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The haters begin to circle around Manchester City
Thursday, September 4th, 2008
After several days of seeing the smiling Manchester City faces plastered all over the TV, the haters have started to bite back. It seems that some have reservations about the oil-dripping Arabs who have moved into Eastlands, despite overtones from Mark Hughes, Robinho and Dr. Sulaiman al-Fahim to the contrary.
While to many it may sound like sour grapes, according to the scribes, money cannot buy team spirit and accordingly Manchester United’s dominance is likely to remain intact for the forseeable future over their neighbours.
The first personality to lay out the pitfalls of the Abu Dhabi United Group’s takeover was David Westley from ArabaianBusiness.com, the source credited with breaking the news of the acquisition on Monday. Westley adopts the “money can’t buy you love” argument, as his warns City to be wary of the green-eyed monster.
Westley: “Team spirit comes from a confidence in the future. For the players presently occupying the City of Manchester Stadium there may be no tomorrow… in spite of Al Fahim’s pledge to build a dream team of a ‘minimum’ of 18 players, Mark Hughes, the current manager of Manchester City, needs to somehow motivate his current squad who presumably have now woken up to the fact that they will no longer have a job in three months time. That’s a disaster for the manager, Hughes, now landed with the new impossible job of English football: building a winning team from demotivated players, in the face of a wave of heightened expectation. With no confidence in the future, there can be no team spirit. With no team spirit, lose hope in Man City’s journeymen getting much breathing space from the bottom of the Premiership.”
Wesley goes further to lay out the dangers for Sparky himself: “If he has any chance of staying in charge of one of the most exciting times at Manchester City, he needs results… Hughes himself must be looking at the likes of Jose Mourinho and Avram Grant, who in spite of bringing back glory to Stamford Bridge, still found themselves surplus to requirements when the highest targets alluded them in spite of a bulging cheque book.”
The second line of attack on the new-found riches in Manchester comes from Eurosport’s Jim White, who tries to put City firmly in there place up when matched up against their rivals, United.
White: “The big question is whether the new owners - who appear to know nothing about football, but plenty about celebrity - will leave him to get on with the job. Though he is remaining publicly upbeat, privately Hughes may already be somewhat perturbed by the buying policy of his masters. The scattergun purchase of marquee names may not help him progress the club. It doesn’t get you a team. In fact, it might do the opposite. Robinho will shift a few replica shirts, but he is a known flake, who Real Madrid were pleased to let go because of the disruption he caused in the dressing room.”
“But even if City are projected by all this cash into a trophy winning position, the ambition that they will seriously challenge United in scale is an unlikely one. 15 years of hegemony built on 50 years of history is not easily shifted. You only have to go to Spain or Italy and hear the local commentators refer to United by the simple shorthand of Manchester to realise quite how far City have to travel to become recognised internationally. Sure, United underestimate the new City at their peril. But right now, they can rest easy in their beds.”
September 4th, 2008 at 2:01 pm
obviously written by a rag!
September 4th, 2008 at 2:05 pm
Having spent much of my life in them Manchester area, and having always been a MCFC fan, I can tell you that MUFC fans are totally crapping themselves. WE are about 50/50 in our local pub, and the red side has become very very quiet during the past few days. MCFC beat them twice last season under SGE, and that trend will continue, and the know it. MCFC fans are not looking for results overnight becaue we\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\’ve waited long enough, but it will happen.
And, the press will have to change its tune
September 4th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
It was bound to happen…
Why haven\’t we been talking this way for the last few years about money bags Chelsea & United?
I certainly agree with the article above…BUT do we really need that many players? I don\’t thik so! In fact the team as it stands is possibly the best we\’ve had since the later 60s & early 70s
CITY did get more points off the BIG FOUR last year than any other team…thanks to 6 points from United.
CITY have the best youth policy in the league…didn\’t they beat Chelsea last year?
Let\’s hope Mr Hughes is very clear (with the new owners)about the few he might aquire TO IMPROVE THE TEAM.
I see we might be purchasing Buffon…BUT we have a tremendous goaly already…ENGLANDS best!
