Who pays for Manchester City’s beautiful game?
Nick Cohen
It is considered ‘inappropriate’ to ask about the money behind Pep Guardiola’s team, and other leading clubs, but we should be asking the hard questions
Even though I come from the red side of Manchester, I want Manchester City to win every game they play now. Hoping City fail is like hoping a great singer’s voice cracks or prima ballerina’s tendons tear. Journalists have written and broadcast millions of words about the intensity of Manchester City’s game and the beauty of its movement. You watch and gasp as each perfect pass finds its man and each impossible move becomes possible after all.
Everything that can be said should have been said. But here are words you never hear on the BBC or Sky and hear only rarely from the best sports writers. Manchester City’s success is built on the labour extracted by the rulers of a modern feudal state. Sheikh Mansour, its owner, is the half-brother of Sheikh Khalifa, the absolute monarch of the United Arab Emirates: an accident of birth that has given him a mountain of cash and Manchester City the Premier League’s best players.
An absolute monarchy is merely a dictatorship decked in fine robes. The usual restrictions of free speech, a free press, the rule of law, an independent judiciary and democratic elections still apply in the Emirates federation of seven sultanates. Critics are as likely to disappear or be held without due process as they are in less glamorous destinations. The riches that supply Pep Guardiola’s £15m salary and ensure the £264m wage bill for the players is met on time do not just come from oil. The Emirate monarchies, Qatar and Saudi Arabia rely on a system of economic exploitation you struggle to find a precedent for.
In the UAE as a whole, only 13% of the population are full nationals. In the glittering tourist resort of Dubai, citizenship rises slightly to 15% and in the Abu Dhabi emirate to 20%, but everywhere a subclass of immigrants does the bulk of the work. The obvious comparison is with apartheid: Arab nationals sit at the top, white expats have some privileges, as the coloureds and Asians had in the last days of the South African regime, while the dirty work – from construction to cleaning – is done by despised immigrants from south Asia.
But comparisons with apartheid or the Israeli occupation of the West Bank or America’s old deep south miscarry because the Arab princelings import their working class rather than rule over subdued inhabitants. It’s like Spartans bringing in Helots. Or if images of stern Spartan militarists feel incongruous when imposed on the flabby bodies of Gulf aristocrats, Eloi importing Morlocks. Timid labour reforms are meant to have improved the lot of the serfs. In law, employers can no longer keep them in line with the threat of deportation to India or the Philippines if they do not please a capricious boss. In practice, absolute monarchies repress the lawyers and campaigners who might take up their cases. Now, as always, activists are silenced and workers fear the cost of speaking out.
You should be able to praise Manchester City’s football and condemn it owners. Or, if that is asking too much, you should at least be able to talk about its owners or mention the source of their wealth. If only in passing. If only the once. Instead, there is silence. With Mansour building a global consortium of clubs, Qataris owning Paris Saint-Germain and Emirate money poised to buy Newcastle United, rich dictatorial states are engaging in competitive conspicuous consumption. They are creating the world’s best clubs and may one day take them off into an oligarchs’ league. You are not “bringing politics into football” when you worry about Sheikh Mansour. You are recognising that the future of football is political.
The silence about the fate of the national game covers much of national life. Everywhere you look, you are struck by the arguments that are not being made.
Mainstream Conservatives refuse to join Tory rebels in speaking out against the dangers of Brexit. They like to boast that they are stable and commonsensical types, with no time for dangerous experiments. When confronted with the reckless nationalism of the Tory right, however, they prefer the safe option of keeping quiet until public opinion shifts. Many Labour MPs and leftwing journalists deplore Corbyn and the far left. I speak from experience when I say they talk with great eloquence in private, but will not utter a squeak of dissent in public until Corbyn’s popularity among party members falls. They, too, will speak out when, and only when, they can be certain that it is too late for speaking out to make a difference.
