The Premier League levied charges against Manchester City for more than 100 suspected FFP violations.
Guardiola casts an eye over training. (Image: Manchester City FC via Getty Images)
In these uncertain and unprecedented times, seven perfectly-scripted words from Pep Guardiola have offered Manchester City the strength and stability needed to navigate stormy waters ahead.
“I am not moving from this seat,” declared Guardiola during his pre-match press conference. Football and City’s upcoming Premier League showdown with Aston Villa have taken a back seat as the dust continues to settle on jaw-dropping financial allegations levelled at the English champions.
Not for the first time, City and their financial dealings have been placed under the microscope. And not for the first time, it has been Guardiola who has been landed with the job of the club’s de facto mouthpiece – only there was a shift in stance from the Catalan when he faced the world’s media on Friday afternoon.
“The future is lunch-time after this marvellous press conference,” said Guardiola. “Aston Villa and after Arsenal and the Champions League is around the corner. This is the future, I would say.”
Try as he might, Guardiola could not divert the subject back onto on-field matters for too long as City, barring their punchy statement on Monday afternoon, responded for the first time to being hit with those 100 or more charges by the Premier League which has brought a succession of ifs, buts and maybes.
If proven – and IF remains the operative word for those outside who have already “sentenced” the club – there are any number of punishments waiting to be dished out including fines, points deductions and even expulsion from domestic competition. But there was one bleaker scenario, still.
From the moment these charges burst into the public domain, speculation over Guardiola and his future at the Etihad Stadium was rife. Some bookmakers even had him as odds-on to leave this campaign.
When addressing FFP question marks previously, the 53-year-old threatened to quit if he had been lied to or deceived by key figures at the top with regards to finances. But the Catalan has now opted for a different line of attack – or should that be defence?
“I am not moving from this seat, I can assure you. I want to stay more than ever. After many, many years in the Premier League I do not want to move on.”
Guardiola spoke passionately during his pre-match press conference. (Image: Matt McNulty – Manchester City/Manchester City FC via Getty Images.)
It feels like City against the rest and Guardiola has been there before. In creating this siege mentality, that can benefit his side on the pitch as they maintain their latest quest for silverware but, more importantly, it will give the club a real platform to help contest these charges.
Guardiola spoke passionately and with defiance about FFP and the response from outside, maintaining that he staunchly believes City to be innocent despite the continued, heavy-handed finger-pointing, although he ought not to be in this position. This really is and should not be his battle to fight.
However, in order to preserve calm from within – despite vast outside – Guardiola has taken it upon himself to stand up to these allegations and those who (might) have prompted them. It was the leadership that everyone associated with the club desperately needed.
What will be will be in the coming months or years, but Guardiola staying put and making his presence felt on such an alarming and serious matter has alleviated the immediate concern for supporters; potentially going on without him. But the FFP baton must now be passed on.
source: www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk
