Sunday's B*ll*x

[Chinners]

Rehashed tale from 4 weeks ago from same bollox source
Billionaire owners can make £140m double deal happen
WHEN Garry Cook courted Kaka, he became the laughing stock of world football.
But the sniggering has stopped. And now the Manchester City chief executive has turned his attention to Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard, nobody should take him lightly.
The chase for fourth place in the Premier League won't be decided at Eastlands today.
The clash between City and Liverpool is more a symbol of a seismic shift between a waning power beset by internal and financial problems and a club that knows no limits.

Even a defeat for Roberto Mancini's side does not alter that landscape.
There are those at Anfield only too aware of the threat from City, not least to Liverpool's two biggest stars.
After the false dawn of Thakskin Shinawatra, the pledges of owner Sheikh Mansour are proving to be no mirage.
That sends out a compelling message to both Torres and Gerrard - that they may have to re-evaluate their futures in the summer.
It's not even a secret within the City corridors of power that the hierarchy are plotting a £140million double swoop for both Torres and Gerrard this summer.
City officials are already planning how they can pull off what would be one of the most audacious transfer coups of all time.
Fourth place and Champions League football would inevitably help sugar the pill of an Anfield parting but even without the lure of football at the highest level, City believe they hold more than a few aces.
If the injured Torres chooses to watch the game from the Eastlands stands, he will be taken by the modern facilities and the potential to increase the capacity to 65,000 - while visions of a new state-of-the-art Anfield remain a pipedream.
Then he will look at Emmabuel Adebayor, a striker not remotely in his class, who picks up £140,000 a week, substantially more than the £95,000 a week Torres earns from a four-year deal signed last summer.
Torres might then just to do some calculations not entirely based on money. He will wonder where Liverpool are heading.
That's exactly the question one of Torres's advisors put to the Liverpool hierarchy recently.
As it stands, it is difficult for the club to offer any conclusive answers.
As diligently as chief executive Christian Purslow has been working to stabilise what has become a very rocky ship under the tiller of joint American owners, Tom Hicks and George Gillett, the future remains uncertain.
What is certain is that Liverpool's owners must come up with £100million by the end of March to settle loans taken when the Americans bought the club.
Hicks and Gillett could wipe out the problem at one stroke by agreeing the £100m sale of Torres to City during the close season.
Selling Gerrard as well would then give the club an enhanced transfer kitty.
City have moved up another level from the Kaka farce and whatever the wisdom of replacing Mark Hughes with Roberto Mancini there is far greater credibility to the club's aspirations of becoming not only a superpower in England but Europe too.
There is no doubt that should City beat off the challenges of Tottenham and Aston Villa and eject Liverpool from their Big Four status, then Torres could have his head turned.
Even if Torres could be lured, Gerrard would be much more reluctant to follow him down the M62.
Part of Gerrard may still regret not moving to Chelsea five years ago. And while his red-blooded Mersey roots prohibit even the thought of defecting to Manchester United, the prospect of becoming part of City's adventure would not be out of bounds.
The plain fact is, unless things change at Liverpool - and change quickly - Gerrard, 30 in May, might have to resign himself to never winning a Premier League winner's medal, while at City the potential is now palpable.
Those who counsel Gerrard may suggest that if he did opt to leave Liverpool it would only be to play abroad, with Real Madrid a distinct possibility.
Yet why not City?
After all, if the blue half of Manchester roll back the red tide of United's dominance then, in a way it will be a mission well received on Merseyside, for a while at least.
And how much more loyalty does Gerrard owe Liverpool?
To cash in one or either may smack of heresy to the Kop faithful but if it helps finance a complete rebuilding of a tired team, then it may be a sacrifice worth making.
Whatever the outcome of today's game and the race for fourth place, City would seem on the brink of breaking through the glass ceiling and, in the process, ensuring Liverpool's fall from greatness continues.
Perversely, maybe the only way for Liverpool to alter that inevitability is to take the money for their two great talismen before it is too late.

