Quote Originally Posted by Ganpati's Goonerz--AFC's Aboriginal Fertility Cult View Post
But it was legal. There were a big five in the late 80s, but when stadiums had to become all-seater, arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs and Everton all saw their capacities decline from c.60k to 40k or less while Old Trafford was able to expand to 75k because it's built-in Mancunian slumland. that gave them a major advantage, as did the fact that their golden generation of kids coincided with Premier League and Champions League money.

So yes, they had a major advantage but they didn't cheat. It's not the same as getting paid varsity over market rate for a sponsorship deal with a company connected to the clubs owners that is nothing more than a brass name plaque in a Mayfair office, a company that does nothing and has no income or turnover. That's just simply cheating.
I agree. I think the point I was trying to make is that the legality (or otherwise) shouldn't actually make any difference to how you view the achievements of the coach and the team.

Pep has had a huge illegal advantage, Fergie had a huge legal one. On the pitch, the financial advantage amounts to the same thing so to deride one achievement and celebrate the other doesn't make sense.

I think you can acknowledge the quality of Pep's work, and the brilliance of his sides, while at the same time calling the club a bunch of cheating ****s