TopicalCity.co.uk May 2011 1
[SPACER PAGE] Best viewed in two page mode Please add one to the index page numbers
2 May 2011 TopicalCity.co.uk
CONTENTS PAGE 4
FA CUP FINAL PREVIEW - PAGE 4 Words: Merlin, http://mcfcforum.com
PAGE 12
THE MOST DESERVING - PAGE 6 Words: Tripp, http://mcfcforum.com
FA CUP TICKET SCRAMBLE - PAGE 7 Words: David Hall, http://www.kickballchange.co.uk
CARLOS TEVEZ - PAGE 8 Words: Matt Hill, http://abluesviews.blogspot.com/
UPPING OUR GAME- PAGE 10 Words: Mark Wilson, http://withoutadreaminourhearts.blogspot.com/
PAGE 16
ANCHOR MAN - PAGE 12 Words: Stuart Yearsley, http://nowwerenolongeralone.blogspot.com
MY WEMBLEY HAT-TRICK- PAGE 14 Words: Richard Tucker, http://rtfract.com
THE SKY BLUE ERA - PAGE 16 Words: Nick Durham, http://bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk
MY PERFECT DAY - PAGE 18 PAGE 22
Words: Bluemooner_mcfc, http://mcfcforum.com
STOKE-ING AN OLD FIRE- PAGE 21 Words: Neil Sherwin, http://backpagefootball.com
THE SUMMER AHEAD- PAGE 22 Words: Paul, http://wanchopeandyourdickov.blogspot.com
LESS WE FORGET- PAGE 27 Words: Simon Curtis, http://downthekippaxsteps.blogspot.com TopicalCity.co.uk May 2011 3
PAGE 28
WELCOME Email: topicalcity@gmail.com Website: http://www.topicalcity.co.uk
What an incredible month we have just witnessed, City have done things the easy way for once and secured Champions League football without the need of a nail-biting last game surge. City’s much anticipated trip to Wembley ended in delight as they beat fierce rivals United in their own backyard! Now only Stoke lies between City and the illusive first trophy of Sheikh Mansour’s era.
Editor: Clarkey
Tuesday’s tense affair with Tottenham brought delight to all in sky blue as Peter Crouch’s goal guaranteed Champions League football for the second successive year, albeit an own-goal this year. Most ironic of all is his own-goal occurred in almost the exact same spot as last years decisive header!
DOWN THE KIPPAX STEPS
During the pre-match build-up, Redknapp couldn’t resist not stoking the summer transfer rumour mill, claiming ‘I know people in the right positions there [at City] who have said, “The one thing we couldn’t offer was Champions League football”.
Bluemooner_mcfc Merlin Tripp
“But they tell me they’ve got one or two players signed already who’ll blow your brains out.”
RTFRACT
With this in mind, our latest debutant Paul has taken an in-depth look at what the summer could hold for City.
WANCHOPE & YOUR DICKOV
Finally, Topical City is at last on twitter, you can find us under the handle ‘TopicalCity’
Website: withoutadreaminourhearts.blogspot.com
A Blues Views Website: http://www.abluesviews.blogspot.com
Matt Hill BACKPAGE FOOTBALL Website: http://backpagefootball.com
Neil Sherwin BLUEMOON Website: http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk
Nick Durham
Website: http://downthekippaxsteps.blogspot.com/
Simon Curtis KICK BALL CHANGE Website: http://www.kickballchange.co.uk
David Hall MCFCFORUM Website: http://www.mcfcforum.com/
NOW WE’RE NO LONGER ALONE Website: http://nowwerenolongeralone.blogspot.com/
Stuart Yearsley Website: http://rtfract.com/
Richard Tucker Website: http://wanchopeandyourdickov.blogspot.com
Paul WITHOUT A DREAM IN OUR HEARTS Mark Wilson
Hope you enjoy, remember to visit our contributors blogs/sites as without them this wouldn’t be possible. Clarkey. 4 May 2011 TopicalCity.co.uk
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect Topical City. All images are sourced through publically available search engines and are used under a creative commons license, should this violate your terms please contact us.
FA CUP PREVIEW
W
hen I decided to write this article I was originally going to write about an inevitable nail biting conclusion to the Premiership as we hone in for qualification for the Champions League. My intent was to offer a thorough analysis of the remaining games, and determine where we’d eek out the vital points to seize 4th place.
mcfcforum.com
Well, the loss to Everton followed by the win against Spurs has guaranteed us Champions League football. The defeat to Spurs last season was so disappointing that I truly couldn’t face that angst again, so I am relieved at the result. I have supported City for over 40 years, and failure is always an option with City. I wouldn’t hesitate with my answer if you asked me a few weeks ago, “What’s more important, winning the FA Cup or qualifying for the Champions League? And you may be surprised. I so desperately want City to win a trophy. I remember the FA Cup final versus Spurs in 1981 like it was yesterday. Tommy Hutchison scored for both
teams, so surely that alone entitled us to the trophy? Bloody Spurs… already mentioned three times in this article for all the wrong reasons. We so deserved to win that cup final, but we didn’t, and 30 years later it is incredible to think we haven’t had a sniff of glory since. So, instead of focusing on the Premiership, instead I am going to focus on what I consider to be the single most important game City has competed in since 1981. Importance of Winning a Trophy As the banner at Old Trafford painfully (and childishly) reminds us, it has actu-
ally been 35 years since we won the League Cup in 1976. That was the year Bohemian Rhapsody was at the top of the charts, and Hotel California was a brand new song! However, we have to go back even further for the last time we won the FA Cup. That was 1969, with the recently departed Neil Young scoring the crucial winner in a 1 - 0 victory over Leicester City. That was 42 years ago; the year Neil Armstrong took his giant leap for mankind. Do you see my point? Winning a trophy, in my opinion, is so much more important than Champions League football right now. We have a monkey on our back bigger than King Kong, and until it is TopicalCity.co.uk May 2011 5
Words: Merlin, http://www.mcfcforum.com removed we are going to continue to be the whipping boys of the English media. Winning the FA Cup will remove the jinx and allow us to progress unhindered. However, Stoke’s successes have been even sparser than our own. They have never won the FA Cup, and they last won the League Cup in 1972, so this will be a keenly contested final. Well, the good news is, we have qualified for the Champions League. Don’t get me wrong, that’s so very important, and a massive success for Mancini. The target was to qualify for Champions League football, and Mancini has achieved that in his first full season as manager. Excellent! But we must win the FA Cup, we simply must. I still contend that winning the cup is a true fan’s treasure. It will neutralize that dreadful banner at the Swamp; it will reward decades of loyalty for diehard fans; and it will be the talisman of a new era for City… proving that we are on the threshold of something great. I have seen discussion on forums about how Mancini should go at the end of the season because he doesn’t know what he’s doing. I find that incredible. For the entire season City has held a top four position in the Premier League, and that in itself is an achievement. For how many years have we heard about the legendary “top four”? Well, that’s us now, fellow fans. Spending Wisely
6 May 2011 TopicalCity.co.uk
The Cup Final But I digress… back to the all-important cup final! So, can we win? I wouldn’t be a true fan if I didn’t think we’d win, so the answer is yes, of course. I think City are favourites to win this contest with Stoke, but Stoke are a strong, hard working side, and will make things very difficult for us. Fortunately we have some tough cookies in our team too, including Zabaleta, Kompany, De Jong and Tevez. I hope Tevez is fit for this encounter, because he deserves to be in the cup final, and may make the difference. Ironically, the recent absence of Tevez has been beneficial to the team. Instead of Tevez scoring all the goals 8 different players have
scored Citys’ goals, and even De Jong scored one of them. That has to be a good thing. City have played Stoke only once this season so far, and that was a game that City nearly won, only to be deflated with Stoke’s last gasp equalizer. Case for the Defence Under the guidance of Mancini City’s defence has stabilized into one of the most effective defences in the Premier League. If you remember the team under Hughes our defence leaked goals like a sieve, particularly late on in games. This season City has the second best defence in the Premiership, just behind Chelsea. It is widely reported that just one more clean sheets will see a new City record for Hart. For much of the season Kompany and Kolo formed the heart of the defence, but following the banning of Kolo for a drugs violation, Lescott has been a revelation. Our full backs come under a lot of criticism from fans, but the statistics show that our back four has been solid all season. Zabaleta turns in gritty performances that winning sides need, but Kolarov continues to be an enigma, although he does what’s required of him. Richards continues to be a favourite of mine, and is the type of player that should help neutralize any threat from Stoke. Centre of the Universe Many of City’s games have been won in midfield, and Mancini likes to play a team with 5 midfield players. De Jong, Silva and Yaya will be automatic choices on the team sheet, and it is likely that Johnson and Barry will make up the five. The recent game against Everton highlighted the failings of Vieira and Milner, so they probably won’t make the chosen eleven. When Mancini plays a cautious game, it is reported that he likes to field three defensive midfielders. Actually, I don’t think that’s true. The three midfielders he prefers to play are De Jong, Barry
mcfcforum.com
We have spent money, a lot of money, but as pundits are fond of reminding us, money does not always buy success. In all fairness to Mancini, and his predecessor Hughes, City has only been playing catch up with teams who have been building over several years. In the period 2006-2011 City has been the big spenders of English football, spending an estimated £450m on new players. The wealth of our owners has drawn the media’s attention, and everyone is willing us to fail. Few have noticed the spending of our rivals though. In the
same period Liverpool have invested over £250m, Spurs £230m, and Chelsea £200m. Even United, the poor cousins of Manchester, have managed to spend £165m. However, the last 5 years don’t actually tell the full story. In the period 2001-2005 Chelsea dominated the transfer market spending about £230m on new players in just two seasons. United spent about £150m; Liverpool £90m, with Spurs and Arsenal spending about £60m each. By contrast City spent less than £20m as we dwelled in the dark years, largely in lower divisions. That’s a lot of ground to make up! Of course, mistakes have been made in the transfer market, and the signings of Robinho and Jo shine as examples, but there have been immense successes too. Actually, the successes far outweigh the mistakes, and when I give the examples it becomes quite a list… Kompany, De Jong, Yaya, Zabaleta, Johnson, Silva and Tevez. You have to remember that this is Mancini’s first season in charge, and this is the first season these players have been together. With stability and maturity more can be achieved, and with the promise of Champions League football it is anyone’s guess what fantasies can be fulfilled.
