The Barclays Premier League thread 2015/2016

[MDK]

And apparently Conte might be suspended for 6 months because of the betting scandal some years ago. Or a 2 month suspended sentence. I'm not sure, could all just be bollocks, but it would be hilarious if true.

[stokeriño]

^ I didn't really know any of the details of this but I just read a summary of it on a Chelsea fansite that seemed to explain what the issues and/or accusations are. Here it is in case anyone else is interested too.

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The story involves a rather unsavory side of the professional game, match fixing — specifically the huge 2011 scandal that rocked the Serie A.  This is not to be confused with the scandal from 2006 (Calciopoli) that involved match-rigging via referee selection.

SCOMMESSOPOLI

In broad strokes, the scandal involved a number of teams, players, and criminal organizations, all revolving around illegal betting, spot fixing, and at least in one case, a player drugging his teammates so that they would lose a match.  Perhaps the biggest "name" involved in the initial investigation was former Italy international and World Cup runner-up Giuseppe Signori — he was sentenced to five months house arrest and to a five-year ban from all football activities for illegal betting.  Other penalties ranged from point deductions and fines to bans and even relegation.  It was a big deal, to say the least and it was only beginning.

Halfway through the 2011-12 season, new evidence brought to light resulted in a second round of investigations and arrests.  Some were even calling for the suspension of the league for a couple years to sort everything out and/or to even withdraw Italy from Euro 2012 (where they eventually ended up as losing finalists).  This is also where Antonio Conte enters the scene.  By then he was manager of Juventus, fresh off of winning the first of his three consecutive Serie A titles.

CONTE & SIENA

With five games to go in the 2010-11 Serie B campaign, Conte's Siena were top of the league and all but assured of promotion.  Atalanta however were hot on their heels, just a point behind.  While the top two teams earn automatic promotion, the Serie B title was still up for grabs.

Siena were away to Novara on the first day of May, a Sunday, with a great chance to put some distance between themselves and second place as Atalanta had lost earlier that weekend.  It was supposedly during this game that Siena's owner somehow let it be known to his players that he wanted them to draw in order to win a large bet that he had placed against his own team.  As far as I can tell he was never prosecuted for anything — he did manage to bankrupt the club however a few year later.  But back then, he cashed in said bet when Siena were held to a 2-2 draw.  They had come from behind to take a 2-1 lead going into the final quarter of an hour.

If you're asking questions such as why wouldn't have Emanuele Calaiò missed his penalty kick if he was in on the fix, well, I have no idea.  Maybe he wasn't, though the accusations against Conte do involve a supposed team meeting where the message to draw the game was relayed to the players.  Calaiò signed a new three-year contract later that summer; clearly they weren't exactly mad at him for not following these "orders".  Neither Calaiò nor any of the other players (other than the man who fingered Conte) would be charged with anything — they all strongly deny any involvement, as does Antonio Conte.

Two important things should be noted.

1. The entire case against Conte is based on the word of one man, Filippo Carobbio, the one Siena player who did get himself caught up in this thing, and rather extensively it seems.  Carobbio had entered a plea bargain to receive a lighter sentence and, presumably, to inform the investigators of others' involvement (but mostly Conte's, apparently, as he was the only one charged as a result of Carobbio's information).  Police had even ransacked Conte's house but found no actual evidence.
2. Conte was never accused nor charged with match fixing, but rather, the failure to report match fixing (by his players, owner, assistant coach, etc.).  He was accused of doing so (or not doing so, as it were), for the 2-2 draw, a subsequent 1-0 loss on the final day of the season (when they still could've won the league), and also an earlier win in the season that he was apparently supposed to lose, once again to placate a big bet that someone had placed.

On advice of his lawyer, Conte attempted to also work a plea bargain, proposing to serve a three-month ban and pay a fine but without admitting any guilt or wrongdoing — that last bit is especially important, especially in a system that apparently doesn't exactly adhere to the principle of "innocent until proven guilty".  Perhaps to make an example of the big fish, the deal was rejected and the by-then Juventus coach was banned for 10 months.  After a couple appeals, the ban was eventually reduced to four months, which Conte served at the start of the 2012-13 season.  Juve had lost just twice in his absence in all competitions.

So, all over, right?  Wrong.

CONTINUING LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

This is where it gets even more murkier for me, but it would appear that the ban Conte had served was purely for the (supposedly pre-arranged) 1-0 loss to AlbinoLeffe.  The trial that may still go ahead is for the 2-2 Novara draw.  I'm not sure how or when the two got separated — and there may jurisdictional issues here, too — but this is what seems to be happening.  And I say 'may' still go ahead, but it appears that it's definitely going to go ahead — no one's talking any other outcome at the moment.

