'A media masterclass' - How did Maresca handle questions on Man City verdict?

Sky Sports News

Sky Sports News analyses Maresca’s media handling of questions on the Man City verdict

The programme looks at how Enzo Maresca handled questions about Manchester City’s financial-rules verdict, with Kaveh Solhekol arguing that his relaxed body language projected City’s message to wait for the appeal and expect to win it. The guests then debate whether players would read the judgment or rely on agents, what happens if the appeal fails, and what punishment City should face.

► Subscribe to Sky Sports News: http://bit.ly/SkySportsNewsSub ► Watch Sky Sports with NOW: https://bit.ly/NOWSkySportsYT Sky Sports' Kaveh Solhekol analyses how Enzo Maresca handled questions about Man City's guilty verdict related to serious breaches of Premier League financial rules by an independent commission. City have lodged an appeal against the verdict. SkySportsNews SkySports football ► For the latest developments on this story: https://qrcode.skysports.com/skysports/topstories ► For the latest transfer news: https://qrcode.skysports.com/skysports/TransferCentre More from Sky Sports on YouTube: ► Sky Sports: http://bit.ly/SkySportsSub ► Sky Sports Boxing: http://bit.ly/SSBoxingSub ► Sky Sports Cricket: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyCricket ► Sky Sports Darts: https://bit.ly/SubSkySportsDarts ► Sky Sports Football: http://bit.ly/SSFootballSub ► Sky Sports F1: http://bit.ly/SubscribeSkyF1 ► Sky Sports Golf: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsGolf ► Sky Sports Premier League: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsPL ► Sky Sports Retro: http://bit.ly/SkySportsRetroSub ► Sky Sports WSL: https://bit.ly/SubscribeSkySportsWSL ► TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@skysportsnews ► X: https://x.com/SkySportsNews ► Website: https://www.skysports.com ► To enquire about licensing Sky Sports content, you can find out more here: https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/news/31754/11434270/license-sky-sports-footage