@ItsMerlin
and Yaya, and in all fairness, Yaya plays more as an attacking midfielder. Meanwhile Silva is allowed to play a roaming role, seeking out opportunities to create magic. The inclusion of Johnson tends to balance the side more than any other choice Mancini has experimented with, and I believe the slump in form when Johnson was injured was no coincidence. So, I think Mancini will select a five man midfield comprising De Jong, Barry, Yaya, Silva and Johnson.
THE MOST DESERVING
Attacking Flair Mancini has an abundance of talent to choose from up front, with Balotelli, Tevez and Dzeko lined up for selection as a lone striker. At the time of writing this article there are still big question marks over whether Tevez will be fit, with Mancini promising that if Tevez doesn’t play against Spurs he would not be selected for the final. I can’t help feel that if Tevez is fit he will play, no matter what the circumstances. If Tevez is not fit it would appear that Balotelli will be Mancini’s first choice, but he truly is an enigma. My personal preference would be Dzeko, because he does appear to be a much more reliable target man for a lone striker role, but despite his goal against Blackburn he still seems to lack confidence. I have no doubt that next season he’ll be on fire, but for now I agree with Mancini that Balotelli has been showing better form, and therefore should be selected. Conclusion
mcfcforum.com
We are definitely in the Champions League, and that's perfect. But we all have to remember that CL football is only significant because it enables our humble club to attract world class talent. And why is that important? Well, because with better players we have a greater chance of winning a trophy. But why wait? The FA Cup is within our grasp, and after a 35 year wait we'd better not let it slip out of our fingers.
Words: Tripp, http://www.mcfcforum.com
W
@ahtripp
hen the PFA Player of the Year award came out a few weeks ago, anyone who had paid serious attention to Manchester City this season should have raised their voices in fury and indignation, for it went to Gareth Bale, the occasionally-good Tottenham winger, instead of Vincent Kompany, the constantly-excellent City centre back. While Kompany did get into the Team of the Year, along with teammate and captain Carlos Tevez, no one who has watched him this year could possibly say that the Belgian did not deserve the award. He has, quite simply, been brilliant all year long, becoming one of the rocks that the whole squad is built upon. Whether playing alongside Kolo Toure or Joleon Lescott, Kompany has always laid his body on the line, going for every header and getting in the way of every opposing player. The calls from some City supporters for him to be made captain in place of Tevez are well-founded; he leads by example on the pitch as well as off. He has never disparaged his manager, his teammates, or the club, at least not publicly. As I have written about before, he is also heavily involved in a foundation for children in war-torn Congo, most of the funds for which come out of his own pocket. He is a model professional, in every sense of
the word. While it is likely that Bale was appointed Player of the Year simply due to his British background, same going for Scott Parker, who won the journalists' equivalent award, the fact that Kompany, the most consistent player in the league all season, has been ignored is a travesty of immense scale. We can only hope that when the governing bodies of football come around to awarding their own best player award, they will have a better sense of just what a magnificent player and human being that Vincent Kompany is. The FA, in particular, would do well to take notice; I can think of no better player that they should be celebrating. He is the kind of person that the Respect Campaign could use to turn itself into more than just words and an armband. Who knows, maybe even the Wayne Rooney’s of the league would take notice. Though, I imagine that day is quite a bit away.
TopicalCity.co.uk May 2011 7
FA CUP TICKET SCRAMBLE Words: David Hall, http://www.kickballchange.co.uk
M
@kick_ballchange
anchester City and Stoke City have received 25,000 tickets each for the FA Cup final, 7,000 less than both clubs received for their respective semi-final matches, so where are the other 40,000 tickets?
17,000 are for Club Wembley members, situated in tier 2 and a further 23,000 tickets have gone to the 'football family'. The football family consists of The Football Association and its partners. Not sponsors, partners. Additionally the sponsors of the FA Cup get a cut, county FA's and county referee association also get a cut, football volunteers at all levels are given tickets too. The allocation of tickets received for the FA Cup final sold out in six days. Fans with less than 3,250 loyalty points didn't even get the opportunity to buy one, unless you were on the cup direct scheme, where the club rewarded their loyalty with being eligible to purchase a ticket when the selling criteria reached fans with 3,500 loyalty points. Overall a fair system handled really well by the club.
Another point which should be addressed is who receives a ticket? I was 8 May 2011 TopicalCity.co.uk
Now with all the tickets sold one way or another, people have been turning to other ways of getting hold of one of the hottest tickets in Manchester. The FA Cup final tickets thread on Bluemoon forums currently stands on 30 pages and 298 replies. City fans have been on Twitter asking for RT’s pleading for spares. Both Umbro and Eon have been running competitions for tickets on Twitter and of course, there is the black market. Here is the thing which angers me, people charging more than face value to their fellow supporters. Someone wanted £1,4oo for 4 tickets, scandalous. What is more shocking is that he would get the price he is asking for them. If people are willing to pay silly money, people will charge silly money. This situation could have been averted if the FA gave the same allocation to both sides. 32,000 was the perfect size, sure people missed out but 7,000 more people missed out. Diehard fans who would give a kidney to go watch the
final at the home of football are missing out because of the football family... the same family who turned down 2,600 tickets. That's right 2,600 tickets were not sold/ claimed and sent back. City did not receive a single one. Stoke received the full number of tickets and on top of that a further 300 disabled tickets were given to the Potters. Ensuring all their members got a ticket, with tickets spare. Stoke got the tickets as they were located on their side of the ground. What makes this more annoying, on a personal level is that I asked the head of my local referee's association if he could get hold of any tickets and he said no. So the clubs have their policies sorted when it comes to their ticket allocations yet the FA doesn't. The amount of tickets given to the football family needs to be addressed; the 2,900 unwanted tickets could have been split and sold to fans now paying hundreds of pounds to Club Wembley members for their seats, which they have paid hundreds of pounds for in the first place. The FA need to learn their lesson and Manchester City need to review the allocation the Official Supporters Club receive, to stop situations like my number being used for someone else happening again. If you are lucky enough to have a ticket, enjoy yourselves. If you are still on the hunt good luck, and if you are going to City Square to watch, see you there!
kickballchange.co.uk
Now the part which is deemed unfair and an issue the club will not address, is the allocation the Official Supporters Clubs receive, and who in the OSC gets them. There have been questions asked for years about the size of the allocation of away tickets, non-OSC members saying it was too big. This situation was raised in the 'points of blue' meeting on 6th October and the club (represented by Vicky Kloss and Danny Wilson amongst others) said that the club would not be reviewing the allocation size the OSC gets, as in the past they have helped sell out away allocations.
awarded 20 loyalty points for attending the semi-final against Manchester United. If you read my blog or follow me on twitter you would know I was in Chester on semi-final day celebrating my daughters 5th Birthday. Why is a Citycard holder with 390 loyalty points able to get hold of a semi-final ticket when Seasoncard holders miss out? Also how can my card be used for someone else's gain? My number has not been used for a final ticket, if you are wondering.
