Harry Redknapp has called for Manchester City to face a serious punishment following the Premier League’s verdict on the club’s financial breaches, but he believes any sanctions should apply to future seasons rather than rewriting past results.
City were reportedly found guilty of 114 of the 115 Premier League financial regulations they were accused of breaching, following a four-year investigation covering the period between 2009 and 2018. The club is expected to appeal the verdict, with the eventual punishment still to be decided.
A points deduction has been suggested as a possible sanction, while other potential penalties, including relegation and substantial fines, have also been discussed.
Redknapp has a personal connection to the issue after managing Tottenham during the period covered by the charges. Spurs narrowly missed out on Champions League qualification in consecutive seasons, including in 2011/12 when City won the Premier League title after Sergio Aguero’s famous last-minute goal against QPR.
Redknapp admitted Tottenham fans could feel they had been denied opportunities if City were found to have breached the rules during those seasons.
However, he strongly opposed the idea of changing historical league tables or taking away titles and points from previous campaigns.
He argued that reopening completed seasons could create a huge number of complications, with clubs across the Premier League potentially making claims over missed Champions League places, titles, European qualification and relegation battles.
According to Redknapp, City should face significant consequences if the verdict ultimately stands, but those sanctions should affect the club going forward rather than altering results from years ago.
Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has meanwhile maintained that the club remains confident it can prove its innocence during the ongoing legal process. City are expected to appeal the verdict before any final punishment is determined.