Roberto Mancini facing a players' revolt at Manchester City
Roberto Mancini looks unlikely to survive at Manchester City beyond the summer after growing dissent in the dressing room over the Italian's training regime and managerial style.
Mancini, who took over at City from Mark Hughes just nine weeks ago, knows that only clinging to his team's current fourth place in the Premier League - a finish that would earn a lucrative place at Europe's top table next season - can save him from the axe.
Getting shirty: Craig Bellamy has clashed with Roberto Mancini over his training methods
That makes today's visit of Liverpool, one place and one point behind City in the table, a crucial test of Mancini and his team.
City insist that Mancini is a long-term employment, although it is understood that he has a break clause in his three-and-a-half-year contract this summer, which will be activated if City fail to qualify for the Champions League.
Mancini has already acknowledged that he argued with Craig Bellamy over training last week, but a number of players are unhappy with the Italian's long practice sessions and have complained to senior figures at the club. Players are also unhappy that training times are changed on what seems like a whim.
The feeling in the dressing room is that Mancini has failed to understand the physical demands of the Premier League.
In a further blow, players are expecting popular fitness trainer Raymond Verheijen, who was only appointed last summer, to quit the Eastlands club after Mancini abandoned the training methods Hughes established.
Under pressure: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini faces a crucial clash against Liverpool today
Bellamy, who has suffered from numerous injuries in his career, is the player who has most notably benefited from the new regime instituted by Verheijen under Hughes. There is a chance that the Dutchman, who worked under former Chelsea coach Guus Hiddink with Holland, South Korea and Russia, will stay on as a consultant but players fear he will draw back from his commitment to the club because of the clash of philosophies with Mancini.
A more balanced approach to training, with less hard running, helped Bellamy to achieve the best form of his career, but Mancini is more of a traditionalist, with longer and harder training sessions, which he feels are necessary to prevent the defensive laxity of the team under Hughes.
Mancini is now under even greater pressure to motivate his players into fourth place and guarantee his job. He is struggling to win his squad over partly because Hughes was such a popular manager. City players enjoyed his positive approach to the game and Bellamy was part of a delegation which confronted chief executive Garry Cook when the Welshman was sacked in December.
Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt made clear the significance of this afternoon's clash with City by insisting that defeat for his side could cost them their chance of a Champions League place.
Kuyt said: 'It's a really big game and if we can win we will be back in it. But if we lose, then we have a big problem.
'So we have to try to win this game and finish in the top four, and we believe that we have the quality to do that.
'City have a better team than last season but we have the experience and, apart from the Arsenal game, we are on a good run.'

WAYNE Bridge will shake John Terry's hand when Chelsea and Manchester City meet at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.
He has also assured Franco Baldini - assistant to England manager Fabio Capello - that he will have no problems playing alongside Terry for the international side against Egypt at Wembley in ten day's time.
The lunchtime Premier League clash in front of Sky's TV cameras this Saturday will be the first time the players have met since the fall-out from Terry's affair with Bridge's ex-girlfriend.
It has been suggested that Bridge does not want anything to do with former friend Terry and would refuse to be the same dressing-room – and also that Bridge would snub Terry in the traditional round of handshakes before kick-off.
But last night a close confidant of Bridge insisted: “All that is nonsense. Wayne is getting on with things."
“Obviously there is much to be done on a friendship level but as far as their professional relationship there will be no problems. Of course Wayne will shake John Terry’s hand at Stamford Bridge and just get on with the job. He is still anxious to play for his country and won’t allow the Terry furore to blind his judgement.”
That will be a relief for Capello who, with Ashley Cole’s broken ankle, sees the City defender as his No 1 choice at left-back for the Egypt friendly.
Bridge is almost certain to be in his 23-man squad for the World Cup finals. With that in mind Capello’s assistant Baldini needed assurances from Bridge that he would be available.
If he wanted to retire from the international scene then the Italian needed to know now.
Bridge has confirmed that he wants to be considered for England selection and will play alongside Terry, who was stripped of the captaincy by Capello as a result of his indiscretions

