Manchester City risk of getting CL banned

[Hughie77]

I think one thing that’s apparent is that we as city fans generally don’t give a shit about FFP. It’s a way to solidify the top clubs and stop outside investment and challenges. If we break it then boohoo because we don’t really agree with it. I certainly don’t feel morally obliged to support it on the simple basis it’s the rules and I don’t agree with City supporting it now that they’re part of the elite.

One thing United fans don’t appreciate I think is that city have been on the other side of it, having SWP bought out by Chelsea because they could offer him more than we could. United fans generally are too used to being on top. When you say things like “how do you think Southampton feel etc” we don’t have to think. We know how they feel because we’ve been there! I think most fans agree that losing your players is what hurts not the source of the money they get bought with. Fulham when they lost Saha didn’t differentiate between your noodle dollars and your Umbro dollars. Neither did Everton when they lost Rooney or Tottenham when they lost Carrick.

If you were to ask city fans tomorrow would you accept a salary cap I think most would say yes, we’re not against fairness in the game, we’re against purported fairness that really ( at least as we see it) is a way to keep newcomers down. The same way that all changes which have distorted revenue distribution have been. If united fans are pro fairness then great and we can all get on the same side of a salary cap! If what you support is “spending within your means” then you have to ask yourself why that is? Is it to protect the fortunes of billionaires ? Is it because you give a damn about City going into administration? Is it because you think a club has a better chance of riding to the top in a world without sugar daddies( I think history shows they don’t)? Or is it because you don’t like seeing blue ribbons on the premier league trophy at the end of the year, be it Blackburn, City or Chelsea. If that’s the case you’re totally entitled to your view but don’t expect Vity fans to feel sorry for you or agree with you after years of poaching the best players in the league the exact way clubs like City, Chelsea and PSG are now able to.

As a final aside most who know about football history will point out that most every club has had outside investment at some point and the current success of many clubs is based on that past investment, be it 50 years ago or 30.

Sorry for the long post. It’s just repetitive coming into the forum to see if there are updates in the story and falling back into the same same conversation fans have been having for 7 years now.

Not a bad assessment, but there is quite a few issues in it as well, you say that other clubs have cherry picked the best players, now that city and PSG or Chelsea before , fans of other clubs don't like it? Also you say if City players were asked to take pay cut they would?

Chelsea bought players to stop other teams getting them this was before FFP, City started doing the same, , Toura ya ya.went from a successful team to play for a side who had won nothing for 50 yrs, why ? Money wages they were astronomical, same as the rest that has been bought the wages count! So Augero would go to City say if he was around 20 yrs ago ? No he wouldn't he would have probably gone to Barca, Real.

The reason clubs like Barca , Real, UTD, bought the best players and 1 at a time mind you not 3 or 4 in one season? Was because the club generated the money over a season or seasons to aquire that player!

FFP has been brought in to stop the club's who cannot generate there own money through sponsorship, Gate money etc.

PSG, City can now do it after basically flouting the rules circumventing them to suit there business model, which is still way behind the likes of Barca, Real, UTD who generate there own without a outside benefactor.

This is why I can understand the fans of PSG and City don't care, how they do it, niether would I if I was a Fan of those clubs.

But FFP is there and all clubs including Chelsea , who had to sell Mata to balance the books.? Along with Real, Barca, UTD have to adhere to, so if clubs who cannot adhere to these rules or circumvent them for there benefit is wrong no matter who you follow.

 

[andyox]

Of course not. Why would they leak evidence of their guilt? Their plan could be to throw millions on solicitors to make the investigation into them as difficult as possible.

Have UEFA leaked anything or are you just referring to the original football leaks?

I answered your first question in a post above. Prior to the IC submission, City could've leaked some of the contents of their 100 page submission to the IC if they wanted to fight back against media reports that assumed our guilt prior to a determination of our guilt. There's no point us leaking now, agreed.

