Thursday's B*l**x
Posted: Thu Apr 11, 2013 7:40 amTHE BOLLOX
One of City’s Champions League tormenters is linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium in reports from Germany this morning.
International playmaker Mario Götze helped Borussia Dortmund to the last four of the Champions League this week, with a dramatic last-gasp win over Malaga on Tuesday (meaning half of City’s Group D are in the semis!).
As tweeted by German football journalist Raphael Honigstein last night, it’s thought that City Sporting Director Txiki Begiristain met with officials at BVB to discuss a potential move for the midfielder.
“Manchester City have moved to the front of the queue for Borussia Dortmund star Mario Götze,” Michael Penkman of Sports Mole said.
“It is the Citizens who are believed to be weighing up a €40m (£34m) summer move for the attacker, which would activate a release clause in his contract.
“According to German magazine Kicker, Götze's representative Volker Struth has already met with Txiki Begiristain in order to discuss a potential move to the Etihad Stadium.”
We’ll bring you transfer news first here on mcfc.co.uk when the window re-opens in the summer – as well as news of a more straightforward Champions League group (hopefully) at the end of August.
Elsewhere in today's news, former City boss Kevin Keegan has described the speculation surrounding Roberto Mancini's future as “ridiculous”.
Keegan is baffled by the high turnover of managers in the Premier League and believes that Mancini should remain in position for next season – even if City fail to land the FA Cup.
"You can't win the title every year, you can't expect to in the Premier League - Mancini has done a great job," said the man at this year’s Soccerex conference in Manchester.
"In any other sport, it would be ridiculous to question someone who has won their first trophy in 30-odd years and then won the League.
"Europe was a disappointment, but you're going to get those. Europe was disappointing for United and Chelsea as well. I don't think there's even any question that anything should happen to Mancini.
"It's not easy when so many new players are brought in. They have to gel, and if it was that easy, everyone would do it.
Barry: Man City v Chelsea is a Cup final
Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry has admitted Sunday's FA Cup semi-final match against Chelsea feels more like the final than just a shot at the showpiece event.
City take on the defending champions a day after Wigan play Championship side Millwall and Barry believes the winner of the clash between the two Premier League heavyweights will more than likely lift the trophy in May.
"It feels more like a final," Barry told the Sun. "This is the bigger game of the two and if we can get through it this could be another FA Cup for us.
"I am looking forward to it. You want to be playing big games at this stage of the season, as this is, when they hand out the trophies."
The FA Cup represents City's last realistic chance for silverware this season, knocked out of the Champions League at the group stage, while they sit 12 points behind Manchester United in the Premier League heading into the final seven games of the campaign.
Even though the club's recent 2-1 win over their neighbours managed to momentarily derail United's march to their 20th league title, Barry admitted the victory was a hollow one.
"To win at Old Trafford two years in a row sets a good standard for our club," he said. "The players were desperate to get three points and we would have been disappointed to get anything else, even a draw.
"To win for a second year running is a fantastic feeling. But there is some frustration that we haven't played like that more often.
"Even before the game kicked off, our players were thinking that we wished there was a little bit more at stake and the gap was a little bit closer."
However, the signs for a City resurgence next season are starting to appear, the victory over United coupled with the club re-signing a number of their stars - Yaya Toure prominent among them - has given the club hope of a more fruitful 2013-14 campaign.
Barry even admitted City had picked up a thing or two from the Red Devils. "There are things we can learn from [United] - the fact that they have consistently got results this year without playing well. We need to try to do that ourselves next year," he said.
"When a player like [Yaya Toure] gets a new deal, it is a lift for everyone. You don't want to see players like that leaving. You want others like him coming in.
"When you can keep players like him for another four years, I am sure there will be others coming in, of the same level, to join him." ESPN
City's 'new Vidic' will be better than the original! Keegan hails faultless Nastasic
Kevin Keegan believes Manchester City have unearthed a defender capable of being better than Nemanja Vidic in fellow Serb Matija Nastasic.
