THE REPUTATIONS of the Premier League, Manchester City, English football, the Football Association and arguably every club in the entire structure are at stake. The image of the modern game, with its emphasis on elitism, vast sums of money, capital market ownership and irresponsible governing bodies should also be questioned. The possible collapse of the most successful team in England will leave a stain on everyone else by association. If City are rotten, then others might also be just as flawed; that will almost certainly be on the minds of their Premier League’s rivals and those clubs in the cast of 92 who have been marginalised by the overwhelming focus on the top of the pyramid.
Although _schadenfreude_ is inevitably part of football, nobody should want English football to be tainted by Manchester City. Whether you are a fan of the club or not, the fact that their financial machinations have cast such a dense shadow over the game effectively makes the “City era” null and void. Rivalry is a good thing, make no mistake, but everyone who follows a club should wish for the eco-system to be healthy and should also be assured by strong rules and regulations. It may be football, but this episode is as serious as any corporate fraud or malpractice.
However, the Premier League has found City guilty of all bar one of their charges. Such a damning summary sounds as though there is no doubt about their findings. City insist they are innocent and that they can prove it. But why wait so long to get to this stage, it is very unlikely the club has just found the evidence in a back pocket? It was always possible that, given their resources, the best lawyers would be engaged to get the right outcome, but after three years, they have clearly failed. They will appeal and they will throw more money at the problem, but how can the Premier League change their verdict?
The damage to the Premier League will probably be temporary, but it will sting like hell. They have long claimed they are the best competition in the world, but really they are simply the most intensely-marketed, wealthiest and brimming with self-confidence. The other leagues will probably delight in the Premier League’s downfall, especially Spain’s La Liga, whose president has long highlighted the damage being created by the league and has often grimaced at their hubris. Most leagues have had their rogue clubs or those that fall out of line: Bordeaux, Juventus, Inter and Marseille are just a few of the clubs that have faced penalties – including relegation – for financial irregularities over the decades. Manchester City, themselves, were punished in a bribery scandal in 1906 and lost the local initiative to Manchester United.
Those that will feel the pain most are the fans, many of whom waited years for City to become successful again after their late-1960s golden period. The players, beneficiaries of the supposed financial jiggery-pokey, are unlikely to be damaged by any toxic fall-out, which at its worst could mean demotion that triggers-off an exodus. It is unrealistic to assume any of them had much idea of what was going on behind the scenes. The supporters, club workers and playing staff should all be very angry with the owners for destroying their dream. Some will be asking if they are indeed, “fit and proper”.
And yet, some will believe City have been in the assassin’s sights for some time, but they have merely been undone by the behaviour of a young hacker from Portugal, an unknown with no apparent axe to grind other than the desire to let people know about financial mismanagement. If City are a club of their time, then they have been brought down by a figure so representative of his generation. Nobody, in any field of business or society, has much affection for the whistle-blower who makes others feel as though they should have known what was going on before them. As for this whistler, he surely looks over his shoulder every time he leaves his home.
Should the case continue to roll and City prolong the agony, they will feel like an uninvited guest at a party or wedding. Even if they win, which seems a very difficult task, it may feel like a hollow triumph and could be perceived as money talking in the courtroom. The sense that the Premier League has been mortally wounded will not go away in a hurry. If they lose any appeal they mount, they will have to fall on their swords.
There is another way, though, one that will be very unpalatable to those with City blue running through their veins. The club could hold its hands up, accept they have done wrong, swallow the punishment and inform the world they have put in a place a more robust compliance regime. Continue to fight and the consequences could worsen and make eventual penalties more drastic.
They could actually turn a dire situation into a positive by leading a new phase of football governance. That way, the club could emerge with some respect and could help the Premier limit the damage to their product. Eating humble pie will not be easy, but at least the house of cards will not come tumbling down around them. City may win if they keep battering the door down, but at what cost? There’s a lesson for everyone in this sorry, sordid affair.
Game of the People was founded in 2012 and is ranked among the 100 best football websites by various sources. The site consistently wins awards for its work, across a broad range of subjects. [View all posts by Neil Fredrik Jensen](https://gameofthepeople.com/author/georgefjord/)