Redknapp: Manchester City must be punished, but not via results

Harry Redknapp says Manchester City should be punished as an example to others, but that the Premier League should not take points or titles away from them. Roy Keane wants the club dealt with as severely as possible.

The former Tottenham manager was reacting to the finding that City are guilty on almost all of the Premier League's charges of financial breaches. City can still appeal. Redknapp called the verdict "a truly stunning event for football" and said the consequences could reach a great many people.

"Many will be able to say they have grounds to demand that things be put right if City lose the appeal, and I am one of them," Redknapp said. "During the period covered by the charges against City I was in charge of Tottenham and for a long time fought them for Champions League places. In two seasons running, 2010/11 and 2011/12, we finished one place below the qualification zone."

He went through both years. "In May 2011 a 0-1 defeat by Roberto Mancini's team let City into the Champions League for the first time and ended our dream of getting there. The second time City won the title thanks to that very Sergio Agüero goal on the final day. We finished fourth but STILL did not get into the Champions League, because Chelsea won the tournament and took our place."

"Who knows what would have happened if they had followed the rules at the Etihad the way everybody else did? Nobody can say for certain, but Tottenham fans will be far from the only ones who feel that in those seasons they were treated unfairly in some way."

Redknapp drew the line at rewriting the tables. "Playing in the Champions League for those two years could have changed a great deal for Tottenham, but I do not want the Premier League to go back to those seasons and deduct points or take City's championship titles away," he said. "This whole process has turned into one huge, drawn-out mess, and we are still a long way from the end of it."

Keane, the former Manchester United captain, has no sympathy for City. "About time. This has been going on for a very long time," he said, as quoted by derbyderbyderby.it. He also addressed something said by Rodri, the former City midfielder. "I definitely disagree with what Rodri said. It was his decision; it was the club that chose to go for deception."

Rodri joined Barcelona this summer, having become a world champion with Spain.

Ian Wright has also said City should be punished. He argued that the teams chasing City over those years played fair.

If the verdict stands on appeal, the argument may move from whether City are punished to what form it takes. Redknapp has ruled out the results, and that leaves the penalty open.