The 20-year-old has been one of the stand-out performers for City this season and seems certain to partner skipper Vincent Kompany in central defence for Sunday's FA Cup semi-final with Chelsea.
Keegan has certainly been impressed with the £12million signing from Fiorentina.
'I really like him,' said Keegan. 'He has come in and played as if he has been there for ever. That Mancini put him in for his debut against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu tells you everything you need to know about him.
'In five or six years time you could see him developing into a Vidic. He could become even bigger than Vidic, who has probably been the best centre half in this country for the last five or six years.
Nastastic is the one positive from Roberto Mancini's summer signings, with Maicon, Javi Garcia, Jack Rodwell and Scott Sinclair all failing to have the impact anticipated.
That poor recruitment policy is one of the reasons why Mancini's tenure as City boss is said to be in question, even though he was responsible for ending a 35-year trophy drought when he won the FA Cup in 2011 and followed that up with last season's momentous Premier League title triumph.
Txiki Begiristain meets with Mario Gotze agent
Manchester City have moved to the front of the queue for Borussia Dortmund star Mario Gotze, according to reports.
The 20-year-old is one of Europe's hottest prospects and is thought to be held in high regard by a number of clubs across the continent, including Manchester United, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Barcelona.
However, it is the Citizens who are believed to be weighing up a €40m (£34m) summer move for the attacker, which would activate a release clause in his contract.
According to German magazine Kicker, Gotze's representative Volker Struth has already met with Txiki Begiristain in order to discuss a potential move to the Etihad Stadium.
The German international has scored 14 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions this season.
TWEET CORNER
Manchester City most Twitter savvy club research shows
MANCHESTER CITY may be lagging behind in the Premier League title race, but they are streets ahead when it comes to Twitter.
The Citizens' use of the social networking site was commended at the Soccerex European Forum in Manchester earlier today.
Lewis Wiltshire, head of sport for Twitter UK, told the Soccerex European Forum in Manchester: "Manchester City have really started to innovate on Twitter."
Wiltshire said there were 11 sports teams in the world with more than a million followers, of which nine were football clubs. City have more than 786,000 followers.
"The challenge is how close can the club get to its fans," he added.
Vincent Kompany has over 730,000 followers on Twitter
Manchester City have really started to innovate on Twitter
City skipper Vincent Kompany came in for special praise from Wiltshire, who was described as a fine example of how footballers should use Twitter.
The Belgium international's official account- @VincentKompany- was predominantly used to ask for inspirational messages for the team.
He currently has more than 730,000 followers on Twitter.
Samir Nasri and Piers Morgan renew Twitter war
Arsenal's most outspoken fan and a Manchester City midfielder have been at it again on Twitter.
This time last year Piers Morgan put his foot in his mouth.
It was a quite monumental mistake; he attacked Samir Nasri - slagging him off for his move to Manchester City after Arsenal had beaten them 1-0 at the Emirates, a result which put them eight points behind United.
His constant catcalling wound up Nasri to the point that the pair settled on a bet. Morgan offered stakes of £10,000 that Arsenal would win a trophy before City did.
In the history of bad predictions, it has to be up there with the worst of all time.
One month later Nasri was a Premier League winner, celebrating as Manchester United uncharacteristically collapsed, and City applied the pressure to remarkably win the title on goal difference.
Arsenal meanwhile are now eight years without a trophy, and at this point few would bet against them making it a round 10 years without silverware
So talkshow host Piers Morgan was forced to humiliatingly pay up, but the money went to a good cause with the Great Ormond Street Hospital. Harmless fun eh.
But a year on, the Arsenal fan still cannot let sleeping dogs lie - still upset at Nasri walking out on Arsenal, taunting the player once again tonight after the Barcelona game, when the Frenchman made a comment on Twitter praising the Champions League semi-finalists.
