Chapter 481: Chapter 481

When O’Neill finally appeared at the press conference, the seats were packed, with many reporters standing in the aisles.

Richard sat in the back, maintaining a neutral expression.

Eager as ever, the media cut to the chase: "Coach O’Neill, what do you make of today’s match?"

O’Neill, his expression composed, replied coolly, "The opposition was too strong; we struggled to scrape a draw."

The journalists gaped in surprise.

One journalist, unable to contain themselves, raised a hand and exaggeratedly asked, "Don’t you have any thoughts on the officiating?"

O’Neill raised an eyebrow, as though genuinely confused, and retorted, "Was there a referee today? I didn’t see one. From start to finish, it felt like we were playing ten men against Wimbledon’s twelve. Thank goodness we didn’t lose."

Realization dawned on the journalists and reporters, and their excitement was rekindled by O’Neill’s words.

This was the response they had been waiting for!

But after this, no matter how much they tried to provoke him, O’Neill maintained that Manchester City was always at a disadvantage, and the absence of a competent referee made the game’s events both justified and rational.

Richard nodded as he heard this. Though he had briefed O’Neill on how to answer the media’s questions, O’Neill’s calm sarcasm and the controversial calls made the match a talking point afterward.

In the end, Manchester City did not lodge a complaint against the referee, and the FA would surely not investigate anything. However, no one expected the FA to act quickly in handing out penalties.

O’Neill was fined £100,000 for his post-match comments.

Mourinho received a five-match ban for attacking the referee and was fined £30,000.

Gattuso’s red card resulted in a two-match suspension and a fine of £5,000.

Not only that, following the chaos at Maine Road, where fans attacked the officiating crew, the FA launched a safety investigation, with penalties to be announced once the outcomes were revealed. During the investigation, parts of Maine Road would be closed off to spectators.

This incident sparked a heated reaction across the entire Premier League, with the league looking to assert its authority amid ongoing power struggles.

People waited for Manchester City’s response, but unexpectedly, it was notably subdued. They neither appealed nor delayed the payment of fines.

That night, Richard was buried in his desk until late. If anyone could see the documents he was poring over, they would think he was studying every single refereeing regulation in Britain.

The Professional Game Match Officials Ltd. (PGMOL), responsible for overseeing the refereeing body, consisted of representatives from the FA, the Premier League, and the Premier League Committee—an organization rife with power struggles and internal conflict.

Now, the Premier League saw this as a chance to expand its influence, with Manchester City’s match providing the perfect opportunity to push back against the FA.

Suddenly, Richard’s phone rang, and he saw that the caller was Adam Lewis.

The moment he answered, Richard immediately heard Adam’s excited shout through the receiver—rare for someone usually so calm and steady.

"F**K! Richard! How did you guess that? Or did you find something in your research on theGlobe.com? This is incredible!"

"Calm down, Adam. This isn’t like you..."

Richard managed to calm his lawyer partner and curiously asked, "Can you tell me what happened?"

He heard Lewis take a deep breath on the phone, then continue in a calmer voice:

"This morning, I saw a report from Bloomberg that theGlobe.com released a statement saying that due to a statistical error, their financial report for the previous quarter had a major mistake, which increased their losses by $15 million. And due to the adverse market environment, they would reduce their growth forecast for this quarter."

"Such a major mistake? I’m afraid it couldn’t really have been unintentional."

"That’s what they said, but I’m afraid the SEC (United States Securities and Exchange Commission) won’t let them off so easily. I’ve already sent you the relevant information via email, Richard."

"Hmmm... How about their stock sales?"

"That’s why I called you directly. Now it’s just about wrapping things up, and we’re all done with them. To be honest, I was speechless when suddenly something happened."

Of course, this time the short-term short selling was extremely powerful. However, Richard knew that such an opportunity was extraordinarily rare. Given the circulation of these stocks, it was impossible to operate on a large scale. Only with the current amount of funds could the risk be considered relatively low.

Richard opened Bloomberg on his laptop to check theGlobe.com’s stocks.

Affected by the announcement of their financial report mistake, the news of the SEC investigation, and the downgrade of their stock rating by several financial companies, the stock opened sharply lower as soon as the Nasdaq began trading.

Not only that, thanks to Maddox Capital’s periodic selling, within just one week, the stock price had dropped from a high of $97 to $57, and its market capitalization had shrunk by more than 25% now.

"Okay, keep paying attention, and let me know if there’s any news."

Just as Richard was about to hang up, he heard Lewis’s voice again. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ Nove1Fire.net

"Hey Richard, did you really foresee this in advance before deciding to short their stocks? How did you do it? Why were you so... calm just now, as if you had expected it?"

"No, it’s just like I told you before—I’m a genius."

