Former footballer and popular pundit Ian Wright has reacted strongly to Manchester City's guilty verdict for financial misconduct. Speaking on The Overlap podcast, he delivered a scathing critique of the club's hierarchy.
The scale of this is simply industrial – it's outright cheating.
I can't stop thinking about City and where they started. They had the money to be patient, but they wanted it all, and they wanted it fast. They consciously went down this route to manipulate the books, to place themselves in a position to challenge Manchester United. They've taken a completely wrong path.
The more I think about this, the sadder I feel. Fans have every right to enjoy what they’ve achieved, as they've been told nothing bad is happening.
I have nothing but disgust for the owners and what they’ve done. These are very, very wealthy individuals. They could have played by the rules but chose not to because it’s just a project for the amusement of their vanity.
I always hoped for the sake of City, their players, and fans that they were innocent, so they could enjoy their achievements. We've praised this team for years – watching them has been brilliant, and they have some fantastic players.
But they cheated. That’s just how it is.
They couldn't care less about English football or what fans think. They just wanted to win for the sake of PR. It's just nonsense.
