Man City charges latest as Ronaldo leaves Portugal camp | Paper Talk
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Transcript
Mhm. >> Hello there. Time now for Paper Talk here [music] on Sky Sports News, bringing you a first look at the sports stories in the morning's newspapers. Joining us are Jonathan Liew from The Guardian >> [music] >> and Riath Al-Samarrai from the Daily Mail. Welcome to you both. Let's run you through the back pages. [music] And as you might imagine, they are dominated once again by Manchester City. Etihad could sue Premier League is the headline in the Mail. City sponsors [music] furious to be implicated in guilty verdict. The Telegraph leads [music] with Burnham backs City owners. And below that, Ronaldo quits at Portugal after being left on bench. The same two [music] stories feature in The Times with the main headline, PM, "I don't want to lose City owners" as Andy Burnham [music] weighs in. "I'll stand by my man" is the headline in the Express. [music] This is Pep Guardiola pledging his loyalty to his former club and former bosses. "You've Etihad-ed it" [music] says the Daily Mirror. Abu Dhabi's owners could be stripped of club. And the same story [music] in The Star who carry the headline, "Strip club". And above that, "Fury beat Joshua, the plan from Uncle". Yeah, it's been another seismic news day, um, discussing Manchester City after that guilty verdict. And that's exactly where we'll start this time as well. Let's go to the back of the Mail. Etihad could sue Premier League. City sponsors furious to be implicated in guilty verdict. Uh, Jonathan, Riath, really good to see you on Paper Talk. Jonathan, I come to you first. So, Etihad Airways, the principal sponsor of Manchester City, are considering legal action against the Premier League after being implicated in the bombshell ruling that the club breached financial rules. So, I suppose we're we're continuing to see fallout from this debate. Not just for those involved with City and the City Football Group, but also those involved with the Premier League as well now, possibly. >> Yes, I mean, even though Etihad weren't directly named in the Premier League document that that dropped last night, uh >> [snorts] >> they have been a obviously principal sponsor of Manchester City for many years. They got the name on the stadium. They would obviously be implicated uh in any in any verdict. I mean, and you know, you wonder why Etihad would would choose to direct its anger at the Premier League rather than, for example, Manchester City who who after all are the ones who have been been found guilty. And then you realize I don't know if I don't know if your your viewers or you or your viewers will know this, but actually Etihad Airways is owned by by Abu Dhabi. It's it's a weird thing, you know. Um Etihad Airways is owned by the the same people who own Manchester City. So, you know, it was it was founded by a royal decree by um President Sheikh Khalifa, who's the half-brother of Sheikh Mansour, etc. etc. etc. Um and you know, I I guess this just could have exposed us or or I think underlines the the like the interconnectedness of all the nodes here. Uh you know, it's it's like one of those uh like you know, you go to the Edinburgh Fringe and you see one of those those one-man shows where there's just one one guy running around playing all the characters. So, it's like the government of of Abu Dhabi, you know, the UK uh you know, negotiating with the UAE government, and then there's the the the chairman of Manchester City, and then there's Etihad Airways, and it turns out that they're all they're all actually the same person. Uh under a cloak I mean, obviously not. There there are sort of corporate um there are corporate distinctions between them, but they are all all essentially owned and run by the same entity, which I I think is is instructive here because I I it does show that Abu Dhabi is is going to be furious. It's made very little secret of its displeasure at that at this turn of events. And I think it it shows that they they are going to explore every means necessary, you know, whether it's appeals, whether it's you know, corporate pressure, whether it's diplomatic pressure, that they are going to stop at nothing to try and get this guilty verdict overturned. >> So, reading part of the statement from Etihad Airways, Riyadh, they say that they categorically reject any finding, conclusion, or implication that suggests the airline has ever been involved in improper commercial arrangements. They go on to say, "At no time did the Premier League reach out to or engage with Etihad in the process associated with the commission's opinion." That's their issue. What's your take? >> That latter point's quite interesting there because, you know, it does it does seem strange to to sort of leave that door and open that they wouldn't actually go and and and reach out to all of the parties who are, you know, as a sort of Jonathan sort of spelled out quite nicely there. The