Yes UEFA have leaked, a lot. If you're asking that question then you can't have been paying attention. The first leaks in the NY Times prompted City's statement denouncing the leaks. The latest leak was yesterday to confirm that City have gone to CAS, including a further leak that the contents of City's 100 page submission to the IC were "contradictory". UEFA are trying to play this out in the media via leaks, City aren't.

I have no idea how this will play out, no-one does. But I'd say the side leaking is probably demonstrating more weakness than the side that aren't.

 

[padr81]

Not a bad assessment, but there is quite a few issues in it as well, you say that other clubs have cherry picked the best players, now that city and PSG or Chelsea before , fans of other clubs don't like it? Also you say if City players were asked to take pay cut they would?

Chelsea bought players to stop other teams getting them this was before FFP, City started doing the same, , Toura ya ya.went from a successful team to play for a side who had won nothing for 50 yrs, why ? Money wages they were astronomical, same as the rest that has been bought the wages count! So Augero would go to City say if he was around 20 yrs ago ? No he wouldn't he would have probably gone to Barca, Real.

The reason clubs like Barca , Real, UTD, bought the best players and 1 at a time mind you not 3 or 4 in one season? Was because the club generated the money over a season or seasons to aquire that player!

FFP has been brought in to stop the club's who cannot generate there own money through sponsorship, Gate money etc.

PSG, City can now do it after basically flouting the rules circumventing them to suit there business model, which is still way behind the likes of Barca, Real, UTD who generate there own without a outside benefactor.

This is why I can understand the fans of PSG and City don't care, how they do it, niether would I if I was a Fan of those clubs.

But FFP is there and all clubs including Chelsea , who had to sell Mata to balance the books.? Along with Real, Barca, UTD have to adhere to, so if clubs who cannot adhere to these rules or circumvent them for there benefit is wrong no matter who you follow.

The two bolded clubs show you haven't a clue what you are on about my friend.

 

[Emptihead]

Well one of us is....

I know they're not appealing a decision (think posts are quite clear?). I'm saying I think due process should be completed and then City (if they want to) appeal..... you're saying they can/should appeal a process before any decision is made?

It's just a different view that's all. Anyway, time for thread to move on... good luck with appeal, no-one wants to see City thrown out of the CL.

I believe the way the process works is that UEFA has already decided the rules City have broken and only need to now decide the punishment by a separate body in Uefa. City are not challenging the punishment but challenging the investigation itself. I cannot speak for Europe or England, but it is quite common in the US for charges to be challenged before the verdict is reached if the investigation that lead to the charges was conducted improperly. Charges are dropped or thrown out regularly. A Uefa investigation doesn't allow for this though since they are those who gather the evidence, decide if rules are broken, and decide the punishment as part of one process. What City are saying is that due process was not followed in the investigation. Usually claims the investigation acted improperly are handled concurrently with the case so this seems like an unusual step, but because the Uefa system doesn't allow for this the only recourse they have is to challenge how the investigation did not follow due process in a separate court.

 

[mitchmouse]

you have to say it would be hilarious - pep would explode, the owners would want to sue the whole world and... would Arsenal get their spot?

 

[ExecutionerWasp001]

I have no idea how this will play out, no-one does. But I'd say the side leaking is probably demonstrating more weakness than the side that aren't.

I actually think your position has got weaker as time has gone on.

Your original stance was that no comment was going to be made. This though gives the impression to most that you are guilty. You don't want to comment due to fear of incriminating yourselves further. This hasn't made things go away so
you are now changing tack & telling anyone who will listen that you are innocent. You have even wheeled out Mubarak & briefed him to go on a bizarre rant. The impending action has been put down to racism, jealousy & many other crazy conspiracy theories.

 

[Hughie77]

The two bolded clubs show you haven't a clue what you are on about my friend.

Yep just like City and PSG don't have a clue how to try and get away with being crooks, my friend !

 

[andyox]

I actually think your position has got weaker as time has gone on.

Your original stance was that no comment was going to be made. This though gives the impression to most that you are guilty. You don't want to comment due to fear of incriminating yourselves further. This hasn't made things go away so
you are now changing tack & telling anyone who will listen that you are innocent. You have even wheeled out Mubarak & briefed him to go on a bizarre rant. The impending action has been put down to racism, jealousy & many other crazy conspiracy theories.

Well yea it's all opinions on strategy obviously. Our original strategy was just to say we wouldn't comment on hacks/out of context material, and that our finances were a matter of legal/regulatory record. That was that. Then there was a big gap until our next statements came out, which reinforced the first message, but expanded it to complaining about leaks and due process. It was the UEFA leaks that provoked those statements. So back to my post before, why would UEFA leak? What are they gaining from it? To me it shows weakness, but again that's just my opinion.

I don't think anyone can be certain how this is going to go, let's be honest. CAS will rule as they see fit. UEFA has a poor record in front of CAS due to due process issues when it comes to FFP, so it wouldn't surprise me if they've messed up again. But I certainly wouldn't take that for granted, especially as City have made plenty of mistakes too.

On the last point, I agreed with a lot of what Khaldoon said in that interview, but I thought the ethnicity stuff was counter-productive and unnecessary. Tebas is an idiot, but I always think the best way to expose idiots is just to let them speak and then they reveal their idiocy themselves.

 

[SER19]

City will take care of this behind the scenes I suspect.

 

[andyox]

City will take care of this behind the scenes I suspect.

I doubt we have the capability to bribe/corrupt CAS. That's a bit tinfoil hat.

 

[SER19]

I doubt we have the capability to bribe/corrupt CAS. That's a bit tinfoil hat.

Maybe, maybe not. Think when talking about city's owners everything needs to be considered. Wouldn't be surprised at a slap on the wrist or complete dismissal.

 

[Hughie77]

Going to court of Arbitration now! There shitting themselves, they been caught don't like it! Not supposed to happen to them?
Don't break the rules nothing to go to Arbitration for then.

Going to take a massive brown envelope for this one to disappear, I suppose it will like most it will all be an oversight, apologise get a small fine, all move on , that's how it usually goes?

 

[andyox]

Maybe, maybe not. Think when talking about city's owners everything needs to be considered. Wouldn't be surprised at a slap on the wrist or complete dismissal.

Haha, if City's owners were as all-powerful as you suggest, surely we'd never have been found guilty by UEFA in the first place? Then this would all be moot.

David Conn suggesting CAS may reject this appeal because it's pre-verdict and CAS may only want to rule post-verdict. This isn't going to be resolved any time soon.

 

[andyox]

Going to court of Arbitration now! There shitting themselves, they been caught don't like it! Not supposed to happen to them?
Don't break the rules nothing to go to Arbitration for then.

Going to take a massive brown envelope for this one to disappear, I suppose it will like most it will all be an oversight, apologise get a small fine, all move on , that's how it usually goes?

Keep up, this was leaked 2 days ago and confirmed by CAS yesterday.

 

[Verminator]

Haha, if City's owners were as all-powerful as you suggest, surely we'd never have been found guilty by UEFA in the first place? Then this would all be moot.

David Conn suggesting CAS may reject this appeal because it's pre-verdict and CAS may only want to rule post-verdict. This isn't going to be resolved any time soon.

Maybe they paid up in the past?

 

[Fluctuation0161]

I answered your first question in a post above. Prior to the IC submission, City could've leaked some of the contents of their 100 page submission to the IC if they wanted to fight back against media reports that assumed our guilt prior to a determination of our guilt. There's no point us leaking now, agreed.

Yes UEFA have leaked, a lot. If you're asking that question then you can't have been paying attention. The first leaks in the NY Times prompted City's statement denouncing the leaks. The latest leak was yesterday to confirm that City have gone to CAS, including a further leak that the contents of City's 100 page submission to the IC were "contradictory". UEFA are trying to play this out in the media via leaks, City aren't.

I have no idea how this will play out, no-one does. But I'd say the side leaking is probably demonstrating more weakness than the side that aren't.

IF you're talking about this leak. There is no specified source.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/sports/manchester-city-champions-league-uefa.html

City going to CAS was announced by CAS.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48546882

I think you're misinterpreting the "leaks".