I want to be City's Giggs
THE OLD Ryan Giggs might have slipped through the Manchester City net but the new one, in the shape of Adam Johnson, certainly hasn’t.
It seems the 22-year-old has been destined for a crack at the big time since the age of 18, having been continually linked with major clubs, including Real Madrid.
A product of the renowned Middlesbrough academy, ambitious Johnson refused hefty pay-rises and ran down his Boro contract to boost his chances of joining a leading club.
A free agent this summer, he was expected to have the pick of the top clubs only for Manchester City to blow everyone away with a bid which could eventually be worth £8million.
Johnson said: “Being prepared to pay that sort of money in January proved that City really wanted me. I may have had other options in the summer but some of those clubs might not have been bringing me in for the right reasons. Maybe it would have been to boost their English contingent to meet the requirements."
“There has been transfer speculation surrounding me since I was 18. I think I have been linked with just about every club across Europe. There was even talk of Real Madrid, which was obviously very flattering. But Manchester City are going places and hopefully they can be as big as Real Madrid one day.”
Right now his aim is to become as big as his idol Giggs, who was snatched out of City’s hands as a schoolboy by their neighbours.
Ironically, Manchester United were also keen on England Under-21 winger Johnson and showed him around their training ground only to refuse to match City’s bid.
“I have modelled my game on Giggs,” he admitted. “Anyone who has watched football in the last 10 years or so would know he has been the best player in this country."
“He was my hero and I had all his videos. I think he has been a hero to a lot of young wingers. I would love to keep going as long as Ryan. My last Middlesbrough manager, Gordon Strachan, played until he was 40. He told me that if I looked after myself I could play as long as Giggs.”
Johnson already feels at home at Eastlands, where he faces Liverpool today in the battle for fourth place.
“Playing with quality players gives you confidence and I believe I’m fitting in well,” he added. “I have played in the Premier League before with Middlesbrough but that was in a struggling team. It was tough for me to show what I can do."
“Instead of having to track the full-back all the time, I’m now in an attacking team that has the ball all the time. Teams stand off us, especially at home, and I have the freedom to do what I like doing.”
Recently labelled by England head coach Fabio Capello as “the best player in the Championship”, Johnson knows the next few months are vital to his international chances."
“I hope I can get to South Africa with England,” he said. “It’s what every player dreams of. Stranger things have happened and hopefully if I do well I’ll have a sniff of a call-up.”
In his few weeks at City, Johnson has helped fans to forget about £32m British record transfer Robinho, who is back in Brazil on loan at Santos.
“We play in different ways,” Johnson stated. “I don’t like getting ahead of myself because I know how quickly you can come back down.”
Today’s visitors may not have the money for players like Johnson but Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt believes they have something money can’t buy.
Kuyt said: “Everybody knows you can buy quality but the history of Liverpool is much, much bigger. You see clubs like Chelsea and Manchester City doing what they have done but it’s very difficult to buy the history of a club like Liverpool. I’m proud to be a Liverpool player.”
As for today’s game, the Dutchman added: “City have a better team than last season. This game will show how far they have come.”

Edit: MCF.NET THREAD: viewtopic.php?f=119&t=30636

TRANSFER BOLLOX
Spanish striker David Villa is ready to quit Valencia for Chelsea this summer with Real Madrid indicating that they will stick with French star Karim Benzema. News of the World

Manchester United are lining up a swoop for £10m-rated Sporting Lisbon ­midfielder Miguel Veloso. The versatile 23-year-old, who can also operate in defence, was watched by United scouts in Sporting's 2-1 Europa League loss at Everton on Tuesday. Sunday Mirror

French striker Thierry Henry is set for Barcelona's exit door having just netted just twice in 13 appearances this season for Pep Guardiola's team. Sunday Mirror

Chelsea are closing in on a £36m move for Benfica's 22-year-old highly-rated forward Angel di Maria. News of the World

WAG OF THE DAY - Malena Gracia

http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2 ... ena-garcia

OTHER BOLLOX
Real Madrid are keen on securing the managerial services of Jose Mourinho, but would have to pay up to €7.5m (£6.5m) to break his contract at Inter Milan. The pressure on Real's current coach Manuel Pellegrini increased following Tuesday's defeat by Lyons in the Champions League. Sunday Times

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will be in Real's sights should Pellegrini be shown the door and Mourinho decides not to go to Spain. Daily Mail

Edwin van der Sar is close to signing a new contract with Manchester United after deciding to play on beyond his 40th birthday. The Dutch goalkeeper recently returned to action following a serious illness suffered by his wife Annemarie.Sunday Mirror

Arsenal are considering breaking their contract structure by offering defender William Gallas a new two-year deal. The Gunners normally offer players aged over 32 one-year deals. imscouting.com

Former England striker Gary Lineker believes Martin O'Neill is the ideal man to take over from Sir Alex Ferguson when the Scot decides to retire at Manchester United. Daily Mail

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp insists his side can pip Manchester City, Aston Villa and Liverpool to the fourth and final Champions League slot this season. Daily Telegraph

Redknapp also looks set to reward defender Ledley King, who suffers from a chronic knee problem, with a new one-year contract extension in the summer. Daily Mail

Manchester United winger Nani is set to hold talks over a new four-year deal on the back of a recent surge in form for the Portuguese star. News of the World

Man United striker Wayne Rooney says Fabio Capello has been "fantastic" as England boss and revealed some of his training tactics. Rooney said: "He records everything and he once had Glen Johnson going over a tape of a throw-in for 30 minutes because he wasn't happy with it. I was almost falling asleep!" Daily Star

[BobKowalski]

I think the world has just turned on its head. Mancini is an old fashioned traditionalist who is whipping the lads into shape with long arduous physical training sessions with Hughes adopting a more modern, less intense approach. Yet when Hughes arrived everyone applauded him for introducing a tougher training regime.

