Manchester City

[EastSaxCol]

So , as I've said there are five home grown's in Manchester Cities full first team squad. I know that my math needs simplifying , but that's not exactly half is it ?

Come on HH, stop being so pedantic.

I was being pedantic in response to JnD's attempt to be patronising.

But the reality is that Ireland is the only one assured of a place in your team I'd guess. And yes, Richards, but he had problems last season and they could well emerge again next. But I would be surprised if there wasn't more friction in the dressing room anyway over wage disparities, etc. Let's face it, your best last season was Ireland, but what sort of money will he be on compared to your imported mercenaries ?

[JacknDanny]

So , as I've said there are five home grown's in Manchester Cities full first team squad. I know that my math needs simplifying , but that's not exactly half is it ?

Come on HH, stop being so pedantic.

I was being pedantic in response to JnD's attempt to be patronising.

But the reality is that Ireland is the only one assured of a place in your team I'd guess.

Nonsense!!

Onuoha, is our best prospect. Much improved, great attitude, and for sure will play along with Richards at the back.

SWP is our only attacking right sided option, for sure he will play.

And Johnson if fit, will come into the reckoning.

Before he was injured last season, Liverpool were tracking him.

[mrbojangles]

I quite like Rafa as a manager but sometimes i wish he'd shut the <deleted> up. With all the big money transfers going on at the moment, especially at Real Madrid why did he pick on this transfer? Sour grapes cos he didn't get him.

From sky sports:-

Rafa questions Barry motive

Liverpool manager hits out at former target

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has hit out at Gareth Barry after what he believes to be a money-orientated move to Manchester City.

Benitez was strongly linked with a bid for the midfielder during last summer but could not agree a fee with his former club Aston Villa.

The Reds were expected to rekindle their interest in Barry's services during the current transfer window as Benitez looked to build on last season's title push.

However, Barry secured a shock transfer to affluent club City, who will not compete in European competition in the forthcoming campaign.

Benitez said: "In this market now, money is not the main thing. Everyone at this level earns big money.

"If it's just for money sometimes you will make mistakes. I was surprised by some decisions this year, like Gareth Barry.

"I won't say too much but clearly it was 100 per cent for money. The most important thing for me is the passion of the players."

Benitez, who unveiled the capture of right-back Glen Johnson from Portsmouth on Thursday, also warned that acquiring star players will not necessarily assure glory.

He added: "Signing a lot of good players is good but no guarantee, so it will be interesting to see.

"It may be more difficult next season now but experience is so important and we have more than in the past.

"Money to sign good players does make it easier but only if you have understanding between the players. That's crucial.

"The understanding between our players is much better. We'll have our chances this season."

[mrbojangles]

It's amazing how quickly things change in football. Only 2 days ago Fernandes was saying he was going to fight for his place.

From the City site:-

Manchester City can confirm that Gelson Fernandes has joined French side St Etienne for an undisclosed fee.

The Swiss midfielder moved to City from FC Sion in July 2007, and made his debut in the Carling Cup win over Bristol City a month later.

Gelson made 59 appearances for City, scoring four times, but he was increasingly used as a substitute after Mark Hughes took over as Blues’ boss.

He now moves to the southern part of France to the side managed by former Portsmouth manager Alain Perrin. His command of several languages helped make Gelson a popular member of the squad, and he goes with the best wishes for the future of everyone connected to Manchester City.

[StevieH]

I quite like Rafa as a manager but sometimes i wish he'd shut the <deleted> up. With all the big money transfers going on at the moment, especially at Real Madrid why did he pick on this transfer? Sour grapes cos he didn't get him.

he didn't pick it BJ, he was asked about it. so he gave an honest answer.

[mrbojangles]

I quite like Rafa as a manager but sometimes i wish he'd shut the <deleted> up. With all the big money transfers going on at the moment, especially at Real Madrid why did he pick on this transfer? Sour grapes cos he didn't get him.

he didn't pick it BJ, he was asked about it. so he gave an honest answer.

Not from the snippet of the interview i saw Stevie. And this quote from the interview:-

Benitez said: "In this market now, money is not the main thing. Everyone at this level earns big money.

