Jamie Carragher calls for years-long Man City punishment after financial verdict
Jamie Carragher believes Manchester City should face punishment lasting several seasons if their appeal against the independent commission’s guilty verdict fails.
Man City were found guilty of serious Premier League financial breaches covering a nine-season period, with the commission finding that the club had used “sham” commercial arrangements to artificially inflate revenues and reduce costs.
Man City have rejected the findings and formally appealed.
Punishment should be substantial
Carragher believes a punishment lasting only one season would fail to reflect the length of time over which the breaches took place.
“I think the punishment, whatever it should be, I don't think it can be a one-off punishment for one season, because this has gone on for years and years,” he told Sky Sports News.
“So I think the punishment should go on for years and years.”
The former Liverpool defender also wants the sanctions process completed during the current campaign, rather than allowing Man City to enter another season before the consequences of the verdict are known.
READ MORE: Man City deemed guilty of all 115 financial breaches after independent commission ruling
Process shouldn’t go on for long
“It has to be done this season, because Man City need to be affected for next season,” Carragher said.
His comments come as the Premier League prepares for the next stage of the case.
Man City lodged their appeal on October 2, with the challenge set to be heard by a separate three-person Appeal Board.
The sanction hearing will take place separately before the independent commission.
Carragher believes the scale of the alleged wrongdoing makes a short-term punishment insufficient.
Guilty of all alleged breaches
The commission found Man City guilty of all charges relating to serious breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules and concluded that the club had significantly breached both Premier League and UEFA spending limits.
It also found Man City had failed to cooperate and act in good faith during the league’s investigation.
Carragher added that allowing Man City to continue unaffected could cast a shadow over the current title race.
“It'll almost make the Premier League of this season, the title to be won would be a sham, if Man City went on to win that league with what we know has gone on,” he said.
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