Manchester City Team Talk/Gossip/Rumours

Mr Alan

Xavi6 wrote: »

Nah it's Frank's son. His daughter is a cracker btw.

Xavi,xavi xavi, you of all people should know you're not allowed say something like that without providing picture proof!

tut tut tut :eek:

Xavi6

Mr Alan wrote: »

Xavi,xavi xavi, you of all people should know you're not allowed say something like that without providing picture proof!

tut tut tut :eek:

My deepest apologies. On the left -

GuanYin

Xavi6 wrote: »

My deepest apologies. On the left -

Thought you didn't like Asians

She looks like my cousin.

Xavi6

PSI wrote: »

Thought you didn't like Asians

She looks like my cousin.

I'll make an exception for you and your cousin :cool:

Peyton Manning

Oh dear...

Tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra has put Manchester City’s entire squad up for sale in the latest twist to his bizarre behaviour.

Thai billionaire Shinawatra, who is already set to sack manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, is apparently so disgusted with the team’s performances in the second half of the season that he wants a massive clear-out, including young stars such as Micah Richards, Michael Johnson and Joe Hart.

The news of the impending fire sale throws City even deeper into turmoil and will further antagonise fans, who staged a mass demonstration against Shinawatra last week.

They are threatening to withhold money for season tickets until it becomes clear who the manager will be next season and what players will be on the pitch. It also underlines the belief of many City insiders that Shinawatra does not understand football.

City’s owner, it is understood, has written a letter to each member of the team conveying his feelings.

He has put all contract talks on hold and wants to start next season from scratch with a new

manager and new players. All this has prompted deputy chairman John Wardle, who is distraught at the crisis, to apologise to the players for selling the club to Shinawatra.

But the damage has been done and many players will be delighted to jump ship and relaunch their careers at a club with a less volatile owner.

Skipper Richard Dunne is expected to join Newcastle for £5million. The poor treatment of Eriksson was the final straw for Dunne, City’s Player of the Season. Richards is also unhappy.

He signed a new four-year contract in February because he was sure the club were going in the right direction. But Manchester United and Chelsea have now been alerted.

Johnson is a target for Liverpool, and goalkeeper Hart is being pursued by Tottenham, who also covet Martin Petrov, City’s Bulgarian winger.

Sunderland have been eyeing Stephen Ireland and there would be no shortage of bids for Elano.

Morale was so low that City lost Sunday’s final league game 8-1 against Middlesbrough

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/44612/Firing-squad

---

Hope its BS to be honest.

Xavi6

Quotes?

This is just a whole host of seperate rumours thrown into the one story.

Ok to set a couple of things straight -

1. Yes, John Wardle did apologise to the players for the way things happened with Sven and for selling the club. Wardle doesn't like Frank at all.
2. What chairman is going to sell an entire squad and sack a manager and rebuild it within 2 and a half months, maybe less if we get InterToto? Frank may not be a football man but he's an intelligent businessman.
3. "Richards is also unhappy". Says who? Quote from ANY source please.
4. Hart wants to stay and merely wants to discuss an improved contract. The links with Spurs are basically 'Robinson is shit, Hart is young and great' rumours. Again, 2 + 2 = 5.
5. The speculation regarding Ireland is from weeks ago so they are just rehashing old rumours to suit the story.

There's so much crap spun into that story it's unreal. Feckin tabloid journos.

Sizzler

Sounds like you have another Romanov (Of Hearts fame) on your hands :eek:

Chong

Yup no quotes and its the express so I would read too much into it .

machiavellianme

Xavi6 wrote: »

My deepest apologies. On the left -

Did you really need to point that out?

Mitch Connor

From the City squad, I would take Richards and Petrov - Johnson would be an interesting buy too.

Story is probably bull though no quotes as said.

Pepe LeFrits

It is hard to believe that anyone could be that stupid, although Romanov certainly proved it is possible and Sinawawawa's behaviour thus far doesn't exactly inspire confidence.