Its a funny old world :)

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I think the world has just turned on its head. Mancini is an old fashioned traditionalist who is whipping the lads into shape with long arduous physical training sessions with Hughes adopting a more modern, less intense approach. Yet when Hughes arrived everyone applauded him for introducing a tougher training regime.

Its a funny old world :)

media are on a witch hunt with Mancini. The moral outrage after Hughes sacking and the usual 'why wasn't top British manager given more time' would make them look silly if Mancini would turn out to be a success.

These stories will go on until he wins something or he is sacked. Unfortunately The Sun reading section of our supporters seem to be all too willing to pick up these stories. Well the pressure is on, let's hope Mancini will thrive on it the way Jose did in England.

[Bluez]

The article isn't very clear anyway, on one hand it claims

The feeling in the dressing room is that Mancini has failed to understand the physical demands of the Premier League.

but then goes on to claim

A more balanced approach to training, with less hard running, helped Bellamy to achieve the best form of his career, but Mancini is more of a traditionalist, with longer and harder training sessions, which he feels are necessary to prevent the defensive laxity of the team under Hughes.

So how can it be Longer and harder but not understanding the physical side.

Unless he is doing less physical work but the sessions are longer (and potentially less interesting) by focussing on tactics

[Whassat]

Regarding Rednose obsession with City:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010 ... x-ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester City will never be bigger than United

• Sir Alex compares City to relegated Sunderland of the 1950s
• He praises the Glazer family but backs fans' right to protest


Sir Alex Ferguson has compared Manchester City with the relegated Sunderland side of the 1950s. Photograph: Carl Recine/Action Images

Sir Alex Ferguson has taken a dig at "noisy neighbours" Manchester City by comparing them to the wealthily backed Sunderland side of the 1950s, who wound up being relegated. The Manchester United manager, talking in an exclusive interview to relaunch this morning's Observer, referenced Sunderland's post-war nickname of 'the Bank of England club' – and the fact that they lost their top-flight place in 1958.

Asked about the impact of City's purchase by the Abu Dhabi United Group, Ferguson said: "It has increased that competitive element between the fans and the media, no doubt about it. The decibel level went up in the last two games [the Carling Cup semi-final ties last month]. We have to get used to it, have to do something about it and accept the challenge. There's nothing wrong with having a challenge. We have to do what we're good at and hope it's good enough."

The Scot added: "[Manchester City] is a club with so much wealth they could buy every player in the world, but can they buy a team, can they buy a Manchester United spirit? I don't expect City to be bigger than us, I really don't, even with all that money. The problem with having all that money is that you buy indiscriminately. Sunderland, in the 1950s, the Bank of England team – relegated. I wouldn't wish ­relegation on City."

Ferguson also addressed his own club's ownership, saying that while he understood supporters' concerns and respected their right to hold forth on the state of the club under the Glazer family, he had always found the American owners supportive. "I'm never against protest," he said. "I've been brought up in protest all my life. I was involved in the [Govan shipyards] apprentices' strike of 1961 ... It's everyone's right, there's no doubt about that."

But he added: "My problem with it, being manager of Manchester United, is that I've got owners who have never caused me any bother. Any time I've asked for money they've given it to us ... The debt has concerned a lot of people. David Gill [the club's chief executive] has had a lot of chats with the staff to settle them down, to assure them everything's fine. As far as I'm concerned, I bought [Chris] Smalling for big money [£10m for the Fulham centre-back]. So for me, life goes on. As I say, the Glazers have been fine with me, I've never had any problem."