It ended with Nasri telling Morgan to shut up, and Nasri being branded a mercenary again. Here is their exchange:
Tweet war: http://hereisthecity.com/2013/04/10/sam ... itter-war/
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to offer Mexican striker Javier Hernandez, 24, to Atletico Madrid in a part-exchange deal for 27-year-old Colombian striker Radamel Falcao. DSSC
However, Atletico coach Diego Simeone has denied speculation linking Falcao with a £45m move to the Premier League leaders. talkSHIT
Roma's 12-goal striker Pablo Osvaldo is reported to have attracted attention from Tottenham
Juventus are ready to test Liverpool's resolve with a summer bid for 22-goal star striker Luis Suarez, 26. Daily Express
Lucas, 26, has penned a long-term contract keeping him at Liverpool until 2017. Sun
Roma striker Pablo Osvaldo, 27, has increased speculation he could join Tottenham after the Italy international was spotted in London with his girlfriend. talkSHIT
Manchester United are considering a summer move for 19-year-old Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane. Daily Star
Derby want to sign Blackpool defender Alex Baptiste, 27. Daily Mirror
Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck says he is "open-minded" about the identity of the Blues' next permanent manager - leaving the door open for former boss Jose Mourinho, 50. Daily Express
Former Reading manager Brian McDermott, 52, is set to be named as the new Leeds United boss. Sun
Ex-Whites boss Neil Warnock, 64, could make an emotional return to former club Sheffield United following the departure of Danny Wilson, 53. Daily Mirror
Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, 25, says his new boss Paolo Di Canio has insisted that everybody eats together in the club's canteen in an attempt to improve team spirit. Daily Mirror
Marseille have denied Joey Barton's claim that the French club have agreed a deal with QPR to keep the 30-year-old at the Stade Velodrome. The Independent
Niall McGinn, 25, tells Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes he is in no rush to quit Pittodrie. Daily Record
Talks on extending Everton's 31-year-old midfielder Leon Osman's contract have stalled. The England international has two years left on his current deal. DSSC
Everton fan Gordon McKee was left shocked after Toffees full-back Leighton Baines, 28, arrived at his home to present him with a bunch of flowers and a 2013-14 season ticket following the death of his wife. 606 newsletter
Newcastle United welcomed five new players to a recent training session - as chart-topping boyband One Direction visited the Premier League club's training ground. DSSC
MORE BOLLOX SOON
One of City’s Champions League tormenters is linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium in reports from Germany this morning.
International playmaker Mario Götze helped Borussia Dortmund to the last four of the Champions League this week, with a dramatic last-gasp win over Malaga on Tuesday (meaning half of City’s Group D are in the semis!).
As tweeted by German football journalist Raphael Honigstein last night, it’s thought that City Sporting Director Txiki Begiristain met with officials at BVB to discuss a potential move for the midfielder.
“Manchester City have moved to the front of the queue for Borussia Dortmund star Mario Götze,” Michael Penkman of Sports Mole said.
“It is the Citizens who are believed to be weighing up a €40m (£34m) summer move for the attacker, which would activate a release clause in his contract.
“According to German magazine Kicker, Götze's representative Volker Struth has already met with Txiki Begiristain in order to discuss a potential move to the Etihad Stadium.”
We’ll bring you transfer news first here on mcfc.co.uk when the window re-opens in the summer – as well as news of a more straightforward Champions League group (hopefully) at the end of August.
Elsewhere in today's news, former City boss Kevin Keegan has described the speculation surrounding Roberto Mancini's future as “ridiculous”.
Keegan is baffled by the high turnover of managers in the Premier League and believes that Mancini should remain in position for next season – even if City fail to land the FA Cup.
"You can't win the title every year, you can't expect to in the Premier League - Mancini has done a great job," said the man at this year’s Soccerex conference in Manchester.
"In any other sport, it would be ridiculous to question someone who has won their first trophy in 30-odd years and then won the League.
"Europe was a disappointment, but you're going to get those. Europe was disappointing for United and Chelsea as well. I don't think there's even any question that anything should happen to Mancini.
"It's not easy when so many new players are brought in. They have to gel, and if it was that easy, everyone would do it.
Barry: Man City v Chelsea is a Cup final
Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry has admitted Sunday's FA Cup semi-final match against Chelsea feels more like the final than just a shot at the showpiece event.
