This week
‘Boro, and yet another nightmare trip in the snow over the M62 and looking dodgy at Saddleworth before clearing on the M1/A1. We were not fooled though, knowing it would be bad again within half a mile of The Riverside.
Listen - the man Mancini is a genius. Anyone who could take a team like that to bogey club ‘Boro, and win, has to be. The test will be on Wednesday when City face united’s reserves said a fairly generous Paul Wilson in The Observer. Ho ho ho I don’t think so, not after that defeat to Leeds. Fergie’s flops will be dropped we were told – so that’s Rooney, Berbatov, Valencia, Neville and Owen out then? Not a prayer. Who cares what team they play, bring em on!
Heavy snow today and both League Cup semis are off. If we weren’t playing Blackburn next Monday night, we could have both played next Wednesday! Not now, so our home leg is now on the 19th and the away leg on the 27th meaning the Stoke game is postponed (and they have a free Saturday to prepare) to add to Everton home which we should have fitted in on December 9th as I’ve previously said!
That ‘s buggered up the next zine which we were hoping would be the Wembley (or not!) Special, so we’ve now pulled the deadline back to this Thursday January 7th in the hope we can get it to the printers mid week next week to be out for the united home leg.
Articles are already coming in so hopefully everyone will pull out all the stops. Fingers crossed, we’ve never missed a deadline yet in 20 years so weather permitting, wind in the right direction, running downhill, by the seat of our pants, and all that, we’ll be there!
Cheers
Dave
Re, Story. "926 million the cost of fighting Fergie"
ReplyDeleteOnly 200 million of that was spent on players how much have Spurs spent on players since "Harry" took over and who is he fighting?
The owners want to make us the biggest club in the world so who gives a s**t about the red faced old tosser at the swamp, we have far bigger fish to fry.
As a a lifelong fan of Manchester City Football club,I would like to thank Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed al Nayhan and all concerned in paying off our debt it means that unlike the "swamp creatures" who are in debt up to their red eyeballs finacially we are in a very healthy position.
Can't say I'm exactly excited by the Viera signing. I thought a loan deal was fine but if it's right we're signing him on an 18-month contract with a huge salary I think it's crazy -like Tony, no matter how wealthy the club is I don't like to see us throwing money away.
ReplyDeleteWhen Arsenal released him, Viera was on the wane and since then, every time I've seen him play it's confirmed to me that this was another master stroke by Wenger.
I just think we've been far too generous and will be very surprised if we get value for money.
My feelings exactly Glyn. Viera is 33 years old and it's hard to see what we will do with him. I complained when MH signed or suggested signing players that he was familiar with, but Mancini is doing exactly the same thing. If he was a big centre half, I could see the logic, but this deal is puzzling. I know our owners have pockets deeper than the Pacific Ocean, but if managers keep on signing players for ridiculous wages and fees and they still see no return, they may eventually get fed up with it. First blot on Mancini's copy book for me.
ReplyDeleteGood afternoon all from overcast Chiang Mai.To be honest I was dubious about the Viera signing until I recalled how important he was to Arsenals success (was he on the wane and did they have any option but to let him go?) and unless he has deteriorated beyond recognition he could be a good stopgap signing I think the.He will be well motivated until the end of the season as his reasons for coming here are to retain his place in the French squad.
ReplyDeleteWe may have paid more for players,but as the players prefer to play for clubs that are in the champions league(or Italy and Spain) and some clubs we have prised players away from did not want to sell this was unavoidable and if we do get into the top four it will seem like chicken feed.
I do not have a problem with managers who buy players they are familiar with,who would know what a player is capable of more than a manager who has worked with a player on a daily basis? Of course there can be a problem when there is a time gap involved.
One of the problems we have had in defence is organizational and I expect Viera to at least sort that out.One of the glorious aspects about football is that the whole game is fuelled by opinions and if Viera turns out to be a heap of dung I will apologise on the forum, but as ever we shall see.
I would like to apologise for misspelling Patrick Vieira's name and that Tony is blamless on this occasion as like him I copied the spelling off Glyn.(yes but, no but, it was like this see).
ReplyDeleteTony ,I checked out the Big Match DVD on Amazon it looks really great and I will be ordering it.
ReplyDeleteWell roll me up in pastry and bake me for 20-minutes, I've never noticed that extra i before in my life!
ReplyDeleteAs you say, Steve it's all about opinions but I honestly don't see why we needed such an addition as we're comparatively well blessed in this area.
