On Friday, the Premier League chief executive Richard Masters cast a defiant glance back over the chaos of lies, deceit, distrust, obfuscation, greed, liquidation, acquisitiveness, apology, failed breakaways, recidivism, schism, fan anger, fan heartbreak, fan disconnection and fan disillusion that has enveloped English football since the start of this season.
Masters did not want to focus on this litany of crimes against the game. His main concern appeared to be that nobody else should be allowed to try to fix it. The Premier League wants English football to be left alone.
It is scared stiff of an independent regulator helping it reform.