Richard looked at his phone screen with a smile.

Just as Richard was about to bury himself back in work, someone knocked at his office door, making him raise his head.

Richard then saw Miss Heysen enter.

"Richard, Mr. Taylor Smith from Barclays has arrived..."

Richard slapped his forehead—he had almost forgotten.

"Yes, thank you. Tell him to come in."

Richard had to admit that these people were truly hardworking. Even on a Sunday, after Barclays received his acquisition consultation order, their team had sorted out the relevant information, formulated a preliminary acquisition strategy, and rushed to Maine Road to discuss it with him.

Richard then met with Taylor Smith from Barclays.

Both men hugged warmly.

"How are you? I heard you got a promotion to Senior Manager?" Richard asked.

Taylor had been one of the few people who had lent him money when Richard first desperately needed cash, back when he was just starting in real estate before launching Maddox Capital.

Taylor Smith was wearing a perfectly tailored suit and carried an air of confidence that screamed workplace elite.

It wasn’t surprising. A position like Senior Manager is the second-highest role after Partner at Barclays. Usually, it takes at least ten years to reach that level. The fact that Taylor had achieved it at just over 30 was exceptional. Barclays was no joke.

"I’m fine," Smith replied, hugging Richard back firmly.

Since both were busy professionals, they quickly got down to business.

"After learning about your needs, we’ve gathered all the relevant information on Rockstar Games and its parent company, Take-Two Interactive," Smith began. "We’re ready to formulate the best strategy for your acquisition as soon as possible. But before that, we need a detailed understanding of your goals and vision for this deal."

Richard nodded. Rockstar Games, Inc., an American video game publisher based in New York City, was established as a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive, leveraging the assets Take-Two had previously acquired from BMG Interactive.

"I know," Richard said, cutting to the point. "I just want to make sure the company’s structure remains unchanged. That’s all I need."

Of course, Richard had no intention of altering the company’s operations. After all, reckless intervention could risk affecting one of the second-best-selling game franchises of all time.

"Understood," Smith said, nodding. "You can ask any questions you want. Our goal is to help you complete this acquisition at the lowest possible price and as quickly as possible."

Hearing Richard’s clear direction, Smith’s expression grew even more confident. "Rest assured, every penny you invest will be worth it. Let’s get started immediately."

Time passed, and English football remained a theater of endless drama.

Recently, the spotlight has been on Manchester United, as the ongoing saga of the club’s potential change of ownership continues to captivate headlines across the country.

Murdoch’s bid was initially accepted by Edward, but government blocks kept appearing, Murdoch lobbied tirelessly, and the cycle seemed to repeat endlessly.

Fans of the Red Devils protested passionately, their discontent spilling into the streets of Manchester. Rumors swirled that Murdoch’s acquisition was nearing completion, with a price tag around £620 million.

For years, Manchester United supporters had criticized Edwards, convinced his mismanagement of the club was unforgivable. Yet even their strongest calls for his removal paled in comparison to their horror at the idea of their beloved English institution being transformed into American private property.

In an effort to calm the storm, Manchester United released an official statement assuring fans that the club’s traditions would be preserved, urging rational acceptance of reality and a smooth transition of ownership.

Everything seemed set for Murdoch’s second bid to succeed. But then, the UK government intervened once again. The Competition and Markets Authority halted the final steps of the transaction, citing the need for further review.

Murdoch’s business interests in the UK were extensive. Without government scrutiny, he could have moved forward with confidence. But faced with regulatory pushback for a second time, hesitation crept in.

When the government opposed him again, the choice was stark: push forward at all costs—or withdraw. In the end, Murdoch chose to pull his bid, leaving the future of Manchester United uncertain once more.

Just as one storm calmed, another loomed.

The match between Manchester City and Wimbledon sparked significant controversy post-game. The FA handed hefty penalties to Manchester City, but surprisingly, the most notable response didn’t come from them. Millwall seemed to accept the FA’s punishment without protest, effectively becoming the scapegoat.

Nevertheless, strong opposition emerged within the FA.

Few would have predicted that Richard and Weissman would confront their rivals over a simple meal. Ironically, it was Weissman’s political opponents in the football world who preempted the attack, claiming that Manchester City had suffered a devastating loss.

They described the game as a disaster and elevated it to a national crisis—a catastrophe of epic proportions. Their approach mirrored that of the Premier League, which seized the moment to exaggerate the situation and attack competitors.

Under pressure, the Referee Committee even publicly apologized to Manchester City, explicitly admitting that the officiating had been subpar and had harmed the club’s interests.

All of this, however, barely registered with Richard. He was already on a journey to Italy with the main squad and staff.

Inter Milan, here we come!