The Rounded Keeper - FPL Pub Talk & Matchday Banter 26/27

[itslikebrandnew]

So since 2009 we've been watching a team cheat and even now they are found guilty we'll still be watching a team cheat. The damage thats been done here is irreparable and PL have alot to answer for here as well. The whole financial fair play was a stupid rule and not only that they haven't even governed it for like a decade

[arnold]

So since 2009 we've been watching a team cheat and even now they are found guilty we'll still be watching a team cheat. The damage thats been done here is irreparable and PL have alot to answer for here as well. The whole financial fair play was a stupid rule and not only that they haven't even governed it for like a decade

I agree and they let Chelsea get away with it . I feel sorry for the older city fans but if all this true they should be kicked out all leagues in england which is unlikely to happen but City should not be allowed to represent England in any of the euro comps for 10 years minimum .

Giving league titles and cups to other teams is not the answer either .

[forestfan]

So since 2009 we've been watching a team cheat and even now they are found guilty we'll still be watching a team cheat. The damage thats been done here is irreparable and PL have alot to answer for here as well. The whole financial fair play was a stupid rule and not only that they haven't even governed it for like a decade

I agree and they let Chelsea get away with it . I feel sorry for the older city fans but if all this true they should be kicked out all leagues in england which is unlikely to happen but City should not be allowed to represent England in any of the euro comps for 10 years minimum .

Giving league titles and cups to other teams is not the answer either .

Yeah, the disband and start again from the bottom, banning the owners from English football permanently of course and letting the fans trust/Gallaghers/whoever rebuild them from scratch seems the fitting punishment. Just don’t give other teams titles and trophies they didn’t win on the pitch.

I suspect what will eventually happen is similar to Saracens in rugby - they get a one-off relegation-enforcing points deduction, which means the Championship has to take them as a normally relegated club, they walk the Championship with 120 points, perhaps unbeaten all season, and normal(ish) service is resumed. Though they’re unlikely to ever be the force they were before.

Agree the rule is stupid/anti-competitive though that’s no reason to be excused for breaking it. We all have rules we think are stupid, that draconian speed limit on the journey we do regularly etc… but we still know if we break them we can’t complain about the consequences.

[forestfan]

I’d also exclude all City players from playing for England until it’s resolved. Having them around will cause disharmony in the camp, as I suspect it did during said rugby episode when some players would have felt like they had been cheated out of titles by their international team-mates. And they might not be in the frame of mind to give their best anyway.

[itslikebrandnew]

The point about the rule being stupid isn't that it's an excuse it's that why bring in a rule that's so stupid that can't even be governed? The premier league are their own worst enemy here.

I wasn't trying to say it's a stupid rule so it's fine if one team breaks it. It's not fine at all if everyone else is playing to that rule. Is there a worst case of cheating in any sport?

[thebillfella]

Remember the Premier League is a "democracy" where at least 14 of the 20 teams need to agree on any rule before it becomes enforceable (not just the red cartel!). It might be a shit rule but it is something the majority of the teams voted for so compliance is mandatory until a majority vote to change it.

[forestfan]

Well, the rule’s changed a few times since anyway, and obviously UEFA has its own version of “protect the established big guns from newly-rich or ambitious upstarts at all costs while pretending we’re just trying to prevent another sodding Portsmouth”.

[thebillfella]

How many of the 20 are 'established big guns' then? If it is 6 or less then the rest could still overhaul these rules if they so wished?

[forestfan]

How many of the 20 are 'established big guns' then? If it is 6 or less then the rest could still overhaul these rules if they so wished?

But there’s others who don’t have rich owners or the ability to outspend current caps, who would be worse off I suppose.

I’m not advocating a free-for-all. Just cap spending in line with the income of the richest club, for example. Then an ambitious owner could compete with them directly but not be able to blow them out of the water with billions of sovereign wealth.

[thebillfella]

That's actually a very sensible compromise suggestion between sovereign wealth doping and Portsmouth demise FF! You should get a job with the Premier League!

The only problem with that is that everyone will be dependent on the one team (probably United) getting into the Champions League each season to justify their own excessive spending! And as we know of late there are no guarantees there!

[forestfan]

United deliberately fail to qualify for the CL to get everyone else six points deducted? That would be brilliantly petty

[thebillfella]

And yet a tactic you could see Facist Jim (Dr. No) adopting!

[itslikebrandnew]

Does anyone think that maybe some players will try to get out of playing the next game? From a Liverpool perspective i wouldn't put my body on the line against a load of cheaters and if you're playing for Man City well i dont know what would be going through the players minds.

[thebillfella]

Given the defiance being demonstrated by the leadership at the club I'm not sure that will happen. Whether it impacts upon the performance of the players however...

