Enzo Maresca says owners 'convinced' club will win appeal against guilty verdict | Paper Talk

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Sky Sports News Paper Talk: Maresca insists Manchester City will win their appeal as guests discuss the wider football stories

The show reviews the morning's back pages, centred on Enzo Maresca's first British media appearance over Manchester City's guilty verdict and appeal, where he voiced trust in the owners and hierarchy. The guests judge that he handled it calmly but was limited by his role, see little alternative for City but to fight, and also discuss Carrick, Arteta, England women, Manchester United v Tottenham, Everton's sale and Infantino's FIFA position.

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Transcript

Hello there. Time now for paper [music] talk here on Sky Sports News, bringing you a first look at the sports stories in the morning's [music] newspapers. Joining us this time around, Mark Ogden, senior writer at ESPN, [music] and Sam Dean, the Telegraph's football reporter. Welcome to you both gents. Let's see what [music] the back pages have us. Okay, we'll start with the mirror and counterattack is their take on Enzo Moresa. Bullish Moresco [music] insists City will win their appeal and has full faith in the club chiefs. Elsewhere, Mikuel Artetta [music] says his conscience is clear over his time as Manchester City assistant manager. Meanwhile, [music] in the Express, we shall overturn. Maresca insists he is sure of a pill win [music] to rescue Pep's legacy. Shout out to the Times here for splashing on sports women. They've gone with one step closer. Lioness's win crucial first leg in World Cup playoff in hunt to qualify for tournament in [music] Brazil next summer. They also carry those quotes from Enzo Moresca as well. In the Telegraph, [music] Carrick takes aim at City. No punishment will make up for pain of Aguero moment, Michael Carrick says. And in the Guardian, definitely maybe is their take on this. [music] Mesa's city future open if that appeal fails. Sam Mark, great to have you back on Paper Talk. Okay, let's get to Enzo Moresca then, who's been uh put up for the first time in front of you lovely lot in the press. I don't know if the British press has or ever been called lovely, but look, it's the first time we're hearing from him where he's been asked questions by the British press. Let's go to the back page of the Mirror. Counterattack, they say Bush Moresca insists City will win their appeal and has full faith in club chiefs. Mark, I'll come to you on this one first. It was a very interesting 16-minute press conference. He spoke of his trust in the owners. He spoke of his belief in the club. He's proud to be there. Nowhere else he'd rather be, he says. And the trophies under question are not been tainted, he says. What did you make of his demeanor in this press conference and what stood out for you from what he said? I thought his demeanor was very impressive. I think you know credit in many ways to to Man City for allowing it to go ahead in the way it did because a lot of clubs would have run a mile from this and you know insisted on you know football only questions or tried to shut down questions but Mess was was left to answer as many questions as he was asked and I think he dealt with it quite quite well I think in the sense that he had a position his position was I trust the club I'm happy with the club I'm happy with what I've been told I will you know let's wait until the appeal so it didn't kind of veer off that that kind of island of safety I guess but you know it was impressive because you We've all been in press conferences where managers can be quite touchy and quite, you know, abrasive at times and and Moresca was very calm. You know, he put on a good performance. And I think what impressed me about it was the fact that he just he did it with a smile. Now, ultimately what Enzo Mesa did and said today was was quite easy for him to do because he's not really implicated in this. He he was he was there briefly as Pep's assistant manager, but you know, he's not one of the main characters in the story. I think, you know, we're talking about Man City executives, Man City owners, maybe the manager. I think I don't think it would go further than a manager in terms of if there was something to know who knew. So Mesa in many ways is has got a clean slate on this. So he can say all these things because what else could he say? He couldn't come out and say, "Yeah, it doesn't look great, does it? You know, we'll have to wait and see what happens in the appeal and then then I'll wait and see what I do." He couldn't say any of that. He had to give a a strong message that he was back in the club. But I think there was a question towards the end when he was asked if he'd actually read the the 40page verdict and he didn't answer it with a yes. So if he's not seen all the detail, it's kind of hard for me to say he he believes in what the club have to say and he trusts them without actually knowing the the facts that were put out by the commission. So he gave a good performance, but I wouldn't have expected anything else in