Man City have a good half dozen or so top, top (© SkySports) players. The very idea that they might be flogged willy-nilly… Arg, I’m drooling on my keyboard again.

Peyton Manning

Well, if they do have to buy a new first team, Im willing to bet it would look like this:

Igor Akinfeev

Eduardo Ratinho
Vincent Kompany
Ezequiel Garay
Mamadou Sakho

Jeremy Menez
Miguel Veloso
Renato Augusto
Lulinha

Mario Ballotelli
Henri Saivet


I base this on their current scouting system, which is of course the latest copy of Football Manager.

Mitch Connor

Archimedes wrote: »

Well, if they do have to buy a new first team, Im willing to bet it would look like this:

Igor Akinfeev

Eduardo Ratinho
Vincent Kompany
Ezequiel Garay
Mamadou Sakho

Jeremy Menez
Miguel Veloso
Renato Augusto
Lulinha

Mario Ballotelli
Henri Saivet


I base this on their current scouting system, which is of course the latest copy of Football Manager.

Nah - they signed Bojinov....must be an older copy! I'd say Bojan Djordjic, Eric Nevland, To Madiera and Andreas Sigborsson will be top targets!

Peyton Manning

Tauren wrote: »

Nah - they signed Bojinov....must be an older copy! I'd say Bojan Djordjic, Eric Nevland, To Madiera and Andreas Sigborsson will be top targets!

Lets not forget Cherno Samba!

Xavi6

Pfft top of my wish list is the one and only Kennedy Bakirciouglu

KevIRL

Tonton Zola Moukoko

5ForKeeps

Liverpool fan in peace, i'm not a City fan of course have a small soft spot for City always but by god like, the owner is a lunatic much like what we have down the road in Liverpool at Anfield. Foreign owners have had a huge negative impact and i hope like ourselves this summer everything can be sorted to get these 3 mugs of out the game for good and bring in people that care for the traditions that uphold both our clubs.

x in the city

sorry about my last post lads

this situation with man city is a disgrace, can the club kick him out..shinawatra or whatever his name is.?

I dont support city, but they have a good name and to be mucked about by this guy who doesnt know the 1st thing about football beggars belief.

Xavi6

Well he kinda owns the club so bit hard to just kick him out....

Plus he hasn't actually done anything yet to be honest. Manager's still there, players are still there so no case to answer yet.

gucci

Archimedes wrote: »

Oh dear...


Skipper Richard Dunne is expected to join Newcastle for £5million. The poor treatment of Eriksson was the final straw for Dunne, City’s Player of the Season. Richards is also unhappy.

He signed a new four-year contract in February because he was sure the club were going in the right direction. But Manchester United and Chelsea have now been alerted.
[/url]

I hope for Richard Dunnes sake, and Ireland sake he doesn't end up joining Newcastle, big club blah blah, but leaving Man City for Newcastle, hes not making the progress his hard work and consistency in recent seasons deserves.
£5m for one of the best centre halfs in the league......would be a good deal for any club.....except city

x in the city

but he has stated his intentions.

If it was Everton who were being messed about like this there would be outcry and fans would not let him get away with this...:eek:

Seems torrid state of affairs tbh, foreigners eh...like our neighbours across the park.

City fans should just boycott the club until he is ousted, like he was as prime minister....

sorted.

he is just a thug anyways....!

gucci

Xavi6 wrote: »

My deepest apologies. On the left -

Soccer Moms daughters alllll riiiggghhhttt

Xavi6

x in the city wrote: »

but he has stated his intentions.

If it was Everton who were being messed about like this there would be outcry and fans would not let him get away with this...:eek:

Seems torrid state of affairs tbh, foreigners eh...like our neighbours across the park.

City fans should just boycott the club until he is ousted, like he was as prime minister....

sorted.

he is just a thug anyways....!

