Former Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha has warned Enzo Maresca and his players that they will be in the firing line following the guilty verdict from the independent commission. City were found guilty of all but one of the charges brought by the Premier League, but the club have lodged an appeal against that verdict.
Abuse directed at women's team
Onuoha says Manchester City Women were on the receiving end of 'inappropriate' abuse ahead of their Women's Super League clash with Charlton. The 39-year-old has family who work with the women's team and says it was a tough night for them, with the news breaking before that match.
Speaking via the Sun, Onuoha said: "The news broke as the women’s team were on the way to London. I know this from people who travelled with them - they were shocked, they weren’t expecting it."
"They got to Euston and there was a bus there with a City badge on. When they arrived at the hotel, some of the stuff being said, to call it inappropriate would be an understatement."
Consequences for the club
Onuoha added: "There are people in the set-up who have had nothing to do with what this is all about. But they are having to live with that, it comes as a consequence. Their job is ten times harder."
"Every time they wear that kit, travel on that bus, people are going to want to ask about it."
The former centre-half came through the youth ranks at City and made over 100 appearances before joining QPR, playing against his former club in that infamous Sergio Aguero title-winning moment.
Geopolitical implications
Onuoha continued: "The most difficult part is not knowing what will happen. With every day that passes, you hear more. It was already the biggest story in the history of the Premier League."
"But now you're hearing Andy Burnham, treasuries, tax, investments. It's turned geopolitical."
Prime Minister Andy Burnham previously said he would be really concerned to see Man City's owners sell up, having worked closely with them during his time as mayor of Manchester. He said: "Well, I would be really concerned to lose them. They've been such a huge partner in the building of modern Manchester. Obviously, the building of Manchester City into the global force that it is."
"I can't intervene more in the process. It would be wrong for me to do that. It would be wrong, I think, to jump to a conclusion before having really studied all of the detail, but obviously it's ongoing, and because it's still contested by Manchester City, then I think it's right that I don't say much more."
