Real 'Bottled It'

[Alex Sapphire]

Our newest sponsors are all Arab.

Just what on earth does that have to do with anything in any way other than I take it you're trying to allude to the fact that Cook's role in securing the deals with Etihad, Etisalat and Ferrostaal was no more than token on the basis that they are all beholden to the Sheikh?

this^ although I would choose a different word than beholden ;-)
did he land Singha Beer too under the old regime?

Pretty sure Singha predated Cookie?

must have been mackintosh then. At least he was only paid 290k pa to go fetch the bosses shopping )

[ant london]

Where is Ali Mac nowadays?

[10.Goater_Legend]

To be honest i'm glad we didn't spunk £15.8m up the wall for him I think he's extreamly average, Mariga on the other hand...

[Alex Sapphire]

Where is Ali Mac nowadays?

Fulham

[ant london]

Where is Ali Mac nowadays?

Fulham

haha....gone from one despotic owner to the next eh

Don't know whether anyone saw this when Al Fayed came out with it last year but it's just brilliant

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scott ... -21774572/

Mohamed al-Fayed's message to Scotland: Get rid of the Royal Family and I'll become your president

HARRODS owner Mohamed al-Fayed has revealed his ambition to be the first president of an independent Scotland.
The eccentric Egyptian claims he has a shared ancestry with the Scots.

He also said he would buy the Queen's Balmoral Castle and turn it into a museum after any break-up of the UK.

Fayed, 80, said: "If you Scots retain the Royal Family, you will have no hope.

"When you Scots regain your freedom, I'm ready to be your president."

Fayed owns 65,000-acre Balnagown estate in Sutherland and two years ago he unveiled a life-size waxwork of himself in full Highland dress at his visitor centre.

He feels an affinity with the Scots and believes them to be descended from an Egyptian princess.

In a Sunday newspaper interview, he said it was time for Scotland to "waken up and detach itself from the English and their terrible politicians".

The tycoon has crossed swords with the establishment over his claims that his son Dodi and Princess Diana died as a result of a sinister plot.

Fayed, who has been refused a British passport, said he hoped to be offered Scottish citizenship if a planned independence referendum next year goes ahead.

He said: "You Scots have been living in a coma for too long.

"Whatever help is needed for Scotland to regain its independence, I will provide it. I have lived in England for 40 years but now the home that I want is Scotland."

However, Fayed was less enthusiastic about First Minister Alex Salmond, who, he said, had snubbed his offers of "help and advice".
He added: "I will do anything for Scotland but I don't want this Alex Salmond.

"I asked to meet him but he refused. He didn't want to know.

"I buy property in Scotland, I employ people there, I bring in tourists there, I believe in Scotland. But he won't see me."

The Record contacted Harrods yesterday to check whether Fayed was comfortable with the comments attributed to him.
Staff there said nobody was available for comment.

A spokesman for Salmond confirmed that he had declined an invitation from Fayed to discuss a possible donation. He said: "No disrespect was intended."

[Alex Sapphire]

Where is Ali Mac nowadays?

Fulham

haha....gone from one despotic owner to the next eh

Don't know whether anyone saw this when Al Fayed came out with it last year but it's just brilliant

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scott ... -21774572/

Mohamed al-Fayed's message to Scotland: Get rid of the Royal Family and I'll become your president

HARRODS owner Mohamed al-Fayed has revealed his ambition to be the first president of an independent Scotland.
The eccentric Egyptian claims he has a shared ancestry with the Scots.

He also said he would buy the Queen's Balmoral Castle and turn it into a museum after any break-up of the UK.

Fayed, 80, said: "If you Scots retain the Royal Family, you will have no hope.

"When you Scots regain your freedom, I'm ready to be your president."

Fayed owns 65,000-acre Balnagown estate in Sutherland and two years ago he unveiled a life-size waxwork of himself in full Highland dress at his visitor centre.

He feels an affinity with the Scots and believes them to be descended from an Egyptian princess.

In a Sunday newspaper interview, he said it was time for Scotland to "waken up and detach itself from the English and their terrible politicians".

The tycoon has crossed swords with the establishment over his claims that his son Dodi and Princess Diana died as a result of a sinister plot.

Fayed, who has been refused a British passport, said he hoped to be offered Scottish citizenship if a planned independence referendum next year goes ahead.