"If it's just for money sometimes you will make mistakes. I was surprised by some decisions this year, like Gareth Barry.

He could have said something like "I was surprised by some decisions this year, like Christiano Ronaldo (or insert any other player)" but he purposely said Gareth Barry who, let's face it, isn't one of the biggest money transfers to have happened in the last month or so.

[mrbojangles]

This is what makes Cook look an idiot. He knows nothing about being a City fan, he's got hold of the wrong end of the stick and needs briefing rapidly. "City Till I Die" isn't a negative thing, we sing it and say it because that's what we are. We don't change our clubs, I am City Till I Die and proud of it. Even some other clubs have started to adopt it.

From skysports:-

Cook wants positive outlook

City supremo keen to change culture at Eastlands

Manchester City chief executive Garry Cook says he wants to change the culture of negativity at the club.

Cook, who was appointed in May last year, has revealed that he instantly felt the phrases 'typical City' and 'City till I die' were a hindrance to the club's ambitions when he arrived at Eastlands.

And, with City aiming to win silverware and challenge the top four in the next campaign, Cook wants the supporters to adopt a more positive outlook.

"There were two phrases which struck me when I first came here - 'typical City' and 'City till I die'," he said in the Manchester Evening News.

"They tell you two things about the personality of the culture.

"'Typical City' says to me, 'We're not very good, but it's OK'. It means you are embarrassed by mistakes - you shouldn't be, because we all make mistakes.

"It's also an excuse for when you do make a mistake. You can just say, 'Well, that's us'.

"And 'City till I die' seems to mean the fans have been through the pain and the agony and were all getting on a bit.

"To build for the future, you want eight-year-old kids saying, 'I want to play for City' because that helps everything.

"He doesn't want to think about dying because he's just got here!"

[sanmiguellight]

Micah Richards has Swine flu

http://www.teamtalk.com/football/story/0,1...5425420,00.html

Manchester City and England Under-21 defender Micah Richards is stranded on holiday in Cyprus after being diagnosed with swine flu.

Richards says he has been confined to his hotel room after being told he cannot fly back to the UK until he has fully recovered.

"At first I thought it was a really bad chest infection, or maybe alcohol poisoning," he told The Sun.

"I felt so weak that I couldn't move or eat. My friends had to bring me drinks in bed.

"When I was told I had swine flu all sorts of things started going through my mind. You see on the news people dying of it."

The 21-year-old went on the holiday after helping England reach the final of the Under-21 Championships in Sweden.

He added: "My club have been very understanding. I'll get some stick from the lads when I do return - they will probably all turn up to training in surgical masks."

[mrbojangles]

Good news for City.

From skysports:-

Hughes - Johnson is positive

City boss keen to see midfielder back playing again

Mark Hughes is optimistic Michael Johnson is finally over his injury troubles and is ready to play a role for Manchester City this season.

Johnson endured a frustrating last campaign and has not played a first-team match for City since last September due to a pelvic problem.

He has been involved in pre-season training and City boss Hughes is looking forward to the 21-year-old battling for a place in his midfield.

"It has been a real frustration for Michael and for us, but he has worked hard through the summer and is in much better shape," Hughes told the club's official website.

"The main thing is hopefully keeping him pain free which was the concern last year when he was always getting niggles that held him back.

"He is very positive at the moment and hopefully he can have a good pre-season, clear of injury and he will be an option for us.

"He started really well and I was impressed before he got injured. We haven't seen enough of him in the blue shirt. Hopefully that will change.

"We can see why the lofty labels were put on him because he has a lot of the attributes that would be really helpful to the team and he was a big loss last year. There were games in which he would have undoubtedly have had an impact.

"Hopefully we have now got to the bottom of the problem and he is more confident that his body will stand up to the rigours of Premier League football. Hopefully he is clear in his own mind that he is over the injuries."

[EastSaxCol]

Tevez agrees to join Manchester City

By ROB HARRIS, AP Sports Writer

7 hours, 24 minutes ago

Buzz up!2 votes PrintMANCHESTER, England (AP)—Carlos Tevez agreed to join Manchester City on a five-year deal Monday, further enhancing the wealthy Premier League club’s bid to join England’s and Europe’s elite.