You're right in one thing though, no one know how this will play out. It seems obvious that City have flouted FFP. They've had to by one method or another to justify their ridiculous £1.3BN spending over the last 10 years. However, I doubt very much they will face any major repercussion.

 

[andyox]

IF you're talking about this leak. There is no specified source.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/sports/manchester-city-champions-league-uefa.html

City going to CAS was announced by CAS.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48546882

I think you're misinterpreting the "leaks".

You're right in one thing though, no one know how this will play out. It seems obvious that City have flouted FFP. They've had to by one method or another to justify their ridiculous £1.3BN spending over the last 10 years. However, I doubt very much they will face any major repercussion.

On the first one, City directly accused UEFA of leaking due to that very article -- "...The New York Times report citing “people familiar with the case” is therefore extremely concerning." On the second one, City going to CAS was leaked the day before CAS announced it. CAS's statement the next day therefore basically just confirmed that the leak was accurate. City have made no statement about going to CAS, either before or after the CAS statement. Yes who knows how it will play out. David Conn is already reporting that CAS may reject City's appeal now because it's pre-verdict, which would force us to "re-appeal" post any verdict.

Yes it's obvious that City flouted FFP, because we've already been punished for flouting FFP. The question now is whether we misled UEFA on how much we flouted FFP by.

 

[andyox]

Maybe they paid up in the past?

We did pay up, we paid the agreed fine?

 

[padr81]

Yep just like City and PSG don't have a clue how to try and get away with being crooks, my friend !

Thats a poor effort on being a WUM.

So I guess I'll school you on legit clubs like Real and their self generated income...
https://www.theversed.com/32754/rea...pensed-by-the-spanish-government/#.dbGJybebbE

Stick to wild claims and burying you head in the sand about how great and honest the big clubs like Madrid are with their self financed purchases.

 

[padr81]

IF you're talking about this leak. There is no specified source.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/13/sports/manchester-city-champions-league-uefa.html

City going to CAS was announced by CAS.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48546882

I think you're misinterpreting the "leaks".

You're right in one thing though, no one know how this will play out. It seems obvious that City have flouted FFP. They've had to by one method or another to justify their ridiculous £1.3BN spending over the last 10 years. However, I doubt very much they will face any major repercussion.

Whilst I agree with much of what you say, the new york times edited the original article containing the leak following Cities statement.
https://www.mancity.com/news/club news/club news/2019/may/man city club statement uefa new york times

 

[BobbyManc]

Going to court of Arbitration now! There shitting themselves, they been caught don't like it! Not supposed to happen to them?
Don't break the rules nothing to go to Arbitration for then.

this logic is so ridiculous you have to laugh. Yeah, appealing to an independent court to arbitrate in the matter, that classic sign of guilt.

 

[SER19]

Haha, if City's owners were as all-powerful as you suggest, surely we'd never have been found guilty by UEFA in the first place? Then this would all be moot.

David Conn suggesting CAS may reject this appeal because it's pre-verdict and CAS may only want to rule post-verdict. This isn't going to be resolved any time soon.

Eh, not neccesarily. Stakes, individuals involved, circumstance and a million other things could affect the corupptability of an indivual (s) within any organisation. Given who city's owners are and the blatant attempts to circumvent the rules I am surprised uefa weren't handled behind the scenes. In any case all I've done is suspect the possibility, which as I said, given who owns city, is far from fantasy land. We're not talking about the boy scouts.

 

[SER19]

this logic is so ridiculous you have to laugh. Yeah, appealing to an independent court to arbitrate in the matter, that classic sign of guilt.

He didn't say it was

 

[andyox]

Eh, not neccesarily. Stakes, individuals involved, circumstance and a million other things could affect the corupptability of an indivual (s) within any organisation. Given who city's owners are and the blatant attempts to circumvent the rules I am surprised uefa weren't handled behind the scenes. In any case all I've done is suspect the possibility, which as I said, given who owns city, is far from fantasy land. We're not talking about the boy scouts.