terms of the message he delivered because he's the manager of the football team and he's the representative of the club. So I think he gave a a pretty much a nine out of 10 performance today. >> Yeah, he is the representative of the club. As we look there at the express, we shall overturn is their headline. Moresca insists he is sure of a pill win to rescue Pep's legacy. And something interesting, Sam, that Moresca also said is that the trophies that city have won under the period in question are not tainted by the charges of this independent commission. What do you make of that and the fact that he's so sure? I suppose it remains consistent with what city have said and everyone surrounding city. They say they are absolutely sure of their innocence. >> Yeah, absolutely. And I totally agree with Mark that this kind of is all that Enzo Moresca can say and it's all that City can say. I'm not I'm not sure what the alternative from City would be to hold their hands up and say, "Yeah, we got it wrong and therefore chuck us out of the Premier League or whatever the punishment may be." Like they are in such a situation now their backs are against the wall so much they they really are in the bunker in sort of metaphorical terms. The only way to keep going is to keep fighting. And we've seen that with their appeal, the language of Farane Soraniano and his extraordinary statement a few weeks ago during the international break. And I think Maresca's just echoed that. And certainly I I agree with Mark again that his performance was very calm and measured and in a way it is unfair that he is the man taking all these questions because as Mark says he wasn't there in the period in question and he is just the manager. It's the chief executive, the ownership, and the the commercial people above him in the in the offices who really are the ones who should be answering questions on this. But as is the case in all always in English football, it is the manager who faces up the press and the media and serves as the frontman of the entire club. I suppose the one caveat to that point is Enzo Moresca took this job in the summer. So he can't act too surprised or upset that he has to answer these questions. And to be fair, he didn't do that. But even privately, he could never complain about that because he knew this case was very much live and ongoing when he took the city job. So this was always going to be a chance that he would have to confront this issue and talk about it. And yes, city have always insisted that they believe they are innocent. And I'm sure that was the message in the summer to Enzo Moresca as it is now. But there was always a chance this moment would come and I'm sure he's been preparing for that to a degree. And it certainly looked like it because he did a very good job. >> Yeah, I think you might be right there, Sam, because he even went one step further and said even if he had found out the verdict about these charges earlier, he still would have taken the job. Um, something that Sam said there, Mark, is that the fact that he's become the face of this, he's become the face of this appeal. is representing city to the public. Is it completely unrealistic to feel that someone from Man City's hierarchy might have come out and said something to the public or at least face the media? >> I guess it is unrealistic to be honest. I think you know Cal Dun the chairman and France Soraniano the chief exec both issued statements. You know we all saw Sorano's statement the video statement the the three minutes they're blinking last week that you know that was his message to the fans and that the public guess. But they don't want to be put in a position that the executives and I guess I can understand why legally they don't want to be asked questions that they might find difficult to answer. Now obviously I'd imagine they' both be as as kind of comfortable as Moresca taking those questions but it's a difficult scenario whereby if if the situation they're in now if the hearing they're in is is a private and confidential matter to be taking questions on on that is just going to be it's it's awkward you know obviously from our point of view as as journalists we would want to sit down with these guys and ask the questions but I think we have to be realistic in this. It's not it's not something they can do right now. But I think, you know, beyond this hearing and be in the bigger picture. I do think we've got to the point now where, you know, club owners and even sporting directors, directors of football have become such important figures at clubs that we should hear from them. You know, I'd love the next broadcast deal to have a clause in there whereby the clubs would have to agree that once a year their their chairman, their owner would have to speak to the media, speak to speak to Sky, you know, give an interview. Just just tell us what you think. The fans never hear from these people. I mean, the Man United have never heard from the Glazer. let these people speak and let them kind of tell us what their plans are. And the same with Man City, you know, Man City in fairness, Calun about the chairman gives a a chairman's address