Manchester City

[keddy]

Well peeps, we have reached a milestone of 1,000 posts in this thread. Quite an achievement for a small club

From skysports:-

Thaksin edges closer

Thaksin Shinawatra is edging closer to completing a takeover at Manchester City having purchased a further 9.88 per cent stake in the club.

The former Thai Prime Minister now has a 65.78 per cent interest in City and needs to reach the 75 per cent mark before he can de-list the company and take them into private ownership.

It is believed that this latest lot of shares have been purchased from broadcasting group Sky, who are now the only major shareholder remaining.

Thaksin had already acquired a 55.9 per cent stake after being backed by board members and former chairman Francis Lee.

With City currently without a manager, and Sven Eriksson poised to take over pending Thaksin's takeover, everyone connected to the club will be hoping matters are concluded quickly.

If I'm the 1000th poster do I get a free Eccles cake or a signed picture of Taxes? Can'tgobackthere? I live here in CM and it's going to be interesting to see if any of the locals start wearing City shirts as a form of dissent. I've seen his face stenciled and sprayed onto a wall in the centre of town, recently. On Thai tv they might start fuzzing up the picture everytime he appears in the crowd during the matches as they do when someone smokes Good luck for the season and I hope they put Kow Soy on the menu, better than 'Goong' sandwiches anyday .

[mrbojangles]

If I'm the 1000th poster do I get a free Eccles cake or a signed picture of Taxes?

Sorry Keddy, i got the honour of the 1,00th post but you got the honour of the 1,000th reply

I live here in CM and it's going to be interesting to see if any of the locals start wearing City shirts as a form of dissent.

On my last trip to Chaiyaphum (the wifes village) i gave away loads of my old city shirts, so they are all walking around wearing them there. I should have been a recruitment consultant

[mrbojangles]

I was talking to a mate of mine last night and he was ripping with City. He bought about 200 shares in City quite a while ago, for 90p a share. Yesterday he got a call (from an official) asking him to sell them to Thaksin, as recommended by the board, so that he can take full control etc.

OK he says, how much? 40p a share the guy says. <deleted> off my mate says and puts the phone down. The cheeky gits

[mrbojangles]

City try for Torres

Reports in Spain suggest that Manchester City have lodged a bid for Fernando Torres but the Spanish international is still set for a move to Liverpool.

It is believed that three clubs, Liverpool, Internazionale and Man City have met the demands of Atletico for their prized striker.

However, Torres is set on a move to Anfield as talks continue between the two clubs - with a deal likely to be finalised within the next few days.

The news of City's interest is likely to have come on the behest of their manager-elect Sven Goran Eriksson - but their bid is almost certainly doomed to failure.

Liverpool have been brokering the Torres deal for the last week and they finally look set to seal the transfer this weekend.

The move has been smoothed over after Rafa Benitez relented and allowed Luis Garcia to move in the opposite direction.

Reports suggest that Garcia was keen to return to his homeland, where he is currently in the final stages of recovering from a long-term knee injury.

Garcia is valued at €5million (£3.3million) and will seal his deal, like Torres, in the coming days

[mrbojangles]

From skysports:-

What they forget to tell you is how much of a poultry sum they want to buy them for!!

City appeal to supporters

Manchester City have pleaded with those supporters that still hold small shares in the club to sell to the new owner Thaksin Shinawatra.

The former Thai Prime Minister will not confirm the appointment of Sven Goran Eriksson until he has the 75 per cent of shares that would enable him to take the club into private ownership.

Former England coach Eriksson has agreed in principle to take over at Eastlands and, has already earmarked potential transfer targets, having been informed that he will have a handsome transfer chest to work with.

However, Thaksin needs another 5 per cent before he will make Eriksson's appointment official and the club have now urged those supporters that still hold shares to sell up.

On Friday Thaksin secured the last two holdings of 3 per cent, leaving only small shareholders of 2 per cent or less.

With City's players to return to pre-season training next week, the club are eager for Thaksin to wrap up his takeover as soon as possible.