[Whassat]

More bollox about Mourinho watching the fight for fourth with interest.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2010 ... -liverpool

José Mourinho will watch the battle for fourth place with interest

If the 'special one' is to return to the Premier League, Liverpool and Manchester City appear his most likely destinations



José Mourinho feels under-appreciated in Italy as the only foreign manager in Serie A, making a return to England more likely. Photograph: Daniel Hambury/Empics Sport

There is a sub-plot to the battle for fourth place taking place at Eastlands today, if that is not too grandiose a billing for the meeting of two tired teams, and its denouement may depend on whether Manchester City or Liverpool win the race to achieve Champions League qualification. Should it turn out to be Aston Villa or Tottenham who finish fourth then all bets are off, but as things stand, if José Mourinho intends to return to England any time soon, and he keeps hinting that he does, then Liverpool and Manchester City appear his most likely destinations.

It could happen as early as this summer, since both clubs could be in the market for a new manager by then. Liverpool and Benítez no longer look at each other with adoring eyes and the Europa League is unlikely to change anything one way or the other. Benítez has admirers elsewhere, and if an honourable exit can be agreed to suit all parties then this summer may be the time to do it.

City appear in less immediate need of a new manager, having only just appointed one. It seems doubtful, though, that Roberto Mancini is really the long-term answer to the club's quest for world domination. The Italian has a reasonable reputation and was available, so until he proves otherwise it is easier to see him as a necessary part of Mark Hughes's removal than the manager City have identified to take them to the next level.

Everything about the Eastlands revolution so far has been brash, strident and attention-grabbing, even if much of the attention has been grabbed for the wrong reasons. Mourinho would make a perfect fit as City manager, much more so than a quietly spoken, undemonstrative type who struggles to make himself understood and has not so far managed to put a personal mark on the team he inherited from Hughes 13 games ago.

From Mourinho's point of view, too, once he realises Manchester United are not going to be beating a path to his door in the foreseeable future, City may provide the best option – unless Real Madrid come calling. City will not need to build a new ground in the near future, unlike Liverpool, and their ownership appears benign and unproblematic. And they have all that money.

Even from Italy Mourinho must have heard of the difficulties Benítez has been having with the Liverpool hierarchy and few leading candidates would walk willingly into the situation in which the Spaniard has found himself this season, that of restricting transfer activity in order to make inroads into the enormous debt. Liverpool are in need of a major overhaul and money is tight. City have a core of decent players and the wherewithal to attract more, and have plenty of scope – one might say almost 30 years of scope – for a good manager to make an immediate improvement.

Would Mourinho consider City? He would certainly be flattered by an approach. For a start he feels isolated and underappreciated in Italy – "I am the only foreign coach in Serie A. Life is difficult here" – and having first-hand knowledge of the power balance in England the idea of doing in Manchester what he previously achieved in London, would probably appeal to his sense of mischief.

Mourinho was loved and hated in almost equal measure while at Chelsea; either way he enjoyed being the centre of attention. "There was negative criticism of my time in England, but I also read that I was a breath of fresh air," he proudly told a Portuguese newspaper last year. Despite winning the league in his first season with Inter, thus continuing the domestic success established under Mancini without managing to make the desired improvement in the Champions League, Mourinho has a shrewd idea he will never be the centre of attention in Italy.

"When they vote for the coach of the year, voted for by the coaches who are all Italian, I don't win. I have to vote for myself to get a vote. I see also in Italy how they celebrate the victories of Ancelotti's Chelsea, or Capello's England, and deeply regret Mr Trapattoni's misfortune [with Ireland] in missing a World Cup in such an incredible way in Paris. I've seen the privilege, passion and affection with which Ancelotti, Trapattoni and Capello are treated, but for the only foreign coach in Serie A, life is difficult. How can they ask me if my love for Italy is different when I've never loved it?"

Short of pinning a "Come and get me" note to the roof of his dug-out Mourinho could hardly offer English clubs a clearer invitation and now that Guus Hiddink has tied himself to Turkey for the next two years he is the pre-eminent target for an English club wishing to make a statement of intent. An English club with ambitions to match his own, that is, and money to back up those ambitions. If we are to remove Chelsea from the equation, as we surely must, that leaves only City and Liverpool as likely suitors. One has all the money, another has all the tradition, but as Benítez has been discovering it is hard to buy top players with tradition.

Are City really in need of a new manager, so soon after replacing Hughes? On the face of it, no. Mancini has been doing a ­respectable, if unspectacular job, even if critics are beginning to look at the end product and wonder whether the same could not have been achieved under Hughes.