He said: "You Scots have been living in a coma for too long.

"Whatever help is needed for Scotland to regain its independence, I will provide it. I have lived in England for 40 years but now the home that I want is Scotland."

However, Fayed was less enthusiastic about First Minister Alex Salmond, who, he said, had snubbed his offers of "help and advice".
He added: "I will do anything for Scotland but I don't want this Alex Salmond.

"I asked to meet him but he refused. He didn't want to know.

"I buy property in Scotland, I employ people there, I bring in tourists there, I believe in Scotland. But he won't see me."

The Record contacted Harrods yesterday to check whether Fayed was comfortable with the comments attributed to him.
Staff there said nobody was available for comment.

A spokesman for Salmond confirmed that he had declined an invitation from Fayed to discuss a possible donation. He said: "No disrespect was intended."

he got interviewed on the radio last week on this subject and managed to call the government "a set of wankers" before an embarrassed Nicky campbell got shot

[Socrates]

Our newest sponsors are all Arab.

Just what on earth does that have to do with anything in any way other than I take it you're trying to allude to the fact that Cook's role in securing the deals with Etihad, Etisalat and Ferrostaal was no more than token on the basis that they are all beholden to the Sheikh?

this^ although I would choose a different word than beholden ;-)
did he land Singha Beer too under the old regime?

Pretty sure Singha predated Cookie?

must have been mackintosh then. At least he was only paid 290k pa to go fetch the bosses shopping )

as long as he sent him first class...

[the_georgian_genius]

Did Gago want to come? Yes
Did Real want to sell? Yes
Did Mariga want to sign? Yes
Did Parma want to sell? Yes
Could Mariga have gotten a work permit if we had our act together? Yes

Did Gago or Mariga sign? No.

But its not our fault. Its a press conspiracy.

you're missing the whole point, AGAIN.

No, you're just assuming we do everything perfectly ok without actually knowing - unless you're present for all the transfer deals and see how they are conducted you really can't tell me that I've "missed the whole point" (again???) because yours is based on an assumption on your part whilst mine is based on quotes and facts.
It is a fact that we left it until the last day of the window to submit a work permit for mariga and we didn't have time to do it, when it was quite clear a sale was there to be made a week before the window shut, it is also a fact that we only went back in for Gago when there wasn't enough time to make any sort of proper deal with the player
We've been criticised before about the way we handle transfers whereas no-one has ever come out and praised the way we've done business with them and as other people have said, there is a lot more to it than "trying to make city look bad"

No, you are still missing the whole point again. Let me write it out in laymen's terms see if you understand it.

Mariga was 1st Choice
Gago was 2nd choice
We wanted one of the other, not both.
The personal terms with Mariga were sorted out in mid January, all we needed was a work permit which we were confident of getting because he has played in Italy for 3 years, europe for 4 years and has played in more than 75% country's international games in the last 4 years.
He was refused one and then the Kenyan goverment got involved to sort it all out.
His appeal was on Monday 1st February, even then we were very confident of him getting one.
The work permit committe which consisted of a pair of twats such as David Pleat and Dave Bassett refused him one at 2pm, 3 hours before the window shut.
Then we went back to Gago as our SECOND CHOICE and Madrid upped the price as they knew we were desparate.
We told them to stuff it.
They came back half an hour before it closed saying ok then, leaving us 30 mins to sort out personal terms.

I'm not not assuming we do everything perfectly, as i have criticised Cook in the past but i will defend him and the club when they have people like you beleiving bullshit from Real Madrid and the tabloids and failing magnificently to see the actual truth.

[Wooders]

I've looked on the official site and I haven't seen anything from the club to support the claim that the deal was completed last week and the appeal was only on Feb 1st.

Please back this claim up. Or is it only you that can choose to believe what they like?

[Ted Hughes]

One question: If we're doing everything so perfectly why is someone basically calling us a set of wankers in every transfer window? Can it really all be the case that we've done nothing wrong? I've never known a club get so many people chirping.

(You can add Neil warnock's comments about Moses btw: "Man City should have taken him but they kept messing about so another PL club has come in now")

Also I find it strange how people are getting upset about the performance of the men in suits being called into question. Now I'm not advocating the sacking of Cook & co but I'm not going to pretend I'm convinced by them either when I'm not.