I do think PV was losing his powers when he left Arsenal but I bow to your better knowledge on it being a reluctant sale on Wenger's part - I had it in mind he'd sold at just the right time.
The story about Younes Kaboul appears to be gathering pace now. Afraid this is also a player that I wouldn't associate with a top four/champions league team - go for Vidic instead! Seriously, the reported £9M feel seems extreme to me but I suppose if you compare it to the Lescott fee it's cheap.
I really think we need to have a bit of a cull ourselves now but realise that may be easier said than done with the salaries we're paying. If we did shed some of the ballast I would probably feel a bit more positive about the players we're bringing in.
I have no special knowledge regarding Vieira's departure from Arsenal but their seems to be a mystique surrounding Wenger that any player he lets go is on the downward career path,I am sure Anelka for one would not be happy with that theory.
ReplyDeleteI was listening to football chief executives talking about football finances and it was mentioned that Manchester City inflated the transfer market during the summer because they are in an investment phase,which if you cast your mind back to the Stuart Pearce era prior to the arrival of Thaksin and Sven,we had just lost Barton and Distan and were looking forward to a relegation battle and so needed to get some decent players in quickly maybe too quickly.
I would suspect the obscene amounts of money that have been thrown about are part of a plan to rehabilitate this club and get us into the promised land of the Champions League,which will put us into a far better bargaining position.
I can recall reading that Kaboul is not allowed to join another premiership club this season and could end up at Lyon,but there are so many stories flying about who knows?
Vieira is 6 foot 3 and a half so I suppose he could give that height we need at set pieces.
I'm much happier now. Mancini read our blog and decided to offer Patrick a 6-month contract, with 12-month extension option instead.
ReplyDeleteThis seems far more sensible and certainly gets my approvaal.
Hope you're right, Steve about Kaboul.
If only these people could have sensible names that are easy to spell like Fazackerly, Baccuzzi and Trautmannn, just like the old days. Ian Wright was on Talk Sport this evening and he was really excited about Vieira's signing. He felt that Arsenal should have tried to sign him. Compare his signing with the news that Arsenal are considering resigning Sol Campbell who must be 35 yrs old at least. Generaly the comments I have read in the press is that he is a good signing for us. His prescence will do much for the other players confidence and he will also encourage other world class players to look at the club in a different light. With regards to managers signing players they are familiar with, I just remember Alan Ball when he arrived signing players such as Creaney, Symons, Phillips, Hiley etc, none of whom were right for this club. But I guess he felt comfortable with them around him.
ReplyDeleteGood morning from sunny Chiang Mai.The footy is under threat from the weather again,I think the whole premiership bandwagon should move to Thailand during the winter,but then I am biased.
ReplyDeleteWenger re signing Campbell I will believe it when I see it and then I shall LOL.
Of the above signings apart from Creaney they were not bad players for where we were at the time,and I do agree that a manager signing players just because he feels comfortable with them is a bad idea,they have to be able to do the job.
I think you are right about Trautmannn Tony he is such an icon he deserves three n's LOL. Maybe we should give them all nicknames as I too struggle with spelling names. "Franny" "Nellie" "Buzzer""Din Dong" when life was simpler.
I still managed to miss the "G" off "Ding Dong".I see that "Rockys" young cow has had a nibble at Vieira!
ReplyDeleteTragic news about the Togo team coach driver and the wounded players. I think their decision to pull out of the tournament is perfectly understandable.
ReplyDeleteCertainly a silver lining for us with Adebayor's return. Let's hope he's determined to show Mancini what he can do.
Could it really be that WE get a bit of luck for once in the lead up to a derby match? Time yet I suppose.
C'mon Birmingham!
Before anyone says it. I appreciate the 2nd & 3rd paragraphs above are very insensitive and I apologise for any offence caused. This wasn't my intention!
ReplyDeleteI don't think that people would see it that way Glyn. We all know what you mean. Personally I think the whole tournament should be scrapped. On the radio, some South African was outraged at this suggestion and stated that there is a deep predjudice against the continent. But the fact is that many African states are a dangerous place to visit for Europeans. When they become dangerious for native Africans too, then there is a problem.
ReplyDeleteI agree Tony, at what point is a game of footy more important than human life. I think also that as well as showing concern for the players safety it would be a mark of respect for those who died if the tournament was cancelled.
ReplyDeleteGlyn I don't think anyone would be offended by your comments but I do think Adebayor will probably need some time to get over his traumatic experience.
