Steve Bruce back in football, now eating pies at Blackpool https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/f...le-West-Brom-boss-returns-work-two-years.html
Villa’s ticket prices for their home Champions League games Adult tickets for their four home matches in the new 36-team league format will be £85, £94 and £97, while season-ticket holders get discounted rates of £70, £79 and £82.
Apparently the powers that be in the self proclaimed best league in the world have decided that Arsenal's kit has too much white in the shirt and will clash with Spurs shirt so they will have to wear their all black away kit for the game...... the ironic thing is that spurs shirt has less white this season as the shirt has blue sleeves and it hasn't been a problem before....... you couldn't make it up.....
About 120 years of rivalry and it's never been a problem home or away, the PL is so far up it's own arse they just want to piss everyone off...
'Sport's trial of the century to begin': Premier League v Man City on 115 charges please log in to view this image Image source,Getty Images Image caption, Manchester City have been the Premier League's most successful team of the past 10 years, winning four titles in a row up to the 2023-24 season Dan Roan BBC sports editor Published 12 September 2024, 18:07 BST Updated 2 hours ago Finally, after years of build-up, perhaps English football's biggest and most controversial contest is set to begin. On one side, the Premier League. On the other, its defending champions and dominant force Manchester City. City face 115 charges for allegedly breaking the financial rules of the competition they have won for a record-breaking four consecutive seasons. Those charges will be heard at an independent hearing, which is set to start on Monday at an unknown location, subject to any late legal delays. Billed as sport's 'trial of the century', it is expected to run for 10 weeks, with a verdict expected in early 2025. It marks a defining stage in a legal dispute the like of which the game has never seen and which could bring seismic consequences for both sides. This, after all, involves one of the world's most successful clubs being accused of serial cheating by the very league it has dominated for years. A club at the centre of a global network of 13 teams across five continents, owned by a billionaire member of Abu Dhabi's ruling family, whose sovereign wealth has transformed the landscape of the sport. The case involves an unprecedented catalogue of 115 allegations spread over 14 seasons, including multiple charges of subverting the regulations by failing to provide accurate financial information. City have always strongly denied the charges, and while the speculation is intensifying, no-one knows what the outcome - expected early next year - will be. If found guilty of the most serious charges, City would risk being forever associated with one of the biggest financial scandals in sport. City could, in theory, face a points deduction serious enough to condemn them to relegation - or even expulsion - from the Premier League. Such a fate would cast a long shadow over City's achievements, plunge the future of the manager and squad into uncertainty, and possibly spark claims for compensation from other clubs. It has been suggested that such a stain on the reputation of City and the club's owners could even affect Britain's relationship with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a key Gulf ally and trading partner - whose president is the brother of the club’s majority owner Sheikh Mansour. Equally, if City are cleared following a legal battle that is already thought to have cost both sides tens of millions of pounds, the viability of rules intended to safeguard the league's sustainability and competitiveness will be in grave doubt. But whatever verdict is reached after a hearing set to last several weeks, the impact could be profound, dictating the story of this season. 'It is time now' for case six years in the making please log in to view this image Media caption, Premier League: CEO Richard Masters speaks to BBC sports editor Dan Roan before new season It is difficult to overstate the seriousness and scale of a saga threatening to exacerbate widening divisions in the game, and which has become a test case for the Premier League’s authority and credibility at a time when it already faces an array of challenges. Last month, at a London launch event celebrating the start of the new season, but dominated by questions over financial regulations, the Premier League's chief executive Richard Masters told BBC Sport that "it is time now" for the City case to be resolved. Choosing his words carefully, but perhaps hinting at the toll the case has already taken and the turmoil it has unleashed, he added: "It's been going on for a number of years and I think it's self-evident that the case needs to be heard and answered." So 10 years after City were first punished by Uefa for breaching its financial rules, six years after the Premier League opened an investigation into the club, and 20 months since they were charged, how did we finally get here? What exactly does the club stand accused of? What forces are at play? And what is at stake? Background - how did we get here? In June this year, a Portuguese computer hacker in witness protection called Rui Pinto was reported to have told a conference that he was in possession of "millions of documents" that could be relevant to the City case. Pinto was well known to the game's authorities. The 34-year-old was the man behind the Football Leaks website which has exposed confidential football transfer and contract