"We would appeal to our fans now with small shareholdings to sell as quickly as possible," said a City spokesman.

"Thaksin is approaching the 70 per cent mark now. Things have not been helped by the postal strike today which has delayed things, but he could reach 75 per cent by early next week if things go well.

"If our fans want to see the pace towards a new future they want, then they need to get cracking and sell quickly to speed things along."

[mrbojangles]

Motta eyes England move

Thiago Motta is chasing a move to the Premier League after being told he can leave Barcelona.

The midfielder is being pushed out of Camp Nou following the midweek acquisition of Yaya Toure from Monaco.

He is hoping to persuade Barca to allow him to move on a free transfer and he has already been linked with Manchester City, Middlesbrough and West Ham United.

The Brazilian feels he would suit the English game and is now looking for Barca to tear up the final 12 months of his contract.

"I've spent my entire career at Barcelona, so if our coach is not interested in me I expect the gesture of them making it easy for me to move on," Motta is quoted in the Sunday Mirror.

"If I am a free agent it will be easy to find a new club.

"The Premier League is sensational and has a style that's perfectly suited to the way I play.

"I've played many games against English opposition and believe I can enjoy football in England.

"The key at the moment is to sort out my Barca situation

[Bredbury Blue]

10 key takeover questions

2/ 7/2007

WITH Thaksin Shinawatra on the threshold of taking control of Manchester City, fans still have concerns about the multi-million pound deal.

Here M.E.N. sports editor Peter Spencer quizzes top sports lawyer Chris Farnell.

Q. Why is it so important to Thaksin Shinawatra to own 75 per cent?

A. Basically by owning 75 per cent , or more of the shares TS will be able to run the club himself and take the company off the Stock Exchange (a process often called de-listing) turning it back into a private limited company. If TS obtains 90 per cent of the shares he is then able to compulsorily purchase the remaining 10 per cent of the shares and have total ownership of the club.

Q. What do you think would happen if he doesn't reach 75 per cent ?

A. Well, TS would still own the shares he has, but would not have free rein to run the company. In this situation he could either keep trying to purchase more shares up to the amount of 75 per cent, keep whatever shares he has as an asset or, sell the shares he has purchased. Without total control of the club, the money for new players or the appointment of the manager may be delayed.

Q. Why do you think Sven won't sign until Shinawatra reaches this 75 per cent threshold?

A. It provides the certainty that any manager may need, both for him and for the purchase of new players. Once TS has complete control matters such as transfer and wage budgets can be agreed with certainty. TS may decide not to commit large amounts of money for transfers without the full control of the company.

Q. Once City becomes a Shinawatra asset would the club be at risk from the military government in Thailand that replaced him, as they continue to try to freeze his assets?

A. I doubt that. The executive chairman of the Seymour Pierce Investment Bank, Keith Harris, said that the money used to purchase the shares had been `legitimately and transparently transferred to the UK'. The Asset Examination Committee said on June 25, 2007 that it did not have a mandate to investigate the funds used to buy City. However, if substantial queries are raised over the legitimacy of the money used to buy the club then the ownership of the club may be questioned.

Q. Accepting the British government does not have an extradition treaty, do you think there are any circumstances in which Shiawatra could be forced to go back against his will?

A. It is highly unlikely that he will return against his will. TS's lawyer has, however, said that TS will return to Thailand in December.

Q. Tell me more about the Premier League's `fit and proper person' test? It's accepted Shinawatra would pass it because he does not have any criminal convictions. Is that true?

A. That's partly true. The "test" exists in an attempt to ensure that the people involved in the running of our football clubs are fit and able to do so and are not involved in any dubious activities. There has been no FAPL allegation of this nature against TS. The business of football is now a multi-billion pound industry and, as such, does need protecting and requires constant monitoring.

Under FAPL Rule D, you would fail the test if you, or someone connected to you, had:

(1) a significant interest in another club;

(2) if you were prohibited by law from being a company director;

(3) if you enter into an IVA or are made bankrupt or finally:

(4) if you are convicted of one of a number of listed offences.