City take on the defending champions a day after Wigan play Championship side Millwall and Barry believes the winner of the clash between the two Premier League heavyweights will more than likely lift the trophy in May.
"It feels more like a final," Barry told the Sun. "This is the bigger game of the two and if we can get through it this could be another FA Cup for us.
"I am looking forward to it. You want to be playing big games at this stage of the season, as this is, when they hand out the trophies."
The FA Cup represents City's last realistic chance for silverware this season, knocked out of the Champions League at the group stage, while they sit 12 points behind Manchester United in the Premier League heading into the final seven games of the campaign.
Even though the club's recent 2-1 win over their neighbours managed to momentarily derail United's march to their 20th league title, Barry admitted the victory was a hollow one.
"To win at Old Trafford two years in a row sets a good standard for our club," he said. "The players were desperate to get three points and we would have been disappointed to get anything else, even a draw.
"To win for a second year running is a fantastic feeling. But there is some frustration that we haven't played like that more often.
"Even before the game kicked off, our players were thinking that we wished there was a little bit more at stake and the gap was a little bit closer."
However, the signs for a City resurgence next season are starting to appear, the victory over United coupled with the club re-signing a number of their stars - Yaya Toure prominent among them - has given the club hope of a more fruitful 2013-14 campaign.
Barry even admitted City had picked up a thing or two from the Red Devils. "There are things we can learn from [United] - the fact that they have consistently got results this year without playing well. We need to try to do that ourselves next year," he said.
"When a player like [Yaya Toure] gets a new deal, it is a lift for everyone. You don't want to see players like that leaving. You want others like him coming in.
"When you can keep players like him for another four years, I am sure there will be others coming in, of the same level, to join him." ESPN
City's 'new Vidic' will be better than the original! Keegan hails faultless Nastasic
Kevin Keegan believes Manchester City have unearthed a defender capable of being better than Nemanja Vidic in fellow Serb Matija Nastasic.
The 20-year-old has been one of the stand-out performers for City this season and seems certain to partner skipper Vincent Kompany in central defence for Sunday's FA Cup semi-final with Chelsea.
Keegan has certainly been impressed with the £12million signing from Fiorentina.
'I really like him,' said Keegan. 'He has come in and played as if he has been there for ever. That Mancini put him in for his debut against Real Madrid in the Bernabeu tells you everything you need to know about him.
'In five or six years time you could see him developing into a Vidic. He could become even bigger than Vidic, who has probably been the best centre half in this country for the last five or six years.
Nastastic is the one positive from Roberto Mancini's summer signings, with Maicon, Javi Garcia, Jack Rodwell and Scott Sinclair all failing to have the impact anticipated.
That poor recruitment policy is one of the reasons why Mancini's tenure as City boss is said to be in question, even though he was responsible for ending a 35-year trophy drought when he won the FA Cup in 2011 and followed that up with last season's momentous Premier League title triumph.
Txiki Begiristain meets with Mario Gotze agent
Manchester City have moved to the front of the queue for Borussia Dortmund star Mario Gotze, according to reports.
The 20-year-old is one of Europe's hottest prospects and is thought to be held in high regard by a number of clubs across the continent, including Manchester United, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Barcelona.
However, it is the Citizens who are believed to be weighing up a €40m (£34m) summer move for the attacker, which would activate a release clause in his contract.
According to German magazine Kicker, Gotze's representative Volker Struth has already met with Txiki Begiristain in order to discuss a potential move to the Etihad Stadium.
The German international has scored 14 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions this season.
TWEET CORNER
Manchester City most Twitter savvy club research shows
MANCHESTER CITY may be lagging behind in the Premier League title race, but they are streets ahead when it comes to Twitter.
The Citizens' use of the social networking site was commended at the Soccerex European Forum in Manchester earlier today.
Lewis Wiltshire, head of sport for Twitter UK, told the Soccerex European Forum in Manchester: "Manchester City have really started to innovate on Twitter."
Wiltshire said there were 11 sports teams in the world with more than a million followers, of which nine were football clubs. City have more than 786,000 followers.
"The challenge is how close can the club get to its fans," he added.