every year at the end of every season, but it's to club media. So, it's not exactly, you know, heavily scrutinized comments or questions. But still, he speaks. But I do think it is something that going forward we should have more owners and directors of football and executives talking to the media and talking to the fans because they can get away with not saying anything for a long time at the moment. Okay, let me have a word with the Sky Sports bosses for you there, Mark. See if we can get that in the next broadcast deal, shall I? Look, I'm going to stay with you, Mark, because we're going to come to the other managers that have had their say on this City case. And one of those is the Manchester United boss, Michael Carrick, reflected in the Daily Telegraph as well. Carrick takes aim at City. A very human response I felt from Michael Carrick talking about receiving a possib possibly look this all this is all potentials, isn't it? We don't know what the punishment will be, but if he was to receive a winners's medal retrospectively, it just wouldn't have the same feeling. He said in football, the strive to win, the emotion and the feeling about winning, a lot of it is in the moment. He goes on to say once that's done, there's no getting that back in any direction, Mark. >> Yeah. and he said he's he's felt it personally the the Man City story over the years because you know Michael Carrick was part of the Man United team that was ultra successful in the in the 2000s and then he kind of witnessed the decline in the in the 2010s and that kind of coincided with Man City rising to the top and I guess Michael Carrick thinks that if these charges are upheld after repealed that it will prove that Man United were were wronged. I guess certainly in 2012 when when they when City won the league on on goal difference defense, we all remember the image of the Aguero goal, but we also remember the images of the Man United players on the pitch at Sunderland just shell shock by the fact that they thought they'd won the league and then they hadn't because because of what happened at the Etiad. So you know Carrick Mayfield that he's missed out on a [clears throat] another title medal. He was also going to Solar's assistant you know back in 2017 18 when I think Sol ended up losing his job because couldn't compete with Man City. So, you know, Michael Carrick has found it difficult for on the pitch and off the pitch in terms of dealing and Man City over the past 10, 15 years. So, yes, he has got the scars of that and I I understand what he's saying that if if it turns out that City have have broken the rules and cheated as as people say, then he would want not his medal back, but he would want some sort of, you know, recompense in many ways just to feel that he actually won something that was taken away from him. But I think we're still a long way from that and it's a case of just waiting to see what happens if City are found guilty after the appeal and what the Premier League would decide to do in terms of titles did want. >> Yeah, Michael Carrick also speaking about the fact he wants a conclusion to this case sooner rather than later as many people outside of City have also expressed um as well. Okay, let's get to the mirror then. As you can see there in the left hand column talking Mik Arteta now and his response to all of this. I have no guilt over city case and Sam you were in the presser weren't you? So I'd love to get a sense of the feeling and and and how he was conducting himself and how he spoke about this city case. >> Uh well um honestly he did not want to speak about it at all. Um, and that was made clear from the first answer really. And then throughout the press conference, as many of us journalists, me included, tried to ask his opinion on the matter and he simply kept repeating that the process is ongoing and he didn't want to comment until it was concluded. Um, firstly, I would argue it it isn't really ongoing. The process has concluded. They have been found guilty by an independent commission. Now, an appeal is ongoing. That's slightly different, I would argue. And secondly, I mean firstly on on the headline I suppose um there was one only one moment really when he did answer a question about it and that was when he was asked directly about whether his conscience is clear from his own time at city and he gave a one-word answer and that was yes. Um, apart from that though, did not want to engage with it. And of course that is absolutely his right, his prerogative and quite a few managers across the Premier League have taken that same approach today to the City case and they just want to avoid it clearly and want to avoid fanning the flames any further. But I do think it's fair for some supporters to feel a little bit disappointed by that response. Certainly in the case of Arsenal, a club who really have been, I would say, one of the big victims of what City did in that period. You look at the players that City signed from Arsenal Vegas team and the damage that did, the way they really targeted Arsenal in that period and also obviously ever since the point of 2018 and the the benefits that City have had as