The 25-year-old Argentina striker will complete his switch across Manchester from the more-illustrious United, where he had previously played on loan, after a medical examination.

City will have to pay $41 million to sign Tevez from the group that owned his economic rights.

Despite last winning a league title in 1968, City is gradually becoming an attractive destination for top players since being bought last September by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family.

City finished 10th in the Premier League last season, missing out on European competition by three points.

Tevez will link up in attack with Brazil’s Robinho, who joined for a British-record fee $61.7 million last September, and Roque Santa Cruz, who joined last month from Blackburn.

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“It is terrific news,” City manager Mark Hughes told the club’s Web site. “He is not only outstanding technically but he is a reliable goal scorer and someone who will contribute fully to the team ethic. He gives us another exciting, attacking dimension.”

Tevez left United last month after his two-year loan deal expired with the English champion and he rebuffed United’s interest in signing him on a permanent deal. Tevez said he felt manager Alex Ferguson had shown him a lack of respect by not playing him often enough.

Earlier Monday, Ferguson said Tevez had ignored his phone calls and text messages as he tried to persuade the striker to stay at Old Trafford.

“I half expected Carlos Tevez would be going a long time back,” Ferguson said in his first public comments since Tevez rejected United last month. “I think he maybe did a deal around January because I spoke to him and gave him an offer on the night we played Inter Milan (in March) and he never came back to me.

“I phoned him on holiday and he never got back to me and I texted him twice and he never got back to me then either, so obviously he had made his mind up a long time ago. He was a good player and did well for us. But he obviously assessed the situation and wanted to go somewhere else.”

The permanent deal at City should end a divisive chapter in English soccer that led to a string of bitter legal cases and rules changes on third-party ownership.

Tevez joined West Ham from Brazilian club Corinthians in 2006 but his contract was owned by a third company, Media Sports Investments. West Ham was fined nearly $11 million, but not docked points, and Tevez scored the goal in 2007 the season’s final game that saved the club from relegation—at the expense of Sheffield United.

An independent tribunal eventually ruled that Sheffield was entitled to compensation and the clubs reached an out-of-court settlement earlier this year.

Also Monday, Ferguson said that Manchester United won’t be signing any more players this offseason because of inflated transfer fees—like the world record $131 million for world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo from Madrid.

“I am not going to be stupid,” Ferguson said.

He is content with the deals already completed: signing striker Michael Owen on a free transfer and paying a total of around $32 million on wingers Antonio Valencia and Gabriel Obertan from Wigan and Bordeaux.

“That’s concluded our business—we are in the middle of a difficult summer in football where it’s been difficult to get good value,” Ferguson said. “We have that wonderful sum of money from Real Madrid but we are not going to throw it away and spend it in situations when an extra zero is being placed on the end of transfer fees.

“We have always had to pay a bit extra and this summer we were not prepared to do that.”

[mrbojangles]

A good signing for us, me thinks

[Devil]

A good signing for us, me thinks

Yep you lot are putting together a decent squad and Tevez is a very good signing.

[Sparkles]

A good signing for us, me thinks

City will pay 41 million quid to his agents/pimps.....a steal ! Just dont leave him on the bench.

[EastSaxCol]

A good signing for us, me thinks

Yep you lot are putting together a decent squad and Tevez is a very good signing.

Shouldn't the operative word "buying" a decent squad ? But I'll desist from getting on my moral high ground about buying success at the expense of ...

Many that I know are also disappointed with Tevez. Although he's no saint I realise. But I don't think it'll do his personal dignity and self-respecting ambitions a lot of good going in this direction. Here endeth ...

[sanmiguellight]

Many that I know are also disappointed with Tevez. Although he's no saint I realise. But I don't think it'll do his personal dignity and self-respecting ambitions a lot of good going in this direction. Here endeth ...

Tevez sold himself to that agent guy he's purely in it for the money, no disrespect to West Ham but he obviously only joined them as theyd pay more then anyone else.

I just wish i had the same Sunseeker fund that Tevez has got.

As much as i hate this foreign money thats in the Premier League i'd sooner see Man City buy their way to success ahead of Chelsea, at least Man City can claim to be a big club Chelsea cant.

[mrbojangles]

As much as i hate this foreign money thats in the Premier League i'd sooner see Man City buy their way to success ahead of Chelsea, at least Man City can claim to be a big club Chelsea cant.

I'm beginning to warm to you sanmiguel

[mrbojangles]

Shouldn't the operative word "buying" a decent squad ? But I'll desist from getting on my moral high ground about buying success at the expense of ...

You carry on playing your stuck record HH. The rest of the world have moved on to playing DVD's, at the very least.

[StevieH]

As much as i hate this foreign money thats in the Premier League i'd sooner see Man City buy their way to success ahead of Chelsea, at least Man City can claim to be a big club Chelsea cant.

agreed.

[EastSaxCol]

Many that I know are also disappointed with Tevez. Although he's no saint I realise. But I don't think it'll do his personal dignity and self-respecting ambitions a lot of good going in this direction. Here endeth ...

Tevez sold himself to that agent guy he's purely in it for the money, no disrespect to West Ham but he obviously only joined them as theyd pay more then anyone else.

I just wish i had the same Sunseeker fund that Tevez has got.

As much as i hate this foreign money thats in the Premier League i'd sooner see Man City buy their way to success ahead of Chelsea, at least Man City can claim to be a big club Chelsea cant.

That's undoubtedly the case as far as Tevez and Mascherano initially joining West Ham are concerned. But remember they probably had little say in the matter as they weren't exactly free agents. Although I suspect there was also their personal incentive to gain a foothold in the Premiership.

There's no logic in saying that Man City can claim to be a big club -- whatever criteria you judge that by -- and Chelsea not. Chelsea always had a very large and passionate support. That now their supporters are largely tourist, kids and cants is beside the point.

Further, there was a time that I thought West Ham and Manchester City had many things in common. Now I'd have to say that they have more in common with Chelsea. Sad, but true.

[StevieH]

There's no logic in saying that Man City can claim to be a big club -- whatever criteria you judge that by -- and Chelsea not. Chelsea always had a very large and passionate support. That now their supporters are largely tourist, kids and cants is beside the point.

yes there is. city are historically a big club and until they were bought were the very definition of a 'sleeping giant'. chelsea are a small/medium sized club that won the pools.

[sanmiguellight]

There's no logic in saying that Man City can claim to be a big club -- whatever criteria you judge that by -- and Chelsea not. Chelsea always had a very large and passionate support. That now their supporters are largely tourist, kids and cants is beside the point.

In the 80s in the old 2nd division Chelsea used to get 10-12,000 a game and had an away following of about 12 people, whereas Man City would get 40,000 and would fill out away ends. Even Chelsea's success under Ken Bates was with money they could never pay back and they were on the brink of bankruptcy. Historically Man City are a far bigger club then Chelsea as are teams like Villa Everton Spurs Leeds etc...

[EastSaxCol]

There's no logic in saying that Man City can claim to be a big club -- whatever criteria you judge that by -- and Chelsea not. Chelsea always had a very large and passionate support. That now their supporters are largely tourist, kids and cants is beside the point.

In the 80s in the old 2nd division Chelsea used to get 10-12,000 a game and had an away following of about 12 people, whereas Man City would get 40,000 and would fill out away ends. Even Chelsea's success under Ken Bates was with money they could never pay back and they were on the brink of bankruptcy. Historically Man City are a far bigger club then Chelsea as are teams like Villa Everton Spurs Leeds etc...

I've been at Chelsea when there was nearing 60,000. They were bigger than any of their London rivals with crowds in excess of 50,000 for home games. With probably Spurs coming next in terms of gates. Check it out. And you obviously don't go far enough back to remember their reputation when they were relegated to the old Division 2 ? Believe me, there's absolutely no love lost between West Ham and Chelsea and I've never liked them anyway -- but you'd be very hard pushed to find anyone who wouldn't categorise Chelsea as being a large club by any modern criteria -- and as I've said, I remember it all in historical terms as well.

Edited July 14, 2009 by Happy Hammer

[StevieH]

There's no logic in saying that Man City can claim to be a big club -- whatever criteria you judge that by -- and Chelsea not. Chelsea always had a very large and passionate support. That now their supporters are largely tourist, kids and cants is beside the point.

