Messi to City now 'thinkable'

[bigblue]

Would rather have Hazard. Imagine what he could do with a manager who embraces attacking football.

You have to be taking the piss. No one can be that stupid...

[Wonderwall]

Hazard over Messi?

Wow.

Yes. I was far more impressed watching Hazard then Messi at the Etihad.
Not saying he's the better player but he's a few years younger, would cost far less and we know he can do it in the PL.
Messi will always be regarded as Barca boy. Leave it at that. Don't want him.
Given the freedom of a manager like Pellegrini Hazard could reach the level of Tranny and Messi.
Don't particularly want any of those cheats from Barca anyway.

Hazard for chelsea in the league game was fantastic
Hazard for chelsea in the FA Cup game was shit

[Bridge'srightfoot]

Would rather have Hazard. Imagine what he could do with a manager who embraces attacking football.

You have to be taking the piss. No one can be that stupid...

Why? I personally dislike Messi and don't want him. In the same way that others wouldn't want Ronaldo or Suarez because they dislike them and that's fair enough.
I think Hazard with the the right manager could reach the very top and reach that level.
Don't see what's so outrageous about that but do share.
Messi is a right little cheat but seems to get away with it far more than others.

[sheikh it all about]

I'm sure Messi isn't coming and never has been.

It would have put a lot of eggs in one basket. His body has had a real hammering for a 26-year old and who's to say we'd get 6 of 7 full years out of him at his historic performance level?

Not keen either on returning to our "spend, spend, spend" days. Once we were seen as pissed-up sailors on shore leave. Nowadays we make more studied purchases and invest in the academy and infrastructure.

Obviously he'd be a coup but I, for one, could live without Messi.

[Original Dub]

Why? I personally dislike Messi and don't want him. In the same way that others wouldn't want Ronaldo or Suarez because they dislike them and that's fair enough.
I think Hazard with the the right manager could reach the very top and reach that level.
Don't see what's so outrageous about that but do share.
Messi is a right little cheat but seems to get away with it far more than others.

I wouldn't consider messi "a right little cheat" at all. I'm not sure where that comes from?!

Messi is arguably the greatest player of all time and he is 26. To want hazard instead of that is bizarre.

[Green & Blue]

Why? I personally dislike Messi and don't want him. In the same way that others wouldn't want Ronaldo or Suarez because they dislike them and that's fair enough. I think Hazard with the the right manager could reach the very top and reach that level. Don't see what's so outrageous about that but do share. Messi is a right little cheat but seems to get away with it far more than others.

I have to say I'm quite surprised by that last line.I've always admired Messi for his will to ride a tackle and keep going where many players would go to ground.

[Hazy2]

If we sign him and anyone feels it is not for them just pop down to the ground and name your price to the thousands that would take your arm off for it.

[ashton287]

I think this fine and the spotlight it has put on us is designed to stop us doing something like trying to sign Messi.

He is ridiculous but part of me wouldn't want to sign him because although I want city to win everything I also want some competition and our current squad plus Messi and maybe a CB would annihilate any team in the prem. We'd end up like bayern winning the league in march and I wouldn't enjoy that. Leave him in spain and hope to draw barca again next year and beat the cunts.

[Bridge'srightfoot]

Why? I personally dislike Messi and don't want him. In the same way that others wouldn't want Ronaldo or Suarez because they dislike them and that's fair enough.
I think Hazard with the the right manager could reach the very top and reach that level.
Don't see what's so outrageous about that but do share.
Messi is a right little cheat but seems to get away with it far more than others.

I wouldn't consider messi "a right little cheat" at all. I'm not sure where that comes from?!

Messi is arguably the greatest player of all time and he is 26. To want hazard instead of that is bizarre.

He does mate. It's the Barca way. Dive, fall over, feign injury, mouth off to the ref and he's part of it. He was part of the crew doing it against us. You don't like Ronaldo for the same reason, I don't like Messi.
Yes he is arguably the greatest player of all time, don't like him as a person and we don't need him. I'd rather see us buy someone far cheaper and let them develop into one of our own. Messi will always be known as being a Barca boy.
This isn't football manager. Our squad is settled, they play for each other and the manager. Apart from a centre back and maybe a left back, we don't need any big signings.

For the money we'd have to spend it's not worth it and who's to say he'd have the same impact in the Premier League?
Given the choice I'd rather pay 40 million or so on Hazard who would absolutely shine under a manager like ours then pay 200 million or whatever on Messi.

[Pretty Boy Lee]

I'm by no means saying he's done, but we went after ronaldhino and he hit the slide. Went for kaka and same thing.

My preference would be to fine that next world superstar before he makes us public enemy number 1 for buying him at a billion quid.