information. Despite always claiming he was a whistleblower, last year he was handed a four-year suspended sentence by a court in Lisbon after it found him guilty on counts of attempted extortion, illegal access to data, and breach of correspondence. But his threat to release more information - confirmed by his lawyer - was a timely reminder of the continuing role of one of the key figures in this remarkable story. Back in 2018, the German publication Der Spiegel claimed City had manipulated contracts to get round Uefa rules, and said that its source was a whistleblower they called 'John' - the pseudonym Pinto created Football Leaks under. Der Spiegel had published leaked documents, including emails purportedly sent between top City executives (some of whom remain at the City Football Group), across several seasons following the club's Abu Dhabi takeover in 2008. They alleged that these showed the club had inflated sponsorship revenue from state-owned airline Etihad and state-controlled telecoms firm Etisalat by disguising direct investment from its holding company (Mansour’s Abu Dhabi United Group, or ADUG) as sponsorship income by channelling the funds through the companies' accounts. This, it was alleged, was a means of meeting 'financial fair play' (FFP) rules introduced by Uefa in 2011, and Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) brought in by the Premier League in 2012, limiting clubs' permitted losses. There then followed further allegations of misreporting financial information centred on documents that claimed to show secret 'off-the-books' payments to then-manager Roberto Mancini via consultancy fees from a club in Abu Dhabi, and giving players more money than was officially going through the accounts so that recorded spending was less than it actually was. City - who have always maintained that ADUG is a private fund rather than an arm of the state - refused to comment on any of Der Spiegel’s revelations, saying the leaked emails were obtained illegally, and that they were an “attempt to damage the club’s reputation”. City - along with the companies involved - strongly denied breaking any financial rules. But that did not stop both Uefa and the Premier League launching investigations as a result. City had already been fined millions of pounds by Uefa back in 2014 as part of a settlement after they were found to have breached FFP rules that were meant to make the game more sustainable, but which critics argue protect the historically biggest clubs by restricting investment by rivals, especially those with Middle Eastern backers. Then, in early 2020, the club was hit with a two-year ban from European club competition after being found to have committed "serious breaches" of the governing body's regulations. An independent panel of Uefa's Club Financial Control Body concluded that City had been "overstating its sponsorship revenue in its accounts… submitted to Uefa between 2012 and 2016", adding that the club "failed to cooperate in the investigation". Criticising what it called a "prejudicial" decision following a "flawed and consistently leaked process", City referred to a "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence in support of its position", and appealed. A few months later they were successful, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) overturning the ban, saying that it had found "no conclusive evidence that they disguised funding from their owner as sponsorship", and that most of the alleged breaches of rules were either not established or 'time-barred' because they fell outside the five-year statutory limit for prosecution. Cas revealed that Sheikh Mansour had written a letter to the court insisting that he had “not authorised ADUG to make any payments to Etihad, Etisalat or any of their affiliates in relation to their sponsorship of MCFC". However, it also found that City had committed a "severe breach" by failing to co-operate with Uefa’s investigation, with an initial £25m fine reduced to £8m. For more than two years, the saga seemed to go quiet, but behind the scenes, the Premier League's investigation had continued. In July 2021 there was a dramatic glimpse of it, when a High Court judge revealed that the Premier League had effectively accused City of delay tactics by failing to agree to hand over documents, ordering the club to do so. And then, in early 2023, came the most sensational twist in this saga to date, when, with City on their way to the third of four consecutive titles, and their first Champions League triumph, they were hit with that catalogue of charges, relating to every one of the years since the club was bought by Sheikh Mansour. Manchester City 115 charges explained: What is latest on club's PSR case? Published 10 hours ago Man City charged with breaking financial rules Published 6 February 2023 'Time to resolve' Man City charges - Premier League chief Published 13 August What are the 115 charges against Man City? Man City are accused of: 54x Failure to provide accurate financial information 2009-10 to 2017-18. 14x Failure to provide accurate details for player and manager payments from 2009-10 to 2017-18. 5x Failure to comply with Uefa's rules including Financial Fair Play (FFP) 2013-14 to 2017-18. 7x Breaching Premier League's PSR rules 2015-16 to 2017-18. 