Half the topics on here involve people deeply criticising the performances of players, some of whom are more 'City' than Marwood Cook & all their entourage can possibly be. That's not considered 'disloyal' unless it's pure victimisation & I don't believe merely questioning the performance of people who, rightly or wrongly, have been involved in countless column inches of negative publicity over the last few years is in any way shape or form unresonable or 'anti City'. Brain Marwood is City? Kiss my fucking arse. Did you lot ever hear his Sky commentaries? He was like David Platt's twin brother. He gets paid to do a job; that's all.

I was on many a protest in the days of Swales & I don't consider that made me any less supportive of City. I certainly won't accept that criticism now for having doubts about a bunch of fucking suits who were themselves players/supporters of other teams.

It may be that they're the best people for the job but they've certainly not proved it, there are plenty of reasonable doubts about them whether people like to accept it or not. The day we can't question their performance is the day City ceases to be City.

[Wooders]

hallelujah - well said ted

[the_georgian_genius]

I've looked on the official site and I haven't seen anything from the club to support the claim that the deal was completed last week and the appeal was only on Feb 1st.

Please back this claim up. Or is it only you that can choose to believe what they like?

Listen the deal was done, the price arranged, the personal terms sorted, Parma wouldn't sell until the last week of January.

The club was very confident as would i, of securing a work permit for the lad. He was refused one, it's nobody's fault except the panel who rejected it which one half consisted of Pleat and Bassett.

At the end of the day, we couldn't have sorted this out at the start of January as Parma didn't want to sell til the end of the month. You can't apply for a work permit on the off chance Parma agree to sell him.

Can you still not see that yet or is your personal vendetta to Cook blinding you from seing the obvious?

[the_georgian_genius]

One question: If we're doing everything so perfectly why is someone basically calling us a set of wankers in every transfer window? Can it really all be the case that we've done nothing wrong? I've never known a club get so many people chirping.

(You can add Neil warnock's comments about Moses btw: "Man City should have taken him but they kept messing about so another PL club has come in now")

Also I find it strange how people are getting upset about the performance of the men in suits being called into question. Now I'm not advocating the sacking of Cook & co but I'm not going to pretend I'm convinced by them either when I'm not.

Half the topics on here involve people deeply criticising the performances of players, some of whom are more 'City' than Marwood Cook & all their entourage can possibly be. That's not considered 'disloyal' unless it's pure victimisation & I don't believe merely questioning the performance of people who, rightly or wrongly, have been involved in countless column inches of negative publicity over the last few years is in any way shape or form unresonable or 'anti City'. Brain Marwood is City? Kiss my fucking arse. Did you lot ever hear his Sky commentaries? He was like David Platt's twin brother. He gets paid to do a job; that's all.

I was on many a protest in the days of Swales & I don't consider that made me any less supportive of City. I certainly won't accept that criticism now for having doubts about a bunch of fucking suits who were themselves players/supporters of other teams.

It may be that they're the best people for the job but they've certainly not proved it, there are plenty of reasonable doubts about them whether people like to accept it or not. The day we can't question their performance is the day City ceases to be City.

Who have called us a set of wankers in the three transfer windows we have been involved in since the ADUG takeover?

[Wooders]

I've looked on the official site and I haven't seen anything from the club to support the claim that the deal was completed last week and the appeal was only on Feb 1st.

Please back this claim up. Or is it only you that can choose to believe what they like?

Listen the deal was done, the price arranged, the personal terms sorted, Parma wouldn't sell until the last week of January.

The club was very confident as would i, of securing a work permit for the lad. He was refused one, it's nobody's fault except the panel who rejected it which one half consisted of Pleat and Bassett.

At the end of the day, we couldn't have sorted this out at the start of January as Parma didn't want to sell til the end of the month. You can't apply for a work permit on the off chance Parma agree to sell him.

Can you still not see that yet or is your personal vendetta to Cook blinding you from seing the obvious?

I don't, and never have had, a personal vendetta against Cook - non of my posts have been anti cook, even in this thread.
I wanted an answer to the question of what happened with the transfers and why we were getting slagged off about it - not for the first time when it comes to transfers

[BobKowalski]

I've looked on the official site and I haven't seen anything from the club to support the claim that the deal was completed last week and the appeal was only on Feb 1st.

Please back this claim up. Or is it only you that can choose to believe what they like?

Listen the deal was done, the price arranged, the personal terms sorted, Parma wouldn't sell until the last week of January.

The club was very confident as would i, of securing a work permit for the lad. He was refused one, it's nobody's fault except the panel who rejected it which one half consisted of Pleat and Bassett.

At the end of the day, we couldn't have sorted this out at the start of January as Parma didn't want to sell til the end of the month. You can't apply for a work permit on the off chance Parma agree to sell him.

Can you still not see that yet or is your personal vendetta to Cook blinding you from seing the obvious?

I don't, and never have had, a personal vendetta against Cook - non of my posts have been anti cook, even in this thread.
I wanted an answer to the question of what happened with the transfers and why we were getting slagged off about it - not for the first time when it comes to transfers

Perhaps because we are refusing to be treated as twats with more money than sense and starting to negotiate. Also we have elbowed our way onto the top table with a fat wad of cash and it has put noses out of joint so tempers are bound to get frayed. No one likes the new kid :)

And anyway if Cook is repeatedly cocking up transfers then ADUG will can him so problem solved. Of course if the stories in the press today refuting Madrid's version of events are to be believed then he will still be around to do the biz in the summer. So I guess you pays your money and takes your choice with who you want to believe.

[Ted Hughes]

One question: If we're doing everything so perfectly why is someone basically calling us a set of wankers in every transfer window? Can it really all be the case that we've done nothing wrong? I've never known a club get so many people chirping.

(You can add Neil warnock's comments about Moses btw: "Man City should have taken him but they kept messing about so another PL club has come in now")

Also I find it strange how people are getting upset about the performance of the men in suits being called into question. Now I'm not advocating the sacking of Cook & co but I'm not going to pretend I'm convinced by them either when I'm not.

Half the topics on here involve people deeply criticising the performances of players, some of whom are more 'City' than Marwood Cook & all their entourage can possibly be. That's not considered 'disloyal' unless it's pure victimisation & I don't believe merely questioning the performance of people who, rightly or wrongly, have been involved in countless column inches of negative publicity over the last few years is in any way shape or form unresonable or 'anti City'. Brain Marwood is City? Kiss my fucking arse. Did you lot ever hear his Sky commentaries? He was like David Platt's twin brother. He gets paid to do a job; that's all.

I was on many a protest in the days of Swales & I don't consider that made me any less supportive of City. I certainly won't accept that criticism now for having doubts about a bunch of fucking suits who were themselves players/supporters of other teams.

It may be that they're the best people for the job but they've certainly not proved it, there are plenty of reasonable doubts about them whether people like to accept it or not. The day we can't question their performance is the day City ceases to be City.

Who have called us a set of wankers in the three transfer windows we have been involved in since the ADUG takeover?

Not just the Adug ones, during Frank's time as well we were getting it from all sides regarding deals in & out, even from players. Off the top of my head re big (ish) deals where complaints/piss takes were involved; (leaving out Benjani, Ireland to Sunderland & Corluka to Spurs bcause of Frank's involvement but was it his fault?) RSC last christmas, Bellamy, Tevez (although that was baconface so is a +) Kaka, Lescott, Gago. Piss takes: Jo ( took about 6 weeks then off to Brazil after 2 games but Frank so not sure who's fault) Ronaldinho, John Terry.

Not bad going for a couple of years. Harry's managed to do his totally corrupt stuff without a bad word in the same period.

[the_georgian_genius]

One question: If we're doing everything so perfectly why is someone basically calling us a set of wankers in every transfer window? Can it really all be the case that we've done nothing wrong? I've never known a club get so many people chirping.

(You can add Neil warnock's comments about Moses btw: "Man City should have taken him but they kept messing about so another PL club has come in now")

Also I find it strange how people are getting upset about the performance of the men in suits being called into question. Now I'm not advocating the sacking of Cook & co but I'm not going to pretend I'm convinced by them either when I'm not.

