Calamatious

[Zabba]

The reputational damage caused by the Frank Lampard affair is calamatious for City.

It undermines the whole trust of the board and Executive who clearly have no concern at distorting the truth when it suits an agenda. They lied to New York City fans and they lied to Man City fans. We now have a player whose image we have damaged and who must feel used and abused by City. Why on earth has it been left for the PL and Frank Lampard to reveal/tweet the truth while City cringe in the corner like kids caught stealing candy.

If this was Garry Cook he would have been publically booted, de-suited and sent packing asap. So who carrys the can for this humilitation of the clubs reputation. We have made the Glaziers look like saints.

Why should we fans ever believe a single word or assurance uttered by the club hierarchy in future.

I for one will view every promise and utterance of assurance from now on with more than just a hint of cynism.

It is only the full and proper truth and a full and proper explanation of how this was allowed to happen, fester and then explode that could restore some trust; but are the clubs hierarchy wiling or even able to put the truth out in the public domain? 

Independent story:
Frank Lampard unhappy at damage to his reputation after Manchester City put him at the centre of humiliating New York City FC row

Manchester City are at the centre of a humiliating row over the decision to deny Frank Lampard the chance to leave for the United States this month, with the player clearly unhappy with damage to his reputation and the Premier League feeling the club have been economical with the truth over their plans for him.

On a day in which the decision to keep 36-year-old Lampard until the end of the season backfired badly on City, the former Chelsea player first issued a statement which indicated that it had not been his choice to renege on his promise to be a Major League Soccer (PLS) player for New York City FC’s (NYCFC) new campaign.

City then admitted that they had misled MLS supporters by stating on the website of NYCFC - their affiliate club - that Lampard had signed a contract from August 2014. They also admitted that they had misled their own supporters by claiming that the player had been loaned to City. City’s new version of events was that they had themselves signed Lampard for Chelsea on a six-month deal until December.

But the Premier League insist that no player can be signed for six months â€" and that to do so would be a breach of Premier League rule t11, which stipulates that any contract must be for at least 12 months.  City have in fact signed Lampard for 12 months, with a December 31 break clause, and only a pre-contract agreement has been signed with NYCFC. There is a sense of bafflement at Premier League as to why City have not indicated that. It has not been made clear who has paid a signing-on fee for Lampard or who has paid his wages since last August.

The credibility of Manchester City has being damaged severely by this farce, after Lampard’s failure to materialise for the MLS season proved a stateside PR disaster for the Etihad Stadium club. City also suffered reputational damage when the club failed UEFA’s Financial Fair Play test last year because of attempts to claim £40m earnings from image rights and intellectual property rights â€" an accounting ploy which the governing body took a very dim view of.

Lampard, was due to move to the MLS on January 1, has promised that he will move to New York City FC at the end of the Premier League season. Writing on his Facebook page, he said: 'I want to make it completely clear as I have read a lot of lies and nonsense over the last few days. 'When released from Chelsea last year at the end of my contract I signed a commitment to play in NYC FC for two years starting January 1, 2015.

“I was then offered the chance to train and be part of the Man City squad in the interim to keep myself in the best shape going into New York. This period has since been extended by Man City and I now will start playing for NYC FC at the end of this current Premier League season.”

[goat]

fuck the yanks, they wouldnt even be a club if it wasnt for city

read that about 10000 season tickets have had a strop because frank wont be there, if you bought a season ticket just to see a 36 year old then you are a fucking idiot

[Zabba]

fuck the yanks, they wouldnt even be a club if it wasnt for city

read that about 10000 season tickets have had a strop because frank wont be there, if you bought a season ticket just to see a 36 year old then you are a fucking idiot

Spot on with that andI do not care about NYCFC I care only about City and its future (having been a supporter for 50 odd years and survived Thaksin Shinawatra's ownership).

Up until now all has been good and trust strong between board and fans but this undermines that. Does not help when City have to correct their public admission and correction of public statements, shoddy work.

