Of Power and Influence

Incredibly, Manchester City have been found guilty of almost all the charges laid against them. It's incredible because for so many years they have done what they like, ignored the rules, held significant power within the Premier League and, consequently, on decisions made that ensured they (and others) pulled up the drawbridge to effectively ensure no one could challenge their standing. The Premier League itself has been built on the success of City and a handful of others, but it is now totally undermined by their rule-breaking of staggering proportions.

It's not just the 115 charges, it’s the handling of Chelsea’s rule-breaking, of the enormous debts of some clubs, of rules such as PSR and now SCR that ensure that the dominance of the richest clubs could never be threatened by those clubs who aspired to be winners. Winning now for most Premier League clubs is staying in the league, success is a Champions League place aspiration. It is a condemnation of the Premier League itself. The power and influence of those clubs who have been the flagships of the League itself must now be in question.

And part of that reason is, perversely, because of the actions the league-sanctioned commission has taken against Everton and then, less so, with  Nottingham Forest. A monster was created that ended up with 40,000 fans holding up cards that simply said “Corrupt”; now that monster has turned on its flagship and a precedent has been set. The Premier League may have pandered to Chelsea in merely fining them for previous misdemeanours — and just how they can justify the amount of fines and no sanctions was disgraceful alone — this is, allegedly, fraudulent a different level. This will not and cannot end in a good way for City.

This will not end in a good way for Richard Masters and Co. The influence City have had over and above others may well not be documented but it will be there. They had enormous influence over the Premier League and other clubs, the wealth, the pressure to agree, to accept their views. They had real Power and Influence in decision making. Along with three or four others they have held sway in the room. It would be denied, of course, but I doubt any protestations from the likes of Hull City would carry favour against the same top four.

We await the outcome, but this cannot be just a fine. This cannot just be a points deduction. They way they have acted has brought the game into dispute, hugely, totally, and undermined the very competition, its rules and its hierarchy. They have cheated on a monumental scale that should not only break the club but also the undermine the foundations of the Premier League.

Both will no longer be seen the same way. Masters and Co. must bear some responsibilities. Why weren’t charges laid when they were originally discovered some 9 years ago and subsequently in each and every year since? Forest and Everton were hit immediately with singular charges, no totting up to a hundred before action taken. The PL were at fault for this without question, but it also shows the political convenience of attempting to scapegoat Everton to show teeth in the face of possible government regulation. It’s come back to haunt them. Massively.

Any attempt to treat City with kid gloves when it comes to sanctions has gone; comparisons to Everton’s points deductions ‘pale into insignificance’

What should the outcome be?

·         It should be the end of Manchester City as a Premier League club.

·         It should be the end of Manchester City as a Championship club.

·        They should spend a set number of years outside of the Championship and Premier League with the right of automatic promotion removed.  

·        The Premier League should replace its management immediately. They have failed fans, failed football and failed City who should never have been allowed to do what they did.

Money is nothing to City. They have had the world’s best footballers many of us have ever seen, but they didn’t play by the rules like everyone else had to. They thought they were above it. They aren’t. I am hugely surprised that City have been found guilty of almost all the charges despite having the best money could buy defending them.

The Premier League should be reworked, reconstructed, relaunched with different structures and rules. Despite the condemnation there is an opportunity to rebuild the trust of fans across the world.

Football is not just a business, its much, much, more.

Will it happen?

No. But it should.

There is no comparison to the Everton case other than it was a singular unintentional breach versus a well-organised thought through, ongoing desire to fund a team by fair means or foul that numbered over 100 intentional breaches. They knew what they where doing. Everton didn’t; they were just incompetent. Man City are a well-run club, just not within the rules, they ran the club as they saw fit to circumvent the rules. As such they planned and executed a strategy of deceit. Their fans have enjoyed the success it brought and make no mistake City as a team have been brilliant, but that team and subsequent ones would not have existed if they stayed within the rules. The titles, cups and all the money brought power and influence on football, players desires to join them, player who left their clubs to join them, the influence worldwide. All bought. Just not within the rules according to the independent commission.

I have no doubt the PL have sat on this one for a long time. The sanctions have probably all been discussed, as has the repercussions to themselves and football. I doubt they will even consider the repercussions on City.  But the PL are as culpable, they knew they were not getting answers a long time ago and no charges where brought. Why? This is now a full blown clusterfuck and it could have been avoided. They chose to give them the leeway and consideration they did not show to other clubs.

I hope the City fans have enjoyed the ride as the repercussions don’t end there. Other clubs are allegedly lining up to claim against them, bolstered by (a stupid ruling) Burnley’s case against Everton. Financially this could ruin City and send them into the football wilderness, strip them of their titles and ruin their reputation.

One rule for one and all has to be applied correctly, the Premier League, Masters and Co will not survive a whitewash on sanctions. Dismantle the rules and start again.