Half the topics on here involve people deeply criticising the performances of players, some of whom are more 'City' than Marwood Cook & all their entourage can possibly be. That's not considered 'disloyal' unless it's pure victimisation & I don't believe merely questioning the performance of people who, rightly or wrongly, have been involved in countless column inches of negative publicity over the last few years is in any way shape or form unresonable or 'anti City'. Brain Marwood is City? Kiss my fucking arse. Did you lot ever hear his Sky commentaries? He was like David Platt's twin brother. He gets paid to do a job; that's all.

I was on many a protest in the days of Swales & I don't consider that made me any less supportive of City. I certainly won't accept that criticism now for having doubts about a bunch of fucking suits who were themselves players/supporters of other teams.

It may be that they're the best people for the job but they've certainly not proved it, there are plenty of reasonable doubts about them whether people like to accept it or not. The day we can't question their performance is the day City ceases to be City.

Who have called us a set of wankers in the three transfer windows we have been involved in since the ADUG takeover?

Not just the Adug ones, during Frank's time as well we were getting it from all sides regarding deals in & out, even from players. Off the top of my head re big (ish) deals where complaints/piss takes were involved; (leaving out Benjani, Ireland to Sunderland & Corluka to Spurs bcause of Frank's involvement but was it his fault?) RSC last christmas, Bellamy, Tevez (although that was baconface so is a +) Kaka, Lescott, Gago. Piss takes: Jo ( took about 6 weeks then off to Brazil after 2 games but Frank so not sure who's fault) Ronaldinho, John Terry.

Not bad going for a couple of years. Harry's managed to do his totally corrupt stuff without a bad word in the same period.

The one's pre ADUG were a mixture of idiots in charge and lack of money. Since ADUG have come the players you have mentioned there:-

Bellamy - The only ones criticising the club for signing him were City fans
RSC - What did Blackburn say? Criticised us for not paying £20m for him?
Tevez - The problem there was the player and his choice of club, not how we went about it.
Kaka - Garry Cook can be criticised for many things, the uwe rosler fuck up, the new york bar fuck up but i am with him here, Milan DID bottle it.
Gago - Explained already in this thread.
Lescott - The player wanted to go, we wanted him. Both got their wish, all top clubs have in the past put pressure on the player and the smaller club to make a decision.

So going off the names you have mentioned, not one was through our mistakes or fuck ups. The teams above just expected us to pay whatever odds and weren't happy that they couldn't take us for the mugs we are portrayed to be.

[Ted Hughes]

One question: If we're doing everything so perfectly why is someone basically calling us a set of wankers in every transfer window? Can it really all be the case that we've done nothing wrong? I've never known a club get so many people chirping.

(You can add Neil warnock's comments about Moses btw: "Man City should have taken him but they kept messing about so another PL club has come in now")

Also I find it strange how people are getting upset about the performance of the men in suits being called into question. Now I'm not advocating the sacking of Cook & co but I'm not going to pretend I'm convinced by them either when I'm not.

Half the topics on here involve people deeply criticising the performances of players, some of whom are more 'City' than Marwood Cook & all their entourage can possibly be. That's not considered 'disloyal' unless it's pure victimisation & I don't believe merely questioning the performance of people who, rightly or wrongly, have been involved in countless column inches of negative publicity over the last few years is in any way shape or form unresonable or 'anti City'. Brain Marwood is City? Kiss my fucking arse. Did you lot ever hear his Sky commentaries? He was like David Platt's twin brother. He gets paid to do a job; that's all.

I was on many a protest in the days of Swales & I don't consider that made me any less supportive of City. I certainly won't accept that criticism now for having doubts about a bunch of fucking suits who were themselves players/supporters of other teams.

It may be that they're the best people for the job but they've certainly not proved it, there are plenty of reasonable doubts about them whether people like to accept it or not. The day we can't question their performance is the day City ceases to be City.

Who have called us a set of wankers in the three transfer windows we have been involved in since the ADUG takeover?

Not just the Adug ones, during Frank's time as well we were getting it from all sides regarding deals in & out, even from players. Off the top of my head re big (ish) deals where complaints/piss takes were involved; (leaving out Benjani, Ireland to Sunderland & Corluka to Spurs bcause of Frank's involvement but was it his fault?) RSC last christmas, Bellamy, Tevez (although that was baconface so is a +) Kaka, Lescott, Gago. Piss takes: Jo ( took about 6 weeks then off to Brazil after 2 games but Frank so not sure who's fault) Ronaldinho, John Terry.