CARLOS TEVEZ THE ENIGMA
W
hen, in July 2009, Carlos Tévez crossed the Manchester divide swapping red for blue he became an icon for all City fans. Leaving Manchester United in controversial circumstances – the fans pleading for him to stay, the board refusing to pay and Sir Alex somewhere in the middle – he joined what was dubbed “The Blue Revolution”. Here was a player in his prime abandoning the glory, prestige and honour of playing for Manchester United in order to join City – a “sleeping giant” engulfed in thirty-five years of mediocrity. Just how Tévez was persuaded to sign for the Blues – whether it was the proposed large pay-packet, the fact that he didn’t have to move his young family to another country or the “Project” that was so enthusiastically spoken about – we will never know but after his best ever goal-scoring haul of 29 in all competitions it proved to be a very important signing.
abluesviews.blogspot.com
After last season it is now easy to see why Manchester City were desperate to sign him, a suppressed talent at United, Tévez blossomed at City and quickly became idolised by the fans, winning the coveted Player of the Season award. Everything seemed to be going well for Carlos heightened by being awarded the captaincy by Roberto Mancini at the beginning of this season it was a moved which sparked controversy. For the fans it was not a problem, a committed and talented player with bags of international experience chosen to lead the Blues out. Tévez was loved by the players and the fans – what could go wrong? With constant speculation regarding his personal happiness, the fact that Mancini had apparently “pacified” Tévez by giving him the captain’s armband and the frustration that City had failed to qualify for the Champions League the previous season led to Carlos looking a disgruntled figure at Eastlands. A disconsolate figure he was indeed when, in December last year, he submitted a written transfer request, an anTopicalCity.co.uk May 2011 9
Words: Matt Hill, http://abluesviews.blogspot.com/
nouncement which shocked the club, the players and the fans. This saga, which drew comparisons with Wayne Rooney’s earlier in the season, led to Roberto Mancini’s first major mistake. Tévez promptly withdrew his request following talks with the club and his “advisers”, yet retained the captaincy. With other players more than capable to choose from, such as Vincent Kompany or Nigel de Jong, whose loyalty has been unquestioned, Mancini opted to keep the talismanic Tévez as captain. There is a myth that emanates from some fans of Manchester City that Carlos Tévez is a committed player. Whilst it is true that his all-action, “bulldog” approach (to quote Martin Tyler) to the game of football does much to heighten this myth, is it at all possible to call him committed when he has played for three different clubs in the space of five years? With the likelihood that he will move on again in a few months’ time it appears as though ‘commitment’ is a word lacking in Carlos Tévez’ vocabulary. Having lived in England for the last five years one would be expect him to have some grasp of the English language yet Tévez’ knowledge is limited to say the very least. Perhaps this is indicative of a man who sees his future away from England?
10 May 2011 TopicalCity.co.uk
After a season of being labelled a oneman team, Manchester City have looked formidable following the debacle at Anfield a month ago when they lost Tévez to a hamstring injury. A deserving victory over Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final and with good results in the Premier League culminating in a six point lead over Tottenham Hotspur in the race for fourth place going into the crunch match on Tuesday May 10th. With a team of committed, yet discreet stars the likes of Kompany, de Jong, Zabaleta and Barry are taking the plaudits now Tévez is out of the limelight. The Blues are not seen as a one-man team anymore and it bodes well for a future without Carlos Tévez. Despite only being 25 years old Vincent Kompany has matured into one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League and is a shoe-in for the club’s Player of the Season award. Nigel de Jong too is a close contender for the award after another incredible season at the heart of City’s engine room. David Silva also deserves a mention; a fantastic debut season in the Premier
League has almost been overshadowed by the labelling of Manchester City as a one-man team. Since taking over as captain through Tévez’ injury Vincent Kompany has been the model professional, a man very well-respected by his team-mates, manager, coaches and fans, he oozes class, intelligence and sophistication. Kompany is the man Mancini should appoint as permanent captain; his performance in the FA Cup semi-final was one which proved how much it meant to him to be associated with Manchester City. The respect Kompany has earned at City was shown when he asked Roberto Mancini and his coaching staff to leave him to talk to the players in the dressing room minutes before the semi-final kicked off. The look of joy on his face when Yaya Toure slotted the ball past Van Der Sar and his celebration at the final whistle showed just how much success at City means to him. It was an historic victory for Manchester City, one which Tévez significantly missed. Carlos Tévez though a world class footballer may believe that he has become untouchable at City, but he is wrong. The City faithful are beginning to accept that now may be the right time for Tévez to leave the club. As the saying goes, nobody is bigger than the club. Carlos Tévez and Manchester City might just be about to prove that true, after all, City have got Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli ready to take over the reins as top goal-scorer. There is a big decision for the Blues hierarchy to make come the end of the season, replace Tévez who has scored 51 goals in just 82 appearances for City or replace Mancini who has guided the club to an FA Cup final (possibly winning it) and most likely fourth position in the league. Carlos Tévez or Roberto Mancini? Place your bets please.
abluesviews.blogspot.com
There is no denying that Carlos Tévez has been sensational for Manchester City during the past two seasons and, at times, has carried them through difficult spells – his record speaks for itself – yet there are doubts being cast in the upper echelons at Eastlands that perhaps it is time to sell the talismanic Argentinian. His commitment to the club has been questioned by the Blues’ hierarchy after he remained in Italy to continue treatment on his injured hamstring and spend time with his girlfriend, rather than travel to Wembley to watch his team-mates face bitter
rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-final. The Manchester City club captain missed arguably the most important fixture in the club’s history since their last trip to Wembley in the Division 2 play-off final back in 1999. Tévez is seen as a problem, his energy, talent and influence on the pitch is important for a team that aspires to be the very best, yet his off-field personal problems and inability to settle mean that an offer of £50 million or above may test the Blues’ resolve, despite there being three years left on his contract. It is thought that the board are still seething after an in depth interview with Tévez for the club’s official website where he stated how happy he was went online just days before his official transfer request. Sheikh Mansour and Khaldoon Al-Mubarak do not like being embarrassed.
@matty_hill
W
hichever way you look at it City are a better side than last season.