If they didn't abandon the Munich Olympics after the Black September massacre can't see them calling off the African Nations Cup although they should. In Munich it was just one nation being targetted. In Angola it could be any one participating. I doubt that Adebeyor will feel like turning out next week and who could blame him.When he gets off the plane he'll certainly know he's not in Africa any more.
ReplyDeleteIt's f***ing cold in Crewe.
Tony,I have not noticed any predjudice against the African continent and from my perspective just the opposite. I hope there are no more incidents in Africa and realise the importance of the tournament but at what point do the African peoples make a statement to the effect that say"s "yes we love our football but it it is not worth dying for".
ReplyDeleteAccording to Gary Linaker football clubs are vital to the community,if that is so then why do local councils not make a greater effort to ensure that matches can be played? and as he points out if the club ensures the safety of supporters in and around the ground should it not be up to the individual as to whether he or she wants to take the risk? I can recall sliding about on the snow and ice around Maine Rd. it was not an issue then so why now?
Steve's point was endorsed on TV this morning when a journalist drew the analogy with going to, say a concert or shopping precinct. If the theatre or shopping precinct do their bit, we as the customer then have the choice of whether or not to attend. Why should football be any different?
ReplyDeleteOn the same program the question was posed - how could Liverpool's Sunday match be called off on Friday lunchtime? Could it perhaps have suited Liverpool?
I agree I too haven't noticed any predjudice against Africa. If anything FIFA are trying to raise the continents profile by awarding the World Cup to SA. They also wont allow the African Cup to be cancelled for that reason - it would be like admitting there is a security problem. In todays News of the World (for what its worth) a guerilla fighter (although how they found him to interview him is unexplained) was quoted as saying that they will target ANY nations players.
ReplyDeleteI think that guerilla fighter may have been "Leroy" the domino champion from the "Claremont" always good for a quote and as we know the NotW will leave no stone unturned in it's search for the truth.
ReplyDeleteBut seriously Tony,the indications are that these Angolan terrorists will target anyone which backs up your argument that they have a very dangerous situation in Africa.
Two things all City fans would like to know who is going to be fit for Mondays game? and What are the chances of it going ahead? if the news is out there I can't find it. Plenty of daft speculation, quotes, non stories though.
ReplyDeleteDidn't realsie that you knew Leroy too. As far as I am aware the match is going ahead. There has been no fresh snow in Manchester and last I heard our owners had hired a team of snow ploughs and gritters to clear the concourse and stands.
ReplyDeleteIt not is well known Tony but when a Manchester City manager has a private meeting with the owners in the Emirates or any other part of the world to discuss transfer targets strategy etc. and the details turn up in the NotW the day after, the source is usually "Leroy".
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info regarding the match,I am really looking forward to City games these days,a feeling I have not had since the 70's .
Me too Steve. I actually go into games these days feeling that we will win and if the opposition score, that we can equalise. Like you, I haven't felt that way (apart from our 1st division trophy winning season under Keegan) since the days of Watson, Doyle, Corrigan etc. I felt that way under MH too. Tonight is a chancve for City to show us that they are not the old version who couldn't quite make that step up. A win this evening will send us 4th and the way the top three are dropping points - who knows. Naturally they will play like drains this evening just to put me in my place.
ReplyDeleteWe are looking good at the moment and it is difficult to envisage anything but a win,but as you imply Tony that old horse racing adage comes to mind "flattered only to deceive".
ReplyDeleteA very satisfying performance and we won with over 50 million quids worth of talent on the bench.
ReplyDeleteAgreed. In fact we hardly looked troubled defensively at all - untill we scored our third and the team, obviously thinking they had done enough semed to relax for ten minutes, allowing Rovers to score and give us a couple of anxious moments. Mancini must have spotted this (although you could hardly miss it) and must have bellowed instructions because for the last nine minutes or so we regained control. Passing the ball, keeping possession and rounding off a good solid performance with Tevez's brilliantly struck third goal. If only we hadn't thrown so many points away againt Hull, Fulham and Burnley. 4th at this stage of the season? Unless my memory fails me we haven't been 4th in January since 1977.
ReplyDeleteTerrific performance overall. I can understand Mancini's reluctance to single anyone out but Tevez was exceptional. I hope someone in the media will have the guts to remind Ferguson of the derisory comments he made about the player.
ReplyDeleteIn the Wolves and Blackburn games Tevez actually missed his easiest chances so his record could've been even more impressive. However, he offers so much more than goals and I venture to suggest he's now our most indispensible player.
