Ian Wright has insisted Manchester City must be stripped of all their titles after reports the club were found guilty of the vast majority of the 115 charges against them.
The case, which looked into financial rule breaches by the Manchester club, has belatedly reached a conclusion. It remains to be seen how City are punished and whether close rival clubs claim to be effective winners of the trophies City won ahead of them during the period in question.
Wright's verdict on City's punishment
Speaking to ITV ahead of England’s Nations League opener against Spain on Saturday, the former Arsenal striker was asked where the situation leaves English football.
“Not very good, if we’re going to be totally honest. Going back to what Rodri said, going shoulder to shoulder with the guys, of course you can’t take that away from them. They experienced that. But they should take that away from them,” Wright said.
“They should be punished for it, because they may have been able to experience those times together, but when you look at the teams that tried to chase them, they were doing it right. It’s not right. What could [Jurgen] Klopp and Liverpool have experienced?
“They cheated to get it done, and [other team’s] players have missed out on that. Players have missed out on unbelievable opportunities for themselves. I’m glad we have finally got there.”
Keane and Rodri react
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane added: “Whatever they have won over the last few years, they deserve to be punished.
“Where that should start and finish is difficult, but they were cheating. They were found guilty of it. They have to take their medicine now. To be found guilty of 114 of the charges, big news, it was.”
On Friday, the day the news broke, former City captain Rodri spoke at a Wembley press conference ahead of England versus Spain and was asked for his reaction to the news.
“They cannot take it off us,” the former Ballon d’Or winner maintained. “It is something that is not paid by money.
“It is paid by effort, hardship, being shoulder to shoulder every day. I can only tell you that everything was deserved, and I’m glad I could live one of the best eras in English football.”