Sure that's fair enough, but if we're talking about leverage over/within UEFA, then City would be well down the food chain. We possibly have more money, but we don't have the influence. We're talking about an organisation where David Gill is the Vice President and Treasurer, and where Rick Parry is a member of its FFP investigatory body. That's influence. We don't have that.

No-one here is the boy scouts, let's be honest. Every owner is fighting their own corner according to their own self-interest.

 

[SER19]

[

Sure that's fair enough, but if we're talking about leverage over/within UEFA, then City would be well down the food chain. We possibly have more money, but we don't have the influence. We're talking about an organisation where David Gill is the Vice President and Treasurer, and where Rick Parry is a member of its FFP investigatory body. That's influence. We don't have that.

No-one here is the boy scouts, let's be honest. Every owner is fighting their own corner according to their own self-interest.

But city’s owners I’m sure it can be agreed have experience in questionable practices beyond the footballing world. Probably stuff that makes bribery seem like Sunday lunch. Money ultimately talks above all else. Anyway perhaps there is integrity in the system, we will see.

 

[Paul_Scholes18]

[


But city’s owners I’m sure it can be agreed have experience in questionable practices beyond the footballing world. Probably stuff that makes bribery seem like Sunday lunch. Money ultimately talks above all else. Anyway perhaps there is integrity in the system, we will see.

I think the winds around the world make attacking City pretty decent right now. They are not really helping to bring in money by not being popular (like a Real or Barca) yet being so dominant in a way upsets a lot of other teams. Thus I think there is a lot of support right now to maybe bring light to the corruption that is obvious. Although I think the owners of City are very skilled in the art of corruption and might figure out who to pay. They might just have to increase the cost of doing it though.

 

[charlenefan]

Can someone explain why a UCL ban rather than a transfer ban?

 

[andyox]

[


But city’s owners I’m sure it can be agreed have experience in questionable practices beyond the footballing world. Probably stuff that makes bribery seem like Sunday lunch. Money ultimately talks above all else. Anyway perhaps there is integrity in the system, we will see.

Of course, Abu Dhabi/UAE has a different approach to many issues that we find acceptable in the UK, no debate there. I don't think that's relevant to a UEFA investigation though, can't really see City's lawyers waterboarding a member of the CFCB IC to get our own way.

I don't trust the integrity of UEFA at all, no-one should (City fan or otherwise). They've proved that time and again on any number of football issues (FFP or otherwise). I'm happy to trust in the integrity of CAS though.

 

[andyox]

Can someone explain why a UCL ban rather than a transfer ban?

You're conflating different issues. City have previously broken UEFA FFP rules and were punished for it. There's now a new investigation to see if we misled UEFA on the extent to which we broke UEFA FFP rules. UEFA doesn't have the jurisdiction to give us a transfer ban for breaking its FFP rules.

We could receive a transfer ban from FIFA/FA for issues related to signing of youth players/3rd party ownership etc.

 

[fergiesarmy1]

You're conflating different issues. City have previously broken UEFA FFP rules and were punished for it.

With a brokered financial punishment which would be like fining me ten bob for defrauding someone millions.

 

[andyox]

With a brokered financial punishment which would be like fining me ten bob for defrauding someone millions.

Ha. Yea I'm not sure whether there's any guidance on the range of potential punishments in terms of severity. I don't see anything in the FFP regs. And obviously the process was secret so we can only guess at how badly City failed FFP. It became a more significant fail when UEFA changed the goalposts on the inclusion of player wages for contracts signed prior to FFP mid-way through the reporting period. I'm guessing that the moving of the goalposts actually helped City in the brokering of our punishment, because it was clearly ridiculous from a legal perspective, so UEFA wouldn't have wanted it challenged.

I think a financial punishment for breaking financial rules is pretty nonsensical to be honest. They should've just banned us from the CL there and then, but I'm sure that would've led to City challenging the legal basis of FFP. Hence the brokered deal, it sort of suited both sides (City receive financial "pinch," UEFA get to look like they're enforcing FFP).

 

[fergiesarmy1]

Ha. Yea I'm not sure whether there's any guidance on the range of potential punishments in terms of severity. I don't see anything in the FFP regs. And obviously the process was secret so we can only guess at how badly City failed FFP. It became a more significant fail when UEFA changed the goalposts on the inclusion of player wages for contracts signed prior to FFP mid-way through the reporting period. I'm guessing that the moving of the goalposts actually helped City in the brokering of our punishment, because it was clearly ridiculous from a legal perspective, so UEFA wouldn't have wanted it challenged.

I think a financial punishment for breaking financial rules is pretty nonsensical to be honest. They should've just banned us from the CL there and then, but I'm sure that would've led to City challenging the legal basis of FFP. Hence the brokered deal, it sort of suited both sides (City receive financial "pinch," UEFA get to look like they're enforcing FFP).

And yet I feel so unsatisfied

Real punishment is due and I don’t mean of the Madrid variety

 

[andyox]

And yet I feel so unsatisfied

Real punishment is due and I don’t mean of the Madrid variety

Haha. I think it's pretty certain that the CFCB IC has recommended a CL ban, that's been leaked pretty broadly. So assuming the AC agree with that recommendation then we'll definitely get a CL ban.

Our only hope is that we're successful in appealing, and even that has options. It seems like at the moment we're appealing to CAS on the process. And then if that fails, then I'm sure we'll also then appeal to CAS on the verdict. And even after that, we'd likely still have an option of appealing the entire legal basis of FFP, but I don't think that'd be with CAS, that'd have to be through the courts. So the only thing that's certain is that this is going to take absolutely ages before it's final and the lawyers will be getting very rich.

 

[fergiesarmy1]

Haha. I think it's pretty certain that the CFCB IC has recommended a CL ban, that's been leaked pretty broadly. So assuming the AC agree with that recommendation then we'll definitely get a CL ban.

Our only hope is that we're successful in appealing, and even that has options. It seems like at the moment we're appealing to CAS on the process. And then if that fails, then I'm sure we'll also then appeal to CAS on the verdict. And even after that, we'd likely still have an option of appealing the entire legal basis of FFP, but I don't think that'd be with CAS, that'd have to be through the courts. So the only thing that's certain is that this is going to take absolutely ages before it's final and the lawyers will be getting very rich.

I like lawyers, they are like the angels of the business community. Hope they get rich, city get clipped and there’s balance again in the universe.

 

[BobbyManc]

He didn't say it was

Yeah you're right, my apologies, misread a sentence on there.

 

[DevilAgeIdiot]

Disgusting gulf nation state of murderers (of Yemeni innocents) and domestic human rights abusers blatantly cheat our fairplay rules, threaten our officials and attempt to bully our European football associations and we get the 'weaponised' City fan boys rushing en masse onto a legit club's fan forum to defend the horrific project just because they get to feel a misplaced sense of glory becsuse the billion pound blood money PR project buys our trophies in their club's name.
Grow up guys ffs. If you really are ordinary grown men, legit football supporters and not paid UAE trolls you should be ashamed of yourselves.

 

[nore1975]

On some levels you can understand the joy MC fans are feeling and have felt since 2008. Underdogs in their home city with United lording it over them for decades particularly since the 90's. Some fans might not give a toss about the ethics behind the source of the money which has fuelled their success. Most City fans probably don't give a toss about FFP.
Reading the Der Spiegel multi part report into how City have circumvented FFP is an eye opener. City's reputation in the wider football world is under huge scrutiny. To the point where their domestic treble hasn't been afforded the praise, which such an achievement would ordinarily merit.
I'm not sure how ever much money UAE throw at MC that it will ever be held in the same affection as the likes of Bayern, Barcelona, Juventus, Real, MU, Liverpool, Celtic and Ajax are around the world.
The scale of spending plus it's source, allied to the calculated circumvention of FFP will continue to cast a shadow over whatever success they buy.

