As of yesterday, Manchester City has been officially found guilty by the Premier League of all counts relating to the offenses committed against the financial fair play of the English championship. A real blow to English football, which suspected that the Cityzens had probably made a mistake, without imagining the extent of the report produced by the independent commission commissioned in this matter. Since then, a wave of reactions has swept through the British media. And often, it is to condemn the Skyblues and demand exemplary punishment. Secretary of State for Sports, Lisa Nandy was one of the first members of the government to speak out on the matter.
All England is in turmoil
“I don’t want to prejudge any possible appeal process, and they have the right to a fair hearing.” But what I would say is that the ultimate penalty is very serious indeed. What I mean by that is that a club can be kicked out of the Premier League if these kinds of allegations are confirmed, which would obviously have huge repercussions for everyone. So these are very tough sanctions, and I think the most important thing is to ensure that the rules are clearly understood, respected and applied consistently, and that we can act quickly in the event of a violation. The Premier League is one of our greatest international assets. It brings joy to millions of people, and we want to make sure we protect it for fans now and in the future.”she declared yesterday on Channel 5 News.
A warning which contrasts sharply with the remarks made by the English Prime Minister Andy Burnham. Installed at 10 Downing Street since last July, the latter called for the greatest caution in an interview given to the BBC. “I remember at the time some people said Everton were guilty, and you know, looking back, I think many would recognize today that this matter was not handled fairly. It would therefore be inappropriate for me to take sides, given the experience I had before becoming Prime Minister. » And if Andy Burnham asks not to condemn Manchester City, it is perhaps also because he was mayor of Greater Manchester between 2017 and the summer of 2026. Suffice to say that he therefore knows the bosses of the Skyblues very well.
Burnham at the heart of a conflict of interest?
“I would indeed like to thank the City Football Group and all the shareholders for the money they have invested not only in the Etihad and the campus around it, but also in the city. I would be really worried about losing them. They were a vital partner in building modern Manchester. And of course, in the rise of Manchester City to the global power that it is today. I cannot intervene further in this process. It would be wrong for me to do so. I think it would be wrong to jump to conclusions before really investigating all the details, but it is obvious that the matter is ongoing, and as it is still being contested by Manchester City, I think it is right that I say no more. »
Words that are already getting people talking on the other side of the Channel. At a time when a club is accused of having committed the greatest offense in the history of football, the head of government visibly prefers to worry about a possible departure of the extremely wealthy Emirati investors, putting aside his duty of neutrality. Finally, by publicly declaring that he “cannot intervene further in this process”Andy Burnham suggests that he has already intervened in the matter. No one yet knows what sanctions will be decided in this affair, but the English Prime Minister has clearly demonstrated that political power should indeed have its say.