We think of ourselves as more liberated than our ancestors, but the same repressive mechanisms silence us. In the 18th and 19th centuries, few wanted to say that gorgeous stately homes and fine public buildings had been built because the British looted Indians and enslaved Africans. Today, it feels equally “inappropriate” – to use a modern word that stinks of Victorian prudery – to say that a beautiful football club has been built on the proceeds of exploitation.
Football supporters reserve their hatred for owners such as the Glazers, who bought Manchester United with borrowed money and siphoned off the club’s profits to pay down the debt. If billions are available to turn Manchester City or Paris Saint-Germain into world-class clubs, the fans do not care where the money came from. Nor do neutrals who love football for its own sake. For them, it is as miserablist to talk about Manchester City’s owners on Match of the Day as to talk about the factory farming of turkeys at the Christmas lunch table.
Honest sports writers fear the accusation that they are joyless puritan nags whose sole pleasure is ruining the pleasure of others. In Britain’s vacuous politics, Conservatives fear accusations of ignoring the will of the people on Brexit. Labour MPs fear their activists rather than their voters. In both the Tory and Labour cases, the worst that can happen to MPs is deselection. Mail or Express journalists who came out against Brexit would, I imagine, risk their jobs or being moved on to a different story. But no leftwing paper would sack a columnist who criticised Corbyn. The worst they would endure is frosty words from line managers and twaddle on Twitter.
We do not live in Abu Dhabi. The police do not pick up dissidents. Jailers don’t torture them. Yet peer pressure and trivial fears are enough to suppress necessary arguments. If you do not yet have a New Year resolution, it’s worth resolving to treat both with the contempt they deserve.
Manchester City monitoring Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred
Manchester City are monitoring Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Fred ahead of a possible move in the summer, sources have told ESPN FC.
City boss Pep Guardiola was impressed by the 24-year-old when the two clubs met earlier this season in Champions League group stage play.
Fred is capable of playing as holding midfielder and City are expected to add another player in that position in the summer with Yaya Toure out of contract at the end of the season.
Fellow defensive midfielder Fernandinho's current deal also runs out at the summer, but ESPN has been told that the Brazilian is set to sign a new deal.
ESPN FC has been told that Guardiola was impressed by Fred's performances in both the 2-0 defeat at the Etihad Stadium in September and the 2-1 win in Ukraine earlier this month.
Fred also has six caps for Brazil but has not played for the Selecao since June 2015 although he was an unused substitute for World Cup qualifiers in October.
He was banned in 2016 after testing positive for the diuretic hydrochlorothiazide at the Copa America in Chile
CALLIPYGIAN
kalɪˈpɪdʒɪən
adjective: callipygian; adjective: callipygean
having well-shaped buttock
"Mase's love for Kolarov was partly down to his fabulous left peg, but don't under-estimate the callipygean factor."
Aguero will decide own City future - Guardiola
Pep Guardiola says Sergio Aguero will decide his own future at Manchester City after the striker's brace sealed a 4-0 win over Bournemouth and his own century of goals at the Etihad Stadium.
Aguero netted for the 100th time on home turf when he headed City into a first-half lead against the Cherries, then began chipping away at his next hundred by nodding a second in a powerful second half from the Premier League leaders.
Raheem Sterling and Danilo were the other names on the scoresheet as City wrapped up their 17th straight league win, but this was a day for Aguero to soak up the acclaim at a ground he has graced with so many great moments.
With the title well on the way to being decided, and the eventual scale of City's triumph the only real point of debate, post-match talk soon turned to the Argentina striker's long-term status at the club.
He faces constant competition from Gabriel Jesus at the head of Guardiola's attack, and an ongoing interest in Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez would further crowd the field.
"I respect Sergio a lot, about all he has done and what he will do in the future," said Guardiola when quizzed about the 29-year-old. "He is a legend; he will decide absolutely everything about his life and his future. I'm delighted to have him here with Gabriel and all the squad."