The Italian has just had his first ­falling-out with Craig Bellamy, though not too much need necessarily be read into that. All managers fall out with Bellamy and Mancini is probably to be congratulated for lasting two months. Apparently Mancini's policy of chopping and changing training sessions, making some long, some short, holding some early in the morning and some in the afternoon, is not going down well either, though his new signing Adam Johnson sees nothing wrong with it.

"Some days you get a lie-in, some days you are finished by lunchtime with the rest of the day to yourself," he says. ­"Personally I like that, no two days are the same. I didn't know a lot about the manager as a person when I came here, just about his career and honours, but now I've met him and he's been first class from day one. He's quite cool and has good man-management, he'll pull players to one side and tell them if he wants something different. I'm sure he can help me improve."

Perhaps Johnson would say that, having only been at the club less than a month, but the real question is whether Mancini can help City improve. His other January signing was harder to understand, and not just because Patrick Vieira will have to sit out three games for his rash retaliation in the 1-1 draw at Stoke last week.

With Gareth Barry, Nigel de Jong and Vincent Kompany already at the club and Stephen Ireland occasionally deployed in a deeper role City did not appear to have an urgent need for another defensive midfielder, yet Mancini's preference seems to be for not two but three such players in the same team.

Vieira played fractionally behind Barry and De Jong at Stoke, leaving Johnson the only out-and-out attacking player in the midfield quartet and Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz somewhat isolated up front. Even with Bellamy and Carlos Tevez unavailable Mancini could find no room in the starting line-up for creative talents such as Ireland, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Martin Petrov, and while some might say it is about time someone introduced City to the concepts of organisation and defensive discipline, others reckon the manager is far too cautious to be given control of such an adventurous and attack-minded squad.

While the arguments on either side will doubtless rage for a while yet, what spectators at the Britannia stadium saw on Tuesday was unquestionably a poor City performance, with Vieira a mile off the pace and even further from looking anything like his old self. Even with 10 men Stoke would have won and made Mancini's position even more uncomfortable, had not the referee, Alan Wiley, spared City by denying Ryan Shawcross what looked a perfectly good last-minute goal.

When Mancini was asked whether he thought there had been a foul on Shay Given he said, reasonably enough, that he had not seen the incident. "You're learning fast, Roberto," a reporter replied drily. "Thank you," Mancini said, believing he had just been complimented on his improving English. "I have been ­watching ­Coronation Street."

A small and insignificant detail, if you like, but possibly a revealing one. As a communicator Mancini is not in the class of Mourinho, Hiddink or Capello, who all came to this country without direct experience and with varying levels of English but made their wishes clear from day one. Mancini may be a first-rate manager, if slightly out of his element in England, yet after two months it is clear he is even quieter than his predecessor. Maybe there is nothing wrong with that. Not everyone can be a special one.

But this is the club that sacked Hughes because everything was too quiet. City are in a hurry to be noticed. If a special one happens to be available, you can bet they will be interested.

[lets all have a disco]

Hugeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Bollox.


Alllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Bollox mind.

[Original Dub]

I think the world has just turned on its head. Mancini is an old fashioned traditionalist who is whipping the lads into shape with long arduous physical training sessions with Hughes adopting a more modern, less intense approach. Yet when Hughes arrived everyone applauded him for introducing a tougher training regime.

Its a funny old world :)

media are on a witch hunt with Mancini. The moral outrage after Hughes sacking and the usual 'why wasn't top British manager given more time' would make them look silly if Mancini would turn out to be a success.

These stories will go on until he wins something or he is sacked. Unfortunately The Sun reading section of our supporters seem to be all too willing to pick up these stories. Well the pressure is on, let's hope Mancini will thrive on it the way Jose did in England.

I'm not a "sun reading" fan, I saw Mancini with my own eyes say himself and Bellamy disagreed over training methods/best way to handle his knee. Why disagree with one of the two hardest and most committed footballers at the club who suffers from knee problems unless you're trying to show everyone you have the biggest balls?

I think he should have left well enough alone in this case because as fans we can see the whole team aren't playing to their strengths and we are being frustrated by the type of football he's trying to employ. When he confirms disagreeing with a firm fans favourite and potential candidate for POTY its going to cause unrest and none of that has anything to do with reading the sun.

We need to start playing attractive football and having a go at teams, especially when teams visit our "fortress". Once that happens, and we are picking up points and playing the "city way", these stories won't matter because everyone will be so behind the manager, he won't have to take his balls out and wiggle them in players' faces.

That's just my opinion though...

