Manchester City Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours

Boggles

Xavi6 wrote: »

Good signing imo. I'm thinking of doin the same.

He's the lone striker and with players like Robinho, Elano, SWP, Petrov and Ireland playing behind him he's gonna get a heap of chances.

Well he is in, there is just something about him that would suggest to me he is capable of getting 16-18 prem league goals.

Xavi6

Dear fellow Manchester City fans,

There has been much written about the purchase of Manchester City over the last few weeks and so now I am delighted to tell you that negotiations are complete and the transfer of ownership will take place next Tuesday (September 23rd, 2008). With the agreement finalised I would like to tell you directly a little about who we are and what we have planned.

Firstly I would like to thank you for the many expressions of good will and joy we have received since our wish to purchase the Club was announced. We are deeply touched and now have some great personal experience of what so many people have told us for a while now.......you are the greatest fans in the world.

Like you, we are excited about the future of the club, and we hope the securing of Robinho as a Manchester City player during the transfer window is seen as a signal of our very real intent. It has been an exciting two weeks for all of us all.

My intention is that Manchester City has the very best people at its disposal, both on and off the field. For that reason I have asked my friend Khaldoon Al Mubarak, to take on the position of Chairman of the Club. My request to him has been to put together a board and executive team that is worthy of the heritage and potential of Manchester City.

Khaldoon and I have agreed that the we will not be making any more announcements for a while as we really now need to sit down with the manager, Executive Chairman and key staff and put together plans that will, over time, get the Club to where we want it to be. That is the stage we are entering now and as anyone who runs a business knows, this involves a lot of listening, and a lot of talking to many stakeholders and research and discussion before plans can be announced.

As part of that, we will absolutely spend time listening to you the fans about what you think about the future of the club. We are very aware that without you there would not be a club to buy, and your voice will be heard by the organisation at the highest level. We also want to make it clear that Mark Hughes is absolutely integral to our plans. We are lucky to have someone who we believe is the best young British manager; someone who has been successful on the global stage, the Premier League and of course as a player.

We are ambitious for the club, like you, but not unreasonably so and we understand it takes time to build a team capable of sustaining a presence in the top four of the Premier League and winning European honours. We know a little of the history at City also and whilst we want to bring in the best players in the world, we also want to see the academy continue to develop talent and give Mark Hughes the chance to bring home-grown players into the team. We consider Mark Hughes to be one of the prime assets of the club. We will back his judgement in what players to bring in and we look forward to working more closely with him in the future. We are building a structure for the future not just a team of all-stars.

In cold business terms, Premiership football is one of the best entertainment products in the world and we see this as a sound business investment. That being said, we understand that we need to put money in to get the club to where we believe it can be -and where we think you the fans want it to be.

We are aware also that the club has a significant role in the community going back years. As newcomers, we don't pretend to understand all of this yet, but we will make sincere efforts to back these initiatives and ensure that Manchester City loses none of its role in Manchester beyond football and we want the club to continue to contribute to the community it represents.

I should perhaps also explain that despite what you may have read, I have bought the club in a private capacity and as part of my personal business strategy to hold a wide portfolio of business investments. I am a football fan, and I hope that you will soon see that I am now also a Manchester City fan. But I am also a long-term investor and that is probably more important to the club and to you because it means we are here for the long haul and that we will act always in the best interests of the club and all of its stakeholders, but especially you the fans.

I cannot be at the game against Portsmouth on Sunday, but like many of you I will be glued to the screen and cheering the team on. The club's new Chairman will be there and I ask you to welcome him. I will be at Eastlands soon and am really looking forward to sampling the famous City atmosphere.

Thank you again for the good wishes and your support.

Yours,

Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan



Manchester City © 2008

Xavi6

http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_4180333,00.html

Stephen Ireland has admitted that everyone at Manchester City is 'buzzing' following the 6-0 victory over Portsmouth.

City turned in a supreme display to thump Pompey and climb to fifth in the Premier League, with six different players on the scoresheet.

Ireland did not find the net but he was in magical form and is happy with the way he is performing alongside newcomers such as Robinho, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Vincent Kompany.

"We're ecstatic, we're on a high, we're buzzing and we are really looking forward to our next few games coming up with the form that we are in," the midfielder told City's official website.

"At the moment we feel we are invincible, we are going from strength to strength and we are in great form.

"We are changing formations week-in, week-out. This week it was 4-3-3 and I was on the right of Vincent with Elano on the left, but we are rotating and working well together.

"Even if I go far forward, someone will drop in for me. That shows how everything is working right now, everyone is helping each other out."