Reaching the final of FA Cup is a real achievement and now a fourth place finish is now firmly in our own hands. The next step can only be one thing – challenging for the Premier League title. So how do we improve to reach this target? This is a team now fashioned in Mancini’s image, with a defensive, hard to beat mindset and a focus on keeping possession at all costs. But I don’t think we will win the League playing this way. Assuming the Italian keeps his job, over the summer he’ll need to employ some tweaks, especially in terms of how we attack. Full backs or wingers? Are we playing with traditional wingers or attacking full backs? For me we have been lopsided in this department all season. Attacks from the left appear to emanate from Kolarov, attacks from the right come from Adam Johnson. David Silva, although deployed on either the right or left, is not a natural wide man and is instead given licence to roam where he likes. If we are going with attacking full backs then lets do it. The top echelon – the likes of Maicon, Alves et al – may be out of our reach but I certainly think we could strengthen in this area, if not to immediately replace the likes of a Richards or a Kolarov, then to give them more competition.
withoutadreaminourhearts.blogspot.com
If we are going with wingers, well then let’s set our stall out and do it. Here though we’d definitely need to bring in fresh talent – its not good enough for us to just have Adam Johnson and SWP within the squad. If like Mancini says, Johnson is the only player we have who can come on and change a game, then this is bad news. A Milos Krasic or Angel Di Maria type player wouldn’t go amiss here. Not carrying enough threat from wide positions has been one of Mancini’s biggest mistakes this season. Improving our set plays
For a big team we are woeful in terms of
attacking crosses into the box – this is shown in sharpest contrast by our record at headed goals this season. We just don’t look menacing form corners either, which is frustrating given the fact that we have the likes of Lescott, Yaya, Dzeko and Kompany in the team. Free kicks have also deteriorated this season. The biggest disappointment in this department has been the goal return of Kolarov. The Serbian can almost certainly hit them but his accuracy has been wide of the mark for the best part this season. If Kolarov’s defensive play lets himself down then you feel his shooting qualities could get him out of jail in terms of the fans get-
ting on his back. To date though, that quality has yet to emerge. A post-Tevez world? Rumour surrounds the future of Carlos Tevez. Its clear that off the field something is not quite right with the diminutive Argentinean. His handing in of a transfer request earlier in the season was strange to say the least, which points to other forces at work. On the field though, it has been a different story. City has been the right club for Tevez at the right point in his career. On the fringes at United, at Eastlands he has been the central figure around which the team has been built. And he has flourished, having the best years of his career to date, emerging as the TopicalCity.co.uk May 2011 11
UPPING OUR GAME Words Mark Wilson, http://withoutadreaminourhearts.blogspot.com/ more breathing space to develop talismanic qualities of their own.
The departure of Tevez, if it comes, would be a big loss to our squad but not irreplaceable. We have excellent forward players at the club – we all know about the talent of Balotelli, and whilst Dzeko has had an indifferent start to his Premier League career I firmly believe he will come good. You don’t score as many as he has and then lose that talent overnight. Players like Dzeko need time to play their way into the League. True, at present he does not have the talismanic qualities of his Argentinean team mate, but the positive side to any potential Tevez departure is that others – like Dzeko – may be given
In this sense – strangely enough – a team without Tevez might turn out to be another ingredient in terms of us challenging for the title. Encouraging others to step up to the plate is not bad thing. If we are to win the title, we need goal threats from all over the pitch.
12 May 2011 TopicalCity.co.uk
A title challenging mentality Finally, the biggest barrier in stepping up to challenge for the title is a psychological one. We must come to see ourselves as realistic challengers and truly believe in our capacity to challenge, looking upon the likes of 4th and 3rd place as failures.
A key element in challenging for the title will be our ability to kill off average teams, especially at home. Sometimes we’ve been punished by our lack of this ruthlessness (drawing with the likes of Birmingham, Blackburn and Fulham etc at home), sometimes we’ve got away with it (narrow wins at home to the likes of Blackpool, West Ham and Wigan). Even when we manage to dig out the win, taking our foot off the gas is just not good practice. All it does is send the message that teams are in with a chance when they visit. Eastlands is certainly not the fortress that it should be. All we have to do is look across the city to see how important home form is to establishing one’s own title credentials.
withoutadreaminourhearts.blogspot.com
goal scoring threat that he somehow could never become at United.
@wadioh
S
Words: Stuart Yearsley, http://nowwerenolongeralone.blogspot.com/
@Stu_Yearsley
ince the diverging opinions surrounding the traditional 4-4-2 were highlighted by a new breed of European manager, the holding position has become more and more integral to the evolving style of ‘fluent’ attacking football. The ‘anchor man’ provides the platform from which more forward thinking players can advance and somewhat disregard their defensive responsibilities. In 2009, Mark Hughes brought Nigel de Jong to the club, at £18m in today’s market quite a find. Relatively unknown in England but already branded with nick-names such as ‘the terrier’ picked up from his time at Hamburg and stretching further back to his time and progression through the Ajax youth academy. De Jong’s presence was instantly notable as his inclusion pushed the more established Vincent Kompany into the back four and into the role in which he has excelled. De Jong’s no nonsense style quickly adhered him to the fans and he soon became something of a cult hero at Eastlands.
nowwerenolongeralone.blogspot.com
In his relatively short time at the club ‘Nige’ has certainly had his critics, his kung-fu antics during last year’s World Cup did him no favors, however much of the criticism is unjustified. Many of his critics came to light following City’s home game against Newcastle and one tackle in particular which unfortunately broke the leg of Hatem Ben-Arfa. There was no malice whatsoever in the tackle and the now all too well known phrase ‘he’s not that kind of guy’ seems perfectly suited. It is obvious that a player, who constantly patrols the space between the defence and midfield with the sole responsibility of winning 50-50 tackles and picking up loose balls, will inevitably mistime a challenge. I recall Lee Dixon summing it up perfectly at the time as “an unfortunate accident”. The Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk
seemed to disagree and excluded him from the National squad for crucial European qualifiers. With a scarred past and the brand ‘thug’ shadowing him closely, the real test for de Jong, still only 25; was showing the character needed to rise above the situation and show the footballing world exactly the type of player he is. De Jong’s development as player since then has been somewhat representative of the changes the club has endured. The knowledge of his acute footballing brain and underestimated technical ability seem to stretch only as far as the City faithful. De Jong’s ball retention and passing ability have been crucial to the system that Roberto Mancini employs and allows other midfielders, particularly David Silva to play to his own expressive style. Deployed mainly alongside Gareth Barry, de Jong’s ever presence has fueled the negativity fire that surrounded Mancini throughout most of the current campaign. Most of the writers and pundits who make these claims fail to comprehend the complexity of the system in which Mancini has so much trust. De Jong’s game has progressed impressively under Mancini’s guidance. His technical ability is becoming more prominent through his passing but also his positional awareness. The aspect of de Jong’s game that has undergone the most impressive transformation is certainly the positivity of his mindset. Throughout the second half of this season, De Jong’s passing has been much more direct. With a new found confidence which has seen De Jong display much more of his passing repertoire than just the 10 yard pass we have been accus-
A
tomed to, de Jong scored his first goal for the club in 2 years with an expertly executed finish from 25 yards, something that will perhaps convince a few people that he is certainly the contrary to a bulldog with a raging temper. De Jong’s fluent English is a testimony to the intelligence of the man and he certainly knows the right things to say and when to say them. The fans have come to expect the rallying call before big games and it is de Jong that more than often delivers. The recent call before our Champions League playoff with Spurs was “This is a very important week for the club, the players and the fans. This is do or die for Manchester City.” Spoken almost like a fan, with the same passion and determination which every City fan would approach every game with. One of the great successes of this season was the solid spine of the team. Starting from Joe Hart, through Kompany and De Jong, Silva and spearheaded by Carlos Tevez, with the latter as the exception this could be the spine of the team for many years to come and without a doubt boasts Champions League quality. Perhaps just as excitingly for fans, the age of the base players we build around are 24,25, 25 and 25 respectively. As far as a player being complete in the role they play, De Jong is surely one of the best holding midfielders in the world. A World Cup finalist, Champions League qualifier and possible FA Cup winner. The thing that will surely raise the pulses of de Jong and fans alike is the inevitability that this will not be the end of his footballing achievements whilst playing for Manchester City. TopicalCity.co.uk May 2011 13
CHOR MAN
nowwerenolongeralone.blogspot.com
14 May 2011 TopicalCity.co.uk
MY WEMBLEY HAT-TRICK So a hat trick at Wembley? Ah well it’s not quite the type of hat trick you thought. Mine was a bit different. I’ve been at Wembley – the old one – as a reporter, a steward and a spectator! My recent visit for the semi-final against United brought back some memories so I’ve delved into my archives... My very first visit was in April 1954 to watch the amateur Cup final between Bishop Auxland and Crook Town. 90,000 were there that day. My ticket cost me all of 2 shillings and sixpence – 12p. The game ended in a 2-2- draw as did the replay at St James Park Newcastle. Eventually Crook won 1-0 in a third game at Ayresome Park. The next season saw my departure to the Far East on a two and a half year posting so I was away when City reached the Final in 1955 and 1956.I had to wait until my return in 1957 for my next visit to Wembley. It was to watch England play Rumania in an under 23 International. On this occasion I was in the front row of the press box. As a part time UK sports correspondent for the Hong Kong Tiger Standard I accomplished the second part of my Hat trick! England won the match 3-2 – some youngster called Jimmy Greaves scored a couple of goals. I wonder what became of him! Also playing that day were Jimmy Armfield, Maurice Setters, Peter Brabrook and Don Howe.