Transcript

Kaveh and Jay are still here until midday on Sky Sports FC. Kaveh, just picking up on that body language question that I asked Ben, what did you make of it? >> Yeah, I thought his body language was very, very relaxed, giving out exactly the kind of message that Manchester City want to portray. For instance, if you go if you allow me to go back to 1960, presidential debate in the US, Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy. Now, look, this is this is famous. >> Jay knows it well. >> This is famous. We learn We learn about this when we do journalism degrees. Now, in this presidential debate, Richard Nixon was sweating on TV. Whereas John F. K. looked really relaxed and tanned, and the people watching the debate on TV said John F. Kennedy won the debate. He was the better candidate because he looked so relaxed. Whereas the people listening to it on radio thought Richard Nixon had won because they couldn't see him sweating. So, that's why I think it was really important that today City have a manager who is comfortable in front of the media, and even though he's in the middle of such a serious news story, he can still come across as being very laid-back and relaxed, and basically sending out the message to the world, uh look, you're all getting carried away. Wait for the appeal. We will win the appeal. In the meantime, I'm going to do my job, which is being a football manager. >> That was more interesting than you expected to be there, Jay, wasn't it? >> [laughter] >> You were going to switch off there. It was actually It's actually very good. >> You can You can watch You can watch the clip. It's famous clip. >> What if he just had a cold? >> Huh? No, he was He was He actually he was sick. You are right. >> history. >> [laughter] >> He was Three things. One, he was sick. Two, he refused to have makeup. And three, the uh the TV lights were really, really hot, which made him sweat and made him look made him didn't look like untrustworthy and shifty. >> Believe it or not, history was one of my favorite subjects, so I do know that. >> Exactly. He He knew all along. He was just He was He was just checking if you knew. Um you said Carvey, rightly so, there were some really good questions in there. And one of them was Well, he said you trust the owners, but have you actually read this verdict? To which he said I think he said something like, "No, I wouldn't understand that." Basically said, "I've left that to them. No, I haven't read the verdict." >> that was the best question. It was right at the end. The question was, "Have you read the judgment yourself? It's 42 pages. It's not going to take you that long. It would take you half an hour to read it." And Enzo Maresca said, uh "Look, I trust the club. I don't really understand about things like that. Um I think if he tried to read it, maybe as well, his English is not good enough cuz it's uh quite complicated in places, but it just got me thinking that if I played for a Manchester City, I think I would take the time to to read the judgment. Surely you wouldn't just be like, "I'm just going to listen to what the chairman says. I'm going to listen to the chief executive. They say we're innocent. I trust them." Surely footballers have got a lot of spare time on their hands. All those afternoons, all those evenings with nothing to do. Surely Surely they're going to Surely they're going to just have a quick look online. Read the judgment yourselves or or read all the analysis and, you know, what watch all all the videos that people have put up talking about it. >> I'm going to speak on behalf of most footballers. Right? That's what your agent's for. He's meant to do that. He's meant to relay the messages back to you. That's why he gets a big fee, right? All footballers are interested in is obviously training, staying fit, and then the games on the weekend. The other thing they care about is that payslip. When that comes through, is my money there? Right? And if it's there still, then they don't care about nothing else. We don't care about nothing else. All we care about is the football, the training, the the matches on the weekend, and if I'm getting paid on time. >> But you surely surely you care if your if your club has been found to have broken 114 >> That's No, no, no, no. >> financial rules over nine seasons. >> Again, >> surely your curiosity is going to get the better of you. >> No, right now, right now, if I'm a player there, I trust my club and I trust what they're saying to me because I've worked with them for a number of years, right? And my my representative [laughter] >> like That's like >> got blinkers on. >> CAN I LAND? >> [laughter] >> AND then I'm going to my advisor and I'm asking them the same question cuz it's their job to do that due diligence and then come to me with the findings. Right, if they say to me, "Listen, we believe them, too." Then until that moment where if they if they fail to win the appeal, now now it's a different conversation. Now it's different because I'm going to feel like my representative and myself have been lied to by the club. Now it's a different conversation, but until that happens, all I care about is training, playing on the weekend, and am I getting paid on time each month? >> So you believe Enzo Maresca when he says, "I haven't read the documents." >> Of course that's Of course what Listen, he's been told by the ownership, "Listen, we think we're going to win this appeal. You've got nothing to worry about." Why would he question that? Why would he question that? Cuz you know what at the end of the day, what you need to understand is >> Because that's that's what what they said to Pep. They said They said to Pep, "We're going to win this case. You've got nothing to worry about." And Pep said, "I believe them." And then we got the findings. And the findings said that they had broken >> Yeah, they have broken the rules, but they're going to appeal that, right? But if Listen, if it gets to a point where they fail the appeal, they've broken the rules already, right? But then they fail the appeal as well, which means they're completely wrong. There's no going back now. Then it's a different conversation because I'm sure Pep will say, "Well, I've been lied to. Maresca, I've been lied to. The players, they've been lied to." Then there's drama because now the players are going to be saying, "Well, I can't trust the club I'm at. Now I've got to move on. Now I want to move on cuz I'm not prepared to play in the the the Championship for however long it may be." Um to be perfectly honest from my point of view, I don't want to see Man City go down. I don't think it'll be good for English football. I don't think it'll be good for the Premier League. Um but I do think they should get a really a strong punishment. And you know, I was thinking, you know, 100 How Of course financial. I I That That goes without saying. But then I'm saying like 120 points over like 3 years, so 40 points every season that you're in the Premier League, so they can't win the league. Um then a transfer embargo for about 3 years as well. Like I'd make it so they're definitely not going to win the Premier League. I'd make it so they can't buy players to strengthen. And then obviously they're going to be in a position where they could lose players because those players that we're talking about, Harlands and people like that, they want to win leagues. They want to be in the Champions League. If they're not in the Champions League, are they going to want to be at the club? You know, I know that Harland said he supports the club, but his career is important as well. >> just disagree with you a little bit on how you portray footballers. I think >> No, no, I'm not saying that. >> think a lot of players will be going home watching Sky Sports News, watching Sky News, watching the BBC, looking online, researching. >> Listen. >> Following the story. They're They're not They're not just going to say, "We're going to We're going to believe whatever Man City say to us." Listen. >> What did he say, Tom? >> Harland? >> Yeah. >> Yeah, he he said uh we should be positive and have smiles. Be happy. >> Be happy. Be happy. That was it. Yeah. >> Okay, right. So, do you think he's going to be saying that if he's thinking and listening and reading to what's going on outside of everything? His agent, I think in this case it's his his dad's involved with it. He is dealing with that. The only question that he's going to ask his representatives, whoever it may be, is "What do you think about this situation? Are we at, you know, do do you believe them? Do you trust them? As soon as he hears, yes, I trust them, he's focusing on training and football. LIKE, WHY WHY DO YOU THINK DO YOU THINK PLAYERS are going home saying, you know what? Let me look at this here. I'm reading through this, you know, these are terrible these charges. They're not doing that. >> Yeah, but they're going home and they're putting on the TV and watching Sky Sports News. >> Yeah, and they might watch it. They might watch it. >> like fair and impartial analysis and coverage. >> Of course, but remember >> Context. This is analysis. >> You're you're obviously giving your your opinion based upon what you're reading, right? And I'm doing the same thing. But we're not privy to the actual details of what they have yet. You know, they said they got irrefutable evidence that can win them the appeal. So, until I see that and I until I hear that, you know, they're they they failed to win that appeal, then it's a different story for the players. But right now, the players just have to focus on training, playing in the weekend, and and am I getting paid on time? As long as I'm getting paid on time and those >> [laughter] >> those those things there, then I I can keep it moving until the day comes where that appeal is won or lost.