…this from the Times.
'The sheer moral bankruptcy of top-level English football has been horribly exposed by the saga of Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister of Thailand, and his proposed takeover of Manchester City. It seemed on the brink of conclusion - despite revelations of his regime's sinister record - until at the last moment Thailand's authorities contacted our own, demanding to know whether the money being used to take control of City came from the proceeds of alleged criminal activity. "If that is the case," said Sunai Manomaiudom, director-general of the Thai Justice Department of Special Investigation, "the ownership of the football club must be questioned."
'This would inevitably mean, were such malfeasance proved, that the Thai Government would demand Shinawatra's extradition. The Thai police have already frozen £1.1 billion of his assets. But he seems substantially able with funds removed from Thailand to implement his takeover.
'When the Premiership was formed in an unholy alliance between the FA and the senior clubs of the Football League, I nicknamed it "The Greed Is Good League", but never did I envisage such a shameless display of greed and cynicism as we are seeing now.
'As things stand, City themselves are impugned of reckless disregard for the moral aspects of their proposed deal, while the Premiership, the FA and the Minister for Sport are notionally little better than accessories after the fact. They can only hope that the takeover never takes place. In the meantime, there is a dark stain over English football and those who run it. Greed seems good indeed. And money not only talks but shouts to the sky, deafening all other considerations.'