Kieran Maguire: Man City will be ‘absolutely delighted’ amid ‘Government lobbying’ claim
Man City will be “absolutely delighted” that the new UK Government is not keen on the Fan-Led Review of Football Governance.
That is the view of finance guru Kieran Maguire, speaking exclusively to Football Insider about the future of the groundbreaking report.
The Fan-Led Review was received warmly by analysts and supporters upon its release in November last year, but the reception from Premier League clubs was more muted.
The list of 47 recommendations was compiled by Conservative MP and former sports minister Tracey Crouch.
Crouch’s colleague Liz Truss was announced as leader of the party and prime minister on Monday (5 September), and the ultimate fate of the review now rests in her hands.
The Mirror reported last Friday that, despite having previously backed the charter, Truss is now unsympathetic towards the Fan-Led Review.
Maguire claims that the Premier League elite will be thrilled if Truss’s camp rows back on the dossier.
“The Premier League have been using lobbyists to dilute the recommendations of the Fan-Led Review since it was published,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“So, if the new prime minister decides to go ahead and either not proceed with the recommendations or put them through in such a way that is mere tokenism, then all of the big clubs will be absolutely delighted.
“They have vested interests in the game being controlled by them rather than a broader outlook. I’m sure Man City will include themselves in that.”
More rigorous owners’ and directors’ tests, an independent regulator, and parity for the women’s game are a mong the proposals of the Fan-Led Review.
Another recommendation, supporter boards, has already been implemented by some clubs.
In other news, pundit suggests Romeo Lavia could rejoin Man City after journalist’s £40m reveal.