Didn't get any of their top midfield targets.
No Left back or defender
No striker or winger
Couldn't sell Ice cream on a hot day
Let countless stories of spending big fly all summer & delivered a shitshow
2/10 = Board needs sacking
🚨🚨🚨Very remarkable that the @FA_PGMOL selects Michael Oliver for the FA Cup Final -- despite it appearing to be a possible breach of the FA's "Regulations for the Registration and Control of Referees".
🔺A referee has an obligation to decline an appointment if he has a "material interest" conflicting with his duties.
🔺Does Michael Oliver have a material conflict of interest? Oliver has -- this season -- accepted what reportedly was a well paid assignment from Manchester City's owner.
Is this material? A Premier League referee can of course not be on the payroll of an owner of a PL club playing in one of the game he is reffing. An auditor who works as a referee on the side and has a client that is a football club, cannot ref a game involving that team. It is different if your cousin's son play for a team or something like that, in which case it could be argued that it is not material. But it speaks for itself in relation to the Premier League, that a ref can't work for one of the owner of a PL club.
What was Oliver paid for his work in the UAE? Say that it was first class tickets to Abu Dahbi, three nights in a five star hotel, and £5,000 for "90 minutes of work" -- I cannot see how anyone could find that it is not 'material'. What would the threshold be, "you can accept payments from an owner of a PL club as long as it is under £50k?"
If Michael Oliver becomes the public enemy No 1 of City after awarding three incorrect penalties to MUFC -- does he get another offer to call games for the UAE Pro League next season?
So what is the problem? Is there any question-marks if the UAE Pro League is controlled by City's owner, Sheikh Mansour, who is the deputy prime minister of the UAE and a core member of the ruling royal family?
It is generally stated that it is not possible in the UAE to separate different parts of government even from the private business sector. KC Murray Rosen -- who is the chair of the PL's Independent Disciplinary Commission handling the City Case -- could for this reason never accept an assignment from the UAE to say prepare a draft for a new constitution or whatever, while being in charge of the City case. It wouldn't even be considered for three seconds. A government official in charge of a large multi billion public procurement for which Sheik Mansour have made a bid, could never accept well paid side job from the UAE while considering Mansour's bid, without facing grave risk of breaking the law. It is unthinkable that this would be accepted. I am not an expert on English law, if anyone familiar with these issues in the UK think I am on thin ice here, let me know.
🔺So why did Howard Webb tell Michael Oliver that he could take the job? And does it matter? First of all, I think Howard Webb should answer this question. Maybe he didn't know that City was owned by the deputy prime minister of the UAE? He was a good ref, maybe geography, politics or whatever isn't one of his strengths... I just cannot imagine that Webb even would consider telling a Michael Oliver that it was OK for him to say accept an offer of 20k from the Glazers to fly to Florida and call a charity game arranged by the Glazers.
But I don't know know the reasons for why he accepted it, I am just speculating.
But does it matter if Webb gave a green light? Of course not, it is completely irrelevant, at least as far as I can tell. Michael Oliver must comply with the FA's fundamental rules for referees. Howard Webb appears to have zero authority to set aside these rules.
And I have said it before, I am very surprised that a PL ref even would consider accepting an assignment from the owner of a PL club. How can they not realize how problematic that is?
🔺But surely, Michael Oliver -- will -- be impartial? But it is completely irrelevant. This is because the Conflict of Interest rules does not exist exclusively to ensure impartiality, it is deemed to be just as important to safe guard the integrity of the game. Let say that it came out that Howard Webb while being a PL ref had been paid 5m by J.P. McManus for a side gig while McManus was the majority owner of Manchester United -- it would significantly damage the integrity of the game, regardless if Webb called every game in an impartial way and never felt any obligation towards Mr. McManus.
🔺From my viewpoint, this is clearly a very problematic issue and I have to say that I think that it is remarkable that the the PGMOL -- in light of the above -- still appoints Michael Oliver to referee the FA Cup Final when Manchester City is playing in it.
The Glazer family is preparing to formally announce its intention to examine potential sources of outside investment that could include a full-blown auction of arguably the world's most famous football club. [Sky News] #mufc
Tables still available for Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th! Make sure you book ASAP to avoid disappointment. This maybe your last time to enjoy an amazing Indian, a pint or a glass of wine indoors! Because we all know how the Government is… (shambles)
To book call 01454773301
Big announcement from us at the Royal Raj! From Tuesday 3rd of August we will be launching our Cocktail menu. It would be rude not to start off with our 2 for £14 deal. This will on be on Tuesday nights! #RoyalRaj#ExquisiteCuisine#Winterbourne#Bristol#RoyalRajWinterbourne
This is how it works!
💜 Poppadom (1 each & chutneys are included).
💜 Any starter off our Banquet Menu.
💜 Any Main dish off our Banquet Menu.
💜 Any Rice, Side dish or Naan bread.
💜 Coffee or Ice Cream (Mango or Pistachio Kulfi or Coconut Supreme.) #RoyalRaj
#VIP New table at the #RoyalRaj 💜 Available for booking! Be quick seating is limited, especially for this exclusive table it is booked in weeks advance! Don’t be disappointed! #RoyalRajWinterbourne
Just an update of what’s going to happen! We are hoping if guidelines stay as normal we will be back open for dining in on 17th May💜
Phone lines for reservation will be open from 1st May! #RoyalRaj
@ManUtd Sym and forget your apology, we know you don’t mean it. Do one better and sell the club to someone that wants to win on the pitch and not just worry about their pockets! #GlazersOut
Final stretch now, 4 weeks until we can open for dining in again! We are taking bookings from the 17th May💜
But for now we are still open for collections and deliveries! We are open from 5pm-10pm. Last orders at 9:30pm! Collection orders get 10% discount as usual & deliveries