[irblinx]

I'm not a "sun reading" fan, I saw Mancini with my own eyes say himself and Bellamy disagreed over training methods/best way to handle his knee. Why disagree with one of the two hardest and most committed footballers at the club who suffers from knee problems unless you're trying to show everyone you have the biggest balls?

Unless of course he thinks that a change in what Bellamy is currently doing will improve things?!! I seriously doubt he would argue just to puff his chest out, conspiracy theory madness

[Blue Since 76]

I think the world has just turned on its head. Mancini is an old fashioned traditionalist who is whipping the lads into shape with long arduous physical training sessions with Hughes adopting a more modern, less intense approach. Yet when Hughes arrived everyone applauded him for introducing a tougher training regime.

Its a funny old world :)

media are on a witch hunt with Mancini. The moral outrage after Hughes sacking and the usual 'why wasn't top British manager given more time' would make them look silly if Mancini would turn out to be a success.

These stories will go on until he wins something or he is sacked. Unfortunately The Sun reading section of our supporters seem to be all too willing to pick up these stories. Well the pressure is on, let's hope Mancini will thrive on it the way Jose did in England.

I'm not a "sun reading" fan, I saw Mancini with my own eyes say himself and Bellamy disagreed over training methods/best way to handle his knee. Why disagree with one of the two hardest and most committed footballers at the club who suffers from knee problems unless you're trying to show everyone you have the biggest balls?

I think he should have left well enough alone in this case because as fans we can see the whole team aren't playing to their strengths and we are being frustrated by the type of football he's trying to employ. When he confirms disagreeing with a firm fans favourite and potential candidate for POTY its going to cause unrest and none of that has anything to do with reading the sun.

We need to start playing attractive football and having a go at teams, especially when teams visit our "fortress". Once that happens, and we are picking up points and playing the "city way", these stories won't matter because everyone will be so behind the manager, he won't have to take his balls out and wiggle them in players' faces.

That's just my opinion though...

Reading Doug's training reports, training appears to be more tactics focussed, rather than 'arduous physical training sessions'. So either they are doing lots of physical stuff inside, Doug is telling porkies or the paper is making stuff up to fit their agenda of johnny foreigner pinching the job of a British hero. I know which one I believe

[dikdik]

... and they all lived happily ever after.

The End.

[carl_feedthegoat]

I think the world has just turned on its head. Mancini is an old fashioned traditionalist who is whipping the lads into shape with long arduous physical training sessions with Hughes adopting a more modern, less intense approach. Yet when Hughes arrived everyone applauded him for introducing a tougher training regime.

Its a funny old world :)

media are on a witch hunt with Mancini. The moral outrage after Hughes sacking and the usual 'why wasn't top British manager given more time' would make them look silly if Mancini would turn out to be a success.

These stories will go on until he wins something or he is sacked. Unfortunately The Sun reading section of our supporters seem to be all too willing to pick up these stories. Well the pressure is on, let's hope Mancini will thrive on it the way Jose did in England.

IT,S HUMAN NATURE TO TAKE IN NEWS FROM WHATEVER SOURCE WHEN IT CONCERNS YOUR CLUB.
EVEN IF IT IS IN THE SUN IT CANNOT BE TOTALLY IGNORED...THERE WAS A PROBLEM AND THERE ARE ISSUES REGARDING TRAINING..THOSE ARE FACTS..WETHER OR NOT THAT MEANS THE PLAYERS ARE FUCKED OFF IS OPEN FOR DEBATE.

WE ARE HIGH PROFILE NOW SO ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING WILL BE UNDER THE SPOTLIGHT.............AFTER WE WIN TODAY THEN IT WILL GO A LONG WAY TO APPEASING THE MASSES...ME INCLUDED.

[carl_feedthegoat]

I think the world has just turned on its head. Mancini is an old fashioned traditionalist who is whipping the lads into shape with long arduous physical training sessions with Hughes adopting a more modern, less intense approach. Yet when Hughes arrived everyone applauded him for introducing a tougher training regime.

Its a funny old world :)

media are on a witch hunt with Mancini. The moral outrage after Hughes sacking and the usual 'why wasn't top British manager given more time' would make them look silly if Mancini would turn out to be a success.

These stories will go on until he wins something or he is sacked. Unfortunately The Sun reading section of our supporters seem to be all too willing to pick up these stories. Well the pressure is on, let's hope Mancini will thrive on it the way Jose did in England.