a club since and the way they've won titles against an Arsenal team on many occasions. So, I think some fans would be entitled to expect more because we should remember this that this is not just the clubs that have been done harshly or or been guilt victims of City's wrongdoing. It's also fans. It's it's us three. It's people watching this from home. It is anyone who's watched the game on TV. Anyone who's gone to watch a match in the stands. Everything we've seen has been built on a foundation which we've now learned from an independent commission was full of wrongdoing. So, I can understand why some fans would want to see their manager, the person who represents them, represents their club, sharing some of their frustration and expressing some of the emotion and showing that understanding of how big a problem this is and how much of a shadow it has cast over the past 15 years of football. But, Aleta did not want to go there and neither did quite a few other managers. >> Yeah, you're right. It's been such a big blow to to many fans, many football fans, not just those at City. Um, Sam Mark, thank you for the moment. Just a reminder though that Manchester City are appealing this decision and maintain that they have a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence which will clear their name. Okay, we're going to take a quick break now. When we come back, we'll be looking at more of the sports stories [music] in the morning's papers, including this in the times as the Lioness's win, but ru [music] putting the tie to bed in Greece as they look to qualify for the World Cup. Welcome back to [music] paper talk. Mark Ogden from ESPN. Sam Dean from the Telegraph still alongside me. Let's take you to the times now. We're going to be talking at the Lioness's. It was a good win for England in Greece. 3-1 winners. They were as they win this crucial first leg in the World Cup qualification playoff. Obviously trying to qualify for the World Cup next summer. goals from Georgia Stanway, Mayaier, and Arsenal fan favorite Allesia Russo. But after the match, uh Mark Serena Vman, the head coach, basically said, "Yeah, it was a good win, but we wanted more. We wanted more fluidity. We wanted more goals, and she's annoyed that they conceded that goal as well." Um, no compromise on standards for the double European champions. Yeah, I think that's fair enough because obviously England are in this position because they they finished second in a very tough group. Obviously Spain won the group and Spain, but it was a 4-nil defeat in Spain early this year and I think that that is where where Sina was coming from that England have to get back to that level if they're going to compete at the World Cup next year. And I think obviously England will beat Greece in the second leg. They'll qualify for the next leg of the playoff. I think they've got Slovakia or Ukraine. So again, they should qualify, but qualifying for a World Cup is not where it's at for for the line's. It's all about getting to the final and potentially winning it. So I mean I was in Sydney for the last World Cup final against Spain that again it was one of those nights where you think Spain again you know Spain in in the men's game the women's game it's always Spain isn't it? But Spain on that occasion showed they were better than England then again during the qualifier. So there's a real rivalry there but if England are going to challenge Spain again next year they have to retain that or regain that level they had when they won the Euros after losing the World Cup final. So I can understand Serena Vman's point. You know Greece is again they should easily have won and they did win obviously in the end but not handsomely enough. But I don't think there's anything to worry about in terms of getting to the the playoff final. But again, England will get to the World Cup, but they can't just get there as as a team hoping to get to the knockout stages. They have to be a contender and to for that to happen, Serena Vig was right. They have to raise their standards and get back to the levels they showed, you know, by winning two euros and getting to the World Cup final last time. >> Yeah. Also reflected in the Guardian top left of the page, England in control. Leticier on target in playoffs. And for the Manchester United captain, Mayissier, she scored her first England goal. So, a big night for her. But, um, yes, Sam, Mark's right, I suppose. 26 shots England had in this match, only the three goals. Um, are you as confident as he is that they will get through this tie now that they've 3-1 up from the first leg and then have to get through a second playoff match as well against Ukraine or Slovakia as Mark says. >> Yeah, I think it's most likely to be Ukraine. I think they've come through their first leg too in a similar fashion to England. Um, I do share Mark's confidence just based on the golf in quality really between the two teams. I think they're 55 places apart in the in the FIFA ranking. So, it's it's not a fair fight in terms of quality of player and in terms of resources. So, I think England will have enough, but I do I do share Mark Mark's view that it's one t