Unlike the previous case, Conte and his lawyers are not seeking a plea bargain this time, but they are seeking to fast-track the trial to get it over and done with before the start of the Euros and the start of the Chelsea job.  The latest news on Tuesday morning was that the prosecutors are seeking a six-month suspended prison sentence and a fine.  A suspended sentence simply means that Conte won't serve any time unless he breaks the "law" again.  Going to trial for a suspended sentence and an €8,000 fine strikes me as excessive and far too showy — Conte's team seem to agree and are hoping to avoid a big spectacle (thus the whole fast-track process in the first place).

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"It has been a nightmare, completely crazy. We are convinced he is innocent and asked for this trial to be fast-tracked because we did not want a long and boring trial which would turn into a TV show at a time when he wants to concentrate on his football."

"We're preparing to refute the prosecution's story. They're alleging omission, where it's required that the coach prevents the event [the fix] taking place, whereas before they were alleging active participation. We're prepared to refute this in fact and law. We're confident of our arguments."

-Leonardo Cammarata, lawyer; source: Guardian

A ruling is expected in the next month or so, by mid-May.

SHOULD WE WORRY?

Probably not.  (Clearly, neither did Juve as they kept the faith during the initial investigations and trial, nor did the Italian FA themselves who then proceeded to hire the man to coach the national team!)

The latest reports all agree that Conte will be free to start the Chelsea job regardless of the outcome of the latest (last?) trial.  Prosecutors, after all, are not actually seeking a prison sentence.  Even if convicted, he will most likely receive the equivalent of a slap on the wrist, though obviously his reputation will suffer.  There's no doubt in my mind that the media and the tabloids are frothing at the mouth at just such a prospect.  It's a good thing we're used to such things, right?

Forza Conte.  Forza Chelsea.  Carefree.

 

[MDK]

Not Signori  He was my favourite player back in the day. His little two step penalty he would do when he was at Sampdoria is fondly remembered. Yes, he spent more time at Lazio but I was a Sampdoria fan back then.

[MDK]

http://www.theplayerstribune.com/claudio-ranieri-leicester-city-premier-league/

Nice thing by Ranieri. Plus this excellent picture.

[Lineker]

Aston Villa have spent a rumoured-80 grand "refreshing" their club badge. The lion has been tweaked, and some what fittingly, the word 'PREPARED' has been removed from the crest.

[Adam]

How do you spend 80k on a badge? Like, literally, what do you spend that on? Isn't it just an image that then subsequently gets put on merchandise for the following season, that would otherwise be being made anyway?

[stokeriño]

You've got to replace a bunch of existing merchandise that gets binned and/or sold off cheap, stuff around the stadium, advertising material, even club stationary... Every little thing that has the crest on it needs amending, and that's not even including whatever they had to pay some consultant-type to come up with the design. I'm actually surprised that it's as low as £80k.

[MDK]

Don't forget the meetings with nice prawn sandwiches. Marks and Sparks, none of your Tesco rubbish.

[TCO]

If you've ever seen the inner workings of a big company, getting even the simplest task done costs big money for a stupid amount of sill things.

[Colly]

TIL Gaston Ramirez is from a town named after the Cuban leader, Fray Bentos. It made me chuckle.

[Kyle]

So after Leighton Baines came out and essentially told the media that there were problems in the dressing room, Martinez has made him apologise. The apology conveniently states that he's sorry his words were left open to interpretation, not that he didn't mean them. It seems like Martinez is burying his head further in the sand and it needs sorting before we go the way of Newcastle or Villa.

[Adam]

Martinez said that Baines' words were 'taken out of context' yet in the same speech said that Baines needed to take responsibility as a senior player. Contradictory, somewhat nonsensical and just another stick really for critics to beat Martinez with. I really like the guy but I am just about done wanting him to be the Everton manager anymore.

[Gazz]

He should have been sacked after it emerged he attended a Jason Derulo concert.

[MDK]

Is there any point sacking him now? Might as well wait until the end of the season.

Someone suggested that managers should only be hired and fired during the transfer windows. I kinda like that idea.

[DavidMarrio]

Personally I hope Martinez stays. 

[Noah]

I believe they paid the 80 thousand to EWB's villa contingent so they wouldn't seek a transfer to another message board.

[Lineker]

Six-to-eight weeks out for Henderson with damage to the lateral collateral ligament.

[Nerf]

Huge blow, not in the short-term, but knee injuries ain't nuttin to fuck with, especially for a player that relies almost solely on his mobility.

[DavidMarrio]

In a weird way this could be a good time for him to get injured. He may miss the euros but he should be back in time for preseason. Plus it may help in terms of resting his heel as well. 

We've got Jesus Joe Allen that can fill in for him. Lucas should be back from injury soon, Kevin Stewart who's done alright in the appearances he's had so far this season should be fit soon. 

[Szumi]

What the heck happened to Jordan Rossiter?