The week since Manchester City were found guilty of all financial charges laid by the Premier League has brought a wave of cathartic ridicule, from Instagram posts to pizza brand trolling. But beyond the banter, a serious question looms: what is the right punishment for a club whose success was built on cheating?
There are no real precedents, and emotions are still raw. The debate has drawn philosophical comparisons, with some invoking Kant, Hegel, Durkheim, and Bentham on the purpose of punishment. Yet the practical options are limited, and the consequences are geopolitical as much as sporting.
Abu Dhabi counteroffensive
While City launched their appeal, Etihad Airways threatened to sue the Premier League over the verdict's "damaging implications," and UAE officials warned of diplomatic fallout and billions in investment at risk. These are, in effect, the same entity, a reminder that state-controlled clubs turn football decisions into matters of diplomacy.
Andy Burnham faced pressure this week after defending City's owners, before appearing to backtrack. The case has also raised questions about the integrity of the sport, with the FA warning of major implications.
Restitution over retribution
Jonathan Liew proposes two guiding principles: first, that rewriting history by reassigning trophies is unserious; second, that punishment should target owners, not fans. Fans, he argues, are also victims of a grand deception, and forcing the club out of existence would cost everyone at the top of English football money.
Instead, Liew suggests a radical solution: requisitioning the club, nationalising it, and eventually giving it back to its fans. He notes that Manchester City Council owns the Etihad Stadium, and a report suggests City may owe HMRC up to £12m in unpaid tax over the Roberto Mancini contract.
A new ownership model
The state already owns parks, motorways, and museums, and has taken over failing train companies and banks. The ambition, Liew argues, should be to give the club back to its people, with fans having a genuine voice in its running.
None of this is likely to happen, he admits, but the case should prompt a reimagining of English football's ownership model. "City are not the disease, but the symptom," he writes, and the crisis should not be wasted.
