The EPL is worried about a government regulator. They want to show that they're willing to enforce their own laws, for the time being at least. As soon the threat of government regulation goes away, things will go back to normal, i.e. the EPL will go back to ignoring City's transgressions.
They talk about the right (wrong in this case ) place at the right/ wrong time.
Despite what most think about the matter there is a vast difference between overspending and keeping accurate records as opposed to overspending and not reporting things accuratey.
Some of the charges levelled are subjective such as not fully assisting in any investigation others such as the claim re hidden managerial payments will be a matter of fact.
Of course City and their fans are feeling a little wounded and claims to being singled out although to a degree are understandable those objections won’t wash with other clubs or of course other supporters.
I was always told that targets drive behaviour and that of course is what FFP and the Premier Leagues sustainability rules appear to have done here. This it seems isn’t about pushing boundaries or finding what some describe as “ loopholes “this it seems is a full on assault and disregard and contempt of the rules.
I read in Bluemoon that some believe their innocence is clear because the likes of HMRC haven’t been all over this. I was employed by the Inland Revenue/ HMRC for all my working life and whilst they may or may not as yet have an open investigation believe me they will at some point be talking to Cities accounts and quite possibly the likes of Companies House will at some point poke their heads above the parape!
Some are linking our transfer spend in the same breath . Some are suggest our accounts are “ dodgy “ . Well there are vast differences
1) Our sponsors were always have never been linked with the past owner.I always thought the likes of Gazpron for instance would be but they never were.
2) Our sponsors have never been out of step indeed some believe this income stream has never been exploited
3) Bohley and his partners completed a deep dive into the financial records at time of their takeover and did uncover some accounting issues so under went voluntary disclosure with the PL and HMRC
I was involved in football administration albeit at a non league level false accounting and believe me the making of undisclosed payments is rife in football. In my opinion it’s why a wage cap would be a futile exercise.
From directors who own their own companies employing a players wife or a brown bag full of £10 notes appearing in the post or even a sponsorship suddenly being invented to fund the education of a players child I have heard of things at non league level that would make your hair curl.
Having said all that I am lapping it all up. Does that make me a wicked person ?