Wow now hold up. 'Stated his intentions'? What do you mean by that? All he's said is that he wants us to be a top 4 club. What's wrong with ambition?

And why would the fans boycott the club? Nothing has happened yet.

Xavi6

From Micah Richards' BBC column -

I was sat on the bench at the Riverside and could not believe it.

I was almost crying, I felt so bad. City are my team and something like that hurts me.

Next season qualifying for Europe is a must for us though so we have to do the business in the league.

He's going nowehere.

x in the city

nothing wrong with being a top 4 club. but it wont happen for a long time and you know it, certainly not in a year.

Everton are looking quite solid now, I wouldnt classify us as top 4 material yet but we are getting there, but this has been progression, year after year, and everything has not been smooth running all the time. Everyone has blips, managers and players but the board at EFC have supported Moyes and I think we got our just rewards as we have been up near the top for most of the season.

Now we have teams like Villa, Blackburn, Portsmouth, Spurs. and City.

Its alot of competition and this is just for lets face it. best of the rest.
because Chelski and Man United are in a different world. Arsenal also.

No reason why City cannot get up there but they were never going to get 4th spot this season, and I would expect next season would also seem impossible.

its fine having money, but you also need an understanding chairman, I bet this thai guy doesnt know where City played previously....

Xavi6

From the official Manchester City website -

Manchester City slam allegations regarding the Chairman

The Club have taken the unusual step today to issue a statement regarding reports in some of this morning’s national newspapers.

The stories suggested that our Chairman, Dr Thaksin Shinawatra, has put the entire first team squad up for sale and has written a critical letter to all the players regarding their performances this season.

Dr Thaksin exclusively told mcfc.co.uk “There is absolutely no truth to this story or any of the allegations. I appreciate the progress and performance of the whole squad, managed by Sven-Goran Eriksson, this season.”

Dr Thaksin also confirmed that other claims in the story of Deputy Chairman John Wardle apologising to players for selling the club were also without any foundation.

Last night Dr Thaksin dined with Sven together with the City players and staff at sponsor Singha Beer’s dinner to promote the game with the Thai All Star team in Bangkok on Saturday

Manchester City spokesman Paul Tyrrell said, “We are currently taking legal advice regarding these news reports and will pursue those who continue to run or repeat this false story and its allegations without the Chairman’s rebuttal.”

Hmmmm which to believe, this or the Express.......??? Decisions, decisions.

ciaran76

When I read the link in The Express the 1st thing I thought of was that it was rubbish.

Slow day in the sports newsroom in The Express I reckon.

mike65

Bloody Bon Jovi!

Mike.

Xavi6

Pics from the Thailand trip so far, inlcuding the opening of our new superstore over there. Very impressive!!!

http://www.mcfc.in.th/index.php/photo/photo/slideshow/album:65144

S.M.B.

I was at the game at the weekend and Citys performance was not so impressive.

Fratton Fred

I heard that Dunne to Pompey was almost a "Dunne" deal. (sorry:o) Have you guys heard anything?

Apparantly he and James are good buddies and he would welcome the chance to play alongside Distin apparantly.

Xavi6

Hmmmm I haven't heard anything of the sort to be honest. Not even a whiff of it on a City forum either.

Xavi6

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/sport/article-23487092-details/article.do?ito=newsnow&

EXCLUSIVE: Ronaldinho makes overtures to City as his brother flies to Thailand for talks with Thaksin

Last updated at 21:34pm on 23.05.08

Ronaldinho's brother - who also acts as his agent - flew into Thailand for talks with Manchester City last night. He asked for a personal audience with City's powerful owner Thaksin Shinawatra to gauge the interest in the Barcelona playmaker.

The most unlikely transfer of the summer that would take the Brazilian forward to the City of Manchester Stadium is still some way off, with City uncertain as to whether he is worth the financial risk.