35x Failure to co-operate with Premier League investigations December 2018 - Feb 2023. The club immediately expressed their "surprise", referring once again to a "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence that exists in support of its position", and insisting that it would "look forward to this matter being put to rest once and for all". But the sheer scale and severity of the charges that City are contesting has inevitably focused questions on a decade in which they won the Premier League three times - alongside other trophies. If the case against them is found proven it will suggest City broke the rules, fastforwarding the foundations for the domination Pep Guardiola masterminded after his arrival in 2016, culminating in the Treble triumph of 2023, and that it may have cost other clubs titles and trophies they would otherwise have won. The prospect of guilty verdict would raise various questions; would Guardiola leave, how would Sheikh Mansour respond having invested so much in the club and in the city of Manchester? How would the UAE - which has faced allegations that City is being used as a sports-washing tool to improve the country's image - handle such a PR disaster? Would there be an appeal? Would there be calls for titles and trophies to be re-allocated? Would it dent the immense pride that City fans feel for the outstanding teams the manager has produced? please log in to view this image Media caption, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola urges journalists to "wait" as he responds to questions about the club's 115 charges in November 2023. Who will win? It is impossible to say because there is no precedent for anything quite like this, and sanctions can be applied on a sliding scale depending on whether City are found guilty of any charges. There have been suggestions it will come down to which side has the best lawyers, or what weight is given to whichever documents City have handed over, or whether Pinto provides any more leaked emails. City’s hierarchy - along with Guardiola - have always appeared confident that they will be cleared. In football's extremely tribal world, many others watching on will have reached a different conclusion. But ultimately it will be up to the three members of an independent disciplinary commission, a body armed with limitless powers, to decide. "We have a big thick rulebook and part of any sporting competition is a commitment to uphold those rules," Masters said, when explaining why such cases had been brought by the Premier League. "While it does create difficulties, there is no happy alternative to enforcing rules… It's important we get those processes correct and people have confidence in them… the Premier League is on the up, we've got a fantastic football competition, we're in growth, we're really well placed to tackle the future. While there are some tough things ahead we will work our way through them." Some could interpret such comments as evidence that the league wants to be seen to have teeth, and show they are serious about upholding their regulations. Others however are very sceptical that the league would really want its best team kicked out of the competition. But, it should be stressed again, it is the independent panel not the Premier League that decides the punishment, having heard all the evidence and taken representations from all parties throughout the estimated 10-week case. Some highly-experienced sources BBC Sport has spoken to have suggested that both sides would be wise to employ mediation to reach some kind of compromise or settlement. Both City and the Premier League - both of whom told BBC Sport that they could not comment specifically on the hearing because they were bound by the strictest confidentiality - have reasons to be both encouraged but also concerned. The fact that Uefa banned City from their own competition leads some to speculate that the disciplinary commission in the current case could settle on an equivalent punishment if City are found guilty; ie a severe points deduction that would mean relegation, or expulsion from the Premier League. City however, can argue that they were ultimately vindicated when Cas found in their favour. But - while either side could appeal and a fresh hearing arranged, going to Cas is not an option with the Premier League case, and nor are there any rules that would allow any breaches to be 'time-barred'. The points deductions handed to Everton and Nottingham Forest last season for PSR breaches will have also troubled many City fans. But they may have then felt emboldened by the Premier League's recent bruising defeat to Leicester City who avoided a points deduction after winning an appeal that they claimed hinged on "flaws" in the Premier League PSR rules. A watershed moment for the Premier League This has all played out against a backdrop of mounting scrutiny in Westminster over the way the sport is run, and ahead of the expected establishment of an independent football regulator - one that could be given more powers under the new Labour government. Defeat in such a landmark case would do little to help the Premier League convince its critics that its standards of governance are fit for purpose. And, as this saga has progressed, the league has also had to contend with intensifying divisions between its clubs, with disagreement over the level of regulation required to reign in the spending of the richest clubs to protect competitive balance, while at the same time enabling investment and ambition. In recent times the league has found itself embroiled in a slew of disputes; deducting points from some clubs, facing appeals from others, issuing warnings over potential loopholes in its rules, and even being sued by City over restrictions on 'associated party transactions' - the deals conducted with companies linked to club owners. All the time, the legal bills have been mounting, and the stakes have been heightened. And now the biggest fight of all is about to play out.