Other outstanding performers, for me, were Barry (now firmly back to his best), De Jong, Kompany and Richards (I know I've slagged him but fair play, he was great last night). I was also impressed with Zab until yet another needless foul and booking.
At the start I thought RSC would've been a far better choice than Benjani but credit to Mancini, Benjani did OK. Afraid I don't see him as a top-four striker though and rather hope this stint puts him in the shop window and increases his value.
I thought the only sub-standard performance came from Petrov, whose one-footedness led to several promising situations coming to nothing. I expect and hope the more industrious SWP returns at his expense on Saturday - Everton will be a big test.
If anyone was watching on ESPN did you share my enjoyment of the pre-match interview with the 'MEN' City and United reporters? I couldn't believe it when the United man admitted Reds are now worried about us. I wonder if "not in my lifetime" Ferguson will welcome him this morning?
I also thought Clive Allen showed what a great bloke he is. He works for Spurs so must've been secretly hoping for a poor show from City, yet he didn't have a bad word to say for us or our prospects. What a refreshing change from the likes of humpty dumpty head Platt.
Finally, who let that miserable get Moyes into the ground? I hope he got plenty of stick after the bile he's spewed in our direction.
Tony,Glyn,you have voiced my feelings and summed the game up well.Richards played well but I am still not a fan and have the feeling that he will do something stupid at any moment, although Kompany who had a superb game did as much to help them score. I do not understand why players like Petrov do not work harder to improve their wrong foot skills, it can, and has been done.
ReplyDeleteIt is galling to think where we would be if we could have converted four of those drawn games into wins.
For me Everton are a mediocre team who Moyes gets playing as if they under a death threat lets make him even more angry and miserable next Saturday.
In light of recent events I apologise for the last paragraph and would like to substitute.
ReplyDeleteFor me Everton are a mediocre side at the moment mainly due to injuries but are well motivated by Moyes.I hope we can make him even more miserable and angry next Saturday.
With Villa and United out of the way I think our matches at Goodison and the Emirates Stadium are likely to be the most hostile atmosphere's we'll face in the league, Steve. Though perhaps it'll be less so with Lescott absent.
ReplyDeleteI agree Everton are quite mediocre but it's typical that we should be facing them after an impressive performance against Arsenal rather than after they've just conceded 6 to the same team!
It will be a game for stout hearts, of which we now seem to have quite a few. I can't see us losing and I'm quite hopeful of a win.
On a slightly different note:
ReplyDeleteA relative bought me the 1969 FA Cup Final DVD for Christmas. We all know the outcome, but the ending makes interesting viewing.
Firstly, City collected the trophy and then waited at the bottom of the Royal Box whilst applauding the gallant losers from Leicester. The Leicester players reciprocated by forming a guard of honour for Tony Book ( in a Rugby Union sort of way )
Both Teams then lined up opposite Princess Anne and the Band played the National Anthem.
The commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme was clearly surprised by the sporting nature of the occasion.
The City fans applauded the Leicester players and the Leicester fans cheered as the City players began their lap of honour.
Judging by the tone of the commentary this was clearly an unusual occurrence.
Two questions immediately spring to mind:
Why was the National Anthem played after the game?
Why was the sporting nature of the 1969 FA Cup Final so unusual for its time?
Glyn,I was watching the "Pure Manchester" DVD and as ever it struck me just how good we can be at times,the "at times being" the key phrase it has been mentioned before on this forum that attitude has been a problem and also lack of leadership,I think the whole ethos is different these days and that as tough and determined as Everton can be we can now match any team in this department. It will take all the "battling" qualities we can muster to get the three points on Saturday, which I think we are well capable of doing.Neil I was looking at that DVD and will put it in my Amazon basket,I was behind the goal and apart from Neils goal have little recollection of the game.I have no answer to your questions,maybe Tony, our resident City historian will be able to.
ReplyDeleteErr, Thanks, I think, Steve. A really deep question to start the day off. I can't say whether it was a common occurance for the National Anthem to be played at the end of Cup Finals, only someone who has been to more than one can answer that. However it was common for the N/A to be played at the end of a film at the cinema or at the Theatre untill very recently although the numbers that actually stood and waited for it to end dwindled. I don't think that this game was any more or less sporting than any other football game from this time. Hooliganism hadn't yet mushroomed and fans could be trusted to stand next to each other without trouble. There was never any great rivalry between the two clubs and therefore no need for animosity. Compare this game with the very next Cup Final of 1970 between Leeds and Chelsea. The game is notorious for the number of fouls commited and I'm certain both sets of fans would have emulated their heroes behaviour. Dave may know better as he is older (and wiser) than me. You will note how I skillfully passed the buck there.