Q. Was it unusual for the due diligence to last seven weeks before the share offer was made?

A. Not particularly. When you are investing over £80m in a company, you have to investigate the company thoroughly to establish its true financial position. Deals like this also tend to have a life of their own and things can come up that no one had previously anticipated.

Q. Were there any particular problems that had to be overcome when dealing with such a controversial figure as Shinawatra.

A. Not being involved in this matter I do not know, but I would think that the media interest in the purchase of a big club like City was anticipated and was planned for.

Even so, such media interest is often difficult to manage. Added to this is the additional matter of the timing of the proposed appointment of such a high-profile manager as Sven in time for pre-season training with the current squad and the need to sign new players. Not an easy task at all.

Q. How did they come to a figure of 40p per share? And was that a fair offer?

A. Back in August 2006 the share price was 19p per share. In February/March of this year the price was around 25p per share. The offer of 40p per share therefore represents a good increase for the shareholders and will have been arrived at on the basis of how TS valued the club as an asset. As we all know, the club has been subject to the interest of a number of potential investors recently which has also lead to the share price increase. The true value is established when you arrive at a price that the buyer wishes to pay and the seller wishes to obtain. Clearly, the club were happy to sell at that price.

Q. And finally, what do you consider to be the positives and negatives of City having an overseas owner?

A. The positives are mainly linked to the two crucial areas of certainty (at both board and managerial level) and, the increase in investment at the club. City was in need of investment to compete for players in the Premier League, which it now appears they will have.

Having an overseas owner may introduce a new market for the club's image commercially, with the possibility of bringing in new sponsors (and as a consequence more investment) from around the world.

Problems could arise from the fans reaction if the team is not performing well by mid-season or, if there is a large increase in ticket prices for fans.

It is crucial that the right signings are made and the fans are totally behind the team. I don't think that huge wages and average players will be accepted. I also think that any sudden changes from the clubs traditions may not be readily accepted.

The wider implications are that the grass-roots of football need to be protected. All of the new owners of clubs must appreciate and consider the investment in youth and the lower levels of the game as a priority and any failure to do so could spell danger for the game as a whole.

Chris Farnell is a partner in IPS Law, Manchester. If supporters have any other questions email them to [email protected] and we'll put them to Chris.

[mrbojangles]

Hey Bred, nice to see you back. You've been AWOL

[Bredbury Blue]

I've been fretting about our Frank and the emotionless Swede!

[Bredbury Blue]

You Tube might be banned here, so check this out - The Perfect Body Shot - Ricky Hatton http://www.leechvideo.com/video/view3167098.html

[mrbojangles]

I've been fretting about our Frank and the emotionless Swede!

Who's Frank?

As for the Swede, we will get behind him (as City fan's always do). You never know, he might just surprise evryone........................i certainly hope so.

[mrbojangles]

This from skysports last night:-

Sven jets in to lead City

Sky Sports News understands Sven Goran Eriksson will take charge of his first training session at Manchester City on Wednesday, after flying north from London on Tuesday night to finalise his appointment as the club's new manager.

The former England coach will not officially be named as City's new boss until Thaksin Shinawatra purchases 75 per cent of the club, but will sign a three-year deal as soon as the former Thai Prime Minster takes formal control.

Eriksson was greeted by a mob of photographers as he alighted at Manchester Airport, and admitted that his position will be made clearer in the coming 24 hours.

"We will see tomorrow. I would prefer to speak tomorrow," said Eriksson.

When quizzed if he would be meeting representatives from the club on Wednesday, the Swede added: "I think so. If you wait until tomorrow you will know everything."

Shinawatra is expected to reach the necessary share threshold in the coming 24 hours and Eriksson will duly begin his work at Eastlands in earnest on Wednesday.

Upon his first training session with City, Eriksson will have the chance to cast his eye over a squad that has seen key players Joey Barton and Sylvain Distin depart over the summer.