Ronaldinho would demand a salary of around £200,000-a-week which would make him the highest paid player in the world. Ronaldinho can leave Barcelona and it was believed he would go to AC Milan, but they appear to have gone cool on the deal.

Ronaldinho's brother, Roberto De Assis, was the guest of City's Thai board for their Premier League match with Manchester City in April, as exclusively revealed in Sportsmail. City are to appoint a new manager in the next month and will also have a new executive chairman, Nike supremo Garry Cook by June 1.

Shinawatra would rather Cook and the new manager lead their transfer business, but that did not stop De Assis taking a flight to check out a potential offer. Europe's other clubs seem to be backing off taking Ronaldinho.

Cook has experience of working with some of Nike's biggest names and Ronaldinho has a long-standing arrangement with the world's leading boot manufacturers.

These rumours just won't go away so maybe there is some truth in them after all. £200k is a ridiculous amount to give a player per week. I'm split on whether signing him is a good idea.

leninbenjamin

Dunne set to leave.

Manchester City are resigned to losing captain Richard Dunne after he turned down a new contract - with Spurs leading the chase to sign the defender.

BBC Sport understands Dunne has rejected a long-term deal, leaving City facing the prospect of him leaving on a free transfer at the end of next term.

Spurs are now closing in on a £5m deal for the Republic of Ireland star.

Newcastle and West Ham are also tracking the 28-year-old who was City's player of the year last term.

City were desperate to keep Dunne, but his reluctance to commit his future to the club sparked fears of a repeat of Sylvain Distin's move to Portsmouth last summer, when he left on a free transfer after turning down a new deal.

And City are now resigned to losing their influential star and raking in the cash towards their summer rebuilding plans.

Dunne's imminent departure only adds to the uncertainty at Eastlands, with manager Sven-Goran Eriksson effectively waiting to be sacked by owner Thaksin Shinawatra, a move that has angered City's fans.

The powerful Irishman has become a hugely popular figure at City since signing in a £3m deal from Everton in October 2000, being voted the fans' player of the year for the last four seasons.

A huge loss for city if it comes to pass, much more so than Distin imo. any word on replacements? if they only stand to gain 5m you'd think they would be better off making him see out the last year. they wont find it cheap to replace him.

Xavi6

leninbenjamin wrote: »

A huge loss for city if it comes to pass, much more so than Distin imo. any word on replacements? if they only stand to gain 5m you'd think they would be better off making him see out the last year. they wont find it cheap to replace him.

Don't agree with that tbh. No point keeping a player who wants out. We learnt our lesson with Distin and £5 million is still a profit on the £3 million we paid for him.

As for replacements, none leap out but then again, who was Vedran Corluka this time twelve months ago? Plus we have Richards and Onouha. Not too worried.

leninbenjamin

Xavi6 wrote: »

As for replacements, none leap out but then again, who was Vedran Corluka this time twelve months ago?

a player identified through Eriksson's extensive contacts and networking. you wont have that again either when the time comes to replace. i'm not sure he wants to leave either though, i thought it was that City weren't offering a fair deal? I would have thought another year followed by the prospect of a big signing on fee at the end of it would keep him happy.

Xavi6

Sven isn't the only manager with contacts though to be fair. I'll wait to see who comes in before I make my mind up on that.

There's a lot of rumours that Dunne only got Player of the Year in a bid to keep him at the club. It certainly wouldn't surprise me as he wasn't our best player over the course of the season. I'd say we did our best but he didn't want it.

leninbenjamin

Xavi6 wrote: »

Sven isn't the only manager with contacts though to be fair. I'll wait to see who comes in before I make my mind up on that.

no doubt. but over the years i think Sven has proven that no one has quite as extensive a network as him. there would be very few managers who i think would have the same instantaneous impact that Sven did in the transfer market. and from what i've heard the main candidates seem to be Grant or Scolari? one a relative newcomer, the other an international manager for the best part of the last decade?

