https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...Sala-died.html

First thing I'd say about the article is that it is effective and hits the target often, he asks pertinent questions regarding some of City's dealings in the past and the charge that it is all about the money with the club is a hard one to argue against.

However, a major flaw in Samuel's argument for me is the way he claims that none of this would be happening if Emiliano Sala were still alive. He brings attention to the Vincent Tan/ Malky Mackay/Iain Moody situation while making particular reference to the Andreas Cornelius transfer, but doesn't our owner's use of the legal system in that case show that there is at least the possibility that City would be acting in exactly the same way if Emiliano was still with us? My own view is that City's off field management were reactive, rather than proactive, when it came to the Cornelius transfer and the same may be true about Sala as well, but I think Samuel is misjudging Vincent Tan when it comes to when he would turn to litigation.

While reading the article, I also had a vague memory of Neil Warnock mentioning Martin Samuel, and not in a complimentary way, by name in one of his press conference as City manager, so I did some checking and I think it's fair to say that there is a bit of history between the two men;-

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...lace-boss.html

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/w...el-b6rqmbt5zk5

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...ek-433835.html

http://archive.onetouchfootball.com/...1;t=010196;p=3

Samuel also wrote a piece on last season's FA Cup match with Man City which had the subtitle "Guardiola masterclass gives Cardiff cloggers the boot".

it's a powerful piece by Samuel and I believe he makes a number of valid points, but he is hardly an impartial bystander in all of this and I find it hard to avoid the feeling that the article might have read differently if Neil Warnock was not our manager.