Detectives view on the Tonali situation

[ex_pat_magpie]

As Quoted in the Chronicle. Exonerates the Toon staff.

Newcastle United should be spared criticism for not knowing about Sandro Tonali's gambling addiction because it is 'difficult' to find out about such a 'hidden' habit.

That is the view of Neil Whitbread, who spent nearly a quarter of a century as a detective for the Metropolitan Police, and now works as an investigations manager for the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT). Whitbread, in his role, helps football clubs do remarkably detailed due diligence on prospective signings.

It must be said that Newcastle put a lot of time and energy into researching the character of players, themselves, and the Magpies had done their checks on Tonali before committing £55m to sign the Italy international from AC Milan. That is why the Italian Football Federation's subsequent investigation and 10-month ban came as a particular shock as Tonali's gambling struggles had not been flagged.

Eddie Howe said there was 'absolutely no way we could have known' and the Newcastle boss stressed there are 'some things you will never know about someone's personal life'. Dan Ashworth asked himself 'could I have done better?' but the sporting director admitted 'it's a tricky one what you can and can't know about people in this world'. Whitbread, for his part, echoed those sentiments because this was 'not the old days of footballers going down to the bookies'.

“I wouldn’t lay any criticism at Newcastle here," he told the Athletic. "I don’t know what processes they went through around it. Were they as thorough as they could be?

"They may not have found that out. We may not have found that out. We’re not going to sit here and say, ‘We can find out absolutely everything about someone’s private life.’ We can find out most of it but if someone really wants something to be hidden, it can be difficult."

I think that sums up the situation well.

[Magzer]

I do believe AC Milan knew something.
I agree that Newcastle wouldn't likely have any idea.
I'm a little bit hmmm on this though with how this deal came about because it actually did appear that Tonali wasn't over the moon on a move away from AC Milan and almost looking like it was a sort of way out for him, maybe his and the club's thoughts that a move away would make the betting disappear.

Maybe I'm reading too much into my own thoughts.

[ex_pat_magpie]

I do believe AC Milan knew something.
I agree that Newcastle wouldn't likely have any idea.
I'm a little bit hmmm on this though with how this deal came about because it actually did appear that Tonali wasn't over the moon on a move away from AC Milan and almost looking like it was a sort of way out for him, maybe his and the club's thoughts that a move away would make the betting disappear.

Maybe I'm reading too much into my own thoughts.

I tend to agree here, and have always thought that AC must have had at least an inkling of what was going on. Certainly his team mates, or some of them, must have been aware and surely one of them would have blabbed or let slip about what was going on. That's unless the entire squad were in on it.

[Jammy89]

I tend to agree here, and have always thought that AC must have had at least an inkling of what was going on. Certainly his team mates, or some of them, must have been aware and surely one of them would have blabbed or let slip about what was going on. That's unless the entire squad were in on it.

Which I could actually believe in an Italian club

[Zippity]

I don't believe for a second we got AC Milan's future captain and one of their idols for the price we did without them knowing anything at all.

[Cannylad]

I don't believe for a second we got AC Milan's future captain and one of their idols for the price we did without them knowing anything at all.

Of course, it's a no brainer to think they would sell him that quickly and for that price.