(Per MEN)

Admitting mistakes in the communication of Lampard's initial move, City then made a series of points to the media on Friday, summarised as follows:

1. The statement on the NYCFC website in July saying Lampard’s two-year contract took effect from Aug 1, 2014 was a mistake.

2. Initial statement on City website that it was a loan was also an error.

3. There was never a break clause in Lampard’s contract dated 31 December â€" short-term contract with City only ran to Dec 31.

4. There was a head of terms commitment from Lampard to join NYCFC from Jan 1, 2015. That was extended to the end of this season.

5. Any contract with NYCFC will now take effect from July 1, 2015.

Point number three of that list was later shown to be wrong.

Lampard signed a 12 month contract with City that contained a break clause. A short term contract would be in breach of Premier League rules.

As a result, City had to correct their clarification.

[The Blue Blooded Maniac]

I don't think anyone's actually arsed except the yanks, and who gives a shite what they think?

[Zabba]

I don't think anyone's actually arsed except the yanks, and who gives a shite what they think?

As fans we should be arsed because City future depends upon the integrity of the owners and board. Not long ago that our owners were bailing out Barcelona - we do not want to end up as a NYFC (second string feeder club for Barcelona, if that was to become our owners primary club).

[goat]

cant see that happening or being possible anyway. look at feeder clubs in general, usually smaller clubs or clubs in lesser countries, easier and cheaper to control. the amount it would cost to run city and barca wouldnt make sense and what would they gain from city as a feeder club?

[gavin]

Calamatious isn't even a word!I presume calamitous is meant. Anyway it is a bit of a fuck up and the persons responsible should be embarrassed but not nearly calamitous to me. I'd really like NYCFC to do well and there is no disputing it isn't a good start but it can be turned round. As for MCFC I don't think it will have much long term impact and certainly I think that it was more important that Lampard stays for now. Personally I would have kept him until after Yaya was back from the African Cup and then let him go to the US. January and February was always going to be the time Lampard was most necessary. Signing him to Jan 1 really was stupid.

[Swiss]

What's the problem, storm in a tea cup and you've got a spoon!

[bluepill]

He didn't have to say yes did he? If Frank's that fussed he could have honoured his own end of the deal surely. I don't get why its only city owners we should be booing.

[gavin]

Can't get my head round what they did or why they did it but no big deal to me at all.

[Swiss]

Turns out he didn't even sign a contract with NYC but he has the option of signing for them.

[Zabba]

You have all missed the point City misled NYFC and City fans, that is clearly established. Question is what else are they misleading us over e.g. compliance with FFP.

[Swiss]

Where does it actually say City mislead NYFC and their Fans?

If Frank hadn't as been as pivitol as he has been, he'd have been over to NYFC faster than a corn dog down the guzzle of a fat man!

[goat]

so city misled a club they own and upset what fans, have they even played a game yet?

[reddishblue]

You have all missed the point City misled NYFC and City fans, that is clearly established. Question is what else are they misleading us over e.g. compliance with FFP.

You read too much red top tripe. Take a chill pill.

[Hesperus]

Bad PR and poor all around really. Can't believe for one minute that Frank or his management did not know who he signed for which means City must have been complicit in this little story. It's stupid because undoubtedly this deal will get probed at some level and could have ramifications for the club.

[Ludo]

It's already been probed and came away with the all clear

[Hesperus]

I thought the premier league had just announced that Lampard had only ever been registered with City and not NYC? I wasn't aware of any investigation? Even if sanctioned by the premier league FIFA could still look into it, ask Barca!

[Ludo]

What is there for FIFA or UEFA to look at?

[Hesperus]

You don't think it looks a bit dodgy with all the pictures of Frank at NYC in the kit? The press releases to say he'd signed with NYC? Then a release to say we'd signed him on loan from NYC? Only to find out none of that had actually happened and he'd be signed by City all along?

Looks to me like both sides were trying to hide something. I hope they aren't and it's just been really badly handled but I do think it's daft to give anyone a reason to dig deep into transfer dealings.