Only at West Ham could a club unveil their new manager and then have their 'glory' stolen by the FA on the same day! Any elation felt by the Hammers board about the publication of Julen Lopetegui's role as head coach must have evaporated as the FA finally decided to charge Lucas Paqueta with 'betting irregularities'charges.
It is alleged that the Hammers attacker deliberately got yellow carded on FOUR separate occasions in order to facilitate large scale bets placed in South America. Paqueta has vehemently denied the charges and expressed his disbelief that the FA have decided to press charges despite only possessing 'heresay' evidence.
If found guilty Pauqeta faces a lengthy ban and criminal charges in his home country of Brazil where he technically could face imprisonment! Of course, Paqueta is innocent until proven guilty and you can 'bet your house' that he will be represented by the formidable Henri Brandman among other high profile legal representatives that the club have at their disposal.
The positive that can be drawn from the charges being applied now is that the matter can be resolved ahead of next season, thus freeing Paqueta up for his anticipated £85 Million transfer to Champions Man City.
Only at West Ham! - Ed
Comments
Well he's well and truly got
Well he's well and truly got his equity card this season. I cant wait to get the money in for him and Jeff him off. World beater on his day. But that might aswell be pancake day!
Not long posted same story
Well if proven thats his Manchester City move scuppered and that is £85million we will never see.
Honestly do not know why if true that he would do such a thing as he is not making anything from it but friends and family? really i am not sure.
I cannot see how this can be proven in truth as the referees who booked him have been poor all season and surely they would have to show how he caused it in comparison to other players being booked will be very difficult indeed.
Excellent point re the
Excellent point re the referees BG. Let's face it they book players for a lot less, don't for a lot more, and even with VAR continue to make blinding errors in judgement turning yellows to reds for poor interpretation's. Should be an easy one for the lawyers to clear.
Paqueta
Well i do hope West Ham haven't calculated Paqueta sale money into available transfer money i can't believe they hadn't an inkling that this might happen if his sale money is included then with the amount of new players needed we are in trouble before the market opens especially as the new coach wants his new arrivals in early so he has time to work with the players on his new system.
Maybe the Brazilian mafia
Maybe the Brazilian mafia have got him by the gonads and threatened to chop off his little winkie...
Classic West ham!
I think we can kiss good bye to that Man City move.
i always thought he looked like an extra in The Good, the bad and the ugly... he's robbing the bank in El Paso!
Difficult one to prove unless
Difficult one to prove unless they have a record of payments into his account. Watched the four alleged offences this morning and they looked no better or worse than the petulant prangs we see made by a myriad of prima donnas every weekend. We should get rid of him once the dust settles, either way, he is a disaster waiting to happen.
I would have to disagree Jozi
There was one of the yellow cards were he commits two fouls on two players in the same course of play, its very obvious to me. Also, I would look at the England Brazil game, he was hell bent on getting a yellow if not a red in the first half!
No Smoke without fire
I was Reading the Guardian( online) that if the FA did not charge him, Paqueta's lawyers would sue the FA for stopping the move to Man Citeh, so they had to make some sort of positive move or risk a lawsuit- this is what happened with the Tevez Affair with Sheff Utd having a 3 man committee, but I would think they must have proof of something going on, but the FA could not risk not doing nothing- so they will now wait for Paqueta to make his appeal then give a verdict. Got a feeling this is going to turn out nasty it could end up with WHU suing Paquetta if he looses his appeal Think this incident will put a hole in next seasons war chest.
There is not a court in the
There is not a court in the law that would find Paqueta guilty. Nobody can be convicted of any crime upon Suspision. Because that is all it is?
True, as this all based on
True, as this all based on circumstantial evidence. The FA better have real proof with witnesses who can corroborate the evidence that the betting was in unison in his Island with prior knowledge from Paqueta himself. Otherwise, this is bound to get thrown out of court.
By the sounds of things
By the sounds of things Paqueta hasn't benefited personally from a financial stand point, the FA will need to find a member of family or friends, probably back home in Brazil, that actually placed the bets. I would suggest that will be VERY difficult to establish. I see him getting away with it, suing the backside off the FA for serious loss of earnings and what ever value you put on all the gongs that a typical City player would receive.... Watch this space!