The independent commission looking into the details of the alleged “tapping-up” of Ashley Cole by Chelsea has found that Chelsea, Jose Mourinho, and Ashley Cole guilty of contravening various Premier League rules. They are taking statements relating to mitigation before issuing details of any sanctions, and all parties have 14 days to appeal, so we don’t know what, if any, sanctions are to be applied.
This result is curious because Chelsea have been found guilty of approaching a player without their club’s permission, but Ashley Cole has also been found guilty of approaching another club without the consent of his own club. So who approached whom? Surely someone had to instigate the approach from one side or another, and the other party was simply responding to that approach. It is highly unlikely that both parties spontaneously approached each other, happening to bump into each other in a London Hotel!
In the end, this is a fudge by the English FA and their commission. With everyone being blamed, no-one can be singled out for particular blame. There’ll be fines all round, and that will be the end of it. The level of the fines is hardly likely to bother Roman Abramovitch, Jose Mourinho, or Ashley Cole. And there will have been no real result other than Ashley Cole being unsettled, and unknown consequences for his future at Arsenal.
I hope he will still remain at the club, since he is one of the best left-backs in the Premiership. Perhaps once the sanctions are announced and dealt with, Arsenal and Cole can put things behind them, sort out a new deal, and go into the new season having cleared the air.
The full text of the official statement can be read here.