Futbol Talk

[JWags85]

Couldn't they be kicked out of League football entirely?

I think so, that's sort of what I was alluding to.  I haven't dug into legal specificities about potential punishments, but it feels like there are two possibilities for their removal from the PL...

1)they are relegated to the Championship. 

I believe when Juve was tossed from Serie A, there was not an actual rule or process that provided that option at the time.  So via Force Majeure or the like, they created a special rule/ruling to relegate the for the season and strip them of 9 additional points to start the year.  So I could see something similar for City. 

2) they are booted from the EFL.  Which would presumably shoot them down to the National League which would be absolutely wild but also incredibly entertaining.  While it would be due to punishment and not insolvency, it would be like when Rangers reorganized into a new company coming out of bankruptcy and got bounced to the lowest tier of Scottish football.


The next most interesting part would be what would happen post-relegation.  Ok a transfer ban, but is there a promotion ban too?  Cause even with a transfer ban, City would go down to the Championship for a season and absolutely batter the league and pop right back up.  Juventus got related to Serie B, lost a good chunk of starters, and started the campaign 9 points back of the field with a deduction...and still finished in the mid 80s on points and won Serie B by 6-7 points.

If they get a 1 or 2 year promotion ban, then it could be REALLY interesting to see how they retain talent. Similarly being booted from the EFL for a year with no promotion ban to see them immediately try to work back would be compelling.

But IMO, if they just get relegated for the 27-28 season, 2 year transfer ban, some fines (which seems like a feasible outcome) it's just some egg on the face and City is back in the top 4 and CL regulars by 2030.

[jesmu84]

I think so, that's sort of what I was alluding to.  I haven't dug into legal specificities about potential punishments, but it feels like there are two possibilities for their removal from the PL...

1)they are relegated to the Championship. 

I believe when Juve was tossed from Serie A, there was not an actual rule or process that provided that option at the time.  So via Force Majeure or the like, they created a special rule/ruling to relegate the for the season and strip them of 9 additional points to start the year.  So I could see something similar for City. 

2) they are booted from the EFL.  Which would presumably shoot them down to the National League which would be absolutely wild but also incredibly entertaining.  While it would be due to punishment and not insolvency, it would be like when Rangers reorganized into a new company coming out of bankruptcy and got bounced to the lowest tier of Scottish football.


The next most interesting part would be what would happen post-relegation.  Ok a transfer ban, but is there a promotion ban too?  Cause even with a transfer ban, City would go down to the Championship for a season and absolutely batter the league and pop right back up.  Juventus got related to Serie B, lost a good chunk of starters, and started the campaign 9 points back of the field with a deduction...and still finished in the mid 80s on points and won Serie B by 6-7 points.

If they get a 1 or 2 year promotion ban, then it could be REALLY interesting to see how they retain talent. Similarly being booted from the EFL for a year with no promotion ban to see them immediately try to work back would be compelling.

But IMO, if they just get relegated for the 27-28 season, 2 year transfer ban, some fines (which seems like a feasible outcome) it's just some egg on the face and City is back in the top 4 and CL regulars by 2030.

The last paragraph is why I think they have to be punished far beyond 1 league relegation.

Otherwise, teams will try everything they can to cheat the system for decades high level success in exchange for 1-2 years of misery

[The Sultan]

The EFL could accept them...but assign them to League Two. Which would maximize their presense from a media perspective.

[Hards Alumni]

Look, if I get a season where both City and Spurs go down, even for a year, I'm going to be GIDDY.

[jesmu84]

https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2105941014636642382

[The Sultan]

https://x.com/alexwickham/status/2105941014636642382

If I were the UK government, I would suggest that the PL throw the book at them. What a bunch of horsesh*t.

[brewcity77]

The EFL could accept them...but assign them to League Two. Which would maximize their presense from a media perspective.

I like this solution. Be interesting to see what happens with the roster, because I'm sure most of those guys aren't sticking around for three years in the EFL in the prime of their careers.

[jesmu84]

If I were the UK government, I would suggest that the PL throw the book at them. What a bunch of horsesh*t.

Money >

[JWags85]

I like this solution. Be interesting to see what happens with the roster, because I'm sure most of those guys aren't sticking around for three years in the EFL in the prime of their careers.

.

Especially since City doesn't do a lot of academy/loan work cause they have NYFC/Troyes/Girona/Lommel/etc to do development work for them.  It would be wild if this scenario happened to Chelsea, especially pre-Boehly, to see their first team leave and Chelsea calls back the scores of neglected young talent on dead end loans (shout out Matt Miazga and Gaga Slonina) to try and fight for glory.

But totally agree they won't be able to hold guys around if they go down like that.  While I don't fret and gnash teeth like some about the PL being less "English" these days (especially at CL level clubs), this does kind of show the inherent downside of mercenary football. It would still be big ask, but you could envision guys like Gerrard, Baines at Everton, some of the Man U 90s/00s core, etc... staying around those clubs to fight back up over a few years (especially since I'd assume they'd still get their same wages).  But why would Haaland, Cherki, Donarunmma, and others stay? And I wouldn't blame them.

Hell, even in the Juve scenario from before where Del Piero, Buffon, and Nedved stayed even with the relegation, if City got off easy and just went down to the Championship, they are still out of the CL for a minimum of 2 years.  I don't see CL level stars interested in missing out on CL for a guaranteed 2 years, if not 3, in this era, even if it's only a year out of the PL.

[Hards Alumni]

Money >

eff it.  Stick a finger in their eye.  UAE sports washes the hell out of themselves.  They'll have to put their money somewhere else.  It literally has to go somewhere.

[jesmu84]

eff it.  Stick a finger in their eye.  UAE sports washes the hell out of themselves.  They'll have to put their money somewhere else.  It literally has to go somewhere.

Sure. Thats probably the opinion of a lot of peasants in a lot of situations across the globe.

But the peasants don't really influence decision making.

To the decision makers, money >

[JWags85]

eff it.  Stick a finger in their eye.  UAE sports washes the hell out of themselves.  They'll have to put their money somewhere else.  It literally has to go somewhere.

Also, not for nothing, like it or not, the Emratis are far from the only mega-wealthy foreign group pumping money into the UK.  If they pout and aren't spending money because City is punished, there is a queue of people willing to take their place, both their neighbors in the Gulf and elsewhere.  I don't know if the UAE has the leverage here that they think they do.

[jesmu84]

Tres a cero

[brewcity77]

Good match for the US. Takeaways:

• Mexico started strong. Had they scored in the opening 10-15 minutes, which felt likely, it's a totally different match.
• I tentatively like Kochen. He nearly handed a goal to Gimenez, but it was a tough inswinger to handle and he got lucky. His reaction save later was great and he plays well with the ball at his feet.
• Everyone will be talking about Cavan Sullivan. Really audacious first goal. High press paid off.
• Yunus Musah played like he had something to prove. Powerful runs down the right, really feel like he deserves another look.
• The red card was the real killer. Man, Sebastian Berhalter seems like a real prick. He's got some Andrew Rowsey to him. Totally goaded that red. Mexico couldn't string together any meaningful possession after that.
• Third goal was just Mexico shooting themselves in the foot. Defender playing ole with that pass made it easy for Tillman.
• Overall good performance with lots of young pieces to be excited about.

https://x.com/tntsportsus/status/2106590548983500850?s=46&t=y09G3XF0pbaZZc_-K-dYSw