poor darlings how much does rodri earn bet he wouldnt be moaning if he was paid per game Players 'close' to striking over schedule - Rodri please log in to view this image Media caption, Man City: Rodri believes player strike is possible Jonty Colman BBC Sport journalist Published 17 September 2024, 13:37 BST 1226 Comments Updated 2 hours ago Manchester City midfielder Rodri says players are close to going on strike in protest at an increase in games. City face Inter Milan on Wednesday in the Champions League, with a new format adding at least two extra games before the knockout stage. The Club World Cup - which Pep Guardiola's side are also involved in - has also expanded to 32 teams and will be held next summer. "I think we are close to that," said Rodri when asked whether players will strike. ADVERTISEMENT "If it keeps this way, it will be a moment that we have no other option, but let's see." The new Champions League and Club World Cup formats mean City will play at least four extra matches compared to last season's guaranteed fixtures. They played just two games to win the Club World Cup in December, but next summer would need to play three group games and four knockout matches if they were to go all the way. Across the past two full seasons, City played 120 times across all competitions. Nobody asks players about adding games - Alisson Published 22 hours ago All you need to know about Champions League - and how to watch on BBC Published 9 hours ago 'Maybe I'll retire at 30!' - Akanji Published 1 day ago Rodri's 63 games in 343 days in 2023-24 Fifpro - the union for the top European league and global players - recently described legal action against Fifa for its increased game schedule as "inevitable". Spain midfielder Rodri featured 63 times for club and country last season, on the way to winning the Premier League and European Championship within the space of two months. Speaking after the Champions League semi-final first leg against Real Madrid in April, Rodri said he "needed a rest" during the season run-in. He missed City’s first three matches of this season and returned for their 2-1 win over Brentford on Saturday, six days after playing for Spain in the Uefa Nations League. After such a long 2023-24 season - which started competitively on August 6, 2023 and ended 343 days later, on 14 July - Rodri said he needed a longer break than he was initially given. "It was great for my legs, great for me, I had one month and I [still] needed to recover a bit - so two months to stop a bit and prepare myself," Rodri explained. "It is even more important nowadays. It helps me a lot. When they start pre-season I watch them but try to disconnect, and the mental health - in that sense - is important, to refresh and move on." According to a recent Fifpro report on player workload, Rodri was included in 72 matchday squads for club and country, including pre-season friendlies, between July 2023 and July 2024 - totalling 6,107 minutes on the pitch. Rodri played more than 550 minutes for Spain at Euro 2024, featuring in each of the seven games until coming off injured at half-time in the final. The report said that a player welfare 'red line' was playing a maximum of between 50 and 60 matches per season, depending on a player's age. Haaland and Salah form 'shows benefit of player rest' Published 5 September Players and managers speaking out please log in to view this image Image source,Getty Images Image caption, Rodri has made more than 50 Manchester City appearances in each of the past two seasons Rodri’s comments come less than 24 hours after Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson spoke out against the changes in schedule. City defender Manuel Akanji recently suggested that because of the increased schedule, he would have to retire when he is 30 due to the lack of breaks during the season. And Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said the club are considering giving their players holidays during the season in order to combat the increase in fixtures. Fifa has previously responded to calendar criticism by accusing some leagues of "acting with commercial self-interest" and "hypocrisy" by sending their players on "extensive" global pre-season tours. A Fifa spokesman said in July: "By contrast, Fifa must protect the overall interests of world football, including the protection of players, everywhere and at all levels of the game." How likely is a player’s strike? Rodri has suggested a player's strike could be "close" but, in reality, will one actually take place? In July, Fifpro said it would take