It is expected that the Swede will be handed a sizeable transfer budget in order to overhaul his playing staff and a number of stars have already been linked with a move to Eastlands.

Former England charges Peter Crouch and Shaun Wright-Phillips have been mooted as potential targets for Eriksson - who is hoping to improve his reputation in English football after a difficult five-and-a-half years in charge of the national side.

[mrbojangles]

Skysports:-

City lead Yakubu chase

Manchester City are firmly at the head of the queue to sign Yakubu Aiyegbeni, skysports.com understands.

Portsmouth, Aston Villa and West Ham are understood to have been keeping close tabs on the Middlesbrough striker.

Boro insist that Yakubu is part of their plans, but as skysports.com revealed earlier this summer — the Nigerian is determined to make a move away from Teesside.

Yakubu is now attracting a great deal of interest and it is believed his move away from The Riverside will be completed before he is needed to return for pre-season training.

Boro have admitted defeat in their bid to keep Yakubu — although the fee, which will be in excess of £10million — will smooth over the departure.

The Teessiders are still in need of major reinforcements on the right side, with a full-back and midfielder believed to be very high on Gareth Southgate’s wanted list

[Bredbury Blue]

I've been fretting about our Frank and the emotionless Swede!

Who's Frank?

Frank S(h)ina(wa)tra

[mrbojangles]

I've been fretting about our Frank and the emotionless Swede!

Who's Frank?

Frank S(h)ina(wa)tra

Aaaaah, got ya

[mrbojangles]

Richards boost for City

Manchester City have confirmed that Micah Richards has fully recovered from his calf injury.

The England defender underwent surgery on a troublesome calf at the end of April, ruling him out of City's final few games of last season.

But the 18-year-old reported for the first day of pre-season training at the club's Carrington training ground fully fit after an extensive spell of rehabilitation.

"All the squad were given fitness programmes to adhere to during the summer break and we are delighted with their readiness for training," club doctor Mark Whittaker told the club's official website.

"On top of their fitness programmes, both Micah and Paul Dickov were frequently back at Carrington during the close-season to do some extra work. They are both fully fit and have started training alongside the rest of the squad."

The news comes as a massive boost for City and new boss Sven Goran Eriksson, who is expected to meet the players and take charge of training for the first time on Wednesday.

[mrbojangles]

Eriksson meets Man City players

Former England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has arrived at Manchester City's Carrington training ground to meet the players for the first time. Eriksson, 59, flew up to Manchester from London on Tuesday evening.

The Swede is also expected to put pen to paper on a three-year deal with City on Wednesday.

He will not be formally unveiled as boss until City's prospective new owner Thaksin Shinawatra takes his shareholding in the club past 75%.

BBC Sport understands that Tord Grip will again be Eriksson's right-hand man, as he was during the Swede's six-year tenure as England manager.

Roland Anderson, who is currently Sweden's assistant manager, is also expected to join Eriksson's backroom team.

Eriksson will succeed Stuart Pearce, who was sacked at the end of last season.

The former Benfica, Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria and Lazio boss has been out of football since leaving the England job after the 2006 World Cup.

City's players report back for training on Wednesday and Eriksson will be there to meet them for the first time.

On touching down at Manchester airport on Tuesday evening, the Swede said there would be developments in the next 24 hours.

"We will see on Wednesday. I would prefer to speak on Wednesday," Eriksson said.

Asked if he will be meeting representatives from City, he added: "I think so. If you wait until Wednesday you will know everything."

Eriksson will not be officially named as City's new manager until former Thai Prime Minister Shinawatra takes his shareholding in the club past the 75% that will allow him to take it off the Stock Exchange.

Thaksin currently has a 65.78% share in the Premier League club.

He made Eriksson his top managerial target and is understood to have made a £50m transfer fund available.

[markg]

What an excellent article from the MEN Bred.

Good probing questions.