these are connected entities. Why would why wouldn't the Premier League in their extensive diligence go and and and and do and do that almost as almost as a matter of course of formality. But, I think I think the broader point here is we are now entering this this this period which could run for a year, could run for 2 years. It's going to be so unbelievably messy with the crossfire. And as I'm sure we're going to come on to to Andy Burnham in a moment as well, this geopolitical backdrop to the entire situation where are these just footballing interests we're going to be talking about? No, obviously not. We're not we're we're not naive, but the this matter is going to get so confused even before we start getting into sponsors being unhappy, compensation claims from other clubs. We're going to be frightfully well-versed in corporate litigation within 2 years, and I I for one can't tell you how excited I am by that. >> Yeah. Um let's go to the times then cuz you mentioned mentioned Andy Burnham there. The Prime Minister has indeed weighed in on this debate. Saying, "I don't want to lose city owners." Andy Burnham has said he would be really concerned, his words, uh to lose Manchester City's owners as a result of the club being found guilty of more than 100 breaches of Premier League rules. Uh what do you make of the Prime Minister getting involved in this debate? And of course he has previous after being involved with Everton when they were facing charges against them, Jonathan. >> Yeah, the Prime Minister obviously likes to likes to talk about football, likes to kind of uh weigh in on on football issues, and and often he's he's done so uh very constructively as with, you know, his interventions on the the the Hillsborough case. Um and and the the search for justice there. I think he's misjudged this one. Uh you know, he does he does say I think later on that he does you know, he's not going to get involved. Well, he has just got involved. Uh when you're Prime Minister, you know, you you're not you're not some kind of talking head on the on on the TV at 10:30. Uh you're the Prime Minister, and your your words carry you know, they carry a lot of weight. Uh not not ours don't, but you know, his his definitely carries a little bit more. Uh and I I think the it it's the the the center priorities here which kind of worries me. Um so, you know, you're saying you're not you're not going to intervene in a legal, you know, sporting process even though you kind of just have a little bit. Um but also, you know, essentially going into bat saying going into bat for Abu Dhabi saying that you would be worried if if City's owners left English football, which I don't think is a sentiment I mean I I might be wrong, but I don't think it's a sentiment shared by a lot of the British public. Certainly not not not by a lot of football fans. Um and what what I think that suggests and obviously he's got, you know, huge, you know, considerations, you know, trade deals, investment, you know, huge geopolitical implications to consider. Um but what what it says to me is that he is more concerned about uh jeopardizing the UK's relationship with the UAE than it than he is about the degradation of English football. That's you know, that might not be the case, but that's what that's what his words suggested to me and I don't think that's a great look. >> Yeah, you're right. He has um He has mentioned the fact that the Etihad and and and the City Football Group have invested in the city of Manchester. Has Andy Burnham still on the Times reading this quote of Andy Burnham speaking to BBC News. He says they've made they've been such a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester. And he does go on to say Ria, I remember people proclaiming Everton guilty at the time when they faced those charges and you know, with hindsight, I think more people would say that wasn't fair the way that was handled. So it would be wrong of me to leap to one side given the experience that I've had before becoming Prime Minister. Today's quotes were quite telling to you, Ria. >> Um I must admit it feels a bit like soft pressure as Jonathan said that he's he's saying I don't want to I don't want to involve myself. I don't want to interfere while simultaneously giving what is really quite uh long and detailed comment on a hugely heated situation and he is saying he's, you you he'd be concerned to he'd be concerned to lose them. He's but he's he's actually thanked the City Football Group. So, he is very definitely given a view there without without sort of wading into the conversation that we're all having every day of are they innocent? Are they guilty? What should happen next? Now, I I I'm I'm balancing this against the fact that [clears throat] they obviously the regulator has spoken as well today with a very direct sort of reassertion of of what his remit is and the ability to I believe the quote is assess the suitability of owners. Now, you have now now we find ourselves second-guessing