[Wooders]

Signing him would demonise us even further and could really end up having a damaging effect on our reputation worldwide - we get enough, unfair, criticism on that as it is

[Lee_R]

Its quite possible we could go in for him. It would send our club profile right through the roof which is what our owners want. Payment split over 4 years or something to appease FFP. No problem.

What I would hate though is a bid just for publicity.. though no ear as it doesnt seem the way we do things now.

[Crossie]

It all has a scent of Kaka about it, literally.

I feel he's peaked already, untried in the prem, untried away from Barca with a team not built for him.

It wouldn't be the same Messi we've all been use to seeing, the big question is would it still be a Messi good enough to make us better as a team than we are now?

[Lee_R]

It all has a scent of Kaka about it, literally.

I feel he's peaked already, untried in the prem, untried away from Barca with a team not built for him.

It wouldn't be the same Messi we've all been use to seeing, the big question is would it still be a Messi good enough to make us better as a team than we are now?

Hes still only 26 mate so could have what, 3 good years? Kaka was past it and Ronaldinho too. The point about those bids though is that it shows our owners want a megastar name. I know we have a few big names already but it would be the icing on the cake. Also we wouldnt be reliant on him so that could be better for the player.

Anyway, the way we do business these days would suggest that IF we go in for him it will be done and dusted before the media gets a whiff.

[mr_nool]

It all has a scent of Kaka about it, literally.

I feel he's peaked already, untried in the prem, untried away from Barca with a team not built for him.

It wouldn't be the same Messi we've all been use to seeing, the big question is would it still be a Messi good enough to make us better as a team than we are now?

Hes still only 26 mate so could have what, 3 good years? Kaka was past it and Ronaldinho too. The point about those bids though is that it shows our owners want a megastar name. I know we have a few big names already but it would be the icing on the cake. Also we wouldnt be reliant on him so that could be better for the player.

Anyway, the way we do business these days would suggest that IF we go in for him it will be done and dusted before the media gets a whiff.

Kaka was also 26 when we bid for him ...

[phips]

no

[Bridge'srightfoot]

It all has a scent of Kaka about it, literally.

I feel he's peaked already, untried in the prem, untried away from Barca with a team not built for him.

It wouldn't be the same Messi we've all been use to seeing, the big question is would it still be a Messi good enough to make us better as a team than we are now?

Hes still only 26 mate so could have what, 3 good years? Kaka was past it and Ronaldinho too. The point about those bids though is that it shows our owners want a megastar name. I know we have a few big names already but it would be the icing on the cake. Also we wouldnt be reliant on him so that could be better for the player.

Anyway, the way we do business these days would suggest that IF we go in for him it will be done and dusted before the media gets a whiff.

He is only 26 but I really don't think he'll go on at this level for much longer, as others have said. Remember how players like Kaka and Ronaldinho just suddenly faded into nothing in a couple of years really. Plus who's to say he'd be as good in the Premier League?
We don't need a megastar. We have a great team and spending a ridiculous sum of money and making it all about him would be disruptive imo. He's a Barca legend, leave him there.
Let's spend the time and money searching for someone who can be our own megastar.
The days of huge signings should be over. We want players like Negredo and Navas (in the first half of the season) and Fernandinho who can just slot in effortlessly without any fuss or hype.

[Wooders]

"Scent of kaka about it" - lol - just got that

[Original Dub]

He does mate. It's the Barca way. Dive, fall over, feign injury, mouth off to the ref and he's part of it. He was part of the crew doing it against us. You don't like Ronaldo for the same reason, I don't like Messi.
Yes he is arguably the greatest player of all time, don't like him as a person and we don't need him. I'd rather see us buy someone far cheaper and let them develop into one of our own. Messi will always be known as being a Barca boy.
This isn't football manager. Our squad is settled, they play for each other and the manager. Apart from a centre back and maybe a left back, we don't need any big signings.

For the money we'd have to spend it's not worth it and who's to say he'd have the same impact in the Premier League?
Given the choice I'd rather pay 40 million or so on Hazard who would absolutely shine under a manager like ours then pay 200 million or whatever on Messi.

You're comparing ronaldo's fair play to messi's?

Oh ffs I've heard it all now.

[Cocacolajojo1]

First of all, everyone dives in Spain. It's a matter of environment, they know that the Spanish referees are prone to reward diving (if you think British refs are bad, watch a few la liga games) and as soon as they come to the Premier League they drop a lot of that behaviour. Compare Silva's first games in City with how long he stands up now. Even Navas has improved in this area and he's probably the only player who should be allowed to dive as he's like 3 feet tall and needs all the protection he gets. Even Messi would quickly learn that the protection from referees is quite another in the UK than in Spain.

Secondly, Messi's renowned for standing up through tackles and just keep dribbling. It's what I've always liked about him anyway, since long before Barcelona became the monster they are today. He's like Agüero and Tevez in that way, just keeps on going.