In the 80s in the old 2nd division Chelsea used to get 10-12,000 a game and had an away following of about 12 people, whereas Man City would get 40,000 and would fill out away ends. Even Chelsea's success under Ken Bates was with money they could never pay back and they were on the brink of bankruptcy. Historically Man City are a far bigger club then Chelsea as are teams like Villa Everton Spurs Leeds etc...

I've been at Chelsea when there was nearing 60,000. They were far bigger than any of their London rivals with gates in excess of 50,000 for home games. Check it out. And you obviously don't go far enough back to remember their reputation when they were relegated to the old Division 2 ? Believe me, there's absolutely no love lost between West Ham and Chelsea and I've never liked them anyway -- but you'd be very hard pushed to find anyone who wouldn't categorise Chelsea as being a large club by any modern criteria -- and as I've said, I remember it all in historical terms as well.

'by modern criteria' i.e. the last ten years. chelsea are not a big club historically, sorry.

[sanmiguellight]

I've been at Chelsea when there was nearing 60,000. They were far bigger than any of their London rivals with gates in excess of 50,000 for home games. Check it out. And you obviously don't go far enough back to remember their reputation when they were relegated to the old Division 2 ? Believe me, there's absolutely no love lost between West Ham and Chelsea and I've never liked them anyway -- but you'd be very hard pushed to find anyone who wouldn't categorise Chelsea as being a large club by any modern criteria -- and as I've said, I remember it all in historical terms as well.

They got promoted in 1984 alongside Newcastle and Sheff Wed and were getting 10-12k us Sheff Wed and Man City who came 4th were selling out every week, but it cant be argued they used to get big crowds in the 60s but this was long before my time.

If you took Chelseas money away from them in the present day and they were coming midtable theyd struggle to get 30000.

[EastSaxCol]

If you took Chelseas money away from them in the present day and they were coming midtable theyd struggle to get 30000.

I don't disagree. Most of their traditional support has been priced out of going over to Stamford Bridge. I even met a steward there who told me it was the only way he could afford to watch his team. Great, considering that his back was towards the pitch for most of the game.

But now being a 'big club' is probably defined in the wealth determining ability to buy mercenary players at obscene prices and to pay their equally obscene wage demands (money, money, money) and honours won. Well, Manchester City meet the criteria on one of those anyway. Chelsea Football Club on both.

[delboy]

The histories of Chelsea and Manchester City are very similar

Major Honours since 1905

Top Tier Championships Chelsea 3/1 City 2

European Cup Winners Cup Chelsea 2/2 City 1

FA Cup Chelsea 5/3 City 3

League Cup Chelsea 4/2 City 2

For Chelsea, the first figure shown is for all seasons, the second figure shown is pre-Mourinho

League matches between Chelsea and Man City Chelsea won 53 City won 39

Total League Attendance for Chelsea matches against City At Chelsea 2,096,362 At City 1,995,069

Seasons in the Top tier since 1905 (93 seasons) Chelsea 74 City 74

Seasons in European competitions Chelsea 18 I haven't been able to find this info for City

[Jimjim]

How long has Tevez been in England and he still needs a translator (poor one at that) at press conferences? Perhaps Sir Alex didn't talk to him much as he didn't like talking to him through a translator all the time...

[LeungKen]

I'd love to see this happen,

The perfect marriage.

Peter Kenyon to Manchester City

http://www.goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009...rs-chelsea-exit

( perhaps this should have gone in the gossip thread but thought it might get a better reaction from MrBJ in here... .)

PS. Is it also true that City are in the running for Beckham ?.

Edited July 15, 2009 by LeungKen

[EastSaxCol]

How long has Tevez been in England and he still needs a translator (poor one at that) at press conferences? Perhaps Sir Alex didn't talk to him much as he didn't like talking to him through a translator all the time...

I've know farang who've lived in Thailand for 20 years or more who can't speak a word of Thai. I hardly see that it's a problem with someone who's only been in England for three years using a translator.

[mrbojangles]

( perhaps this should have gone in the gossip thread but thought it might get a better reaction from MrBJ in here... .)

Your not gonna get a bit ken

PS. Is it also true that City are in the running for Beckham ?.

New one on me.