Former Premier League manager Jesse Marsch has claimed “everyone knew” about Manchester City’s rampant flouting of league rules, as world football’s most shocking cheating scandal rumbles on.
City are facing hefty sanctions, including major points deductions, relegation from the top flight and having the club’s powerful Saudi owners removed, after the league alleged they used “sham” contracts to inflate their revenue and underline their costs by billions of dollars over nearly a decade.
Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1.
While City have launched an appeal, Marsch, who formerly managed Premier League rivals Leeds United, told The Guardian that knowledge of the club’s cheating was widespread, if unspoken.
“I think Man City should be punished severely,” he said.
“I think they should have to go down, and by the way, everyone knew about it. Everyone knew.”
Now managing the Canadian men’s national team, Marsch, who was sacked by Leeds in early 2023 with the club about to be relegated to the Championship, said City’s claims of profit during his time in charge aroused suspicion.
Man City appeal financial charges | 01:08
In the same City won the Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.
“That summer (2022), us and Man City were the only teams that said we made money,” he said.
“For us, we did make money, because we sold Raphinha, we sold Kalvin Phillips.
“We had a lot left over from what we bought. At the time, we weren’t in a position financially to not save. Our ownership didn’t have deep pockets.
“Whereas when Man City says this, I was literally like, ‘Are you kidding me? Is this some kind of joke?’”
Adding to Marsch’s anger is City’s signing of star striker Erling Haaland, who Leeds had also pursued.
“When they said they got Erling Haaland for £52m, it’s like: ‘Yeah, OK, sure!’” he said.
“I knew there were inconsistencies in it, but what can you do? You just put your arms in the air and go, ‘This is football’.”
However, Marsch’s claims allege improprieties well after the 2009-2018 period in which City have been found guilty of 114 of 115 charges.
An independent commission found deals agreed by City artificially inflated revenues and reduced costs by more than £900 million ($1.2 billion) during a period in which they won three Premier League titles and other silverware.
It also found the club had concealed the true state of its finances, saying City were “significantly in breach of both the Premier League’s and UEFA’s spending limits”, and that they had arranged “sham” commercial deals with a number of sponsors as part of a “disguised funding scheme”.
The club confirmed last week that they would appeal the damning verdict.
“The club’s firm position is that, on multiple grounds, the opinion contains clear material errors, of law, principle and fact and is unsafe,” a statement reads.
“The club is innocent of the accusations made by the Premier League and a comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence exists in support of all of its positions, relating to this case.”