Xavi6 wrote: »

There's a lot of rumours that Dunne only got Player of the Year in a bid to keep him at the club. It certainly wouldn't surprise me as he wasn't our best player over the course of the season. I'd say we did our best but he didn't want it.

that would make sense all right. but then again, why let him go for a relative pittance if the club were that concerned about his loss?

Xavi6

Manager-wise I've no idea who we'll get. A smart part of me reckons no one else will touch the position and Sven will stay by default. We live in hope.

It's not really a pittance for Dunne though because

1. It's still a profit on what we paid.
2. No club is going to pay over the odds for someone they can get for nothing in 12 months time.

leninbenjamin

Xavi6 wrote: »

It's not really a pittance for Dunne though because

1. It's still a profit on what we paid.
2. No club is going to pay over the odds for someone they can get for nothing in 12 months time.

not really, considering the inflation in football in revenues and transfers £3m in 2000 would easily be the same as £5m in 2008. and from the way i'm looking at it, consider the costs of a suitable replacement. £10m-15m easily i think, better not to have to rush. consider as well, Thaksin isn't the bottomless pit of money like others. he's banking on getting into Europe repeatedly to sustain the business in the long run. much more likely to do that by keeping Dunne for another year in my book, even if it means letting him go on a free, the potential revenues from Europe would outweigh the immediate loss.

forgive me for pushing the issue, i just find your relaxed attitude for a fan a bit strange. I know i'd be a lot more worried about the whole thing were i City fan.

Xavi6

I understand where you're coming from alright. If it was someone like Richards then I wouldn't be so relaxed about it but let's face it, he's almost 29, by the time his contract is up he'll be hittin 30. We have a young squad there that could be massively successful in five years time if they keep playing together. I'm more positive then negative when I think about that.

King John V

Xavi6 wrote: »

I understand where you're coming from alright. If it was someone like Richards then I wouldn't be so relaxed about it but let's face it, he's almost 29, by the time his contract is up he'll be hittin 30. We have a young squad there that could be massively successful in five years time if they keep playing together. I'm more positive then negative when I think about that.

With one of city's best managers in years gone and a few quality players leaving I really have to commend your club loyalty and positivity. Fair play where it's due.

Xavi6

Lol this is a drop in the ocean in comparison to what we've put up with over the past decade.

Xavi6

From the official club site -

Sven-Goran Eriksson leaves Manchester City

Sven-Goran Eriksson and Manchester City Football Club have parted company by mutual consent, the Club announces today.

Chief Executive, Alistair Mackintosh said, “The Board of Directors and all at Manchester City would like to thank Sven for his efforts and contributions throughout the season and we wish him all the best for the future. Sven remains a friend of the Club.”

Sven Goran Eriksson added, “I have enjoyed my time at Manchester City very much indeed and in particular, I would like to thank the fans, players and staff for their amazing support over the season. I wish the Club, and everyone associated with it, much success in the coming years.”

The Club will make no further announcement in relation to the managerial position until after a successor is appointed.

Thanks for everything Sven and all the best.

mike65

Mark Hughes out of the traps quickly having been given permission to talk with City apparently. If I were a Rovers fan I'd be a bit pissed off to say the least, not even sure it would make sense for him anyway unless he belives the extra transfer money is enough on its own.

Mike.

King John V

Hughes probably wants to dig into a fresh challenge. It's hard to see Blackburn push on from where they're at now without alot more investment imo. Man city would be an interesting project for him to say the least. His transfer budget would probably go up and allow him to test himself at a higher end of the market. If city didn't run out of steam since the new year a top 6/7 finish could have been on the cards. He'll probably want to test himself in that area too.

Juan Pablo

I wonder will this mean Bentley will be on his way to COMS? Right wing is an area we have failed to fill since SWPs departure to Chelsea.

