Former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany questioned the motives of the club’s critics after the reigning champions were hit with more than 100 breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules.
On Monday the Premier League made the bombshell announcement regarding an unprecedented array of charges relating to a period between 2009 and 2018, with potential punishments if the club is found guilty ranging from fines to relegation.
Kompany, who won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups and four League Cups during an 11-year spell at the Etihad Stadium, would not comment directly on the charges laid at his former employers’ doors, insisting he had not had time to get into it while preparing for Burnley’s 2-1 FA Cup win over Ipswich.
But, asked if anything could tarnish his memories of what he and his former team-mates achieved at City, the Burnley boss said: “I kind of look at it and sometimes roll my eyes a little bit.
“No doubt there’s a lot of righteousness in the world to come and tell you what you’ve done wrong, and then if everybody looks at themselves, I think the football industry in general is not one that can afford to point the finger too many times.
“I think all of you will have a little bit of a smile on your face to know what the football industry is about. I’m very sceptical when people start pointing fingers.
“Do the best for yourself and let’s try and improve all the time but I’m a little bit sceptical when the fingers get pointed easily.”
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Kompany said he had not listened or read about the specifics of the case as he is fully focused on Burnley, who will now switch attention back to their bid to earn automatic promotion from the Championship.
“The fixtures actually help me because I’ve had no time to look into it or feel emotionally connected to what’s happening,” Kompany said.
PL clubs want Man City kicked out of league if guilty
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Many Premier League clubs want Manchester City to be kicked out of the division if they are found guilty of breaking rules over nine seasons.
City said on Monday they were “surprised” to have been charged by the Premier League with 101 alleged breaches of financial rules.
The Premier League’s most severe punishment in these circumstances would be to expel City and it has been reported that the English Football League would be under no obligation to accept them.
There is a feeling that taking away City’s titles retrospectively would be meaningless and cause confusion, but a fine is also not likely to have much of an effect.
The clubs who had been pressing hardest for action until Monday were some other members of the so-called ‘big six’ – which includes Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham.
There will not be much sympathy for City, who have won the Premier League six times in the last 11 years, if they are found guilty.
Premier League clubs do not want to get involved in the process, which is in the hands of an independent commission.
What have Man City been charged with?
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Manchester City are alleged to have breached league rules requiring provision “in utmost good faith” of “accurate financial information that gives a true and fair view of the club’s financial position”.
The league says the accurate financial information required related to “revenue (including sponsorship revenue), its related parties and its operating costs”.
The second set of breaches listed refers to alleged breaking of rules “requiring a member club to include full details of manager remuneration in its relevant contracts with its manager” related to seasons 2009-10 to 2012-13 inclusive.
The club’s manager between December 2009 and May 2013 was current Italy boss Roberto Mancini.
The second set of alleged breaches also refers to requirements for a club to include full details of player remuneration within the relevant contracts, for the seasons 2010-11 to 2015-16 inclusive.
The third section deals with alleged breaches of Premier League rules requiring clubs to comply with UEFA financial fair play regulations, between 2013-14 to 2017-18.
In 2020, Man City had a two-year ban from European football overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), after being handed a suspension by UEFA’s club financial control body (CFCB) in February 2020 for “serious breaches” of club licensing and financial fair play regulations.
The fourth set of alleged breaches relates to the Premier League’s profitability and sustainability rules in seasons 2015-16 to 2017-18 inclusive.
Finally, the club are alleged to have breached league rules requiring member clubs to co-operate with and assist the Premier League with its investigations, from December 2018 to date.
The Premier League – which opened its investigation in March 2019 – has referred the alleged offences to an independent commission.