 

[andyox]

On some levels you can understand the joy MC fans are feeling and have felt since 2008. Underdogs in their home city with United lording it over them for decades particularly since the 90's. Some fans might not give a toss about the ethics behind the source of the money which has fuelled their success. Most City fans probably don't give a toss about FFP.
Reading the Der Spiegel multi part report into how City have circumvented FFP is an eye opener. City's reputation in the wider football world is under huge scrutiny. To the point where their domestic treble hasn't been afforded the praise, which such an achievement would ordinarily merit.
I'm not sure how ever much money UAE throw at MC that it will ever be held in the same affection as the likes of Bayern, Barcelona, Juventus, Real, MU, Liverpool, Celtic and Ajax are around the world.
The scale of spending plus it's source, allied to the calculated circumvention of FFP will continue to cast a shadow over whatever success they buy.

I agree with most of what you say. It's undoubtedly true that City's treble hasn't received the same media attention it would have done if it had been achieved by e.g. United or Liverpool. I think most of that is just because we've a much smaller fanbase. Media attention is driven by engagement and clicks. City stories don't provide anywhere near the same engagement. The media will cover whatever angle gets them the most clicks. Puff pieces about how great City are will probably only attract clicks from City fans. City stories with an FFP angle will probably attract more clicks from non-City fans. I don't think it's a coincidence that media stories on FFP absolutely blew up in the days immediately following the FA Cup Final.

In terms of praise afforded by rival fans, again agreed. I think less praise is afforded because of the way success has been achieved, and in many ways, rightly so. If we took two similar clubs in 2008 (for sake of argument, Newcastle and City), and let's say one received no external assistance (Newcastle), and the other received £1.3bn of external assistance (City). Now fast forward to 2019, and let's say both clubs had won the same amount of trophies. Clearly anyone in their right mind would think the achievements of Newcastle had been more impressive, and would afford more praise to those achievements, because it would have been much more challenging to do. City have won what we've won, but obviously we wouldn't have done it without the external assistance.

Neither of those issues particularly bother me though to be honest. I enjoy watching City play football. If we win then that's a bonus. Whether anyone else cares (media/rival fans) doesn't impact my enjoyment.

 

[DevilAgeIdiot]

I agree with most of what you say. It's undoubtedly true that City's treble hasn't received the same media attention it would have done if it had been achieved by e.g. United or Liverpool. I think most of that is just because we've a much smaller fanbase.
...............

Neither of those issues particularly bother me though to be honest. I enjoy watching City play football. If we win then that's a bonus. Whether anyone else cares (media/rival fans) doesn't impact my enjoyment.

"I think most of that is just because we've a much smaller fanbase."
If you truly beleive that you are deluded.
The reason you are being ignored is precisely because of the horrific nature of the cheating project's blood money PR racket.
If any other small club was legitimately succeeding tcthe rate the UAE project is then the coverage and recognition would be out of this world.
.....
"Whether anyone else cares (media/rival fans) doesn't impact my enjoyment."

And yet here you are every day of the week, on a media/rival fan's forum, defending the PR project of the slaughterers of Yemeni innocents, here you are telling us you don't care while you cheerlead the disgusting human rights abuser's project, on a legitimate club's fan forum and forever letting us know that you don't care what we think.
Self awareness is not your forte obviously.

 

[andyox]

And yet here you are every day of the week, on a media/rival fan's forum, defending the PR project of the slaughterers of Yemeni innocents, here you are telling us you don't care while you cheerlead the disgusting human rights abuser's project, on a legitimate club's fan forum and forever letting us know that you don't care what we think.
Self awareness is not your forte obviously.

I know you’ve got quite a few talking points that you’re obviously passionate about and keep repeating, but they don’t bear any relevance to anything I wrote in the post that you’ve quoted.

I’m here on a United forum because I happen to think it’s the best football forum on the internet, with a good mix of United fans and fans of other clubs. I’m happy to discuss and debate any topic with you or any poster on the forum. That’s what forums are all about.

By all means, if you want to talk about human rights and sportswashing then I’m happy to discuss and debate with you, but it would probably be best in a separate thread. This thread is about FFP and a potential CL ban so I’d rather not derail it with other issues.