rtfract.com
a couple of goals each. I well remember one incident. Duncan Edwards playing more defensively than usual once bumped into Ujlaki and knocked him down. He then picked up the little ex Hungarian like a baby, patted him on the head and walked away. I returned as a spectator for the Cup Final between Bolton and a depleted United following the Munich Air Disaster. 100,000 were present to see Natt Lofthouse score twice in Bolton’s 2-0 They went on to do quite well too! win. One of his goals was the infamous I was back again reporting for the Engbundling of Harry Gregg over the line land France game in November. Engfor his second effort. It certainly would land won 4-0 Robson and Taylor scoring not have been allowed today.
I returned a few days later to see England beat Portugal 2-1 and then I went off to Sweden in the summer to watch Brazil win the 1958 World Cup and see Pele make his debut. At this time I was based in Norfolk and watched Norwich City quite a lot and rarely managed to get back to watch Man City alas. I did get to Wembley in the October to see England beat Russia 5-0 Johnny Haynes scoring a hat trick. I was horrified to find that standing costs had risen from 2 shillings and 6 pence to 3 shillings and sixpence! Such was the rise in the cost of living in those days! However help was at hand because at TopicalCity.co.uk May 2011 15
Words & Imagery Richard Tucker, http://www.rtfract.com the end of the season I achieved the third part of my hat trick. Four games at Wembley as a steward! Yes the FA often used service personnel for this job so being in the RAF was useful after all!
16 May 2011 TopicalCity.co.uk
In 1961 and 1962 I managed to get tickets to see Spurs win two finals against Leicester and Burnley and the recent semi against United was my 20th visit to Wembley over the years.
So I will be 21 again for the Final against Stoke City! I have yet to see City lose at Wembley having seen us beat Leicester City in 69 and Gillingham in that incredible playoff in 1999. You can see coverage of these games on my web site as listed above. The terrific atmosphere generated by City supporters at the semifinal against United reminded me so much of the great trip and 4-3 win at St James Park Newcastle in 1968 to win the league championship. You can taste a bit of the atmosphere at the recent Wembley game at http:// www.rtfract.com.
rtfract.com
The only ‘snag’ was you had to do the amateur cup final as well as the England games at the end of the season and of course the FA Cup final. So I enjoyed first the England 1-0 win over Scotland which was Billy Wright’s 100th cap, and Charlton scored the winning goal. Then it was Crook Town 3 Barnet 2 a week later in the amateur final. The FA Cup Final that year was between Nottingham Forest and Luton
Town. Forest won 2-1, a game remembered more for the injuries that occurred. The worst was a broken leg after 32 minutes for Roy Dwight who had scored early on. There were no subs in those days and Forest finished with nine fit men as Whare was crippled with cramp late on. My final game that season as a steward was the 2-2 draw between England and Italy thus completing the ‘hat trick’!
THE SKY BLUE ERA
I
Words: Nick Durham, http://www.bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk
t’s arguable that over the years, City have worn as colourful and varied a collection of home strips as just about any other club. Yet when we think of City strips we usually automatically think of the simple sky blue, white, sky combination, or sky, white and navy. Despite the variances in shade or trim, we tend not to associate City with anything else. Yet for what can be considered a nine-year interlude, City really were the ‘sky-blues’; resplendent in an outfit sky-blue top to bottom. Not only that, but for the first time City home strips were more elaborate than before. What then to make of this era?
bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk
Here we’ll examine not only the changes in colour scheme, but also the stylistic changes contained within these strips. What’s most interesting is that these years (1976-1985) marked the dawning of a new age of experimentation with football kits, as different trim, patterns and other associated gimmicks began to enter the football fashion landscape. The previous article touched on the ‘taping’ patterned trim trend, drawing parallels between the Kappa strip of the 90s and the Umbro efforts of the late 70’s, but here we’ll try to examine these design flourishes in greater detail. So why did the mid 70’s see a sea change in the way football kits were
designed? And why in particular did Umbro see fit to decorate their strips with their logo? Well, the best way of speculating is to go back to the start of the replica shirt industry. And it’s arguable that the story of its inception begins and ends with one word: Admiral. For until the emergence of the company football kits in Britain had remained more or less unadorned and unaffected by outside fashion influences, or the vagaries of the fashion world. Aside from a particular club’s distinctive pattern, like stripes, kits featured only simple crew or v-neck collars - depending on the decade. Like Umbro, Admiral introduced their own version of taping trim at the same time, the 1976-1977 season. However I’ll suggest that the real spanner in the works arrived in 1974 when Admiral took over the manufacturing of the England shirt. The short version of the story explained by website Historical Football Kits goes a little like this: for the England strip, Admiral received loyalties based on replica shirt sales,
and ‘for the arrangement to work, Admiral needed to redesign the kit so they could register copyright’. And thus with the newly-redesigned England strip, the replica shirt industry was born! But what of the actual stylistic changes to the strip? Well, as a precursor to the taping trim soon to come into effect, England ran out for the first time with thin stripes adorning each sleeve. It’s reasonable to assume that Umbro saw fit to stamp its authority on the market by emphasising its own brand. And lo and behold, by 1976 a huge number of Umbro-supplied clubs sported the now-iconic double diamond trim down each sleeve. This look was, in the main, to remain for another five years; a staggering concept to those reared in an ever-changing kit climate, and even in relative terms to the 1980s. What’s also worth keeping in mind is that according to the Umbro website, by 1966 Umbro supplied a staggering 85 per cent of all British clubs! In the same year, no less than 14 of the sides competing in the World Cup wore Umbro. TopicalCity.co.uk May 2011 17
No doubt that Umbro knew that at least in the English market it had to remain relevant to continue to be known as the football brand. But now we need to bring these changes under the light of our sky-blue lens; however given that in the era we’re looking at detailed press releases heralding the launch of each new strip were yet to exist we can do little but speculate. Whatever your view of the gimmickry of branded taping, it’s certainly unarguable that the design affords a certain symmetry to a football strip. Perhaps Umbro felt that dressing City in a single, uniform colour would emphasise this symmetry? But I’ve come up with another reasonable conclusion – maybe the decision-makers behind this change wanted City to resemble a sky -blue cousin to then-current powerhouse Liverpool, thinking City’s European finishes would translate into a bid as sustained challenger to the Merseyside Reds? In the wake of the 1981 FA Cup Final defeat, the City strip saw some changes while still furnished by one solid colour. The traditional shirt collar was out, and vnecks were back in! For City’s 81-82 strip, Umbro ditched the wide-collared version of the traditional collar, a look so redolent of the previous decade, replacing it with v -necked collars, more familiar to the 1950s. Just as significantly, the taping trim was retired as the City strip took on an altogether plainer appearance. The sky-blue era also marked another superficial change to City kits, prompted by the dawning of the age of shirt sponsorship! From 1982 onwards, City shirts have always been resplendent with some sponsor or another, with the honour first falling to SAAB, as the previous season’s strip now sported the logo of the Swedish car manufacturer.
