Wayne Rooney wants Manchester City punished heavily for breaking Premier League financial rules, but the Manchester United legend says taking away the club’s past championships would go too far.
Rooney has a personal connection to the controversy. He was part of the United team that lost the 2011-12 Premier League championship to City in one of the most dramatic finishes in English football history.
The two Manchester clubs finished level on points, but City won the title on goal difference after scoring twice in stoppage time in their final match of the season.
City now face potentially severe sanctions after being found guilty on 114 of 115 charges involving Premier League financial rules. Possible penalties include relegation and the loss of titles, although the club is expected to appeal. City have consistently denied wrongdoing.
Some of Rooney’s former United teammates, including Rio Ferdinand and David de Gea, have suggested United should be awarded the 2011-12 championship if City’s title is taken away.
Rooney disagrees.
“I wouldn’t feel comfortable about accepting another Premier League medal if I’m being honest, because I don’t think we deserve it,” Rooney told the “Stick to United” podcast.
He said City’s players should not necessarily lose medals they won on the field if they had no knowledge of what club officials were doing behind the scenes.
Rooney, however, supports a tough punishment for City.
He said the club should be relegated as far down the English football system as possible and face restrictions on how much it can spend for several seasons.
“I’d put them in the lowest league they can go in and then put restrictions on them in terms of how much money they can spend for the next three or four seasons,” Rooney said. (Reuters)