[Bredbury Blue]

The Takeover: Q & A

http://mcfcsupporterstrust.blogspot.com/20...takeover-q.html

After initially announcing that they were in talks on the morning of the AGM last December, the takeover is finally real, with the offer documentation being received by shareholders last week. We have always made it clear that we could not comment on any bid until the details were known but now we do know, as far as the terms of the offer are concerned, what Dr Thaksin has put on the table.

The basic terms of that offer are well known. The bid is being made via a recently formed company called UK Sports Investments Limited (UKSIL). This is owned by another recently formed company called UK Sports Investments Holdings (UKSI). Both companies are controlled by the Shinawatra family and UKSI has provided the money for the bid to UKSIL.

40p per share is being offered to shareholders and, at the time of writing, three of the four major shareholders have given irrevocable commitments to UKSIL and the fourth, BSkyB, have agreed to sell their 9.88% holding. Along with other commitments, UKSIL is now believed to be close to having 75% of the shares of Manchester City. The acquiring of the 55.9% of shares originally promised to UKSIL will actually only take place once the level of 75% is reached. Until then, it is effectively an agreement to sell.

At the same time, it would appear that Sven Goran Eriksson has been lined up as our new manager but this is also apparently subject to UKSIL getting 75% of Manchester City’s shares.

So what are the key issues and the views of the Trust on all this? We have been asked a number of questions about the takeover and will try to answer them as far as we can. We have to make clear that none of the people involved with the Trust are authorised to offer investment advice and that a suitably qualified professional should be consulted where necessary.

Why has this taken so long?

The club made an announcement in early December, on the day of the AGM that they were in talks with parties that may or may not lead to an offer. We know that the board had been seeking investment for some time and believe that at least two consortiums had approached the club some time before that announcement and that one had possibly walked away before it was made. So we are still not clear who the actual party or parties were that they were talking to at that time. However, it seems unlikely that it was Dr Thaksin. He came along much later and there is a clear legal and regulatory framework to be followed, all of which takes time.

Clearly the club could not move forward without some element of certainty and had said they were making plans for next season, in the event that no bid transpired. However, all parties have left it late, with the squad returning for pre-season in a few days and the bid still not certain of success.

Is 40p a share a good price?

The issue of company valuation is extremely complex. There is no single reliable method of valuation but there are some indicators. One is Net Asset Value, which is the value of the company’s assets less its liabilities. In the May 2006 accounts, this figure was just over 70p per share. However, we have had another year end since then and will presumably have made a further significant loss, reducing this figure much closer to the offer price. However football club accounts don’t include the market value of players, plus City value CoMS as though we own it, whereas even though it is a revenue generating asset, we obviously don’t.

It also depends on what you paid for your shares. If you paid £1 then it’s clearly a poor return but not if you paid 20p. Many small shareholders bought their shares in order to have part of the club so are not primarily interested in the price.

Why is this 75% figure important?

Under normal circumstances, the backing of a simple majority of shares is enough to make decisions. So at the AGM when directors or the auditors are up for re-election, it only takes 50% plus 1 share to carry or defeat these motions. However, to do anything more significant usually requires a special resolution to be passed and this can only usually be done with the support of 75% of the shares.

Some of the relevant decisions that would require a special resolution include a proposal to take the company off the stock market and into private ownership and the necessary financial arrangements to formally complete the takeover. So this is why a figure of 75% is usually the point at which the bid becomes unconditional. If that target is not achieved within the offer period then UKSIL can, in theory, walk away from the deal. They could also take what they have and become majority shareholder, with the company remaining as a listed company (unless enough of the minority shareholders agreed to de-list).

What happens if they get 90% of the shares?

Once this level is achieved then UKSIL can force any remaining shareholders to sell at the offer price. Then the supporters will have no further stake in the club and it will be totally owned by Dr Thaksin and his company.

And what happens if they don’t get 90%?

If the 90% level is not reached then any remaining shareholders will remain as minority shareholders and, with the company de-listed from Plus Market, would find it difficult to sell in future. However, they would still have a stake in the club, which is why many people bought their shares originally.

So will we still have the chance to go to the AGM in this case?

