Man City FFP case ‘influences’ the FA’s decision on Guardiola, England amid ‘ambitious swoop’ claim
Manchester City’s ongoing Financial Fair Play case will reportedly ‘influence’ the FA’s decision on whether to make Pep Guardiola the next England manager.
Guardiola is one of the favourites to be England’s next permanent manager following Gareth Southgate’s decision to quit after the Euro 2024 final.
Lee Carsley has made an unbeaten start as interim boss, but it remains to be seen whether he will be appointed permanently as Guardiola, Eddie Howe and Graham Potter are among the alternative options.
Guardiola has entered the final year of his Man City contract, so this season could be his last as the head coach of the Premier League champions.
Man City’s ongoing legal case could impact the Spaniard’s decision on his next move. A hearing is underway after the Premier League were charged after being accused of breaching over 100 FFP rules.
They were charged after the Premier League conducted a four-year probe into their conduct between 2009 and 2018.
If found guilty, Man City could be given a huge fine, points deduction, transfer ban or expulsion from the Premier League.
Another case involving Man City and the Premier League has already been heard as the club have campaigned for the removal of Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules.
A report on Thursday afternoon claimed Man City ‘scored success’ in this case, but the official verdict is yet to be made public.
While this has been ongoing, a report from The Daily Mail claims the FA are ‘eyeing an ambitious swoop’ to appoint Guardiola.
However, it is noted that their pursuit of the Man City boss ‘will be influenced by the outcome of the ongoing ‘trial of the century’ against the Premier League’.
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The report claims.
‘Guardiola is viewed by many within the governing body as the best candidate for the full-time vacancy as the national team’s head coach, although there is an acknowledgment that such an appointment would be ambitious.
‘The Spaniard currently earns £20million a year at the Etihad – a sum way out of the FA’s budget. But Mail Sport has learned that FA figures are also mindful of City’s current fight against the alleged 115 breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules and any possible impact the findings may have on a move to make Guardiola the long-term successor of recently departed boss Gareth Southgate.
‘The FA have been burnt with controversies linked to previous head coaches, most recently in 2016 when Sam Allardyce was forced to quit the job after just one game in charge when he was captured providing advice on how to circumnavigate the governing body’s rules regarding player transfers.
‘And while there is no suggestion at all that Guardiola is implicated in the accusations City are currently rejecting, the FA – given the mystery surrounding the case – are cognisant of the focus on the case and how it could impact English football’s current landscape.
‘Guardiola’s appointment as England boss would likely be welcomed by the players who have seen the ex-Barcelona coach transform City into arguably the best team in European football.’