Club statement FFP

[Hesperus]

https://www.mancity.com/news/club-news/club-news/2019/may/man-city-club-statement-uefa-response

[Hesperus]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48292248

BBC story.

UEFA and the footballing elite really are determined to knock us down.

I like the tone of our club statement though. I doubt this time we’ll be taking the ‘pinch’ Khaldoon talked about last time.

[KunDB]

I hope City fight this tooth and nail through every available court, including an EU fair competition law case.

UEFA set out with an agenda driven by competitors of City and have followed it through regardless of any evidence presented to the contrary.

The same UEFA that allows Baku to bid for the finals of their two top competition finals even though they do not have the resources to cater for such events, one can only wonder why?

[KunDB]

Read about football corruption.

https://www.football-stadiums.co.uk/articles/corruption-in-football/

"Perhaps unsurprisingly, FIFA isn’t the only footballing body guilty of misbehaviour on a grand scale. It’s European counterpart, UEFA, has also been caught up in the mire of corruption that has swept through world football.
Michel Platini, who was the head of UEFA at the time that Blatter headed up FIFA and the corruption allegations were taking place, had to deny receiving a ‘disloyal payment’ last year. He was paid £1.35 million for, he describes, ‘legitimate consultancy work’. The problem he had, however, was that he received the payment in 2011 - a full nine years after his initial payment for work with FIFA and just three months before Blatter was re-elected at FIFA boss in 2011.

Platini was seen as the natural successor to Blatter as the head of FIFA, but his involvement in those suspicious payments ended any hopes he had of moving to the top of the pile. Along with Blatter he was also banned from any FIFA related activity for eight years, with that also being reduced down to six.

Instead the Presidency of FIFA was awarded to Gianni Infantino, a man who started working for UEFA in 2000 and became the head of the organisation’s Legal Affairs and Club Licensing Division in 2004. He was promoted to General Secretary in 2007 and then the confusingly named Secretary General two years after that. In April of 2016, however, his name was also dragged into the corruption quagmire that had seemed to infect everything it touched.
The now infamous ‘Panama Papers’, which are 11.5 million documents that got leaked and detailed how numerous wealthy individuals used illegal offshore accounts for such things as fraud and tax evasion, revealed that Infantino co-signed papers with a company owned by a man named Hugo Jinkis. Jinkis was indicted in America for £100 million worth of fraud.

The wrongdoing of Infantino in this matter was to do with the same TV rights being sold for cheap and resold for much more money thing that we talked about earlier, though UEFA released a statement saying that at the time it occurred there was no reason to believe there was anything suspicious about the deal. Sufficed to say, it may be harder to find someone involved with either FIFA or UEFA who has not done something wrong over the last twenty or thirty years than it will be to find someone who has."

AND




FIFA Ethics Investigation
[url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gianni_Infantino]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gianni_Infantino

In July 2016, Infantino was suspected to have broken the FIFA code of ethics, and was interviewed by the investigatory chamber of the FIFA Ethics Committee.

The investigation was focused on three areas: "several flights taken by Mr. Infantino during the first months of his presidency, human resources matters related to hiring processes in the president's office, and Mr. Infantino's refusal to sign the contract specifying his employment relationship with FIFA".

Even though a document was leaked which showed illegitimate spending of funds by FIFA[18] the matter concerning expenses and governance was not investigated.[19] The document revealed that Infantino had billed FIFA for personal expenses such as £8,795 for mattresses at his home, £6,829 for a stepper exercise machine, £1,086 for a tuxedo, £677 on flowers and £132 on personal laundry. In addition to that he billed the FIFA governing body for an external driver for his family and advisors while he was away.

When Infantino accepted special treatment by the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosts Russia and Qatar, the question of a potential conflict of interest was raised. The hosts had organized private jets for Infantino and his staff related to visits in Russia and the Gulf state.[18] The investigatory chamber was of the opinion that no violation had occurred. In addition to that, the chamber found that "human resources matters, as well as Mr. Infantino's conduct with regard to his contract with FIFA, if at all, constituted internal compliance issues rather than an ethical matter."

While the investigatory chamber discharged Infantino, this did not stop criticism. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, a former German football champion, criticized Infantino for not fulfilling his promises regarding transparency, democracy and governance. "So far this has not succeeded in my eyes," he complained.

[gavin]

A much better statement than the last couple they've put out. It can be no clearer that we're not going to take this shit any more.

