Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/Getty Images
Keith Wyness is a former Everton CEO, and now, discussing the Manchester City situation, he has explained the bargaining chip potentially in play.
When Everton were hit with a points deduction, there was a feeling that the club was unfortunate, having not been deceitful or dishonest, and that the rules broken were minor in comparison to the likes of Manchester City.
By Everton’s punishment, City should be handed a massive points deduction, fines, and more, if proportional to their alleged financial misconduct. But Keith Wyness believes that City have a bargaining chip they could try to use to escape the huge ramifications heading their way.
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Keith Wyness explains the bargaining chip City could use to escape punishment
Speaking to Football Insider, the former Everton and Aston Villa CEO revealed that he believes City’s Super League pitch would be merely a negotiating chip.
“I think it’s a bargaining chip [the super league] in the discussion and lets say Real Madrid and Man City were the main architects behind a new Super League, you’ve got Real Madrid who themselves have had problems with state aid and Man City now who are at least found guilty at this stage of breaking the rules, so you would be forming a league based on clubs who weren’t respecting the law of rules and the brand itself would be pretty tarnished right from the start.
“Of course, it could be said they’d be the Harlem Globetrotters, but I don’t think football would accept that. It’s probably more of a tool and a negotiating tactic for City, I don’t think fans would like a new brand based on clubs that weren’t respectful of rules, you’ve got to have a rules-based competition otherwise sport has no meaning. So I don’t think it’ll come to fruition that way.”
Everton didn’t have the same options as Manchester City
It is frustrating to hear the options available to Manchester City that could allow them to avoid punishment, simply because they are a massively rich club, and nothing to do with their guilt or ethics.
Everton didn’t have options like threatening the Premier League with a second try of the Super League, and were punished without much debate or concern from the decision makers.
The league shouldn’t bow down to these demands or threats and should be sending a clear message that City can leave if they want, but the punishment won’t change.
The contrast between the treatment of the ‘richer big clubs’ and the likes of Nottingham Forest and Everton is ridiculous, unfair, and unsporting. It needs to change, and the chance to make that change comes with City. A clear example must be set, and the punishment must be bad enough that their cheating wasn’t worth it.
If City are allowed to escape punishment because of threatening to walk away or start a new league, then good. But the worst thing the Premier League could do would be to cave in and let them win by dropping all charges. This would just open the door for widespread cheating in the league with no punishments to worry about.