this that that this scenario a little bit of is that is that is the independence of that regulator absolute? You know, we'd all like to we'd all like to think so, but there is this mood music in the background that there is a far far bigger picture than should Manchester City be obliterated over over the breaking the financial rules of football. It's far more vast than that and to have a active active Prime Minister getting involved and having having his say and speaking really quite favorably on the side of Manchester City there, I think I think it's quite a confused look. >> Okay, yeah, you mentioned regulation there and that's reflected in the mirror. And this independent football regulator by their own accounts say they have the powers to implement stronger owners and directors tests with the powers to act if required. I'm reading from the mirror here. Manchester City are facing the very real prospect of the owners being stripped of the club. The independent football regulator has confirmed it does have the power to investigate the suitability of owners, directors, and executives of clubs. Is that what could happen, do you think, Jonathan? >> I think it could happen. I don't think it I mean I don't think it goes far enough, to be honest. I mean, we're we're talking about um about forcing City's owners to to to sell up. Um and I I the assets the City as a as a club as an asset has grown in value substantially, almost exponentially over the last 18 years, largely as a result of the money that has been invested by Abu Dhabi into the club, which we now know, or you know, which the Premier League uh sorry, the independent panel has now concluded uh was not done legally. Now, why should the owners of Manchester City be able to sell up and walk away? You know, it's it's probably worth in the billions now uh City. Why should they be able to profit from that sale? Uh so, yes, the regulator has has the has the chance uh you know, has has the power to strip ownership. Uh but it's it should also do so in a way that that means the revenues, the proceeds of that should be reinvested back into English football. There there wasn't an issue with doing this with with Roman Abramovich when uh you know, when when sanctions were imposed on Russia, putting the club into you know, you know, into kind of escrow. Um and obviously there's been issues with that, but you know, there wasn't a a a kind of legalistic issue with saying, "Look, this just this just isn't your club anymore. You don't get to sell it. You don't get to profit from it." And I don't see why something similar can't happen with Manchester City and and in a way that would punish the owners and not the fans of the club. >> Um and mentioning the fans, that's exactly what Pep Guardiola did in his statement. He's uh given his thoughts on the debate, and that's it reflected in the Express. I'll stand by my man, Abu Dhabi link to the the threat, but Pep says he is right behind everyone at City. He did purposely point out the fans in his statement, Riaf. Will that be much consolation to them with a club like this, their club, in crisis? >> Yeah, social media today, yes, I think there's quite a few Manchester City fans who are clinging to any optimism they can get right now. I mean, personally, I found that a very strange statement from Pep. I know it's I know it's in line with what it what what he said across the duration of this saga, but with the one key difference that Manchester City have been found guilty and it wasn't close. It was it was a monumental hiding in the context of the balance of those charges, 114 of them going against Manchester City. So, for him to come out and be that bullish, I found I found incredibly surprising. And like we we've we've been discussing this not just since yesterday, we've been talking about it since last week when when when this all first came out. Pep Guardiola's legacy is directly tied into what happens now, whether or not City win their appeal or lose their appeal. That has the obvious potential to completely invalidate his trophies. You know, we we we're not going to deny that Pep Guardiola created beautiful football teams or that he was a visionary or that he was the the heir of Johan Cruyff and the father of a thousand imitators. We're not going to we're not going to dispute any of those things, but when we come round to talk about Pep Guardiola and over half of his body of work as a manager, we're not just talking about an asterisk here if if this goes against them. You we're going to be saying that yes, he created a beautiful team that won everything by cheating. So, he's going to have a personal investment in this, a huge one. You I I'm not saying that I would expect him to come out and and join the mob, join the rest of us in shouting that this is a disgrace, but I would expect to see perhaps a little bit more curiosity from him or even some uncertainty of have I been duped? Because that statement that he's put out there today is it's I've written a piece