The Premier League has been repeatedly advised to establish an independent unit in order to speed up complex financial cases such as those involving Manchester City and Everton, as the planet’s most popular competition could be mired in legal uncertainty for years to come. The Independent has been told a core of clubs have been pressing the argument, but that has so far gone unheeded. The sight of chief executive Richard Masters on Sunday presenting the trophy to City - as the club also became the first champions in that situation to also be facing charges that, if proven, could yet see them expelled from the competition - has again raised questions about the Premier League serving as organiser, regulator, investigator and prosecutor. A number of clubs are understood to be increasingly “furious”, particularly with reports of recent delays to the process. It also leaves open the possibility that all of the Premier League’s key battles - the title, Champions League and relegation - could be settled for this season amid regulatory uncertainty about the future. While City face 115 charges related to Financial Fair Play rules and Everton have been referred to an independent commission for an alleged breach of Profit and Sustainability rules, Masters has previously refused to confirm whether it is investigating Newcastle’s ownership after US court documents from majority owners Public Investment Fund appeared to contradict the Premier League’s “legally binding assurances that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will not control” the club. Both City and Everton have strenuously denied any wrongdoing. The key for many others, however, is that it leaves a cloud over everything that happens. A strident view within legal circles is that the nature of cases like those involving City and Everton is so financially complex that it goes beyond general sporting disciplinary issues, and requires specific financial experts involved from the outset rather than just heavyweight legal figures. This is why Uefa and the EFL have two independent bodies, with the continental federation setting up the Investigatory and Adjudicatory Chamber and the English body mirroring that with Club Financial Review Panel and Club Financial Review Unit. Such units both speed up processes but also take discretion away from the boards, ensuring - in the words of the EFL’s own announcement - “consistency and independence”. A number of Premier League club employees have been pointing to this, as the perception grows that City’s strategy is again one of obstruction, just as Uefa figures have spoken about. Several sources describe it as a “mess”, with the competition facing pressure from both sides, but one that was “foreseeable and avoidable”. Some of Everton’s Premier League rivals have meanwhile requested their case be fast-tracked, so that everything can be settled before the end of the season. Should the Goodison Park club go down, the EFL would not be able to pursue the case, although it is understood the commission would continue. An illustration of how this could cause other complications, however, is that if the case did then conclude with Everton being issued with a points deduction, that would not apply in the EFL. It would have to wait until a period when the club returned to the Premier League. As it stands, commissions are appointed to deal with all disciplinary issues in the elite competition. Whereas the panel to form these commissions used to be recommended by the league and approved by the clubs, with the Premier League itself then selecting the individual from that panel for the relevant issue, this was changed in early 2020. A fully independent chair appoints legal and financial experts onto the Judicial Panel, and it will be then up to him to decide who should go on the Commission. It is Murray Rosen KC’s appointment as chair that City are reported to have objected to, due to the fact he is an Arsenal fan. The argument is this process has evolved to become more independent, and a stance within the Premier League has been that the clubs prefer the board to handle various issues. There is increasing debate about that, though, as figures at clubs have become frustrated with proceedings. One counter-argument is that the commissions have always been independent, but what is so important about independent units is that they do investigations and prosecutions. Some Premier League executives have also pointed to how the case of Reading in the EFL was dealt with in a few weeks, whereby the club was issued a second six-point penalty after failing to satisfy a business plan agreed after a historical breach of Profit and Sustainability limits. “You can’t have the same people charging clubs and helping them through processes,” one source said. “It’s obvious.” Beyond that, several sources have spoken of how the Premier League’s legal workload has significantly increased with the case. Some figures in that area have spoken of how it reflects the transformed role of the competition. Whereas it used to almost be a partners’ group whose main business was actually selling media rights, with many historically having boasted of their streamlined team, it has grown into one that has to deal with the most complex legal and financial cases. “It needs specialists and hard-nosed litigators who will scare the hell out of clubs to keep them in line,” was one view. Read More Financial charges cast cloud over Man City's dominance in English soccer Man City’s quest for legitimacy is a battle they may never win Five titles in six years: Are Manchester City destroying the Premier League? Newcastle vs Leicester LIVE: Latest Premier League updates Brighton’s top talents may move on before European challenge – Roberto De Zerbi Bad decisions and poor signings – where has it gone wrong for Leeds?