World class gaffer
Ireland believes manager Mark Hughes deserves much of the credit for City's promising start to the season, while he has also paid tribute to the supporters.

"The confidence was there, but it comes from the gaffer and the staff. They are world class, and the fans as well are giving us an extra boost.

"Everything is coming together to give us a massive lift and we are playing to the best of our abilities."

Robinho, Wright-Phillips and Jo have received much of the attention in recent weeks but Ireland has also been impressed by Kompany.

Ireland feels the 22-year-old Belgian, who has previously had spells at Anderlecht and Hamburg, is a key member of the side.

"Vincent is crucial to us as well. He's very experienced, if you look at his record he did a lot at an early age, he's had a few moves and has built up some miles on the clock for his age.

"There's an old head on young shoulders which is important in that sitting role he has."

Fantastic to see Stevie enjoying his football. He's probably been our best player so far this season and is revelling in that 'box-to-box' role. The tackle he made on the Defoe at the weekend where he chased him for half the length of the pitch summed up his attitude. Long may it continue!

Xavi6

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/sport/football/article-1059929/Dont-worry-happy-Man-City-Robinhos-magic-lights-Middle-Eastlands.html

Don't worry, be happy at Man City as Robinho's magic lights up Middle Eastlands

By Ian Ladyman

Last updated at 10:50 PM on 22nd September 2008

Given that some sceptics feared Manchester City had bought a £34million performing seal when they lured Robinho from Real Madrid on the last day of the transfer window, it will perhaps surprise nobody to learn that his first contribution was to put on a ball juggling display in the home dressing room.

The boy with the baby face and thumb-sucking goal celebration was in playground mode within hours of touching down from Brazil 10 days ago for his home debut against the club he rejected, Chelsea.

The star attraction: Robinho performs his trademark thumb-sucking celebration after scoring City's third against Portsmouth
His efforts earned him a round of applause from his team-mates, but fancy ball tricks in a warm dressing room are one thing while respect from hardened Barclays Premier League players is earned in a much harsher climate.

It is understood that one of Mark Hughes's coaching staff spotted early signs of showboating in Robinho's debut.

Significantly, it was absent against a Portsmouth side falling apart during a 6-0 mauling on Sunday.

Robinho was 'apprehensive' on his arrival at City, according to Hughes - perhaps not surprising give the dramatic nature of his deadline day transfer to a club he had never expected to join - but was quickly made to feel at home.

Hughes said: 'Before the first game he played here he was doing tricks with the ball in the dressing room, all kinds of crazy things.

'All the guys were sat around applauding him so straight away he won them over. He just loves playing.'

So far, just two games in, Robinho has proved up to the challenge. An early goal against Chelsea set the tone and in the demolition of Portsmouth he was the star attraction.

Already the Match of the Day highlights reels are filling up and the reaction of Hughes and his staff to Sunday's efforts said everything.

From Hughes a smile (you never get much more than that), from his assistant Mark Bowen a double thumbs-up to family in the main stand and from coach Kevin Hitchcock a frantic few seconds of rubbing his hands together.

Hughes said: 'He could have played all day but I took him off near the end just so he could get an ovation. He deserved it.'

There is an awfully long way to go for Robinho, just as there is for this City team, and the example of compatriot Elano last season is pertinent.

A playmaker around whom Sven Goran Eriksson built his team, Elano was superb until Christmas then disappeared as the English playing schedule took its toll on his legs and his wife's return to Brazil tempted him to look towards Manchester's party scene.

With four Brazilians in this squad - you have to say it twice to believe it - Hughes is aware of the dangers but has been impressed so far by the way that Robinho has adapted to life away from Madrid.

'Initially, he showed signs of being apprehensive about the situation he found himself in,' admitted Hughes.

'He's had great support from his colleagues in the Brazil team, Elano and Jo and Glauber Berti as well. That has helped him to settle. So that early apprehension went very quickly. We have seen, just as quickly, that the guy simply has a love of football.

'At Madrid he wanted to play every week and he felt he wasn't getting that chance. Maybe he felt he wasn't going to be as loved as, obviously, he will be here.'

In Hughes, Robinho has a manager with a track record of getting the best out of players who sometimes need to feel cherished - Craig Bellamy played the best football of his career at Blackburn.

There will be no special treatment, though, for, despite the talent and money at his disposal, this will be a side built in Hughes's own image and the team ethic will be cherished above all else.

There has been plenty of sniping from Chelsea since Robinho chose not to join them, with suggestions he was motivated solely by £160,000-a-week wages.