18 May 2011 TopicalCity.co.uk
As we’re probably all aware, the advent of technological advances in manufacturing as detailed by Historical Football Kits prompted huge stylistic changes to football strips, where now they were a canvas for any number of patterns, pinstripes and other notable flourishes. This trend probably only really calmed down in the mid to late 90s; nevertheless the replica shirt boom continued apace. Stylistically, it was perhaps the most significant era for change to date. So what we can learn from the era scrutinised is that alongside the hefty on-field changes that City ‘enjoyed’, the garb worn throughout also lived through a big shift in fortunes; football kit manufacturing became a robust industry of its own. Lastly, what impressions would a Blue of a certain vintage or knowledge summon when thinking of these days? Would they remember the consistent outfit of the late 70’s, seemingly on the verge of a period of success to match that of the late 60s/ early 70’s vintage? Or the post-Malcolm Allison side heartbreakingly close a Centenary FA Cup Final win? Perhaps the club sliding into on-pitch decline and off-thefield red ink might linger in the mind? Regardless of these fluctuating fortunes, in my eyes these years are cemented as memorable ones for the simple fact that for a little while, City really were the true ‘sky-blues’.
bluemoon-mcfc.co.uk
The last all-sky City strip of this era is by no means the least significant, as its particular design flourish signposts the major evolution of football strips in the late 80s to the modern day - in the words of Historical Football Kits, a revolution! Specific to City, the v-neck collar was now the
same shade as the rest of the strip for the first and only time; to that point, for City kits v or round-neck collars had always been white. Now it was the main body of the shirt that saw the most dramatic change; Umbro decided to introduce the two-toned effect known as shadow striping. It’s a matter of personal opinion as to whether the overall effect achieved is one of stylishness or tackiness, but I feel this particular strip deserves to be remembered as a classy number. Closer examination of strips of that era reveals the design to be a pretty popular Umbro template too – amongst others Coventry and Arsenal kits both featured the shadow striping effect.
MY PERFECT DAY
M
Words: Bluemooner_mcfc, http://www.mcfcforum.com
@mcfcforum
y day began at around 5:30am due to the coach leaving Manchester city centre at around 7:30am, and I had to make sure that I didn’t miss the train to take me there; which was surprisingly bang on time. I was buzzing as the carriages travelled past Ashbury’s train station, and there, in the distance, was Eastlands, the home of Manchester City Football Club; this got me thinking that, after both the train being perfectly punctual, and passing our club’s stadium, was this going to be our day for once?
mcfcforum.com
Disembarking from the train at Piccadilly, the scenes were filled with a vast swathe of City colours. Not a Red to be seen, which although I was a little surprised not to see any, I knew that this is our city, and not theirs – it always has been. I walked proudly to where the coach awaited, and it was at this point when the feeling of ‘the perfect day’ really kicked in.
The coach didn’t allow any alcohol on board, which whilst I agreed with, I also understood that this wasn’t just any old journey this coach was about to make, and that it could very well shape the future of our great club. So, yes, the beer was sneaked on board, despite me not condoning it, or my own actions – after all, it was going to be a long journey to London to watch our beloved team play the Reds off the park, in their own back yard. The journey began with all passengers on board fairly quiet, mainly due to nerves, everyone not knowing each other, and tiredness brought on by getting up so early. However, something special happened that bonded the
whole coach after only a couple of miles of travel: the coach passed Maine Road. All of a sudden the whole coach erupted in “we are City, super City from Maine Road.” From that point on, everyone bonded as if we’d known each other forever, and new friendships were born. It was a long journey, but along the way we played ‘spot the Red’, which was far harder than we expected because we didn’t pass that many airports, and, of course, we were coming from the north and not the south. We continued singing songs and swapping stories of our times supporting City, following them around the country and, indeed, the World, and it was a pleasure to hear TopicalCity.co.uk May 2011 19
some of these stories, as it is too easy to forget that some people live City just as much as I do. We stopped at Warwick services for a short break, and the scenes were incredible, not least because each and every one was just like me - wanting a double bacon cheeseburger meal. Once the burgers were finished with, we began the final stretch to Wembley. The signs for the ‘perfect day’ continued when, twice, the song ‘I’ve got a feeling’ by the Black Eyed Peas rang out, and then as we closed in on Wembley we passed Caton Street, which I pointed out saying our very own Tommy Caton was with us today, for our special day.
20 May 2011 TopicalCity.co.uk
We soon found a roundabout, but this wasn’t just any old roundabout, this was ‘our roundabout’, due to the fact it became the main area where City fans stopped, drank, and had the best times of the day (up until that point) with everyone singing their hearts out. Even though the Tesco Direct over the road
had been closed, we quickly found an offlicence that gave us exactly what we needed in the shape of canned beer and carrier bags to take back to ‘our roundabout’.
The time was getting closer and closer to K.O., and so we finally found ourselves inside the stadium, and I have to say it was better and more beautiful than I had been told it was. I didn’t actually get to my seat until two minutes before the teams came out, as I felt, for some reason, that if I did I would jinx us. When they did come out it was very emotional, and I’m not the sort of man to get emotional, but as I looked
mcfcform.com
When we arrived we got off the coach and, naturally, immediately headed for a tipple or two in the local pub where, again, we discovered no one but City
fans. Sadly the beer tasted like it had been drained from the dishwasher, but for £2.20 a pint who cared? We knew we needed to get much closer to Wembley and the quickest way would be by getting a taxi, which we promptly did, straight to The Green Man, where I knew all City fans were headed to. On arrival, however, we discovered it was full, and the Police and stewards standing in front of it were stopping people adding to the masses inside. It took the shine off the moment somewhat.
through my veins it was impossible to go bed so I did what any self-respecting City fan would do - I watched the game on Sky+. I had to make sure that we didn’t lose the game this time around, after all that would have been Typical City, wouldn’t it?
around, I discovered I wasn’t the only one with a tear in my eye, as I saw grown men with the same emotions as myself, seeing our great club stepping out onto the Wembley turf, in a semifinal of the FA Cup against our biggest rivals. This would be an uphill task, but City have never done things the easy way, have they?.
mcfcforum.com
The way the game started off I began to think that all the signs that had pointed towards it being ‘our day’ had all been wrong. The Reds started off very strongly and could quite easily have scored early on were it not for both a great save by Joe Hart, and a glaring miss by Berbatov. But then after this, something special happened on the pitch that I hadn’t been witness to this season: each and every City player seemed to stop, look at each other, and say “Is this all they have to beat us? If so, we can beat this lot.” The players began to play as a team, working hard for each other. Even Kolarov, who has not had the best of seasons played fantastically well, Balotelli looked like he wanted to be a part of things, and each and every one of them played their part for the rest of the first half.
When half-time did arrive, it was time for a quick pint to talk about the firsthalf with my mate. For some reason though, I couldn’t find him so I got my beer and chatted to other City fans at the bar. As I took my seat for the second-half, my mate was still nowhere to be seen, but I didn’t dwell on it for too long because the players had emerged for the second-half. What happened next? No, not my mate coming back to his seat, but a truly great goal from Yaya Toure that would win this derby. I was in block-H, but when he scored we fell down to the front levels hugging each other, and then in a scene reminiscent of Crocodile Dundee, people were walking over each other - in joy - trying to get back to their seats after the celebration of the goal. My mate had missed the goal and the celebrations, but where was he? He did eventually come back filled with mixed emotions, and said he had missed the goal because he was finishing his beer off and that it was all my fault. Why, I asked, was it was my fault? To which he replied it was because he’d bought two pints at half-time, one for him and one for me, but then couldn’t find me, so ended up drinking both of
them. The reason I mention all of this is because the last time we were at Wembley, in 1999, I missed both the City goals because I had left the stadium at 2-0, and ever since then he has ridiculed me, saying things such as “Have you ever seen City score a goal at Wembley that wasn’t a penalty?” (I had thankfully got back in to see the extratime and pens). I’ve felt guilty all these years, and his remarks have never helped, but this was a time for revenge, so now I can ask “Have you ever seen City score at the new Wembley? “ So the final whistle goes, and with it the unthinkable, which was City getting to an FA Cup Final, by virtue of beating our rivals 1-0, and deservedly so, too. After watching and loving Mario get under the skin of Rio Ferdinand, we saw the bonding of players, coaching staff, and manager doing the Poznan for us, showing that each and every one of them were feeling exactly how we were feeling in the stands; at that moment, we all were as one. The long journey home was filled with beer and merriment, and I eventually arrived back home at around 3am. But with the adrenaline still pumping TopicalCity.co.uk May 2011 21
STOKE-ING AN OLD FIRE
M
Words: Neil Sherwin, http://www.backpagefootball.com
@neilsherwin
anchester City, Wembley, Tony Pulis. Throw a fixture against Stoke City into the mix and you could be forgiven for thinking you had been transported back to 1999 rather than looking forward to an FA Cup Final. actually beat Stoke 5-2 at the Britannia Stadium on the final day of the season in a clash dubbed the ‘Game of Death’. City’s scorers that day were Shaun Goater (2), Paul Dickov, Lee Bradbury and Kevin Horlock but it wasn’t enough to avoid the drop to English football’s third tier with relegation rivals Portsmouth and Port Vale both winning.
