Daniel, We Hardly Knew Ya…
By: Thad |
1 Comment
No new signings to report this week, so let’s take a moment to reflect on the senior players who have just been let go:
Darius Vassell: As previously commented in this space,
the former England man did his part in a City shirt, but his role in the club long ago expired. Darius takes his wares to Turkey, unlikely to ever be seen in the Premier League again. A shame perhaps because I think he still has more left in the tank than the man he replaced during the 2002 World Cup defeat to Brazil, Michael Owen. But strangely enough, Vassell is not getting any contract offers from the other club in Manchester. Life just isn’t fair.
Category: Team News
Typical City? Website Relaunch Hits Snag (But is Now Up)
By: Thad | 1 Comment
Today was supposed to launch a new international campaign to re-launch Manchester City’s “brand”, starting with the unveiling of a re-designed official website.
The new site was supposed to go live at 9 a.m. in the UK, but as of 3 p.m. was still on hold, with an apology message citing software problems for the delay. Sales of the new home kit also are delayed. In the old days City fans might have worried that this would impact revenues needed for the transfer budget, but presumably that’s no longer the case.
Finally, just after 3 p.m., the new website went live, putting an end to five hours of moaning about “typical City.” Check it out and see what you think.
Category: Team NewsSummer Tournament Round-Up; Big Week on Transfer Front
By: Thad | 2 Comments
Elano had probably the highest assist to minutes played ratio in the history of a FIFA event during the just completed Confederations Cup. The midfielder had two assists in Brazil’s opening match win over Egypt, then did not see the pitch again until midway through the second half of the final against the United States. Elano’s corner kick set up Lucio for the championship-winning goal. That’s three assists in under 85 minutes–not bad (in fact, good enough to tie for tournament best).
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Category: Team NewsCity forward line shaping up as Santa Cruz, Tevez (it seems) come aboard
By: Thad | 6 Comments
The cliche used to be that every player in the world wants to play for Manchester United. Well, I’m sure a lot of them do, but Carlos Tevez is not one of them.
The industrious Argentine’s departure for greener pastures–presumably pastures in which he will be valued as an automatic first team choice–has been officially confirmed. City are widely reported to be in the lead for Tevez’s signature.
Category: Team NewsYou Ain’t Going Nowhere, I Shall Be Released, and obligatory fixtures reaction
By: Thad | 4 Comments
Manchester City have acted quickly to squash Robinho-to-Barca rumours, insisting on the official website that he’s going nowhere.
No official word yet from the club, but it is widely thought that the departure of several senior players is imminent. Darius Vassell surely will be on his way, possibly to Hull City. It’s hard to believe that at one point City fans were genuinely excited about his partnership with Andy Cole, but it’s true. Vassell, often mocked on City message boards, is nonetheless respected for his work rate, and will be fondly remembered primarily for a pair of excellent goals against Manchester United in derby victories in 2006 and 2008. (Like most everything else about the 2006-07 season, most City fans have long forgotten Vassell’s penalty miss late in a derby defeat in the final home game that season.)
As to the fixtures list–amazingly, it turns out that City is to play each of the other 19 teams in the Premier League home and away. Okay, perhaps it’s bad form to exhibit such complacency about the annual release, and there’s always genuine excitement attached to the event for newly promoted (and perhaps narrowly surviving) clubs. In City’s case, there’s nothing particularly remarkable about the way the games have been organized.
Still, in the interest of manufacturing a talking point or two, two items stand out. First is an eleven match stretch in December and January of games without playing any of the “Big Four.” Included in that stretch is a quite favorable Christmas programme from which City will be seeking maximum points (Sunderland and Stoke home, Wolves away). Getting a lot of points on the board during that long stretch will be vital.
The second talking point is the run-in–quite difficult. The final four matches are home to United, away at Arsenal, home to Villa, and at West Ham. Potentially very difficult matches–but potentially very exciting as well, if City are still in the chase for a Champions League spot at that point.
Category: Team NewsDunne done?
By: Thad | Add Comments
“I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. It’s better to be rich.” I have no idea who said that, but someone did. And the saying applies quite well to Manchester City Football Club, a club in almost continual transition for over a decade, first down the ladder then back up, and now apparently poised for yet greater heights, financed by fossil fuel depletion. (No worries on that—the whole point of the UAE’s sheikhs investing abroad is to be diversified when the oil runs out. City will still be around when we’re all driving solar powered cars, or better yet biking around.)
