Leicester City find themselves at the heart of a complex regulatory storm following an alleged breach of the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR). The East Midlands outfit was recently hit with a six-point deduction for overspending during the three-year period ending in 2023/24. A sanction that plunged them into a desperate EFL Championship relegation scrap. However, the penalty is currently in dispute, with both the club and the league lodging appeals. City contest severity; the league push for even harsher accounting oversight.
Oh dear, oh dear
Enter Simon Jordan, the ubiquitous talkSPORT pundit and self-appointed moral and ethical compass of English football. God help us all!
Jordan, who amassed his fortunate fortune in the mobile phone industry before becoming the youngest-ever Crystal Palace chairman, has built a post-ownership career on being the dislikeable, loudest voice in the room. While he is undoubtedly a force of articulate intelligence, his habit of inserting himself into the delicate business of other clubs often borders on the obsessive.
For many plugged-in supporters, Jordan represents the worst of modern sports media: a propensity for 'outrage baiting'. Not to mention often making baseless, offensive claims designed to spike engagement figures rather than provide nuanced nor expert analysis.
Simon Jordan's rhetoric clouds Leicester City's PSR legal battle
His recent assertion that Leicester should face an additional three-point "consequence" if they lose their appeal is a prime example of his disconnect and intentionally provocative style. Jordan lacks definitive proof that a punishable offence occurred (with appeals expected), yet he continues to frame arguments with a dogmatic certainty that irritates loyal fans.
"Discussing the developments live on talkSPORT on Thursday, Jordan said: "I hope there is a consequence for running a spurious appeal, and I hope if they lose the appeal, they get another three points. I do, because there’s [there are] either rules or there’s [there are] no rules."Simon Jordan via FLW
As a former chairman of a modest club that once succumbed to administration under his watch (and consequently losing much of his wealth), one would expect Jordan to possess more empathy for the financial tightropes underdog clubs must walk. Instead, he opts for inflammatory rhetoric: proving once again that in the world of click-driven punditry, sensationalism frequently trumps substance.