Premier League managers react to Manchester City verdict as Glasner warns over league integrity
Oliver Glasner has warned that the Premier League's integrity is at stake in the Manchester City case, as managers across the division were asked about the verdict for the first time ahead of the weekend's fixtures.
The league returns after a three-week break, during which an independent commission found City guilty of almost all of the charges relating to breaches of its financial regulations.
The judgment remains subject to appeal, and sanctions are yet to be determined. Enzo Maresca's side visit Liverpool on Sunday.
Ahead of the weekend, several Premier League managers were asked at their press conferences for opinion.
Oliver Glasner: 'As soon as the fans can't trust it, they won't watch it anymore'
The Nottingham Forest boss called for a speedy resolution, saying the damage stretches well beyond England.
"My wish is just that this is quick. I think this must be (completed) as soon as possible. There is still damage for the Premier League, not just in England. It's a big topic all over the world, especially in Europe. The most important thing is the integrity of the league because as soon as the fans can't trust it, they won't watch it anymore."
Sunderland's Regis Le Bris struck a similar tone, urging the authorities to be "relentless" in upholding the rules, though he had no specific sanction in mind.
"The relevant authorities have to be relentless, otherwise you lose the value of your competition. So we'll see," Le Bris said.
Lampard and Alonso hold back
Frank Lampard, the Coventry City head coach and a former City player, insisted he does not "have an opinion" on the verdict, but said it would be "difficult" to strip players of their trophies.
"I think it would be very hard to take someone's title away as a player individually, as I think they should be in your head as opposed to in this beautiful glass cabinet or whatever. I know there are some who do that," Lampard said.
Bournemouth's Marco Rose refused to be drawn. "I do not have all the information," he said.
"I trust in the guys who are involved in these kinds of things and situations and then we will see what happens. I'm a football coach not a politician."
Chelsea's Xabi Alonso also preached patience: "For sure, there is a decision. But we need to be patient and wait for the final sanctions from the panel. They are independent enough to assess all the situations. Whatever I say, they are the ones who have to take it."
Carrick and Mourinho on the titles they lost
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick, who was on the pitch at Sunderland when Sergio Aguero won the 2011-12 title for City on goal difference, said the feeling of that moment cannot be returned. "Once that's done, there's no getting that back in any direction," he said.
On Thursday, Real Madrid coach José Mourinho, whose United side finished second to City in 2017-18, joked to Corriere dello Sport that he may not live to see the end of the case.
"I would rather laugh about it. I think we will eventually get an ending, but we are both in our 60s and we'll need to be lucky enough to still be around when the final verdict arrives. There will be a verdict, then appeals, then more appeals."
City have appealed and say they have "irrefutable evidence" of their innocence. ESPN has reported that a timeframe is in place for the case to be resolved by the end of this season.