The Oakland Athletics are the worst team in baseball right now, winning just 10 of their first 55 games and posting an absurd minus-199 run differential.Now, Oakland hosts one of the league’s best teams, the Atlanta Braves, on Memorial Day.This is going to be an interesting matchup, as...

The Royal Marines told England boss Gareth Southgate that Harry Kane would make the perfect captain, the striker has revealed. The Bayern Munich player heads back to Scotland for a friendly at Hampden Park, where he first skippered the national team, on Tuesday. Six years ago Southgate took his squad for a surprise weekend at the Commando Training Centre Royal Marines in Devon. They camped, hiked and were dunked in the feared sheep dip as the Marines tested their physical and mental strength during a boding exercise which helped Southgate decide his skipper. A few days later, Kane was handed the armband and scored a last-gasp leveller in the 2-2 draw in Glasgow. “I remember that trip very clearly,” he said. “We had a fantastic time and I think Gareth did use that to see who stood out in terms of leadership. “Leadership comes in many ways. It isn’t just the guy in the front shooting the paintball. Maybe the way I got on with the Marines and the way I handled certain situations. “I know that Gareth asked some of the Marines afterwards who they thought were natural leaders, who were approachable and who other players were leaning towards to talk to. Things like that. “I think that might have helped in me becoming captain. It was a fantastic few days. Some great memories that will be with me forever. “It helped the whole squad get to know each other. We had no phones for three days, we were camping in the woods. That helped us, not just as a team. It helped us become closer. “We did a camping thing where we learned to put up our own tents and had the rations the Marine guys have when they’re going to war. “We woke up at sunrise and did a trek with all the stuff on our backs. Then we did an obstacle course. That was fun, although I think they left out some of the tougher parts. “We had to follow the Marines. Whenever they shouted ‘down’ we had to crawl in the mud, though stones and the sheep dip. “So we were all soaking wet, with sand and mud everywhere, and we thought we were going to get in a car and go back to camp, until they told us we were walking back – which was another hour on the road. That was probably the hardest part, it was mentally tough. I know that Gareth asked some of the Marines afterwards who they thought were natural leaders, who were approachable and who other players were leaning towards to talk to. Things like that. I think that might have helped in me becoming captain Harry Kane “Then we got back to the place we were staying. I was looking forward to a nice, hot shower and it was just a bit of water dripping out. It was just brutal.” Kane returns to Hampden as England’s record-breaking skipper with 58 goals in 84 caps. Back in 2017, Kane scored just his sixth international goal with a close-range volley from Raheem Sterling’s inch-perfect pass and remembers the World Cup qualifying draw well. “First of all I was extremely proud to be leading the boys out and I thought it was an amazing atmosphere, even from the national anthems,” said the 30-year-old. “The noise at Hampden Park is still one of the best atmosphere’s I’ve been a part of. The game was OK. We got ahead and then they quickly turned it around with two great free-kicks and then you’re thinking about being an Englishman losing to Scotland. “That isn’t the most ideal situation – especially when it’s your first game as captain, so it was nice to score in the last minute. “To be honest, I don’t think I realised how important the goal was until after the game, then I heard all the talk around it. For me, not to lose my first game as captain was important and it’s a nice memory.” Kane has linked up with England for the first time since his £100million move from Tottenham to Bayern. He has scored three goals in his first three starts and slotted into life in Germany, including a club photoshoot while dressed in Lederhosen and posing with fake beer. He said: “It was alright actually. The shorts were a bit heavier than I thought. It wasn’t even real beer – it was just to look good. “We have a day when all the players and staff go to Oktoberfest. I don’t know when that will be, but I’ve heard it’s really good.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Brennan Johnson has the potential to reach ‘highest of levels’ – Neco Williams George Ford masterclass earns 14-man England an opening World Cup win New Italy boss Luciano Spalletti denied first win as North Macedonia fight back

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