Strip City of the title? Not likely!

HERE is what is strange about the investigations into Manchester City: nobody ever talks about taking their titles away. Fines, bans, expulsions — but never a sanction that would chime with the supposed gravity of the offence. If Manchester City have been cheating, then they have won trophies by cheating. If they have flagrantly ignored Financial Fair Play rules, then the obvious gain has been their recent successes. And yet, no suggestion that the record books may be amended. It is almost as if those in power know that FFP regulations were merely the product of an establishment, protectionist cartel and that to enforce them too heavily might produce a legal challenge that would tear the entire edifice down. Why else would they tolerate this? Why else would a man like David Gill, for instance, so vocal about so many topics within the realms of football’s governing bodies, not push for City’s achievements to be expunged? It is almost as if football’s rulers prioritise protecting the brand. The Premier League do not want City’s brilliant title with its shattering of so many records to be scratched, and in its place the Manchester United of Jose Mourinho, 19 points and 39 goals adrift, with an asterisk to indicate that second place later became first. Likewise UEFA. If City have filed misleading accounts — an allegation the club denies — why is the potential punishment a ban next year, and not backdated disqualification in this campaign, too? Do UEFA care more about the possibly of having their marquee competition tainted than they do about their rules? Indeed, it is almost as if they tacitly acknowledge FFP is an obvious sham, having been manipulated into place by the very clubs that would most benefit from its presence. Scratch the surface and its seems they all know it. Perhaps that is what is meant by transparency.