[KunDB]

A much better statement than the last couple they've put out. It can be no clearer that we're not going to take this shit any more.

Yes clear and direct. I now hope the club fight this vigorously and through all means possible. 

[Hesperus]

I fear any fight will make no difference. They’ve got it in for us. How they can even refer us when our accounts have been audited by financial lawyers and the investigation comes from illegally hacks emails is beyond me.

Rick Parry and David Gill I’m sure will be involved somewhere..... hmmm.

[KunDB]

Spurs fined by UEFA for late start to their semi final â,¬10,000.

“The Spurs manager has been given a one-match ban linked to the delayed start of the semi-final first leg with Ajax, but his suspension has been deferred for a probation period of one year.

Spurs have also been fined 10,000 euros (£8,758) for the incident.”

Now compare that to City late out for second half of 2012 last 16 game.

“Manchester City fined more for being late than Porto fans for racism
• Uefa impose â,¬30,000 sanction on City for being minute late
• Porto fined â,¬20,000 for fans' abuse of Balotelli and Yaya Touré”

Now can UEFA explain that inconsistency in punishments. I can as far as they are concerned City are their enemy. It is a joke that is poor taste and not funny and not remotely fair play.

[zacc]

this part of the statement says it all

"There remain significant unresolved matters raised by Manchester City FC as part of what the Club has found to be a wholly unsatisfactory, curtailed, and hostile process."

[silvablue]

A journalist at the post FA Cup/Treble win press conference, Rob Harris, asked Pep '...if he has received payments from Abu Dhabi for services other than managing City, as was alleged to have happened with Mancini.' A fuming Pep responded 'Do you realise what you are asking me? You are asking me that the day we won the treble? Are you accusing me?' Totally unnecessary and inappropriate to ask such a question of anyone at a public press conference and in such celebratory circumstances. Why would Pep have to explain any of his private financial details to football journalists at a press conference to a loaded and pre-emptive question that assumes guilt and/or wrongdoing.

Miguel Delaney Independent newspaper writes an article on our FA Cup/Treble win more or less ridiculing and diminishing it as corrupt money buying titles and an inevitable consequence of the money invested. Shallow lazy journalism.

City fans are berated in the media for reeling against these investigations and allegations and constant smearing of City in the press; as closed minded and blinkered fans.

Screw them all.

Where were they when the elite were rigging the competition rules to maintain the status quo; Champion League, Premier League? Where was their outcry of rage against that.

If we broke the rules then fine we broke the rules and we should suffer appropriate and proportionate punishment. But first we have to have due process and exhaust the investigation and appeal mechanisms, not just hang draw and quarter the club before any conclusion has been reached and published, let alone the basis supporting this conclusions.

The FFP rules have to be fair or they deserve to be flouted, no press or media wall to wall coverage questioning why someone cannot invest their money responsibly into a club. Provided they do not put the clubs stability at risk, which writing off two hundred million debt, investing in infrastructure and turning a near bankrupt club into a hugely successful profitable club with millions and millions of assets to protect its future. No concern or commentary about how the Glazers have exploited Utd by leveraging their purchase of the club of the back of the assets of Utd and moving the club from debt free to debt laden.

No questioning why a hugely 'boring' and unsuccessful team like Utd and a Liverpool, defeated by treble winning City in the premier league, are both set to receive more Premier League money than City, because somehow mysteriously they got more live TV coverage than City, the most exciting team in the league (along with Liverpool).

It comes with success that others will be envious, I certainly was when I was supporting unsuccessful City, but there is a difference between envy and hate and smears. I have yet to hear anyone explain how given the rigging of the rules (set by UEFA but strongly influenced by our PL elite competitors) City could otherwise grow and become successful without a massive investment. We could never grow self sustained as the rules on FFP severely obstruct that happening or ensure it will take a lifetime to happen. Amazon has just taken over Deliveroo and are set to make an initial investment of £400m to grow the business, nothing wrong with that, nothing unfair about that and no different to City's owners investing and risking their money in City as a business.

Basically, this is the football elite trying to stop 'outsiders' rocking their gravy train and the stablished status quo, initially directed at Chelsea but pushed through more vigourously when Citys owners emerged on the scene. Today is our time we have struck lucky, but in future teams like Everton, Newcastle, Wolves, Watford, etc. should have the hope that their dreams can come true with an overnight takeover by a billionaire owner who invests generously in their team to bring success and make them competitive at the top level. Not supporting corrupt 'status quo' protecting rules which prevent this ever happening.

