Manchester City

[SantiSuk]

If I was Pelle I would be very tempted to have some fun with my selections in the remainder of the season. Football is descending to the level of Big Brother these days.

[mrbojangles]

If I was Pelle I would be very tempted to have some fun with my selections in the remainder of the season

That's why you probably aren't suited to professional football management

[JacknDanny]

That's got to have an affect on the players and Pellegrini from now till the end of the season...lets hope it's positive though I suspect it'll be negative.

Difficult one that. I hope they step up a gear and show they want to play for Pep, as they know he will be watching every game and they'll know he'll be getting a war chest to replace those who he feels don't fit in.

Well the likes of Yaya had best put themselves in the shop window, because for sure he aint going to be here next year.

I think Pellegrini is well liked, so the players, apart from doing their upmost to make themselves 'irreplaceable', I think they will try their best for Pelle.

Right decision to make the announcement, even though I have been shouting it from the roof tops for the past year or so

[mrbojangles]

That's got to have an affect on the players and Pellegrini from now till the end of the season...lets hope it's positive though I suspect it'll be negative.

Difficult one that. I hope they step up a gear and show they want to play for Pep, as they know he will be watching every game and they'll know he'll be getting a war chest to replace those who he feels don't fit in.

Well the likes of Yaya had best put themselves in the shop window, because for sure he aint going to be here next year.

I think Pellegrini is well liked, so the players, apart from doing their upmost to make themselves 'irreplaceable', I think they will try their best for Pelle.

Right decision to make the announcement, even though I have been shouting it from the roof tops for the past year or so

Yeah and Pelle seems to be the ultimate professional. Dignified in his press conf etc. He'll be asking the players to do their best for the themselves, the fans and for him

[BangrakBob]

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said he cannot imagine that Pep Guardiola would go to a club like City

Big slice waiting for you K-H, next time you're in Manchester.

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Bottomless pit of money, talented squad, recent league winners...and a ridiculous pay check each month.....are you sure it wasn't Karl-Heinz Pilkington?

[mad mary]

Well that is great news,just great!

I expect Ross Barkley to replace Yaya & the Bundesliga to be raided with wages & fees being turned upside down again.

Got to give pellegrini his dues for the -oh by the way-way he dropped the bombshell .

[mrbojangles]

I feel as excited about this as the scousers must have felt when they landed Klopp

[wilai]

^ Really?.....The only way is down

[JacknDanny]

Hahaha, scooped you Bredders!

Once City knew I had revealed Pep's wife's visit to St Bede's this morning they had no choice to come clean

BTW. Don't think any of United's lot attend St Bede's. It's a City school

It is now mate, but when I was there it was full of Rags fans!!!

Terry Christian was a year above me (big United fan)

How times have changed!!

Be surprised if Pep sends his kids there. Great school with plenty of history, but bit of a dredge from where I imagine they will be living..... unless they are roughing it in Whalley Range

[mrbojangles]

Hahaha, scooped you Bredders!

Once City knew I had revealed Pep's wife's visit to St Bede's this morning they had no choice to come clean

BTW. Don't think any of United's lot attend St Bede's. It's a City school

It is now mate, but when I was there it was full of Rags fans!!!

Terry Christian was a year above me (big United fan)

How times have changed!!

Be surprised if Pep sends his kids there. Great school with plenty of history, but bit of a dredge from where I imagine they will be living..... unless they are roughing it in Whalley Range

I wasn't talking about fans jack. City send a lot of our academy players though I think.

[Bredbury Blue]

Hahaha, scooped you Bredders!

Once City knew I had revealed Pep's wife's visit to St Bede's this morning they had no choice to come clean

BTW. Don't think any of United's lot attend St Bede's. It's a City school

It is now mate, but when I was there it was full of Rags fans!!!

Terry Christian was a year above me (big United fan)

How times have changed!!

Be surprised if Pep sends his kids there. Great school with plenty of history, but bit of a dredge from where I imagine they will be living..... unless they are roughing it in Whalley Range

I wasn't talking about fans jack. City send a lot of our academy players though I think.

ALL of City's academy kids study at St Bedes; it's one of the Academy's biggest selling points over what our rivals can offer.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/premier-league/educating-city-boys-the-league-leaders-are-taking-the-schooling-of-their-academy-players-seriously-9348440.html

[Chicog]

L. Van Gaal must be a little relieved

[carmine]

Very brave of City to appoint a relatively unproven manager! To think, this City side is the weakest side he's joined yet they are the premier league favorites!.

I can only see bayern going upwards under Ancelotti.

[StevieH]

the irish times second captains podcast today is very good on guardiola/city/united etc.

https://soundcloud.com/secondcaptains-it-com/peps-off-to-city-bye-brave-john-terry-delaneys-world-nevilles-war

[mrbojangles]

Starting eleven

Joe Hart

Bacary Sagna

Nicolas Otamendi

Martin Demichelis

Gael Clichy

Fernandinho

Yaya Toure ©

Jesus Navas

Kelechi Iheanacho

David Silva

Sergio Aguero

[mrbojangles]

We were clinging on then towards the half time mark. First job for Pep is to sort our defence out

[Bredbury Blue]

That's a good battling victory. We didn't offer much up front, Sunderland were dogged and never gave up, so very happy with that. Hats off to Joe Hart, not too much to do but did it really well.