Vincent Kompany has over 730,000 followers on Twitter
Manchester City have really started to innovate on Twitter
City skipper Vincent Kompany came in for special praise from Wiltshire, who was described as a fine example of how footballers should use Twitter.
The Belgium international's official account- @VincentKompany- was predominantly used to ask for inspirational messages for the team.
He currently has more than 730,000 followers on Twitter.
Samir Nasri and Piers Morgan renew Twitter war
Arsenal's most outspoken fan and a Manchester City midfielder have been at it again on Twitter.
This time last year Piers Morgan put his foot in his mouth.
It was a quite monumental mistake; he attacked Samir Nasri - slagging him off for his move to Manchester City after Arsenal had beaten them 1-0 at the Emirates, a result which put them eight points behind United.
His constant catcalling wound up Nasri to the point that the pair settled on a bet. Morgan offered stakes of £10,000 that Arsenal would win a trophy before City did.
In the history of bad predictions, it has to be up there with the worst of all time.
One month later Nasri was a Premier League winner, celebrating as Manchester United uncharacteristically collapsed, and City applied the pressure to remarkably win the title on goal difference.
Arsenal meanwhile are now eight years without a trophy, and at this point few would bet against them making it a round 10 years without silverware
So talkshow host Piers Morgan was forced to humiliatingly pay up, but the money went to a good cause with the Great Ormond Street Hospital. Harmless fun eh.
But a year on, the Arsenal fan still cannot let sleeping dogs lie - still upset at Nasri walking out on Arsenal, taunting the player once again tonight after the Barcelona game, when the Frenchman made a comment on Twitter praising the Champions League semi-finalists.
It ended with Nasri telling Morgan to shut up, and Nasri being branded a mercenary again. Here is their exchange:
Tweet war: http://hereisthecity.com/2013/04/10/sam ... itter-war/
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is ready to offer Mexican striker Javier Hernandez, 24, to Atletico Madrid in a part-exchange deal for 27-year-old Colombian striker Radamel Falcao. DSSC
However, Atletico coach Diego Simeone has denied speculation linking Falcao with a £45m move to the Premier League leaders. talkSHIT
Roma's 12-goal striker Pablo Osvaldo is reported to have attracted attention from Tottenham
Juventus are ready to test Liverpool's resolve with a summer bid for 22-goal star striker Luis Suarez, 26. Daily Express
Lucas, 26, has penned a long-term contract keeping him at Liverpool until 2017. Sun
Roma striker Pablo Osvaldo, 27, has increased speculation he could join Tottenham after the Italy international was spotted in London with his girlfriend. talkSHIT
Manchester United are considering a summer move for 19-year-old Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane. Daily Star
Derby want to sign Blackpool defender Alex Baptiste, 27. Daily Mirror
Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck says he is "open-minded" about the identity of the Blues' next permanent manager - leaving the door open for former boss Jose Mourinho, 50. Daily Express
Former Reading manager Brian McDermott, 52, is set to be named as the new Leeds United boss. Sun
Ex-Whites boss Neil Warnock, 64, could make an emotional return to former club Sheffield United following the departure of Danny Wilson, 53. Daily Mirror
Sunderland goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, 25, says his new boss Paolo Di Canio has insisted that everybody eats together in the club's canteen in an attempt to improve team spirit. Daily Mirror
Marseille have denied Joey Barton's claim that the French club have agreed a deal with QPR to keep the 30-year-old at the Stade Velodrome. The Independent
Niall McGinn, 25, tells Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes he is in no rush to quit Pittodrie. Daily Record
Talks on extending Everton's 31-year-old midfielder Leon Osman's contract have stalled. The England international has two years left on his current deal. DSSC
Everton fan Gordon McKee was left shocked after Toffees full-back Leighton Baines, 28, arrived at his home to present him with a bunch of flowers and a 2013-14 season ticket following the death of his wife. 606 newsletter
Newcastle United welcomed five new players to a recent training session - as chart-topping boyband One Direction visited the Premier League club's training ground. DSSC
MORE BOLLOX SOON