It\’ll be a field day for the press from now on…We are in a no win situation…if we win it\’ll be the money…if we lose…the press will be hounding the manager & players & owners.
I\’ve stuck with THE BLUES for 54 years & it has made me more resilent with many turbulent times (it is CITY)
I expect we will gain more fans now…the GLORY HUNTERS!
CTID
Rob F
September 4th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
The writer in on the spot in the analysis of Man City’s future.
Why are teams like Real Madrid and Manchester United successful? It is because of its footballing philosophy and the style & approach of the managers carrying on the torch. And the foundation for success. Based on home-grown/local footballers, securing the brightest talents that befit its philosophy, nurturing them to the first team that is anchored by wizen veterans and top-notch-to-superstar footballers in their prime, all put together to play in tandem for the longer term, and then prepare for the next core generation to bear the torch. Then, there is the manager who sets the tone and the hardball no-nonsense approach, yet still lets them play to their hearts desire.
All this take time to develop, there is no instant success. Having superstars falls prey to inherent prima donna attitudes, and affects team unity, in most cases. Added to that the impatience of the billionaire owners pressures managers and players to produce, which in itself becomes counter-productive, since they are no longer free to play as their spirits drive them plus the pressure only results in robotic football. Look at Mourinho’s Chelsea.
I see a parallel in US sports, the baseball Yankees buying the best that money can buy ($254 Million for a player?) but no championship. Same with ice hockey Rangers, superstars full, all failed. But when youngsters introduced, became championship material.
In US football,the success of the Patriots and the soon to be Jets are are based on a philosophy and the head coach’s approach. All players selected must show a certain type of character that can fit into the overall scheme. Yes, they are psycho-analyzed to see how each would react in given situations. Do the have the winning mentality? Will they go the extra yard? Will they sacrifice for the good of the team?
Man U’s Ferguson obviously looks to these prerogatives in a player, but also takes risks as with Veron and others. But in the end, Man U plays the type of football that is the heart and soul of that football team and its history.
In comparison, what philosophy does or will Man City have? What vision will be used as its foundation to put together a team of player that can accomplish them and still be able to play one’s own creativity? I don’t think that will happen. The owners have only one goal, to create the best team out of supposed superstart. Question is, will they gel together in a short time frame? No way. And what will then be the answer to that. Manager fired, players sold and new superstars bought, all to no avail. It is a scattergun approach by those who do not know the intricacies involved in building a successful team, and one for the long run. Instead, these superstars will be milked for their PR and marketing values. Then again, these owners have hundred of billions to throw. What is a few hundred millions? Chicken feed!
Man City will never reach the legendary status of Man U which was built over “dozens” of decades. It will take a long time, but from what I see, there will be no long time. Instant success! Well, perhaps in Neverland, but not it today’s reality.
September 4th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Homegrown talent! Nani Ronaldo Tevez Vidic Anderson Van Der Sar Berbatov,ooh ahh Cantona, Collyhurst and Blakely lads are they?
September 4th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Barry,
I am making an assumption that you are american and therefore no nothing of Manchester City and our history. Manchester City have always had a footballing philosphy even if we havent been successful. I am not about to lecture but next time you comment on our football club I suggest you do some research. The same could be said of the press who have been blinded by the ex big four.
I find all these articles telling City fans what to expect and what not to do ,how not to buy etc.. very amusing. City fans know the situation we are in. We were here when we were skint and will be here when we are skint again. We know and understand football… do you ? We also know the ex big four loving press will be out to get us for spoilimg their cosy little cartel.
Move over , make room because if you like it or not sometime in the not to distant future a big blue juggernaut is comming and this one will not forget where it came from
September 4th, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Jim White, yep well known Cockney RAG …….. Who care\’s what you think you bitter bitter RAG!
September 4th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Barry,
Dozens of decades is a minimum of 240 years if I\\\’m not mistaken
September 5th, 2008 at 5:42 am
Note that the word dozens was written in quotes. Of course, I know the history of Man U and Real Madrid. Just an expression taken to the extreme, as we live in extremities, these days, over the top is the norm like newspaper headlines