19 minutes. Terry Cooke swung over a corner which was knocked down by defender Tony Vaughan for the Dutchman to control and fire home. Stoke’s attempts to get back into the game suffered a blow when Phil Robinson was dismissed for a two footed tackle on Michael Brown and City held on comfortably to claim maximum points.
"I suppose it [beating City] will mean more," he said. "We didn't deserve to lose that game and I had never been back to Wembley for a game since because of it. But it made me a much stronger person. You take things out of defeat as well as victory."
The following season saw the fixtures between the two sides take place in the space of a month between December and January and the Blues ran out winners both times. The first encounter was played out in front of 30,478 spectators at Maine Road three days after Christmas. The visitors actually took the lead after half an hour through defender Lárus Sigurðsson but City rallied in the second half, equalising through Gerard Wiekens before Gareth Taylor snatched the winner in the 85th minute.
While City made the playoffs and ultimately returned to the Premier League after just a single season in Division 1, Stoke finished in 8th spot and it wasn’t until 2002 that they escaped the division. The clubs have of course now cemented their place in the higher echelons of English football and the meeting of the two in the FA’s showpiece game symbolises all the hard work done by both over the past decade or so.
For Pulis, the FA Cup Final represents a chance to exorcise some demons and no doubt he would love nothing more than to put one over on City. Both sides were relegated from Division 1 at the end of the 1997/98 season in what was the lowest point in the history of Manchester City Football Club. City 22 May 2011 TopicalCity.co.uk
The reverse fixture at the Britannia Stadium was settled by a single goal with Wiekens again on the scoresheet after
The FA Cup Final may be light years away from the dark days of Division Two but if City can enjoy a similar outcome once more against Pulis and Stoke you won’t hear any complaints.
backpagefootball.com
Current Stoke City boss Pulis was the man in charge of Gillingham on that stunning day at Wembley when City rose from the dead to win the Division 2 Playoff Final on penalties. It seems that old wounds don’t heal easily following Pulis’ comments in the immediate aftermath of his side’s semi final win over Bolton Wanderers.
THE SUMMER AHEAD Words: Paul, http://wanchopeandyourdickov.blogspot.com
W
@Wanchope_Dickov
ith the small matter of City’s first Cup Final for 30 years to come and Champions League football looking increasingly likely, talk of summer acquisitions and outgoings may be a little premature.
With the business end of the campaign still ahead, the silly season of transfer speculation has begun in earnest, with the British media replete with stories of who will be brought in and who will be shown the door come summer.
wanchopeandyourdickov.blogspot.com
The past two summers have seen unprecedented levels of activity at Eastlands, with boss Roberto Mancini and his predecessor Mark Hughes flexing their financial muscle. This close season may yet prove to be the most important since the Abu Dhabi takeover, with Mancini expected to better this campaign with a tilt at the title. City have considerable amounts of talent out on loan – a by-product of the managerial changes seen at the club in recent times, and of the sheer amount of players brought in since the ADUG takeover in August 2008. The Club will have a very busy summer shifting the dead wood, with as many as 20 squad, fringe and surplus players being shown the door at Eastlands. Shay Given Hasn’t played a minute of league foot-
ball for City this season due to the emergence of Joe Hart and is likely to seek new pastures in the summer. Stuart Taylor Released last season but re-signed days later, Taylor will let go at the end of the season. David Gonzalez Out of contract at the end of the season, the Colombian ‘keeper’s time at City seems to be over. Gunnar Nielsen The Faroese International may be given another season to prove his potential. Jerome Boateng The German international has had a season obliterated by injuries, two of which were picked up while on international duty. Talk of Bayern Munich making the 22-year old their primary defensive target and valuing him at £15m may persuade City to sell. Wayne Bridge The former England left back has spent the second half of the season on loan at
West Ham. With the East London outfit looking like plying their trade in the Championship next season, they are unlikely to make the deal permanent but Bridge’s time at City seems to be over. Kolo Toure The club-imposed ban after the Ivorian defender failed a drugs test may spell the end of Kolo’s time at City, providing his inevitable ban doesn’t run in to next season and a suitable buyer can be found. Nedum Onuoha Ned has impressed while on loan at Sunderland this season, scoring one of the goals of the season against Chelsea. However, his public criticism of Roberto Mancini will almost certainly mean the academy graduate will be offloaded in the summer. Shaleum Logan Out of contract in the summer and 23 years old, Logan will be released. Shaun Wright-Phillips A firm crowd favourite at City but clearTopicalCity.co.uk May 2011 23
Weiss
Bellamy
Adebayor
Given ly not in Mancini’s long-term plans. Shaun will be 30 in October and reportedly nearly left in the January transfer window. Expect Shaun to be made available for transfer at the end of the season. Vladimir Weiss After a successful loan at Rangers this season, the tricky winger may seek first team football elsewhere rather than warm the bench at City. Both Rangers and Weiss would like to make the loan permanent and it may well happen this summer.
Michael Johnson Once upon a time, Johnson was the future of City but a succession of awful injuries make it highly unlikely we’ll ever see him in the sky blue again. A case of what might have been for the midfielder. Emmanuel Adebayor A recent interview in which the Togolese striker was critical of Mancini has surely ended the already slim chance 24 May 2011 TopicalCity.co.uk
Manu had of coming back to City. On his day he’s a fantastic player but will be offloaded. Shame he can’t play Arsenal every week. Roque Santa Cruz Quite possibly the worst signing in terms of value for money City have ever made, though that debate could run and run. Roque flopped at City and the club will be lucky to recoup a quarter of what they paid for the Paraguayan striker. Craig Bellamy There are a lot of City supporters who would like to see Craig come back to Eastlands – I’m not one of them. 32 in July, two arthritic knees and a series of clashes with the hierarchy at City mean we won’t get to see the putter-wielding Welshman wearing the City shirt again. 3rd best forward at Cardiff City this season, he is not the future of Manchester City. Jo What is there to say about Jo? Clearly not up to the standard required now City are challenging at the top table. Serious questions will be asked if Jo is in the 25 man squad for next season. John Guidetti The player has stated his desire to play first team football, following firmly in
Onouha the footsteps of agitator Daniel Sturridge. Guidetti tweeted recently that no final decisions have been made on his future but will likely be warming the bench next season should he stay. Felipe Caicedo The big Ecuadorian has had an incredible season on loan at Levante, sparking interest in the likes of Atletico Madrid, with Caicedo being touted as the replacement for Diego Forlan. Of all the loanees, I would like to see Caicedo back next season but he’s likely to be sold. Carlos Tevez City’s talisman over the last two seasons, it appears that the Argentinian’s time at City may be coming to an end. The transfer request halfway through the season seems to have taken the edge off his game and will likely be sold if the right offer comes in. Loans: Abdi Ibrahim, Dedryck Boyata, Alex Nimely, Greg Cunningham. A total of 19 players may be sold this summer, with an additional 4 going out on loan – Boyata may well stay and supplement the first team squad but would undoubtedly benefit from playing a full season at a Premier League club, with Bolton reportedly interested in the Belgian.
wanchopeandyourdickov.blogspot.com
Patrick Vieira Vieira has done everything in the game but, despite flashes of his old self at times this campaign, is no longer up to the rigours of Premier League football. Vieira is out of contract and will be released this summer.
