Pochettino slams Man City after verdict: “A period of deceit” | OneFootball

Mauricio Pochettino sharply questioned the impact of the Manchester City case and cast doubt on the effectiveness of the Premier League’s financial controls after the verdict of an independent tribunal.

United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino spoke about the case involving Manchester City and questioned what happened with the Premier League’s oversight mechanisms during the period under investigation.

The Argentine coach, who has extensive experience in English football after managing Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea, addressed the issue during a press conference ahead of the United States’ friendly against Chile.

Pochettino: “There was a period of deception”

Pochettino focused not only on the possible sporting consequences of the case, but also on the impact it would have on the teams that competed during those years under the established rules.

“Everything is left very clouded, and it is very difficult to draw a conclusion. If it is true, then there was a period of deception, so with any punishment it is impossible to go back. The Premier League’s controls are left very damaged,” he said.

The Argentine believes the situation could raise doubts about the way the rules were applied to the different clubs in the competition.

“Many clubs followed the rules and others did not, thinking that perhaps the punishment would come many years later,” he added.

He recalls his time at Tottenham

Pochettino’s comments were also linked to his experience in charge of Tottenham. The Argentine recalled the financial restrictions he had to deal with during his time at the London club while competing against teams with greater spending power.

“The most important thing is not knowing who broke the rules or who didn’t, but where were the controls? That is what attracts my attention the most,” he explained.

“I remember being at Tottenham, building the stadium, and not having the financial ability to make signings. I think it was the only team in Premier League history to go 18 months without being able to make a signing.”

Pochettino recalled that, despite those limitations, Tottenham still managed to compete for titles and reach the latter stages of the Champions League.

“If a club like us, which was fighting for titles with other teams in the Top 4, reaching a Champions League semifinal without being able to make signings because we had to adapt to the rules set by the Premier League—how were those controls so strict with us and so lax with some others? It is all very strange,” he said.

“How do you repay everything that was damaged?”

The coach also questioned how any harm suffered by clubs during the period under investigation could be repaired in sporting terms.

“What is going to happen? A financial punishment, a points deduction? It is very difficult. Honestly, it is very sad, because in the end we enter a situation where what was celebrated was not so real, what seemed good perhaps was not so good, and what did not seem good was actually good but could not be because something else was broken,” he said.

Pochettino insisted that the problem, from his perspective, goes beyond any possible sanction.

“We lived through a period in which sporting justice did not exist, so how do you repay everything that was damaged?” he asked.

The coach ended his reflection by expressing hope that the process will help strengthen oversight mechanisms in English football.

“Hopefully this will serve to make things as fair as possible in the future, and that everyone, through their own ability, has a fair chance to compete. We will remain calm, waiting to see what happens,” he concluded.

The Premier League announced in 2023 that it had referred Manchester City to an independent commission over alleged breaches related to financial information and cooperation with the investigation. The process includes the possibility of sanctions and appeal mechanisms.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.