on it today and it just it feels it feels submissive. It's far too trusting. There's far too much credulity in it, but you know, we're we're going to find out all of this over the coming months, hopefully not years, but I think I think if you're Pep Guardiola, I mean, that level that level of certainty I found really quite quite strange. >> And Jonathan, picking up on what Riath said there about this possibly tainting Pep Guardiola's legacy, do you you agree with that? >> Yeah, I mean, I I think Guardiola wants to be thought of remembered as a as a great coach and a man of integrity. And I think he will be remembered as a great coach, but not as a man of integrity, certainly if if what the you know, if what the panel has found is is is substantiated through through the appeals process. I think it's really hard as as any individual to to process the idea that your your work, your life, your identity was done under false pretenses. Anyone who's read like The Remains of the Day and you know, Stevens the butler you know, grappling with the moral implications of his work at the end of his life, you know, is familiar with that conundrum. It doesn't surprise me that Guardiola now is kind of doubling down behind his owners. It it I just I think I wish and I think a lot of fans wish he'd been a little bit more inquisitive when there was a chance, when he was uniquely positioned to ask questions of the ownership, to get the assurances he needed. And I think if he had done so, I think the whole of English football would have been would have been spared a lot of pain. >> Okay, Jonathan, Riath, thank you for the moment. This story of course will continue to run and run [music] and run. And when it does, we will continue to discuss it here on Paper Talk. And of course, I should mention an appeal is to come from Manchester City, who continue to deny all charges against them. Okay, we're going to take a quick break. When we come back, we'll be looking at more of [music] the sports stories in the morning's newspapers, including more of this in the times. On the right-hand side there, Ronaldo walks out on Portugal. What of his international future we'll discuss next. >> [music] >> Hello there, welcome back to Paper Talk. Welcome back to Jonathan Louis [music] from The Guardian, Ria El Samahi from the Daily Mail as well. Let's get into The Telegraph as this international break has brought up a couple of surprises so far. How about this one? In The Telegraph at the bottom of that page, Ronaldo quits Portugal after being left on the bench. He's walked out on the Portugal national team according to The Telegraph in a move that could signal the end of his 23-year international career. Jonathan, it wasn't that long ago that we were talking about him trying to reach 1,000 international goals or career goals, I should say. What's happened? >> Well, yeah, I mean I saw this headline, you know, Ronaldo walks out of the Portugal camp and I wasn't surprised cuz that that is basically the pace at which he seems to do everything these days. He He was probably trying to drag out of there, but but you know, his body isn't quite what it was. His body isn't quite what it was. And I think there are a lot of players, you know, Modric, Messi, you know, spring to mind who even as their body decline even as their powers decline, they have a kind of inspirational effect on the players around them. Players are inspired to play with them and they make the team better through their presence. They are a leader. They are, you know, they are an exemplar. [snorts] I'm I'm just not sure with Ronaldo with Portugal has ever quite been that player. I think you can you can look at as many instances where Ronaldo has diminished Portugal as as he's actually inspired them. And you know, that that was, you know, extremely visible at the last Euros. It was visible at the World Cup. And I think it's it's kind of sad if it if it has come to this, you know, because Ronaldo as a player, you know, whatever you think of the guy, Ronaldo as a player for Portugal has been a giant and and he deserves a kind of a fitting send-off. He deserves, you know, the big goodbye like like Messi's getting with Argentina. And if, you know, for for whatever internal reasons, petulance or being dropped or or you know, not liking the the decisions that that his coach has taken, if he's kind of denied that, then it's kind of sad, I think. It's sad for for everyone. >> Um yeah, also covered in The Times, Ronaldo walks out on Portugal. You'll see on the right-hand side. Um and just some quotes from Ronaldo himself who posted this on social media saying that in time I will tell all the Portuguese people the truth about the reasons that motivated me to leave the national team to which I always devoted myself. Also, um in a news conference at George Jesus, the Portugal manager, also spoke about this and he says, "I told Chris that he would not play in the game against Norway or the game against Denmark. He would not play because