But Elano told Sportsmail: 'He is not like that, he plays for the love, not for the money. Chelsea were leading in the race for Robinho but City beat them so I am not surprised they are angry.

'If things go the way that we hope here, we will be fighting Chelsea for titles. Robinho is able to bring a brilliant spectacle to the English game. His dribbling is unique and we have already seen how he uses that to create open spaces for teammates. This will help us score more goals.'

Not on Wednesday though, as Robinho - currently living in a Cheshire hotel - will be spared going to Brighton in the Carling Cup but it will be interesting to see how he deals with a trip to Wigan on Sunday.

To foreign players, their first away game can seem like something from another sport.

Indeed, Manchester United's Patrice Evra described the experience as like 'being in a washing machine'.

But as Hughes has said before, good players simply learn to cope and Robinho's early football has been impressive - ominously so for City's opponents.

All very, very exciting stuff to read!

eirebhoy

Xavi6 wrote: »

Fantastic to see Stevie enjoying his football. He's probably been our best player so far this season and is revelling in that 'box-to-box' role. The tackle he made on the Defoe at the weekend where he chased him for half the length of the pitch summed up his attitude. Long may it continue!

He's well capable of playing for the best teams in the world imo. He's on the wavelength of the best players and looks better playing with better players.

Xavi6

I'd say you've had a constant hard on the last few weeks Xavi lol

Xavi6

Blisters on my hands! :pac:

mike65

Enough of this - are City going to take a proper team to the south coast for the Brighton game?

Mike

Xavi6

An average team.

Apparently a team of -

Schmeichel

Onouha Richards Dunne Ball

Ireland Elano Hamann Garrido

Sturridge Evans

trained seperately from the rest of the squad yesterday and many think this will be the team for tonight's game.

Ireland for first goal would be a decent bet with how hes playing considering who you have in that team there Xavi...hmm...

Xavi6

Well that team isn't 100% so don't blame me if we line up differently later.

mike65

Thats a solid if not "spectacular" side.

Mike

Xavi6

Yeah, though I thought Ben Haim would get a start instead of either Dunne or Richards, and Galuber would play left back. Didn't think Ireland would start either.

mike65

Mike

roryc

Brighton?

mike65

Indeed. They cost me money. Couldn't beat a bunch of improvrished hoofers who can't win a home game this season.

Mike

Xavi6

Absolute embarrassment.

Typical City is dead, long live typical City.

Im_No_Superman

Ebay reports that sales of blue tea towels have increased by 1,650% since Manchester City were taken over by the Abu Dhabi United Group. (The Times)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/gossip_and_transfers/7634913.stm

Made me lol.
Might do the same for you Xavi after last nights result!

Shocked with the result last night myself. Would have thought that Sparkie might have targeted this trophy as an early one to go for.

Xavi6

Well in fairness to Hughes, it wasn't exactly a team of kids that played last night. It was a bloody strong team, and one that should have pissed all over Brighton.

Xavi6

Xavi6 wrote: »

Well in fairness to Hughes, it wasn't exactly a team of kids that played last night. It was a bloody strong team, and one that should have pissed all over Brighton.

True, but did he not try to lash on a few of the newer players to try and win the game? I didn't see the highlights tbh.

Xavi6

Only Elano came on. Well, Caicedo did too but we all know he's ****.

Robinho, SWP, Hart, Richards and Petrov played no part at all.

Cactus Col

Ebay reports that sales of blue tea towels have increased by 1,650% since Manchester City were taken over by the Abu Dhabi United Group. (The Times).

Glad to see good old fashioned casual racism is alive and well!

I'll have to buy shares in a shoe polish company when newcastle are bought by the nigerians!

Mr Alan

Hughes get sacked yet?

Xavi6

Keane score yet?

Xavi6

Xavi6 wrote: »

Keane score yet?

Not just yet, but did well at the weekend. Did Hughes?

Xavi6

You're as bad as the tabloids waitng on us to falter. Where was that question last weekend?!

I wish Man City the best tbh. Rather seeing you's doing well then that other team down the road

Mr Alan

Xavi6 wrote: »

Keane score yet?

No not yet.

Did set up 2 at the weekend though, more than happy with how he is settling in-hard to argue with 2 excellent performances against Everton and United when you cruise to victory in both games

and Xavi, in fairness i did say that i think Hughes will have a tough time hanging onto his job as soon as the new owners came in and said their immediate aim was to qualify for the CL this season. so i aint jumping on any band wagon

Xavi6

Pics like this make me smile -

Xavi6

From MCFC.co.uk -

City already on the case for January

City’s assistant manager Mark Bowen says that the search to bring more top-quality players to the Club is already well underway.
The recent takeover of City and the arrival of Robinho just before the close of the summer transfer window have heightened speculation over who Mark Hughes and his management team might bring in next, but Bowen says that feet will remain firmly on the ground and that thorough profiles of many players are currently being worked on.