We fans should just enjoy the success and leave the rest to the club, we are making history year on year. We are living the dream.

[silvablue]

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/may/19/manchester-city-sky-blue-smashing-of-watford-proves-football-is-broken

Well worth a read, more balanced even if I disagree with some views and some good points in its conclusions:

The disparities in wealth are going to get bigger from next season as the wealthier clubs receive a greater share of overseas television rights, and they’re almost certain to grow even more when the Champions League is revamped from 2024. '( My view this is just a part of the rigging the rules to protect status quo process)'

Greed has won, big finance has won. Whatever small role elite clubs still play in the local communities from which they grew is dwarfed now by their position as global brands. It’s desperately sad to say it but if the future is more mismatches like Saturday’s, or the sort of coronation procession that so many leagues have now become, maybe the least bad solution is just to let them go, let them have their super league.

[gavin]

To be fair to the press, most of the questions at the conference were perfectly reasonable football questions. I think we just have to ignore the odd sensationalist idiot.

There's a time and a place for responsible, hard questions to be answered. That bloke was simply out of order.

[KunDB]

So how much truth is there in the claim City have unbridled financial superiority in the Premier League. Let us look at some facts and bear in mind the relative success that has brought each team. 

Most expensive players in PL:

  1. Paul Pogba - £93.25m, Juventus to Manchester United
=2. Romelu Lukaku - £75m, Everton to Manchester United
=2. Virgil van Dijk - £75m, Southampton to Liverpool
  4. Alvaro Morata - £70m, Real Madrid to Chelsea
  5. Alisson Becker - £67m, Roma to Liverpool
  6. Fred - £61.2m, Shakhtar Donetsk to Manchester United

So top 6 3 Man Utd and 2 Liverpool (a defender and a goalkeeper) and one Chelsea. Cannot compete with City?

=7. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - £60m, Borussia Dortmund to Arsenal
=7. Riyad Mahrez - £60m, Leicester to Manchester City
  9. Angel Di Maria â€" £59.7m, Real Madrid to Manchester United
  10. Aymeric Laporte - £57m, Athletic Bilbao to Manchester City

[gavin]

City have definitely spent their money far more wisely. We've sprayed a lot of money on defenders. Some hit, some miss but it has done the trick to build a great team that passes from the back.

The trouble with the rags is that they have spent on good players but seemingly with no plan to build a great team.

Anyway, fuck em all. Nearly all successful clubs have had to spend big. Its been happening for years. The term Bank of England club wasn't invented for City.

[Paddy]

Beware of "rose tinted glasses". It is a business after all

[gavin]

A couple of website are claiming that we are pre-empting the outcome by asking the Court of Arbitration for Sport to intervene even before the sentence is passed. It was a bit suspicious that they finally launched the charge on the exact day they had to to avoid dropping it...

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/06/05/manchester-city-launch-11th-hour-legal-bid-stop-uefa-banning/

[KunDB]

A couple of website are claiming that we are pre-empting the outcome by asking the Court of Arbitration for Sport to intervene even before the sentence is passed. It was a bit suspicious that they finally launched the charge on the exact day they had to to avoid dropping it...

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2019/06/05/manchester-city-launch-11th-hour-legal-bid-stop-uefa-banning/

Now we will see how much a genius Al Mubarak really is. I hope we win this case and restore the clubs credibility. Hopefully, this is just the starter for a real legal battle to the death. A pre finding warning shot, which if not successful will be followed by further litigation.

"It was a bit suspicious that they finally launched the charge on the exact day they had to to avoid dropping it..." Gavin explain that please, I am lost as to what it refers too.

[gavin]

UEFA had to refer the case on the day they did in May otherwise it would have fallen foul of their own statute of limitations

But it is interesting that City referred to a "sudden" referral by Leterme. The club have noted that it is five years to the day since Uefa announced City had breached FFP rules and fined them £49million, (although City received £33m back three years later after they met regulations), and this suggests they may argue that the decision to refer was influenced by this, and rushed as a result.

According to the CFCB's own regulations, they cannot bring prosecutions more than five years after the event.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48296885

[gavin]

CAS appeal now confirmed.

[KunDB]

Gavin, it would be hard, if not impossible, to conclude that was a significant driver of the investigation and I speak as someone involved in quite a few.