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Post by essien on Feb 18, 2020 5:12:13 GMT -5
My interpretation of this is similar to anytime the NCAA comes down on a big program for rules violations. If you go across all of Europe and really dig into the books of any big club you will probably find a FFP violation in any of them, no one is wholly innocent and they are all probably doing something wrong. Instead of cracking down on everyone EUFA is cracking down on City as an example for everyone else. The ban will be upheld and EUFA will have proven their point. Much like when Reggie Bush and OSU got in trouble for financial reasons a few years back. There's a theory that UEFA know the ban will get overturned or reduced when City appeal and that the reason they've been so severe with the punishment is to try and placate the big clubs. They can say they tried to punish City but that it was taken out of their hands by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. I wouldn't complain if that turns out to be the case. There's going to be some pretty big ramifications if the ban does get overturned. Every big club with spending power will be like: But I'm not holding my breath.
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Post by stuartoxlade on Feb 18, 2020 6:06:55 GMT -5
I listened to a podcast which analysed a lot of the wrongdoings of City on this and I think they're in hot water because back in 2014 they basically took a lesser penalty (£20 million, which was supposed to be £60 million but if they behaved it would be reduced) and agreed they would stick to the rules of FFP but then continued to commit fraudulent activity for another 2 years. The owners have invested a billion in the club over 4 years which they needed to cover up as it would blatantly break FFP.
You can summarise where they've committed fraud as the following:
- Etihad sponsorship - £65 million reported (Only £8 million was actually paid by City) - Value of sponsorship deals were reported at being far greater than they were actually worth (PSG are more guilty of this where they claimed their "Nation sponsorship to promote Qatar" was worth £215 million but a third party called Octagon valued that contract in reality as £3 million) - Many of the "associated companies" involved with City were all linked back to the owner, so it's essentially all the same revenue that was inflated - Image rights for players - City had a third-party company which they founded to pay the players image rights. They sold this for 30 million Euros. They trace-ability of this money basically links back to Abu Dhabi so they've taken the cost of this off of their books and dumped it into a separate company which they potentially own. - Third party ownership of players - They were fined £345k for signing under-18's last season (Which is what Chelsea were banned for signing players for a year for). City created a company which allowed people to invest in players in order to make money out of it. The idea of this was to get around transfer rules and regulations. This 3rd party ownership of players was outlawed in 2015, but they've found evidence to suggest City are still investing in players now via the Cayman Islands. - You can't point the finger to one person at City for any of what's been going on - it appears to have been a systematic movement involving multiple people who played a role in trying to find avenues to avoid FFP.
On the other side of the equation is UEFA - back in 2014 the leaders of UEFA were as corrupt as all of the allegations that were being made. Infantino and Platini were meeting with the ownership of City and PSG and finding a happy medium where both clubs would get a minor wrist-slap and a fine but wouldn't face the ultimate consequences of what the FFP rules were set up for.
You have to feel a little for City in that from a footballing perspective, this hasn't formed a part of any of what they've ultimately been accused of. It's mostly politics and financial powerhouse antics which are to blame for everything. The difficulty City have in this position is that beyond arguing that their emails were stolen, they barely had a leg to stand on to defend themselves from any of the wrongdoings.
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Post by essien on Feb 18, 2020 10:50:41 GMT -5
You have to feel a little for City in that from a footballing perspective, this hasn't formed a part of any of what they've ultimately been accused of. It's mostly politics and financial powerhouse antics which are to blame for everything. The difficulty City have in this position is that beyond arguing that their emails were stolen, they barely had a leg to stand on to defend themselves from any of the wrongdoings. I think there are a few arguments City will try to use, but they'll be technical legal points. These are to do with time limits on when cases can be brought, and to do with City having exited the settlement they entered into with UEFA and the matter being considered closed. There's a blog here which covers it well: ninetythreetwenty.com/blog/seeing-the-wood-for-the-ffps-manchester-city-uefa-go-to-war/Admittedly it's on a fan site, but the author has some reasonable credentials (and I need something to pin my hopes on).
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Post by stuartoxlade on Feb 25, 2020 7:03:40 GMT -5
Confident for the game tomorrow essien?
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Post by essien on Feb 26, 2020 14:50:04 GMT -5
Confident for the game tomorrow essien? Bricking it tbh. I just hope we’re still in the tie for the second leg.
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Post by Calvinball on Feb 26, 2020 21:02:54 GMT -5
Jesus, got called away from my desk and missed that crazy second half of City vs Real. Need to find me some highlights, sounded fucking bonkers.
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Post by stuartoxlade on Feb 27, 2020 4:40:00 GMT -5
Confident for the game tomorrow essien ? Bricking it tbh. I just hope we’re still in the tie for the second leg. You had nothing to worry about mate. Madrid are overperforming this season so far. They've finally hit a wall where they've got no in-form goalscorers and the defence is getting leaky again. I'm hoping Rodrygo is back for the 2nd leg with Vinicius on the other wing to give the City defenders some pace to worry about.
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Post by colton on Mar 1, 2020 0:08:04 GMT -5
WATFORD GO ON LADS!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by blizeh on Mar 1, 2020 5:31:02 GMT -5
Incredible result, completely outplayed them!
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Post by stuartoxlade on Mar 2, 2020 8:50:49 GMT -5
Damn, Madrid finally beat Barca at home. Maybe there is still some life in this team after all.
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Post by blizeh on Mar 8, 2020 18:16:42 GMT -5
Man City having another shocker
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Post by colton on Mar 8, 2020 21:25:01 GMT -5
Man City having another shocker beat by Ole 3x this season. Ghost of a team today.
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Post by tao on Mar 8, 2020 22:42:29 GMT -5
Man City having another shocker beat by Ole 3x this season. Ghost of a team today. I was honestly surprised with how aggressive Man U’s defense was today.
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Post by stuartoxlade on Mar 9, 2020 3:40:38 GMT -5
Damn, Madrid finally beat Barca at home. Maybe there is still some life in this team after all. One week later and I'm wrong
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Post by blizeh on Mar 9, 2020 10:35:43 GMT -5
beat by Ole 3x this season. Ghost of a team today. I was honestly surprised with how aggressive Man U’s defense was today. Aggressive good or bad?
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