ReplyDeleteNow that 1970 cup replay was an interesting game.Referee David Elleray reviewed the match years later and concluded that each side should have had 6 red cards and 20 yellows between them. I can recall Ron"Chopper" Harris bragging years later how he won the cup for Chelsea by nobbling Eddie Gray in the first few minutes.The good old days.....not.
ReplyDeleteTony
ReplyDeleteMy first football memory is the 1970 Cup Final so I'm not quite old enough to remember the day with any clarity.
As you'll gather from his commentary, Kenneth Wolstenholme appears genuinely surprised by the sporting reaction of both sets of players and supporters.
You get the impression that the previous Cup Finals were hooligan infested bloodbaths.
Remember that United had trashed Upton Park at the end of the 1966-87 Season. Perhaps hooliganism had already crept into the game.
I watched that same programme. What was difficult to understand was how the referee of the time allowed so many blatant (even for that period) fouls to go unpunished. That game was by far the norm although a look through any City videos pre 1980 will confirm that the game WAS much harder with tackles being deemed as fair back then that would see defenders sent off with a five game ban these days. Perhaps that was what Roy Keane was thinking when he tackled, sorry assaulted Haaland. He thought he was back in 1970.
ReplyDeleteThere was some crowd trouble in the sixties Neil, but back then it really was news. I never saw any trouble at Maine Road and my first experience of football hooliganism was in 1971 on an away trip to Leeds.
ReplyDeleteAround 1972 I remember telling a friend how he would never see any hooliganism at Main Rd. and to prove it I took him to the match where we stood in the middle of the Kippax,during the match I was aware of a bit of a fracas,and where about 200 hundred had stood seconds ago the space was occupied by a gang of skinheads daring us to take them on.I do remember incidents and scuffles in those days,before seating, it was possible to cause trouble at the Platt lane end and escape around the other end of the ground. but was never convinced it was always caused by football fans.
ReplyDeleteI recall a match against Liverpool in mid 70's when queuing to get in the Kippax when lumps of the car park started flying in our direction. My lads had been Liverpool supporters up to that day (they were very young ) but not thereafter. I do recall hooligans from Old Trafford invading the top corner of the Platt Lane end for one of my first games. I'd been going for a few weeks with my uncle Jim. Standing on a box against a wooden barrier and then Dec 28th 1957 saw us jostled, pushed, abused. 2-2 draw with 70,000 there. I was told that I asked Uncle Jim, "is it like this when we go there?" To which he replied. "We don't go there!" He was a great man.
ReplyDeleteNew on here. How do you start a new thread?
Hi Jeff, welcome to the blog. (I've been unable to suss how to start a new thread so will be interested to see any answer to your question).
ReplyDeleteThe first match I attended without my Dad was against Blackpool in (I think) the 66/67 season. I would've been about 12-years old. However, Dad made it clear I wouldn't be allowed to go without him if we were playimng Liverpool or Everton as their fans were trouble causers. Clearly then there was an element of hooliganism even in those days.
I got a good kicking in the mid-70's when I walked around the corner from Kippax to Platt Lane right into a mob of Wolves fans but my worst experience (also in the 70's) was walking past Lewis's store in my City scarf on my way home from a match. Completely without warning someone stepped in front of me to block my path. He shouted "blue bastard" and simultaneously his mate landed a haymaker between my eyes. I was knocked out for a few minutes and suffered severe concussion. Passing shoppers came to my aid and said it must've been United fans.
An act of pure cowardice that I'll never forget.
Glyn
ReplyDeleteMy dad was similarly concerned that my first ever experience of Maine Road wasn't tainted by hooliganism. Presumably the Chelsea reputation was less notorious at the end of the 70-71 Season.
Reading between the lines, I would guess that crowd violence arrived at the big games against local opponents in the mid fifties. It probably took a few more years before the growing trend was identified by the Media.
Hi Guys. To start a new thread, you need to sign in. When you have done that rather than going straight to "view blog" click on "new post" From there you can give your thread a title and make your point. You have the option to preview your thread, make changes and check speeling (which you can't do when adding comments) As the original poster, you can alter or delete your original post at any time.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tony.
ReplyDelete