Man City FFP: PL rivals ‘right to be upset’ amid ‘secret development’; ‘last resort’ punishment mooted
It has been explained why Manchester City’s Premier League rivals have a “right to be upset” as the Financial Fair Play hearing develops.
At the start of 2023, Man City were charged with breaching over 100 of the Premier League’s FFP rules. This followed a four-year probe into their conduct between 2009 and 2018.
After months and months of speculation, the hearing began at the start of last week and it’s been reported that an initial verdict will be reached at the start of next year.
If they are found guilty, Man City could be given a huge fine, points deduction, transfer ban or expulsion from the Premier League.
Earlier this year, Man City battled back against the Premier League as they launched another legal battle for the removal of Associated Party Transaction (APT) rules.
This case has already concluded but it’s yet to be revealed whether the ruling of the case was in Man City’s favour.
Man City’s rivals and the wider public are expected to be left in the dark until the FFP hearing concludes and former Everton CEO Keith Wyness has explained why other Premier League clubs have “every right to be upset” after the ‘secret 115 charges development’.
It is pointed out that the other 19 Premier League clubs will be “paying” the legal bill and will argue that they “have a right to see what’s going on”.
“I can understand if the other clubs are upset,” Wyness told Football Insider.
“If you’re paying the bill, you have a right to see what’s going on.
“This will be deducted from the overall broadcasting share, so if it’s £20million in legal fees – that’s a million from each club. But due to legal proceedings being as they are, they’ve decided it will be held in secret.
“Clubs have every right to be upset because they don’t know if their money is being well-spent.
“You don’t know if the Premier League have hired the wrong lawyers, or have spent too much on lawyers.
“In the recent Everton case, the Premier League had their knuckles wrapped because they spent five times more on expert witnesses than Everton. There is a case that if you’re spending someone else’s money, you’re not quite as careful.
“With the Premier League having a blank cheque, there’s not much accountability. Yes, there is a reason to be angry and question it – but the reality is that the clubs aren’t going to have much say.”
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Last week, Nick De Marco – a leading sport barrister – insisted that a “points deduction should be a last resort” as “relegation should be determined on the pitch”.
“In my view things as important as promotion and relegation should be determined on the pitch,” De Marco said.
“It spoils the game for it to be determined by people like me; lawyers and accountants and ex-lawyers who are arbitrators, hearing legal arguments behind closed doors. I’m going to make my money out of it because that’s my business but I don’t necessarily think it’s right.
“As a football fan I really do think points deductions should be the very last thing people look at for breaches. Yet it’s becoming a routine starting point, and I do think that spoils a lot of the fun and entertainment of the game.
“I can still see the argument for points deductions, because they can be the best way to redress a sporting advantage given the obvious flaws with financial penalties. If you are a very wealthy owner, intent on just spending anything in breach of the rules, you’re not going to worry too much about a financial penalty. But I still think point deductions should be a last resort.”