Crime and Punishment
The Game
The Times
3.2 • 1.5K Ratings
🗓️ 23 November 2023
⏱️ 69 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Gregor Robertson is joined by Jonathan Northcroft, Tony Cascarino and Martin Samuel for heated discussion on the murky world of football finance and governance. As Everton face a ten point deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules, the team ask, does the punishment fit the crime? The answer is a resounding no! But why is that, is it a level playing field and what are the wider implications for clubs such as Manchester City and Chelsea. After a quick look at the vote on multi club ownership models finally some actual football and a look ahead to the big game at the weekend, as Manchester City take on Liverpool.
Timeline
2’ internationals. Learnt nothing from England. But Italy Ukraine…a shocking decision and Martin thinks something stinks.
4’ Head of UEFA said Italy not qualifying would be a disaster. Why are officials saying who they want to progress.
Everton points deduction
8’ The facts, what were Everton penalised for?
10’ FFP is a construct of the riches clubs to keep the status quo.
12’ no such thing as organic growth because the best teams cherry pick the best players from smaller clubs. Inward investment to beat that system should not be punished.
15’ Everton have had a go and have been punished.
18’ why are the rules there, are they doing what they are supposed to do?
20’ the commission agreed it wasn’t an attempt to cheat, just poor management, but without danger to the club. The punishment doesn’t fit the crime.
21’ the commission portrayed Everton as ‘continually reckless.’
22’ Premier league stopped working with Everton, why?
24’ will there be, or should there be an independent regulator.
27’ What is the alternative? Unfettered spending, so long as it isn’t based on debt.
29’ is this punishment going to kill the under dog story? An arbitrary construct.
33’ We want two things in football, clubs not going into debt and going bust and healthy competition.
35’ Man City charges…being bogged down by expensive lawyers.
38’ pick a team of lawyers because they’ll decide who wins what, but they’ll do it in five years time.
41’ City charges.
Vote to NOT ban signing players from associated clubs
49’ similar issue and touches on self regulation.
52’ need a robust set of loan regulations.
Historic agent issues
58’ The FA are looking into a breach from 2008 when Jermaine Defoe left Portsmouth to go to Spurs.
City v Liverpool
1’02’ Every player who has come in to the midfield has been an upgrade.
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Transcript
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| 0:45.0 | avante west coast feel good travel. Hello and welcome to the game podcast from The Times. Today we are delving into the murky world of |
| 1:04.6 | football's finances. We'll be discussing the huge news that Everton have been handed a |
| 1:09.5 | 10-point deduction for and others. We'll also be discussing the vote by Premier League Clubs not to ban signing |
| 1:25.5 | players from related clubs in the January transfer window. A vote won by Shock Horror, a group of |
| 1:31.4 | clubs linked to multi-club ownership models. |
| 1:35.0 | We'll also be speaking about the exclusive investigation by The Times published this week, |
| 1:39.6 | which revealed that an unlicensed agent is alleged to have been used in the transfer of Germain de Foe from |
| 1:44.9 | spurs to Portsmouth in 2008. |
| 1:48.1 | If that sounds like old news, in the same year Luton Town were docked 10 points for breaking agent regulations. |
| 1:55.2 | And if we've got any time left after all that meaty stuff, we'll maybe even find a few minutes |
| 1:59.7 | to talk about some actual football, and an absolute cracker in store in the |
| 2:03.4 | Premier League this weekend between first and second |
| 2:05.9 | Manchester City versus Liverpool. I'm Greg Robertson here with me to discuss all of |
| 2:11.1 | that are the chief correspondent for The Times and |
| 2:13.6 | Sunday Times Martin Samuel, the football correspondent for the Sunday Times |
... |
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