Category: Team NewsAnd they say strikers are selfish…
By: Thad | 2 Comments
I must admit I kind of have a thing for Robinho. Years before it ever occurred to me he might actually play for City, I’d always acquire him for City in Football Manager or Pro Evo Soccer. (Though to be honest it never occurred to me he could play for City in real life until it actually happened.) His virtual avatar has scored loads of sweet goals for me, and despite his midseason dry spell he had a fair few for City last campaign as well. And he had one more for Brazil last night, the equalizing goal against Paraguay on a volley from a tight angle.
But Robinho’s finest moment came later in the evening after Nilmar dinked the ball over Paraguay’s keeper. Robinho was on the scene and easily could have slammed the ball in the back of the net to claim a second, but instead let the ball cross the line on its own and made gestures indicating he hadn’t touched it. Consequently, Nilmar gets credit for the goal–his first for his country in a competitive match. (See the goal starting at 2:30 of this video.) A great gesture by Robinho, though not necessarily something you would ever expect to see at club level.
Elsewhere in South America Wednesday night, potential signing Carlos Tevez did well to earn a penalty kick in Argentina’s match against Ecuador, but he badly botched the ensuing penalty, reason enough to point out that he’s still officially a United player. (Though likely not for long, according to the Guardian on Thursday.) One City forward who may find himself on the way out if Tevez arrives, Felipe Caicedo, played 79 minutes for the winning Ecuador side.
No City players were involved in England’s win over Andorra–Gareth Barry was suspended and Shaun Wright-Phillips left unused after a not particularly impressive cameo against Kazakhstan last weekend.
Category: Team NewsMark Hughes wish list gets closer
By: j | Add Comments
Although you may want to hold off the celebratory bubbly a morsel longer, a variety of internal sources are confirming that Barcelona is edging closer to accepting Man City’s offer for Samuel Eto’o. Earlier in the week less reliable media outlets in Spain had suggested the deal was nearing the final stages but of-course the difference between the negotiation table and signature on a contract is quite a long walk. While numbers have yet to be formally confirmed a transfer fee in excess of £20-22m has been acknowledged as the “likely” opening move by the Citizens.
For Samuel Eto’o the decision tree is convoluted because he would be leaving a Champions League title holder to a side out of a European football but with hefty promises for the future and of-course a substantial pay hike. Barcelona’s motivation on this seems to be very straight forward as the amongst their other plans they are looking to pull off a mid-day heist of Bayern München’s Franck Ribéry and with Cameroonian contract expiring at the end of next season, they could easily fund part of their attempt with a purchase by City. Equally stated with much of the Footballing world on a crash course of budgetary constraints, their “bidding war” options are limited to a few clubs despite the striker being one of the best pure goal scorers in the game today. This will ultimately come down to a cat and mouse affair in the last throes of the negotiation however with Barcelona knowing the striker could be turn the tide in City’s signing goals the price could escalate quickly.
After considerable thought this will serve as my final post. If you care to apply for this blog please contact Daryl with The Offside (click here) after reviewing the guidelines at www.theoffside.com/bloggers.
Category: Team Newsno surprise as City announces long-term deal with Umbro
By: j | Add Comments
As foretold last July, Manchester City has announced a long-term branding partnership with Nike subsidiary Umbro. Former Brand-Jordan executive, now Man City CEO Garry Cook said of the deal:
“We are thrilled to announce this key partnership. We are building a successful and sustainable football club for the future and our partners are integral to that. Umbro share our commitment to innovation, the city of Manchester and creating world-class experiences for its customers and our fans.”
This deal was as good as done the moment Garry Cook was brought into City in May of 2008 with the first steps laid when Nike purchased Umbro for £285m earlier in the year. While the business aspect of it is a muddled pool of questionable relationships and non arms-length transactions, behind the scenes the association will assist in the clubs attempts to lure top shelf talent.
Category: Team Newsis Carlos Tevez next?
By: j | 1 Comment
With City staking the first major coup of the summer signing season adding Gareth Barry to the fold, Mark Hughes and company are pushing onward. The club has some clear cut targets and will use the hot and heavy summer to radically transform their squadron. With rumours running rampant of notable’s such as Samuel Eto’o and Joleon Lescott being targeted, next in the big-game hunting season appears to be Carlos Tevez, with City apparently more than willing to ante up the £32m asking price.
How reliable are said rumours of the Argentine’s signing being imminent are a matter of debate. However City’s approach is without a doubt to make quick-fire signings with surgical precision thus enabling further high-profile signings.
Category: Team News
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