I'm not a "sun reading" fan, I saw Mancini with my own eyes say himself and Bellamy disagreed over training methods/best way to handle his knee. Why disagree with one of the two hardest and most committed footballers at the club who suffers from knee problems unless you're trying to show everyone you have the biggest balls?

I think he should have left well enough alone in this case because as fans we can see the whole team aren't playing to their strengths and we are being frustrated by the type of football he's trying to employ. When he confirms disagreeing with a firm fans favourite and potential candidate for POTY its going to cause unrest and none of that has anything to do with reading the sun.

We need to start playing attractive football and having a go at teams, especially when teams visit our "fortress". Once that happens, and we are picking up points and playing the "city way", these stories won't matter because everyone will be so behind the manager, he won't have to take his balls out and wiggle them in players' faces.

That's just my opinion though...

THIS.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

I'm not a "sun reading" fan, I saw Mancini with my own eyes say himself and Bellamy disagreed over training methods/best way to handle his knee. Why disagree with one of the two hardest and most committed footballers at the club who suffers from knee problems unless you're trying to show everyone you have the biggest balls?

Unless of course he thinks that a change in what Bellamy is currently doing will improve things?!! I seriously doubt he would argue just to puff his chest out, conspiracy theory madness

I agree with this. I have no idea why Mancini would try and harm Bellamy in purpose.

And I saw Mancini's interview with my own eyes as well and I don't think he said anything about disagreeing about training methods. He said that he had discussion with Bellamy in his office. Over what? Well that wasn't really clear. Furthermore I saw a man struggling badly with words, trying to explain something but couldn't quite make sense (at least for me). What he said about exchange of words overall, was spot on though. Like I said on that thread, I have (heated) exchange of words on almost daily basis, working in a sector where there's loads of men. Don't mean I'm a cunt but I'm paid to make certain decisions and make them clear to people. Just like Mancini.

I believe this is going to be similar thing to Elano and Hughes. Loads of rumours and people being dead cert there's huge fallout and in the end players saying there wasn't actually anything there.

[Swales4ever]

[Tried to post It earlier on a separate topic, but it seemsI am not entitled anymore.
What's worthier it appears to me as a proof from the Club's management to act a little more supportive to RM.]

http://www.mcfc.co.uk/News/Team-news/20 ... -real-deal

New crowd favourite Adam Johnson is loving life with City and reckons his new club will one day challenge – and eventually oust - the biggest teams in the world.
Prior to signing, Johnson was reportedly a long-time target for one of the world’s most famous clubs, but says he wouldn’t swap the Blues for anyone.

“I think I’ve been linked with Real Madrid since I’ve been about 18, but while it’s all very flattering, I chose City because we have the potential to be as big, if not bigger than teams like Real Madrid.

“This is my first choice and I’m really happy here already. I’ve enjoyed the three games I’ve played in so far, the supporters have been fantastic to me and I think Manchester is a great city, too.

“I wanted to come to a club who I felt really wanted me, and City paid £7million when I had just four months left on my contract at Middlesbrough, which I’ve been told is almost unheard of.”

Johnson has also been impressed with his new manager, too.

“Roberto Mancini has been first class with me since day one,” he said. “His man-management skills are excellent and he’ll take players to one side and have a quiet chat with them if he sees something he thinks he can help you improve on.

“I really like that style of management. With his vast experience as a player and a manager, I think I’ll learn a lot from him as time goes by.”

Johnson admits he’s already laid a marker for himself following his stunning home debut against Bolton a fortnight ago, but knows more of the same could possibly put him in the frame for this summer’s World Cup.

“I think I set a standard for myself on my debut and I have to continue to perform well every time I play just to even have a sniff of a call up, starting today against Liverpool,” he said.

“I haven’t heard anything about being included in the squad for the upcoming game against Egypt. Stranger things have happened, though, and if there are injuries or loss of form for any of the lads ahead of me, who knows?

“It would be unbelievable if I could get into the England squad for South Africa – that’s what every kid dreams of, isn’t it?

“Playing for England at the World Cup on the biggest stage there is in football would be incredible, but to even be considered I have to play consistently well for City which is exactly what I’ll be aiming to do.”

[LookMumImOnMCF.net]

That Torress/ Gerarrd Photoshop has to be one of the worst yet.

[DoomMerchant]

That Torress/ Gerarrd Photoshop has to be one of the worst yet.

so yr saying we're not getting them then?

cheers

P.S. The Mancini revolt thing is really getting boring. YAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWNNNN.