- Is the Premier League in danger of being as uncompetitive as France and Germany?
- PSG president indicted for complicity in abuse of power.
By Tony Attwood
At the very end of last week Manchester City once more claimed a victory over the Premier League in the battle over who runs the League – itself or the League’s committees made up of representatives of the clubs in a democratic fashion.
In response, the Premier League released a statement following a report from the arbitration tribunal to ManCs appeal. It read,
“The tribunal’s decision has found that the three narrow aspects of the old APT rules, previously found to be unlawful, cannot be separated from the rest of the previous rules as a matter of law. The result, the tribunal has determined, is that the previous APT rules, as a whole, are unenforceable.”
Now that sounds like a pretty major defeat for the league. But there is a twist, because the previous APT rules on which the judgement was made, are no longer in place. This is because the clubs voted in new APT rules which came into force in November 2024.
Then to rub it in the League said,
“The tribunal has made no findings as to the validity and effectiveness of the new rules. The tribunal states that whether its decision has any benefit to the club, therefore, depends on whether the new APT rules are found to be lawful as part of the second challenge issued by the club last month. The league continues to believe that the new APT rules are valid and enforceable and is pressing for an expeditious resolution of this matter.
“The new APT rules are in full force and clubs remain required to comply with all aspects of the system, including to submit shareholder loans to the Premier League for fair market value assessment.”
So while Manchester City continue to bobble around the League table uncertain of whether they will have Champions League football next season, their victory over the Premier League in relation to the associated party transactions (APT) rules is of not much meaning, since the rules no longer exist.
However because the new rules are quite similar to the old rules, it may well be that they too are indeed “unlawful” and “void and unenforceable” although that has not been proven.
What all this could mean is that ManC and some coat-tail hangers on, will start demanding compensation for deals that were blocked or adjusted under the rules which would lead to more costly court cases, which of course ManC can afford being funded by an oil state, but the League can’t.
The point of the rules is to stop clubs like Manchester C from signing contracts with companies linked to their owners for third-party promotions (such as tractors) at highly inflated prices, thus giving ManC a way around all the financial controls other clubs have to live by.
As we have repeatedly seen ManC’s anger and outrage was heightened when they came a lowly 22nd in the Champions League group stage. They play Real Madrid tonight, away, already being 2-3 down in a knock out match
So the amended rules dating from last November are still in place, but ManC have already launched another case, and you may recall our view that the aim of ManC is to keep suing the League until the League runs out of money or the clubs just throw in the towel. Our view is also that the clubs are already making plans to resign en masse from the Premier League and form a new League and invite Uefa to recognise it. Uefa would find it hard not to recognise such a league as it will take most of the Premier League clubs out of Uefa – and these clubs are of course are major funders of Uefa.
Meanwhile of course the other charges against ManC (now said to be 129 in total) are still running – charges which claim that the club failed to give accurate financial information and details for player and manager salaries. They have now also been charged (rather obviously_ with failing to co-operate with the investigation.
If Manc prevail they will demand payment for their massive legal costs from the league clubs which would bring some league clubs near to or into bankruptcy, and if not that, then unable to operate in the transfer market other than by selling all their players.
Rather cleverly, the media (always amenable to be directed by ManC’s arguments) are not considering the repeat of the 1st division clubs decision to break from the Football League; it is an issue absolutely not being mentioned. As for the League their spokesmen are focussed on the notion that as “the previous APT rules are no longer in place… this decision expressly does not impact the valid operation of the new rules…. The tribunal has made no findings as to the validity and effectiveness of the new rules.”
Sadly however this a victory for ManC as they want the case to run on and on and so bankrupt some of their major opponents, such as Arsenal – which is why forming a new League is just about the only way out for the clubs not accepting Arab oil money.
Great to see Man City “crash out” of Europe. Only regret is the highly flattering score of only 3-1. – It seemed that RM were taking it easy for large spells during the match.
Their total lack of any effective attacking is an interesting illustration of the point which many contributors here have made about the drawbacks of being dependent on the big centre forward to score all the goals. I don’t expect the media and pundits to highlight this, – rather they will use it to pour sympathy over poor City for being so unlucky because their big bully couldn’t play. Nor will there be any demands for Pep to be sacked.
It seemed that Liverpool also were lucky to get a point at Villa, – first goal was an absolute gift and second owed much to a lucky rebound off a defender, then a lucky defectlion on the shot. Villa really should have won, but at least Liverpool managed to salvage a point, just as Ipswich did in the last match at Villa.
John L
“Their total lack of any effective attacking is an interesting illustration of the point which many contributors here have made about the drawbacks of being dependent on the big centre forward to score all the goals. I don’t expect the media and pundits to highlight this…..”
Exactly.
As we all know, Arsenal play a style without the requirement for a 20 Plus a season striker and have managed to score 88 and 91 goals in the last 2 seasons. More than any other season since the war. More than any season with any of our legendary strikers.
Yet the second we don’t win a game it’s because we haven’t got a recognised striker. It’s utter crap.
Teams with a recognised No. 9 don’t score as many as us. Finish below us. But that doesn’t seem to matter. You must have 20 plus a season striker. I mean, as that renowned know all Neville said in his podcast the other day, ‘every knows Arsenal are struggling to score goals’.
That man is beyond stupid.
And of course as you rightly say, no connection will be made between Liverpool failing to win tonight and their over reliance on Salah. Or Man City’s poor season and their over reliance on Haaland.
None of these connections are made when a team WITH a 20 plus striker loses. No suggestion of an over reliance on one man is ever made.
It’s just yet another media agenda. yet another stick with which to endlessly beat us. It’s pathetic.
Still, at least our finances are looking good, but I’m sure the usual suspects will find a way of turning them in to a negative.