This is a good question. Under the recent Companies Act 2006 as far as we understand it, a private limited company won’t have to have an AGM unless it wants to or 10% of the shareholders request it. A public limited company (as Manchester City plc currently is) would have to have one, even if not listed on a recognised stock market.

UKSIL has been registered as a private limited company so can avoid the requirement if it chooses to do so. The offer document has also made it clear that Manchester City will be re-registered as a private limited company once the take-over becomes unconditional. So it’s possible that there will be no further AGMs unless either 10% of the remaining shareholders demand it or Manchester City agree to have one voluntarily.

Are we now debt-free?

As most people know, there were two main debts. One was the £43m in long-term loans (15 & 25 years) secured on future income. The other was the £19.7m loans from John Wardle & David Makin. The offer document has made it clear that these latter, unsecured loans have been re-assigned not repaid. This presumably means that Manchester City plc now owes UKSIL this money, in return for the £17.5m payment from UKSIL to Messrs Wardle & Makin.

In the offer document (Page 63 Paragraph 6.2(a)), there is the interesting information that we were even further in debt than we thought, having borrowed £10m in December 2006 against the Sky payment due in August. It would have been interesting to see the reaction of shareholders to that at the next AGM!

Dr Thaksin was asked about the secured loans in his radio interview and intimated that these would have to be kept as they were for the foreseeable future. There may well be very good commercial reasons for doing this.

As part of this transaction, UKSI has lent UKSIL £40.6m. This presumably covers the £21.6m for shares and the £17.5 payment for assigning the unsecured loans, plus any costs and other incidental expenses. There is interest on this loan of 11.96% per annum but this will only be payable if UKSIL has sufficient income to do so.

Any long-term arrangements won’t become clear until after the take-over has been finalised so it’s currently impossible to answer this question but at this moment it seems that we still owe around £60m, as before, plus the additional £10m.

Can someone else still make a bid?

Potentially yes but this is unlikely as they would need to get over 25% of the shares to stop the UKSIL bid being declared unconditional and it would appear that only 30% at most are uncommitted.

So the only way that anyone could possibly get more for their shares is if UKSIL didn’t get 75% and decided to offer a higher price. However, this looks extremely unlikely indeed, so it’s 40p a share, take it or leave it.

Is the Trust happy with Thaksin Shinawatra as Manchester City owner?

Much has been written about Dr Thaksin in the media and message boards over the last couple of months and we don’t intend to go over old ground. The Thai military government seems determined to land a killer blow on him but he has not currently been convicted of any offence. It is also clear that the determination of the Thai military government to prove something against him is largely politically motivated. The news that the UK authorities are allegedly talking to the authorities in Thailand about the situation is also worrying.

There has also been some speculation that Dr Thaksin will use his ownership of Manchester City to maintain his political profile in Thailand and this is something that worries us. Our club should not be the meat in the sandwich between rival political factions in Thailand. That, and the continued uncertainty about the source of his funds and what action the Thais might or might not be able to take means that, in our view, he represents a potential risk.

That’s not to say that these things won’t get resolved and that he couldn’t do a good job for us though. In a culture where “face” is important, he has a huge incentive to make the club successful. He is also undoubtedly a huge fan of English football and appears to have significant financial muscle, which we desperately need. In his recent interview on Radio 5 Live, he won many people over with his measured and intelligent response to the questions asked (although it would have been interesting to hear the questions that he was reluctant to respond to). As a successful politician and businessman, it may be that he possesses the right mix of skills to finally drive the club forward.

He has made it clear that he will conduct a full strategic review of the club’s operations before making any changes and, if he does so, we would applaud that wholeheartedly. We have made no secret of the fact that we felt the previous board should have been bigger and stronger and there was room for improvement in the way the club was run commercially.