Not bad going for a couple of years. Harry's managed to do his totally corrupt stuff without a bad word in the same period.

The one's pre ADUG were a mixture of idiots in charge and lack of money. Since ADUG have come the players you have mentioned there:-

Bellamy - The only ones criticising the club for signing him were City fans
RSC - What did Blackburn say? Criticised us for not paying £20m for him?
Tevez - The problem there was the player and his choice of club, not how we went about it.
Kaka - Garry Cook can be criticised for many things, the uwe rosler fuck up, the new york bar fuck up but i am with him here, Milan DID bottle it.
Gago - Explained already in this thread.
Lescott - The player wanted to go, we wanted him. Both got their wish, all top clubs have in the past put pressure on the player and the smaller club to make a decision.

So going off the names you have mentioned, not one was through our mistakes or fuck ups. The teams above just expected us to pay whatever odds and weren't happy that they couldn't take us for the mugs we are portrayed to be.

Cheers for that Gary.

[the_georgian_genius]

One question: If we're doing everything so perfectly why is someone basically calling us a set of wankers in every transfer window? Can it really all be the case that we've done nothing wrong? I've never known a club get so many people chirping.

(You can add Neil warnock's comments about Moses btw: "Man City should have taken him but they kept messing about so another PL club has come in now")

Also I find it strange how people are getting upset about the performance of the men in suits being called into question. Now I'm not advocating the sacking of Cook & co but I'm not going to pretend I'm convinced by them either when I'm not.

Half the topics on here involve people deeply criticising the performances of players, some of whom are more 'City' than Marwood Cook & all their entourage can possibly be. That's not considered 'disloyal' unless it's pure victimisation & I don't believe merely questioning the performance of people who, rightly or wrongly, have been involved in countless column inches of negative publicity over the last few years is in any way shape or form unresonable or 'anti City'. Brain Marwood is City? Kiss my fucking arse. Did you lot ever hear his Sky commentaries? He was like David Platt's twin brother. He gets paid to do a job; that's all.

I was on many a protest in the days of Swales & I don't consider that made me any less supportive of City. I certainly won't accept that criticism now for having doubts about a bunch of fucking suits who were themselves players/supporters of other teams.

It may be that they're the best people for the job but they've certainly not proved it, there are plenty of reasonable doubts about them whether people like to accept it or not. The day we can't question their performance is the day City ceases to be City.

Who have called us a set of wankers in the three transfer windows we have been involved in since the ADUG takeover?

Not just the Adug ones, during Frank's time as well we were getting it from all sides regarding deals in & out, even from players. Off the top of my head re big (ish) deals where complaints/piss takes were involved; (leaving out Benjani, Ireland to Sunderland & Corluka to Spurs bcause of Frank's involvement but was it his fault?) RSC last christmas, Bellamy, Tevez (although that was baconface so is a +) Kaka, Lescott, Gago. Piss takes: Jo ( took about 6 weeks then off to Brazil after 2 games but Frank so not sure who's fault) Ronaldinho, John Terry.

Not bad going for a couple of years. Harry's managed to do his totally corrupt stuff without a bad word in the same period.

The one's pre ADUG were a mixture of idiots in charge and lack of money. Since ADUG have come the players you have mentioned there:-

Bellamy - The only ones criticising the club for signing him were City fans
RSC - What did Blackburn say? Criticised us for not paying £20m for him?
Tevez - The problem there was the player and his choice of club, not how we went about it.
Kaka - Garry Cook can be criticised for many things, the uwe rosler fuck up, the new york bar fuck up but i am with him here, Milan DID bottle it.
Gago - Explained already in this thread.
Lescott - The player wanted to go, we wanted him. Both got their wish, all top clubs have in the past put pressure on the player and the smaller club to make a decision.

So going off the names you have mentioned, not one was through our mistakes or fuck ups. The teams above just expected us to pay whatever odds and weren't happy that they couldn't take us for the mugs we are portrayed to be.

Cheers for that Gary.

So you admit that we are no longer have the worst people involved in football for doing transfer deals?

[gillie]

I agree with TGG on this all these moaning bastards are moaning about is the fact that we said fuck off when they started getting cocky with thier demands.They could'nt fleece the cash cow so they are pissed off.