King John V

Juan Pablo wrote: »

I wonder will this mean Bentley will be on his way to COMS? Right wing is an area we have failed to fill since SWPs departure to Chelsea.

The rumours today were linking Bentley to Tottenham or Liverpool but you'd never know.

Xavi6

http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=777477

Manchester City considers Nakata

Tokyo - Manchester City are interested in former Japan and Bolton midfielder Hidetoshi Nakata, a report said Monday, as rumours intensified that he will come out of retirement.

The Sankei Sports daily quoted an unnamed Manchester City executive as saying: "We would welcome if Nakata wished to return to competition. We’d be prepared to make him an offer."

New Zealand’s Waitakere United also want the 31-year-old to play for them on a one-off basis at this year’s Club World Cup in Japan, Japan Football Association president Saburo Kawabuchi said.

"There has been a request to have Hide (Nakata) play for them," Kawabuchi told reporters. "If Hide takes part, it will pump up the tournament."

Nakata, a former Asian Player of the Year famous for his broad vision, probing passes and flamboyant media image, retired after the 2006 World Cup. He has since been engaged in charity and social work around the world.

"We are not sure how Nakata himself feels about a comeback," said an official at Tokyo sports management firm Sunny Side Up which manages Nakata, who spent seven years in Italy’s Serie-A before moving to Bolton in 2005.

"But we know there are many people in the football business who say Mr. Nakata can still do well out there," the official, Kentaro Tsubouchi, told AFP.

Nakata is now in Japan, preparing to play for a team of former Japanese all stars in a match against a world selection, led by former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, in Yokohama next Sunday.

To prepare, Nakata trained for about month at a military-owned facility in Bangkok in an arrangement made via an associate of former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who owns Manchester City, the Sankei Sports said.

The English Premiership club have acquired three Thai players but may be looking for an Asian player of Nakata’s calibre as a "symbol," the report added.

Last month, Ruy Ramos, the managing director of J-League side Tokyo Verdy, reportedly told Nakata’s agent that he could line up a deal for him to play for the club.

Dear God please don't let this shite happen. Talk about trying to corner ever bit of the Asian market.

Xavi6

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/m/man_city/7442429.stm

Man City close in on Brazilian Jo

Manchester City expect to sign Brazilian striker Jo from CSKA Moscow within the next seven days.

Executive chairman Garry Cook said City were close to finalising terms with Jo, who is expected to cost around £20m.

"I think we will be taking care of that one pretty quickly. It might be within the next seven days, sooner if possible," he told BBC Radio 5 Live.

Cook also confirmed the club had opened talks with Ronaldinho about bringing the Barcelona superstar to Eastlands.

The negotiations with Ronaldinho demonstrates the scale of City's ambition under their new manager Mark Hughes, who succeeded Sven-Goran Eriksson earlier this week.

The 28-year-old former World Footballer of the Year is interested in playing for City, according to Cook, but he stressed a deal was "nowhere near completion".

"It's a tenuous stage and I don't want to give too much away, but Barcelona gave us clearance to talk to him," Cook told the Sportsweek programme.

"We had some people in Brazil this weekend, who we've been talking to, but we have a long, long list of things we need to get done because of the type of player he is - the world's greatest player.

"We're nowhere near completion but the most important thing is that he wants to get back and play football.

"He wants to show the world he is the greatest player. At the moment, though, we're just ticking off the boxes.

"I think the Manchester City fans, who are the most important part of this, would like to see Ronaldinho kicking off next season here."

He added: "He has intimated he is interested, otherwise we wouldn't be at the stage we are now. Ronaldinho has an interest in coming to City.

"More importantly the fans would love to see him here. He would fill the stadium."

Cook was an executive at Nike before he joined City and his connections with the American sportswear firm, who sponsor Ronaldinho, could help in negotiations.

"I've still kept some great relationships there and they're helping us along the way. I'm still talking to the Nike guys and they've been very supportive," he revealed.

Lovely!