[JacknDanny]

Otamendi and Hart were superb.

I guess my theory that Yaya was going to have to put himself into the shop window over the next few weeks, didnt come to fruition. Another lazy performance.

Sergio should have been hooked. He got injured and it looked like he was carrying it throughout. Should have left the kid on.

Another wasted performance by Navas.

Very defensive performance today, but we battled for the 3 points. Still in control of our own destiny.

[Bredbury Blue]

Nothing to do with City, but explains our love for the wonderful world of football. An enjoyable read.

http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/feb/02/lifes-a-gas-supporting-bristol-rovers-with-my-blind-dad

[Bredbury Blue]

From Garry Cook to Pep Guardiola: Manchester City have come a long way

http://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2016/feb/02/garry-cook-pep-guardiola-manchester-city-ambition

[mrbojangles]

City have issued the Champions League squad.

City squad: Joe Hart, Willy Caballero, Gael Clichy, Martin Demichelis, Aleksandar Kolarov, Vincent Kompany, Eliaquim Mangala, Nicolas Otamendi, Bacary Sagna, Pablo Zabaleta, Fernandinho, Fernando, Fabian Delph, Jesus Navas, David Silva, Raheem Sterling, Yaya Toure, Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero, Wilfried Bony, Kelechi Iheanacho

[jellydog]

City have issued the Champions League squad.

City squad: Joe Hart, Willy Caballero, Gael Clichy, Martin Demichelis, Aleksandar Kolarov, Vincent Kompany, Eliaquim Mangala, Nicolas Otamendi, Bacary Sagna, Pablo Zabaleta, Fernandinho, Fernando, Fabian Delph, Jesus Navas, David Silva, Raheem Sterling, Yaya Toure, Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero, Wilfried Bony, Kelechi Iheanacho

Nice to see Nacho made the cut. Even given his recent performances I was afraid Pellegrini might go Bony and leave Nacho out.

[mrbojangles]

City have issued the Champions League squad.

City squad: Joe Hart, Willy Caballero, Gael Clichy, Martin Demichelis, Aleksandar Kolarov, Vincent Kompany, Eliaquim Mangala, Nicolas Otamendi, Bacary Sagna, Pablo Zabaleta, Fernandinho, Fernando, Fabian Delph, Jesus Navas, David Silva, Raheem Sterling, Yaya Toure, Kevin De Bruyne, Sergio Aguero, Wilfried Bony, Kelechi Iheanacho

Nice to see Nacho made the cut. Even given his recent performances I was afraid Pellegrini might go Bony and leave Nacho out.

I think with Bony and Aguero's injury record's, he needed a another striking option

[Bredbury Blue]

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola resumed discussions with Manchester City "in May or June" last year over becoming their new manager.Pep Guardiola says he began the talks that led to him being appointed as Manchester City manager from the 2016-17 season in the middle of last year.

[Bredbury Blue]

^wonder if Paddy Viera was shipped off to New York for a few years to take him out off Pep's staffing changes? City clearly rate Viera, they're allowing him time and training in various positions. Maybe with an eye on when Pep's bored after his 3 years.

[JacknDanny]

^wonder if Paddy Viera was shipped off to New York for a few years to take him out off Pep's staffing changes? City clearly rate Viera, they're allowing him time and training in various positions. Maybe with an eye on when Pep's bored after his 3 years.

Not sure what you mean there?? Peps staffing changes?

Every manager brings his own 'team' with him as well as keeping important members of current staff.

In this case Kiddo is certainly being retained and if Vieira was still there he would have been kept there,

You must by now understand that this is part of the overall plan. There is no doubt in my mind that Vieira will be the manager after 3 yrs of Pep. His contract expires Jan 2019 in USA, he will then IMO work alongside Pep at City until Pep completes his contract.

As I have said several times.... 3 years is the period that the 'Spanish Boys' believe is the optimum period for a manager to serve. Beneficial for both parties.

[Bredbury Blue]

^Staffing changes = Exactly as you mentioned, new manager in brings in his new backroom team and old backroom team gets axed. Seems our thoughts on the Viera situation are the same then.

[mrbojangles]

Apparently, Pep only has 4 people who he will bring with him.

Manuel Estiarte - Personal assistant. Pep really trusts this guy and is his right-hand man. An ex-water polo star and Pep thinks it's good to have influences from other sports.

Domenec Torrent - Assistant coach

Carles Planchart - Scout and video analyst

Lorenzo Buenaventura - Fitnesss coach

[alfieconn]

Apparently, Pep only has 4 people who he will bring with him.

Manuel Estiarte - Personal assistant. Pep really trusts this guy and is his right-hand man. An ex-water polo star and Pep thinks it's good to have influences from other sports.

Domenec Torrent - Assistant coach

Carles Planchart - Scout and video analyst

Lorenzo Buenaventura - Fitnesss coach

He'll come in handy in you have to play on a waterlogged pitch

[jellydog]

Only a few hours until all eyes will be on the Etihad. Huge match with implications for every contender. Should Leicester take three points the gauntlet will have definitely been thrown down. Every club will be chasing, with City and Arsenal in the CL, and Spurs in the Europa.