Our timescale for passing judgement is over the next 3-5 years. If in that time we have a successful and entertaining team, an academy at least as strong as the one we have now, a club that is performing well financially and is self sustaining in that respect then the take-over will have achieved the objectives that we have been asking for. The Trust will still continue to ask the questions that we believe need answering and do whatever else we can in order to ensure the club goes in the right direction. We still hope, whoever the owner is, to work with the club, alongside the other supporters’ groups to ensure the interests of our supporters are at the forefront of the club’s agenda.

So, what should we do?

The Supporters’ Trust movement believes implicitly that clubs should belong to their supporters and that the fans are the only true custodians of their clubs. However, it would appear that UKSIL will gain the necessary 75% to make the offer unconditional and that we will have a new owner and manager before too long. Many people, whether they have misgivings or not, believe that this is the only way forward for our club and will sell their shares in order to facilitate this as soon as possible.

Some people, while recognising that the club is going nowhere without significant investment and a new sense of purpose in the boardroom, still hope that they will be able to retain a minority stake in their club and will hold on as long as possible. Therefore if UKSIL fails to get hold of 90% or more of the shares these fans will have a minority stake in the club. This may mean that they would find it much more difficult to sell their shares in the future and have little hope of influencing events. The Trust, which holds no shares on its own account, would still aim to be an umbrella for those holdings.

[ThaiPauly]

I keep hearing that everything will be fianalised in a day or two, and have been hearing this for days.

WHEN is he gonna take over, must be tough for you City fans to be left in limbo lke this

PS...I have just noticed how many pages you City guys have...Reading only have 3 !!!!

[Bredbury Blue]

ThaiPauly - Frank is almost there. From yesterdays MEN - "Thaksin is now believed to have 73% of the club’s 55million shares, and when he mops up another 2% - probably by tomorrow - he will be able to de-list the club from the Stock Exchange and take it into private ownership. That is the point that Eriksson will be appointed, but the Swede was keen to get started today, hence the early-morning arrival."

To fellow Blues - Sad to see Nicky Weaver move on. Just last night i was reading how he thought he'd had an excellent season (i agree) and would stay and fight for his place, so disappointing to read only this morning that he's moved on to Charlton. I thought he was the equal of the Swede last season, if not better. Good luck Nicky, you are a blue!

[mrbojangles]

PS...I have just noticed how many pages you City guys have...Reading only have 3 !!!!

It's cos we're a massive club Tp. That'll get the red's backs up

[mrbojangles]

To fellow Blues - Sad to see Nicky Weaver move on. Just last night i was reading how he thought he'd had an excellent season (i agree) and would stay and fight for his place, so disappointing to read only this morning that he's moved on to Charlton. I thought he was the equal of the Swede last season, if not better. Good luck Nicky, you are a blue!

I concur

[Mid]

Ousted Thai PM Thaksin to rejuvenate Manchester City with new players

By SYLVIA HUI - Associated Press Writer

2007-07-07 13:42:19

HONG KONG (AP) - Ousted Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said Saturday he planned to recruit strikers and midfield players to make English Premier League club Manchester City more competitive in the coming season.

The former Thai leader, who has just bought the club, said he will spend the next three years improving the team,

which he described as a «sleeping giant.»

[JacknDanny]

Well I guess now we have Sven the Swede in charge, there will be a rebirth of "The Vikings" theme tune!!!

[mrbojangles]

We'll get behind him eh Jack

From skysports

Sven makes signings promise

Sven Goran Eriksson has promised there will be new faces at the club before the start of the season.

The Swede is already scouring the transfer market for new faces as he looks to rebuild the squad.

New City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has vowed to back Eriksson financially as they look to make the club a force again.

Eriksson refused to divulge how much of a transfer kitty he would have at his disposal, but admitted there would be new signings coming into the club in the near future.

"I don't think I should care to speak about money," said Eriksson.

"I can promise you will see new faces in the squad and the team when the Premier League starts.

"Let's wait until the middle of August and you will see.

"It's a big, big club and I think a lot of football players around the world would like to play for Manchester City especially as they know this club will be bigger and bigger."

Eriksson is happy with the current squad at Eastlands, especially with the promotion of six youngsters from the club's academy.

"I think it's good," Eriksson said of the current squad. "One thing I think is very, very good is that we have six players from the academy in the squad.

"That's important, That's something to build on for the future."

Eriksson is not worried about City's reputation with managers in the past and he is refusing to set himself any targets.

"I never thought about the other managers," continued Eriksson.

"I have this job, I'm very happy to have it and proud to have it and I think I'll do a good job."

As for his immediate ambitions for the club, he said: "We should wait with that. It's very easy and stupid to talk about that today.

"Let's see when we have the final squad. That's when I'll tell you."

[mrbojangles]

Thaksin's three-year plan

Manchester City's prospective new owner Thaksin Shinawatra has given himself a deadline of three years to turn around the club's fortunes.

The former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra is on the verge of completing his takeover of City after acquiring 74.03 per cent of the shares in City and declared his takeover offer unconditional.

Shinawatra has appointed Sven Goran Eriksson as City's new manager with the Swede signing a three-year deal at the club.

Shinawatra believes the three-year timeframe is the right amount of time to try and transform City's fortunes and he has vowed to back Eriksson in the transfer market to bolster City's squad.

"Right now, I have no other plan than to make the club very good," Thaksin told a news conference in Hong Kong.

"He (Eriksson) is working with my advisers to bring new players to join the club. We have many good players in the club but it's not enough.

"We have to get good players to the club and this season we have to move forward ... It's hard to tell how much we are going to spend. We need strikers, we need midfielders. We need quite a number, maybe five, six, seven, I don't know."

Meanwhile, former City and England manager Kevin Keegan has wished Eriksson all the best in his new job at Eastlands.

Eriksson is following the same path as Keegan who took time out after quitting England before taking charge at City.

Keegan is aware of the pressure and perils of managing City and he hopes the Swede can be a success at City

"It's a great club with a great support base and I wish him all the luck in the world," Keegan told BBC Scotland.

"It's a club who train 200 yards from Manchester United - two massive clubs in one city - and Manchester United are the biggest club in the world, arguably."

[mrbojangles]

Sven rules out Becks and Owen

Sven Goran Eriksson has ruled out making moves for his former England favourites David Beckham and Michael Owen as he begins his rebuilding plans at Manchester City.

The Swede, who was confirmed as City's new manager on Friday, is actively scouring the transfer market to bolster City's squad for the coming season.

Eriksson has promised to bring in new faces soon, but he says he is not planning any moves for either Beckham or Owen.

Owen's future at Newcastle has been the subject of intense speculation all summer with the former Liverpool man having a buy-out clause in his contract at St James' Park.

Beckham, who is set to join up with MLS side LA Galaxy this month, has been linked with a possible loan move when the season ends in America in November as he looks to safeguard his international place.

However, Eriksson insists he has no plans to sign the duo who served him so well during his time in charge of England.

"I didn't even know that there was any possibility of Beckham being available on loan, but no, no, no. I haven't thought about it and won't think about it," Eriksson told the News of the World.

"He was a big favourite of mine [with England] but at Manchester City we are trying to build a great team, and when you're trying to do that you don't take a player for a couple of months.

"As for Michael Owen - he's available? I didn't know that. Michael Owen will always score goals for you...but I don't want to read that I'm interested in signing him either

[Bredbury Blue]

The end of last season left me numb, I was that pissed off. We were not in the slightest interesting to watch and apart from Dunney, the return of Weaver and the progress of the youngsters we were bobbins!

I am not happy about Taksin taking over, wish it was another of the rich Thai's, but I am getting used to it. I think Sven Groan Eriksons record speaks for itself and he has to be the best manager we have had in donkey's years.

So I’m feeling pretty optimistic right now…bring it on!

[mrbojangles]

I am not happy about Taksin taking over, wish it was another of the rich Thai's, but I am getting used to it. I think Sven Groan Eriksons record speaks for itself and he has to be the best manager we have had in donkey's years.

Ditto that

So I’m feeling pretty optimistic right now…bring it on!

and that