David Dein has already shared what he wants to happen with Man City and their charges
Manchester City’s financial charges are the talk of the Premier League at the moment.
In case you somehow missed it, City have been found guilty on 114 breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules, and, awaiting appeal, a hefty punishment could be coming their way.
Arsenal have a vested interest here, as the Gunners could be due some compensation, or even potentially be awarded some extra Premier League titles based on this ruling.
Arsene Wenger called this out years ago, but, interestingly, another legendary Arsenal figure has a different view on this matter.
Indeed, 18 months ago, former Arsenal chairman, David Dein, shared his verdict on what should happen here with City.
David Dein would let Man City off
Speaking to The Times, Dein shared a rather radical view on what he thinks should happen with City.
Dein reckons that the entire rulebook should be ripped up and there be a general amnesty across the Premier League before new guidelines are created.
“I am very uncomfortable with the bickering that is going on at the moment, much of it over Financial Fair Play,” Dein said. “I want to see the children playing nicely in the playground. At the moment it’s not happening. Whatever little I can do to ameliorate that situation, I am happy to do.
“Personally I think the rules as they are now should be scrapped and we should start again with a new formula. At the moment it is not working. Man City recently had a case against the Premier League which they won. Now there’s going to be another case, and after that we will have the decision on the 115 charges.
“Every club that goes to a Premier League meeting now brings a lawyer with them. I watched the Liverpool v Aston Villa game recently and it was a fantastic advert for the game. I want people talking about the football, not swamped by legal issues. You’ve got the league taking action against their own members, that doesn’t sit well with me.
“I know the game has moved on from the time when I would have blazing rows with Ken Bates or Ron Noades or Sam Hammam [the former owners of Chelsea, Crystal Palace, and Wimbledon and Cardiff City respectively] and afterwards we would have a cup of tea and shake hands.”
“That’s what I would do (have a general amnesty and start again under new rules). That’s what I think it needs but the legal action has a life of its own now and it is taking up a lot of Premier League time. It is costing the league £50million and I would rather see that money going into grassroots football. What’s happening is crazy.”
This is a radical solution, but, in a way, we can see where Dein is coming from.
The current rules may not be fit for purpose – in any other business owners can pump as much money as they want in to improve their workforce, why is sport any different?
Of course, Dein’s suggestion is very unlikely to be the outcome we see, but it is interesting to hear this point of view from someone who knows a lot about these sorts of things.