Wright-Phillips
With so many potentially leaving Eastlands this summer, recruitment for replacements has already begun with Garry Cook and Brian Marwood having flown out to Italy this week to run the rule over Alexis Sanchez of Udinese. Harry Redknapp is, as always, sticking his oar in, stating that City have already signed 2 players who would “Blow your brains out.” The Spurs manager may be mixing his metaphors slightly, but the implication is pretty clear. Champions League quality has to be added to the squad to supplement those already at City, and the ever-increasing, extensive list of players linked to the club show the level of player under consideration. It appears that City are interested in a Goalkeeper, Centre Back, Left Back, Central Midfielder, Winger/Creative Midfielder and maybe even a striker, should Carlos Tevez leave City. Matthew Gilks The Blackpool stopper’s contract runs out this summer and has been linked with City consistently over the past few months. Kieron Westwood Released by City, where he started his career in 2004, Westwood is a Manchester-born Irish international currently plying his trade at Coventry City and has developed in to an excellent ‘keeper.
wanchopeandyourdickov.blogspot.com
Gary Cahill The Bolton centre back has had another solid season at the Reebok, leading to a full England call-up. The fact he is English will add a few million to his fee, but according to the press City are interested in the 25-year old.
Sanchez
Jan Vertonghen The 24-year old Belgium centre back has been touted with a move to England for a couple of seasons, with the usual suspects Chelsea, Arsenal and United all reportedly interested in the Ajax player. Vertonghen would form a formidable pairing with Vincent KomTopicalCity.co.uk May 2011 25
Gilks
Pastore
Cahill
pany.
planet. Reportedly seeking to leave Italy this summer, the Premier League appears to be his preferred destination.
Neven Subotic The Borrusia Dortmund centre back is widely regarded as one of the finest young defenders in Europe, speaks fluent English and has just won the league with his club in Germany.
Leighton Baines The Everton left back is another who has been repeatedly linked with City. No question over his ability to perform in the Premier League but City may be loath to do any business with Everton after the Lescott affair. Wesley Sneijder The Netherlands international, currently at Internazionale, has developed in to one of the finest midfielders on the 26 May 2011 TopicalCity.co.uk
Javier Pastore The Palermo playmaker is an outstanding passer of a ball, with a good engine and the ability to run the midfield. The Argentine international would complement the likes of David Silva beautifully. Eden Hazard A fantastic prospect from good stock, Hazard has been linked with a move to England – particularly Arsenal – for over a year. The winger would add considerable pace and ability to any squad but would be instead of – as opposed to as well as – signing Sanchez, who seems to be the primary target.
Juan Manuel Mata The 23-year old World Cup winner is a former team mate of David Silva at Valencia and plies his trade mainly on the left wing. Technically excellent, with an eye for goal and the ability to leave defenders in his wake, the Spaniard would command a fee in the region of £25m. Edinson Cavani The Uruguayan has been linked with City for months on the back of an incredible season in Italy with Napoli. With 33 goals in 45 appearances this year, the Palermo-owned striker would replace Tevez should City’s top scorer leave the club in the summer. Sergio ‘Kun’ Aguero Still only 22 years old despite seeming to have been around forever, Atletico Madrid’s hottest property has stated his desire to see out his contract in the Spanish capital. He would also be a contender to replace Tevez, with his busy style and lightening pace making him a much coveted striker.
wanchopeandyourdickov.blogspot.com
Gael Clichy The Arsenal left back’s contract negotiations have stalled with the London club, leading to speculation he may be moved on in the summer, with Liverpool, City and Real Madrid reportedly interested in the pacey 25-year old.
Alexis Sanchez The diminutive Chilean trickster has had a phenomenal season at Udinese in Serie A, and City have been alerted to his availability. Sanchez would command a fee of more than £25m but looks to be laden with potential.
Sneijder
Words: Simon Curtis, http://downthekippaxsteps.blogspot.com For any game in City’s tumultuous season of 1998-99 to qualify as memorable, the circumstances had to be pretty special. With the club at its lowest ebb in history, wallowing in mid-table in our first ever season outside the top two divisions, something above the ordinary was required to kick-start a late bid for the promotion that all agreed was vital for the survival of Manchester City. The Christmas period had borne witness to a slight stirring with a soggy, rain-swept victory at Wrexham. That this had followed defeat at York and several other embarrassments still did not bode well. City were bogged down in the middle of the table and showing only feeble signs of acclimatising to their harsh new surroundings. The arrival of long-time leaders Stoke City to Maine Road for the last game of the year on December 28th, therefore, gave the Blues the chance to show that the previous win at Wrexham, hard-earned and unpleasant on the eye as it had been, was not just another flash in the pan but the start of something more solid to build on.
downthekippaxsteps.blogspot.com
As manager Joe Royle would often reiterate, the size of City’s following during this season of purgatory was quite overwhelming for all concerned. This could work in two ways, Royle maintained: as a dead weight around the neck or as a galvanising force. “There is a certain element who are becoming very vociferous and very negative”, he wrote in his programme notes before the game. Continuing with the same theme, he said “I can understand why two chairmen and a succession of managers have been hounded out of this place...”. Perhaps shocked by the harshness of Royle’s words, the crowd’s reaction was exemplary. For the first time since the opening day win over Blackpool, we were to see
just how the home crowd’s influence on the legs and minds of the City players could work greatly to the team’s benefit. This match would in fact see what many City followers deemed the essential catalyst to where we are now. One fleeting moment where the 30,000 gathered on that day transformed the landscape. Stoke had lead the table all season but, entering this match in third place, were waning under the pressure of a lengthy period out ahead of the pack. With a near capacity crowd jammed inside Maine Road, it was the home side who had the better of the opening passage of play and, although City had a goal disallowed when Taylor’s tenth minute header was ruled out by a fussy linesman, Stoke gradually took command and took the lead with a simply worked goal after half an hour. City’s defence appeared to stand and watch as Sigurdsson rose to head in after a simple move had carved the Blues open down their right flank. For most of us there that day, half time brought a familiar empty feeling of despondency and acceptance that our new mundane surroundings might just be here to stay. Royle made a vital change at half time, bringing on Goater to accompany Dickov and Taylor up front and taking off the unlucky Ian Bishop. Although this certainly had a galvanising effect, something also happened to the crowd at half-time. It seemed to hit us all simultaneously. If you were there, you will surely remember it. For no apparent reason, the Kippax rose and bellowed its support. Soon all four sides of the ground were urging City on with a vast wall of noise. Once again City tore into the visitors and this time their energetic play reaped immediate dividends. A mistake at the back produced a scuffle between Goater
@Bifana_Bifana
and the pressurised ‘keeper Muggleton, allowing a simple ball to be rolled across the area for Dickov to tap in. Maine Road erupted and, with the forceful and noisy backing of the crowd, City grew in stature and confidence. Stoke were pinned back for long periods, but managed to hold on until five minutes from time, when Dickov’s speculative cross from far out on the left was headed in majestically by Gareth Taylor, his first goal in City colours since a £400,000 transfer from Sheffield United eight weeks earlier. With Maine Road in a tumult of noise, the visitors could not muster an answer to this late surge and City captured what was at the time a prize scalp.
LE
The manager’s doubts about the fans had been answered in no uncertain terms. The blast of noise created in the second half had persuaded the players to give everything. As the crowd trickled out of the old stadium, a palpable sense of renewal was in the air. Everyone had done their bit. The feeling was very much that this could be the catalyst to set the Blues on a run towards glorious promotion in May. We would be proved right, although the manner that it would finally be achieved could not have been imagined on that biting December evening. Nobody exiting the old corrugated gates that day could have foreseen what lay ahead for this grand old club of ours. Now we face Stoke again, at Wembley, to fight for the FA Cup. Two clubs, dripping in history, who know what it’s like to be down on your luck, will emerge into the sunlight on May14th and those cheering in sky blue and in red and white will do well to think back to a freezing cold Monday 28th December, when we lifted the roof for a scrap over mere crumbs. Let the banqueting begin but let us never forget. TopicalCity.co.uk May 2011 27
ST WE FORGET: THE DAY THE TIDE TURNED
downthekippaxsteps.blogspot.com
28 May 2011 TopicalCity.co.uk