[itslikebrandnew]

I've just seen the Soriano video and it looks to me like they are trying to outsmart the premier league so i wonder if they do get off on a technicality. He says the case comes from 1 single false accusation that the money came personally from Sheikh Mansour. So if it comes from someone else it makes them not guilty doesnt it, as this whole thing stems from the money coming from the owner. Either way as far as i'm concerned they are bunch of cheats but they knew what they were doing so i assume they set this all up to be 1 step ahead of the premier league.

[thebillfella]

The charges were as follows:

- 54 counts of failing to provide accurate/up-to-date financial information

- 14 counts of failing to provide accurate financial reports for player and manager compensation

- 5 counts of failing to comply with UEFA regulations, including Financial Fair Play Regulations

- 7 counts of breaching Premier League Profitability and Sustainability Regulations (these are specifically dated from 2015-2018, not 2009)

- 35 counts of failing to cooperate with Premier League investigations from when the charges were brought in 2018 to 2023

So I make that at least 103 of the charges are nothing to do with money coming personally from Sheikh Mansour. Granted the other 12 are the most serious, but 103 is enough to ensure the punishment is severe as it is I would say!

But then again, I can't afford to hire the best lawyers in the land to find the loophole and tie the prosecution in knots for a few more years while they continue to rebuild their entire squad just in case!

[hancockjr]

Aren’t they all linked though - ie the financial information was inaccurate because it didn’t reflect the true origin of the money, for instance?

[itslikebrandnew]

All the charges are based on the money coming personally from Sheikh Mansour. So the non compliance for example are void if the accusation is incorrect in the first place. I think Soriano is right in what he says.

Don't get me wrong it's all one great big fiddle and Man City are guilty of cheating but if the one thing that started the ball rolling isn't right then the whole thing tumbles like a house of cards.

[thebillfella]

If you're failing to co-operate with the Premier League's investigation or failing to provide accurate up-to-date financial information and details of payments to players and coaches does it matter where the money came from? Equally, if you're in breach of UEFA’s financial fair play regulations and the league’s own profitability and sustainability rules does it matter where the money came from?

[Razorback]

[Dr. Giggles]

The premier league are bad joke with double standards let Chelsea off with a fine and tried hard to relegate Everton with 12 points deduction which eventually worked out at 8 points give Forest 4 points deduction and we now have this mess with city . Also want Everton pay 40 million to Burnley .

Generally, Arnie, you whinge way too much about Everton's self-inflicted travails... but on this one, I have to admit, you might have a (little bit of a) point.

[itslikebrandnew]

I wonder what Rui Pinto has to say at 6pm. Might be some proof on Infantino helping Man City. I am sure on his statement there was something about refs as well.....but that might be abroad.

[forestfan]

Fittingly it’s taken a man called Jesus to tell Ronaldo he’s not the Messiah.

[Spinynorman]

Fittingly it’s taken a man called Jesus to tell Ronaldo he’s not the Messiah.

But is he still a very naughty boy?

[forestfan]

Fittingly it’s taken a man called Jesus to tell Ronaldo he’s not the Messiah.

But is he still a very naughty boy?

Shame he never got to play for (the other) Brian. That would have been something to witness…

[Spinynorman]

Fittingly it’s taken a man called Jesus to tell Ronaldo he’s not the Messiah.

But is he still a very naughty boy?

Shame he never got to play for (the other) Brian. That would have been something to witness…

I think there is a long list of latter day players I would like to see experiencing the "other" Brian.

[forestfan]

Just search for any of Mark Crossley’s stories if you want to hear the true madness behind the legend

[hancockjr]

The premier league are bad joke with double standards let Chelsea off with a fine and tried hard to relegate Everton with 12 points deduction which eventually worked out at 8 points give Forest 4 points deduction and we now have this mess with city . Also want Everton pay 40 million to Burnley .

Generally, Arnie, you whinge way too much about Everton's self-inflicted travails... but on this one, I have to admit, you might have a (little bit of a) point.

Wasn’t it 10 points reduced to 6?

[Dr. Giggles]

The premier league are bad joke with double standards let Chelsea off with a fine and tried hard to relegate Everton with 12 points deduction which eventually worked out at 8 points give Forest 4 points deduction and we now have this mess with city . Also want Everton pay 40 million to Burnley .

Generally, Arnie, you whinge way too much about Everton's self-inflicted travails... but on this one, I have to admit, you might have a (little bit of a) point.

Wasn’t it 10 points reduced to 6?

I don't know.

But I expect Arnie can give you chapter and verse.

[arnold]

Everton originally got docked 10 points in November 2023 but on appeal got it reduced to 6 i think it was january but they got another 2 points deducted in april 2024 to try and make it bit harder for them stay up . .

Sean Dyche should really have been manager of the season keeping Everton up with probably the second worst Everton squad since last they got relegated in 50-51 season when Dr Giggles was in thirties i think he 103 so he will remember .