challenge this season

[dbinod]

i cannot understand why our manager is saying our ambition is only top 6.havent we all things to challenge for top 4.mentioning target top 6 will be frustrating to the likes of robinho tevez.he should claim at leasttop 4.harry rednapp mourinho martin o nell all said we can challenge for title this season.even fergussion said so.
i think we should say we are challinging for top 4 publicly .we can understand if the target is not fulfilled.i am happy even we finish 7.but we should challenge for top 4 this season.

[Tokyo Blue]

I think the manager is trying to keep a) his job, and b) everyone's feet on the ground. I wouldn't go public with any targets either. And my (private!) target would be to win every single game.

[mcfc1632]

i cannot understand why our manager is saying our ambition is only top 6.havent we all things to challenge for top 4.mentioning target top 6 will be frustrating to the likes of robinho tevez.he should claim at leasttop 4.harry rednapp mourinho martin o nell all said we can challenge for title this season.even fergussion said so.
i think we should say we are challinging for top 4 publicly .we can understand if the target is not fulfilled.i am happy even we finish 7.but we should challenge for top 4 this season.

Please - this topic generated the worst thread I have seen on this forum - lets not go there again - Chairman sets target - manager publicly confirms that target to keep everyone 'calm' - privately of course all shooting for top 4 - this has been 'debated' to death

[Slim]

...play?

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Now I'm not Hughes biggest cheerleader which is well documented but even I have never said he is a complete tool. I don't think his position is as solid as some people would make you believe and if he set top four target in public and ended up finishing fifth, he would've committee suicide.

Personally I think we should be able to break into top four with the players we have got but if I were in his shoes, I wouldn't say it out loud either.

[CITYSTEVEDON]

i think that we could get into 4th spot, but why should hughes say we want 4th and then knowing city like we do fall on his arse[again] when we finish below that.i hope we do get into the top 4, but i would rather win a cup this year, the joy of going back to wembley.

[The Man In Blue]

Now I'm not Hughes biggest cheerleader

haha you got the classic british understatement down to a tee there mate!

[sandman]

Ha ha ha... people think we're going to challenge this season, I hope they right.

What i'm hoping for is;

7th and a trophy
6th and a great cup run.
4th (if only concentrating on the prem)

[dbinod]

this is the statement i have been expecting.

goal.com
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has warned the 'big four' of Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool that his team are now not far behind them, and will be pushing them all the way in the race for Champions League qualification and maybe the Premier League title.

[ronk]

Set a moderate challenge, then exceed it! Nothing wrong with that.

It's a tough job getting signings to gel. One mightn't and we drop a few points figuring it out then end up with a weaker squad. If we're to break into the CL places this year then we're going to need most things to go our way. The more established teams can screw up and recover, we're not there yet.

In previous seasons I've seen us kinda give-up once we were out of the running or safe, we'd coast in. If we set a target of top4 then we could end up coasting if a few results go against us and miss out on an opportunity to sneak in there.

[10.Goater_Legend]

Now I'm not Hughes biggest cheerleader which is well documented but even I have never said he is a complete tool. I don't think his position is as solid as some people would make you believe and if he set top four target in public and ended up finishing fifth, he would've committee suicide.

Personally I think we should be able to break into top four with the players we have got but if I were in his shoes, I wouldn't say it out loud either.

This, Hughes is under imense pressure to deliver here with all the money he has spent and he's not about to shoot himself in the foot by going on about top 4 finishes.

[john68]

I think the secret of our target for this season was let out of the bag when the club announced that they had brought forward the player investment

[ronk]

I think the secret of our target for this season was let out of the bag when the club announced that they had brought forward the player investment

Tell me then, I'm dying to know.

[john68]

In the recent report regarding our buying strategy, the club stated that the Shieks had agreed to bring forward the planned investment of (if I remember correctly) the next 5 transfer windows, into this recent transfer window. The club added that they would still invest heavily in the future if a player of the right quality, at the right price became available.

The club had already publicised its intentions to target CL qualification in the next few windows.
The club's statement that followed was clear and though not verbatim, was along the lines of...By buying now, the hope was to get up there now and challenge....and see what happens. (that last part I beieve were the actual words used)

The club, clearly hadn't targetted a top 6 place in the next 5 windows, leaving only one conclusion to be drawn. A target of CL qualification this season.

In another thread, it was discussed that this change of buying policy seems to have been driven by the remarks made by Platini regarding balancing the books with expenditure and turn over. Nevertheless and whatever the reason to change the buying policy, wee know there was a strategic buying policy change and agreed by the Shieks.

[ronk]

I think there were a few other reasons for the spurge also.

Not all players would want to wait around for 2 years while we improved. Similarly, they'd be less likely to want to move here.

The financial situation in football created an opportunity. Clubs were willing to sell whereas in other years they might be less willing. Also, no one was competing all that seriously for our targets.

[john68]

The original point in question was one of targets and I think my post covered that.

I forgot to add that the club also stated that in the future, investment would be targetted more at the academy level, so that we could be producing our own World superstars in a few years.
I don't disagree with your post, price and availabilty are important factors in transfers and your point about attracting players and players waiting a number of years for our improvement is also valid.

[Fish111]

Ha ha ha... people think we're going to challenge this season, I hope they right.

What i'm hoping for is;

7th and a trophy:- This would be a disaster imo with the investments made
6th and a great cup run:- This is the bare minimum requirement with a Wembley appearance thrown in
4th (if only concentrating on the prem):- This is a slight possibility if Liverpool keep self-imploding as they seem to be

[Wonderwall]

offical target should be to make all blues everywhere, fuclin proud as peacocks

[Abu Dhabi]

offical target should be to make all blues everywhere, fuclin proud as peacocks

You see thats the problem. Not all peackoks are proud.


This one is pretty much ashamed..

[Wonderwall]

offical target should be to make all blues everywhere, fuclin proud as peacocks

You see thats the problem. Not all peackoks are proud.


This one is pretty much ashamed..

nah, its a proud peacock, just a little bit shy.