legal action against Fifa over its "abuse of dominance" in football. Fifpro’s statement read: "Fifa's decisions over the last years have repeatedly favoured its own competitions and commercial interests, neglected its responsibilities as a governing body, and harmed the economic interests of national leagues and the welfare of players. "Legal action is now the only responsible step for European leagues and player unions to protect football, its ecosystem and its workforce." A spokesperson from the PFA has suggested that, should players not be listened to, they will "begin to consider all options available to them". "In recent weeks our members have made their feelings very clear when it comes to the fixture calendar and player workload. "Players are repeatedly saying that enough is enough, and this must now act as a serious wake-up call to the authorities." However, speaking last week on the global football calendar, La Liga president Javier Tebas said the schedule has increased only for a small amount of elite players. "We always think of 150 or 200 players who play all the games. But in Europe, there are more than 50,000 players who don't play all those games and don't have the problem of the match load," Tebas told BBC Sport. "Football cannot be governed by what happens to 250 players, but by the rest because, in addition, all these new tournaments would economically empty the national leagues and impact the salaries of other players with fewer club revenues." And a recent study by the CIES Football Observatory - a research group at the International Centre for Sports Studies, external - on schedules and player workload suggested most clubs are not playing more matches per season. Its report found that between 2012 and 2024, the average number of fixtures per club and season sat at just over 40, with about 5% of clubs playing 60 or more games per season. While there is little precedent for players striking in elite sport, in 1961, Jimmy Hill campaigned for the end to the maximum wage cap for footballers. After threatening strike action, the then £20-a-week maximum wage was scrapped by the Football Association. Analysis: 'Player disparity makes strike consensus hard to reach' Chief football news reporter Simon Stone: Strike action has been threatened many times in the modern game but rarely has it actually happened - and nothing on the scale envisaged. MLS players came within days of walking out prior to the start of the 2010 campaign, but their pay issue was resolved. There are instances of players at individual Spanish clubs refusing to play after their wages weren't paid. The issue here is which games would be targeted - Premier League? EFL Cup? Champions League? There are different organisers for every competition. Who would be targeted? And while Rodri - at the top of his profession - has a burnout issue, a player at a Premier League club that doesn't qualify for Europe and gets knocked out in the first available round of both domestic competitions only has a maximum 40 games to play. That disparity makes consensus among all players appear difficult to reach - and it is not entirely clear what the PFA's plan is, even if their legal action is successful.
It's not as if City don't have enough players for a bit of squad rotation....maybe he should be banging on Peps door amd asking for time off
And you thought the Scarves were bad https://www.facebook.com/share/p/bmbVTmUKNiKDYcuq/?mibextid=lOuIew
A poor man's Klopp in my opinion, somehow managed to not win the league with Bayern even though Kane scored a ridiculous number of goals. Stroller ain't gonna be happy they chose this German !
Who would you go for? I’m just glad that Carsley isn’t going to go through all the **** that goes with the job.
Yeah, I don’t think that was ever likely though. He’d be better than Pep who would have struggled without being able to pick any player in the world he wanted. Klopp has blotted his copybook a bit in Germany by joining the despised (by proper fans) Red Bull organisation, but he has a clause to leave to manage Germany. I used to like him but he turned into a ‘pity poor victim me scouser’, stuffed with entitlement. I’m afraid that I’m losing interest fast, don’t really care. There’s something brittle, fragile about English players when they don’t have talented foreigners playing next to them. Angel Gomes might be the bright spark from the last few weeks. Of course the best choice would have been Carlo Ancelotti who can win things with whatever bunch of players turn up on the day. I think he’s retiring after Real Madrid though.