He says, “We have people out there looking at names already, we will be travelling Europe over the next few months. We also have the chance, because we know what the budget is, to target players at the very top so if you think you can get them maybe they will come.

“You can also do a lot of background work, a lot of our scouts might almost be like private detectives to see if a target might settle in with us. Are they likely to embrace what we do, not just on the pitch but on the training ground as well?

“The gaffer puts a lot of emphasis on training, and if you are asking players to perform at the highest level of intensity then bringing people in who just want to stand around at training counting the hours to Saturday might upset the balance as well. That homework has to be done.”

The former Norwich City, Spurs and West Ham defender, who has worked alongside Mark Hughes at international domestic level, is also keen to emphasise that City’s approach is not just to bring bodies on board for the sake of it, and that shaping a team is key to looking at potential targets.

“Possibly the hardest job will be careful selection of the players we bring in, but also moulding them into a team,” he continues. “We have to make sure that we have a team.

“You can’t just point at the best players in the world, it does not work that way. You have to man-manage them and motivate them, you have to carefully select who you bring in and who they will work around.

“But look at someone like Stephen Ireland, is there genuinely a better player than him in his position in this country at the moment? You cannot just look at names on paper just because they play for big teams overseas and think that they will do better jobs than people like Stephen.

“You might have the ability to bring in a few more world stars, but then find someone like Robinho could be disenfranchised, so it’s a careful selection, but we will embrace it. We had success at Blackburn by bringing in the right type of players, albeit on a different budget, so it is important we get that situation right, and we are confident that we will do.”

Very interesting to see how highly Ireland is rated by the club.

Xavi6

Watch City in training here -

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/manchester_city/s/1070038_watch_city_in_training?rss=yes

Pretty cool

mike65

I heard something about Citys game being called off.

Mike

Xavi6

Nice one. Cheers for that contribution :rolleyes:

bigstar

granted access at last, shall be posting here about all the crazy goings on at eastlands. whats going on with the defense, no excuses for giving up a two goal lead, ireland is doing well though

eZe^

Wanna give us Kompany? :pac:

Pepe LeFrits

City have signed Arsenal youngster Oliver Nicholas apparently.

bigstar

eZe^ wrote: »

Wanna give us Kompany? :pac:

what you mean our best buy of the season, ah sure why not

Im_No_Superman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rEBlQBgFWA

Cracking goal from Robinho last night.

bigstar

lets hope he starts doing it for city

Im_No_Superman

bigstar wrote: »

lets hope he starts doing it for city

Dont you mean continues doing it for City.

From what Ive seen of him in a City shirt he has been excellant.

Im_No_Superman

Im_No_Superman wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rEBlQBgFWA

Cracking goal from Robinho last night.

lol, what a cracker.

Xavi6

Im_No_Superman wrote: »

Dont you mean continues doing it for City.

From what Ive seen of him in a City shirt he has been excellant.

Shite against Wigan and Pool

Xavi6

Xavi6

Xavi6 wrote: »

lol hello Dalkey!

bigstar

Im_No_Superman wrote: »

Dont you mean continues doing it for City.

From what Ive seen of him in a City shirt he has been excellant.

you havent seen that much of city, great against pompey, and not a lot since

bigstar

petrov and robihno are out and the price of oil is going down, at least weve got newcastle on monday (fingers crossed)

Xavi6

http://www.wigan.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=128649

Money Bags City in for Zaki?

It is being reported that Zamalek are about to open negotiations with Manchester City over the possibility of snatching the worlds number one striker Amr Zaki from Wigan Athletic.

In a statement that appears on the FilGoal.com web site it suggests that a delegation from Zamalek will travel to either Manchester or Abu Dhabi to start transfer talks, the statement reads:

"A Zamalek delegation will fly to either Manchester or Abu Dhabi, not determined yet, to hold talks with City representatives over Zaki"

Whether there is any truth in this remains to be seen and dealing with Zamalek last summer was a tricky affair to say the least for Steve Bruce the Latics boss.

Amr Zaki has settled very well in to Wigan the town and the team and the fans have taken him to heart, it appears that the player is loving his experience with the Latics and he may not want to go 17 miles up the East Lancs Road to Manchester City, lets hope he stays where is friends are.

Hmmmmm not sure what to make of this. The purple patch could end very soon.