Athens. Dubai not the centre point of the world. The UAE is number 31 in terms of its GDP. FFS Mexico is a richer country.

Well I hope you are correct. Personally I just have my doubts.
You are still basically dealing with a Country against a private company . The Man City owners have far more money than any sports governing body.

 

[Farzad]

You do realise the UK economy is vastly bigger than the UAE and Saudi Arabia?

The Middle Eastern countries want Western assets and legitimacy. Middle Eastern government want to be able to invest in the UK. People talk about the Middle East like its were the worlds riches are at. Reality is its one of the most underdeveloped regions in the world.

'UAE could tie them in in legal action & bankrupt them (the premier league). Do you have any idea the backlash that would occur in the UK if the UAE ****ed with premier league football - the biggest cultural and recreational export of the UK. Look what happened with the proposes ESL. That was supposed to be a money spinner however the fans pulled the rug out from under it.

City are being investigated, and if the charges are rubbed stamped guilty, they are going down. Just because they are owned by a crown prince, means **** all. The UAE are not ancient Rome or Athens. Dubai not the centre point of the world. The UAE is number 31 in terms of its GDP. FFS Mexico is a richer country.

The problem is they will use bribery, and the actual owners the sheiks have no fear of prosecution. That is the rub while i agree with your larger geopolitical analysis as it applies to football kleptocrats and dictators don’t need to abide by Uk laws. Mbs carved a guy up in a foreign embassy like a Christmas ham you think he wouldn’t bribe an official ?

 

[Tnegs]

The UK government has admitted its embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in London have discussed the charges levelled at Manchester City by the Premier League, but are refusing to disclose the correspondence because it could risk the UK’s relationship with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Man City's Premier League charges discussed by UK government and Abu Dhabi

The UK government has admitted its embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in London have discussed the charges levelled at Manchester City by the Premier League, but are refusing to disclose the correspondence because it could risk the UK’s relationship...

theathletic.com

Not like they aren’t already trying to work a way out of this.

 

[MartiSaka]

Imagine the message it would send about FFP if City were severely punished for their breaches. It would be a great day for the PL and probably lead to far more care around adherence to the rules. Less than likely it will eventuate imo.

Surprisingly Newcastle seem to be somewhat sensitive to FFP so far after the takeover. Is this just a cautious early phase approach, before they go crazy, or are they going to spend somewhere in the vicinity of their actual revenue as common practice?

 

[HattoriHanzo]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1724692975018459144

I don't believe in their financial statements at all.
They are investigated because of the suspicion that they are cooking their financial books.
Fake sponsorship deals in order to inflate revenue, paying players and coaching staff under the table (Roberto Mancini is investigated because of that), etc.

 

[HattoriHanzo]

The UK government has admitted its embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in London have discussed the charges levelled at Manchester City by the Premier League, but are refusing to disclose the correspondence because it could risk the UK’s relationship with the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Man City's Premier League charges discussed by UK government and Abu Dhabi

The UK government has admitted its embassy in Abu Dhabi and the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in London have discussed the charges levelled at Manchester City by the Premier League, but are refusing to disclose the correspondence because it could risk the UK’s relationship...

theathletic.com

Not like they aren’t already trying to work a way out of this.

Why is UK government discussing FA investigation of City at all?
How to punish City and not to anger UAE at the same time?

Would they also discuss Everton FFP breach?
i don't think so.

So, we have double standards.
One for City (and other clubs owned by sovereign states) and another for Everton (and other clubs with private owners).

 

[Batman]

Imagine the message it would send about FFP if City were severely punished for their breaches. It would be a great day for the PL and probably lead to far more care around adherence to the rules. Less than likely it will eventuate imo.

Surprisingly Newcastle seem to be somewhat sensitive to FFP so far after the takeover. Is this just a cautious early phase approach, before they go crazy, or are they going to spend somewhere in the vicinity of their actual revenue as common practice?

It's a cautious early approach but it's not even that cautious or subtle. They have 4 dodgy Saudi sponsors including the shirt sponsor which like Chelsea's didn't even exist a couple of years ago. They're very much following portions of the City playbook, they just aren't being quite so flashy about the players they're publicly going after yet. They haven't signed a Robinho or been heavily linked to someone on Kaka's level for instance. Still, you can see most of the same machinations.

 

[AberGooner]

If Guardiola suddenly quit City you'd then know something was about happen with FFP. Not much chance of that happening though.

 

[Maybe]

Why isn't Garry Neville crying on TV about this like he did with the Super League? Why are there no protests from the fans on that like it was with the Super League?

Let's be honest, people here are cool with what City are doing, they are just a bit jealous that their club is not doing the same

 

[Jasard]

Why isn't Garry Neville crying on TV about this like he did with the Super League? Why are there no protests from the fans on that like it was with the Super League?

Let's be honest, people here are cool with what City are doing, they are just a bit jealous that their club is not doing the same

He's a businessman first and foremost, has all sorts on the go. He's all about making every penny he can and so he follows the money.

 

[A_G]

 

[Riou]

Everton first, Citeh and Chelski next blimey...