Guardiola accepts his own popularity with individuals in the dressing room depended entirely on his team selections but is prepared to frustrate his players, Aguero included, as long as the bond within the squad remains at its current level.
"I was a football player and I understand when players are substituted or don't play they are sad and upset. I try to have the best relationship as possible with my players," said the manager.
"I understand completely when they are upset but sometimes I think Gabriel deserves to play too. The important thing is the respect between each other - don't be happy with me, that's not a problem.
"The most important thing, and our secret, is they have amazing relations between them. The locker room with the players and staff is a dream to go and train with them every day."
With 55 points from a possible 57 banked at the season's mid-point, 60 goals scored and just 12 conceded, speculation about City piecing together an 'invincible' undefeated season is gathering steam.
Guardiola has done what he can to play down the possibility, and Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe attempted to do the same, despite his side's emphatic failure to give their hosts a bloody nose.
"I think anyone is beatable," he said. "But they look very strong, take nothing away from them. There's a good feel about them, they look confident and they have outstanding players."
Chelsea star Eden Hazard explains why he wants to see Man City win the league
Eden Hazard believes that a Premier League title triumph for Manchester City would be good news for Belgium
Eden Hazard says he wants to see Kevin De Bruyne win the league with Manchester City this season if Chelsea are not able to defend their top-flight title.
The Citizens have been the Premier League’s top performing team this season, with Pep Guardiola’s men flying high at the top of the table after having been the top flight’s most consistent side.
Hazard’s Belgian team-mate De Bruyne has been one of Manchester City’s standout players this season and has been earning rave reviews for his strong displays for Guardiola’s side.
Chelsea are clearly facing an uphill struggle in trying to defend their Premier League title this season, with Manchester City as the overwhelming favourites.
However, Hazard has insisted that he would be happy to see City lift the trophy in May if Chelsea can’t, because it would mean that De Bruyne would be full of confidence heading into next summer’s World Cup in Russia.
Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports, Hazard said: “He’s a friend, of course when we play against Manchester City I want to beat them but when the 90 minutes are finished he’s my friend.
“We are playing together for Belgium and we have the World Cup to play so I want to win the league but it’s going to be difficult.
“So if you [De Bruyne] win the league this year and bring the confidence to the World Cup, it will be good for the Belgians… so Kevin, you know what to do my friend!”
Hazard was one of the Premier League’s top performers last season as Chelsea won the title for the second time in three years.
The west London side are back in Premier League action on Boxing Day, when they take on Brighton at Stamford Bridge.
RANDOM GOLDEN BOLLOX
A few of you have kindly tested, by random PM, request, a new random bollox idea in the past week or so . . . you can all now fill your boots and dip away . . .
You have been selected to pick at random, from the following for the new Random Daily B*ll*x feature as follows:
1. Please pick a number between 1 & 1188
2. Please pick a number between 1 & 25
3. Please pick a number between 1 & 10
Your selections will be used for the special Xmas Bollox!
Manchester City news: Joe Royle insists fans deserve amazing turnaround
MANCHESTER City manager Pep Guardiola has a team full of world-class players cruising toward a Premier League crown – and a £160million hit-list underwritten by Abu Dhabi cash.
What a complete contrast to 19 years ago when City were in crisis.
Manager Joe Royle had taken a 20 per cent pay cut and recruited a dozen players either free or on loan. On December 19, 1998 City lost 2-1 at York and plummeted to just below mid-table in the third tier of English football – the lowest point in their history.
Royle said: “To say it was hard is an understatement. The club, though, were very realistic towards our demise. We’d let all the more senior players go because we couldn’t afford to keep them. I’d taken a 20 per cent drop in wages anyway when we had gone in that division. So it wasn’t as if they couldn’t have afforded to sack me if they wanted to.
“Money wasn’t tight it was non existent. It was a football warzone.”
But City picked themselves up after the York disaster to lose only two of the next 24 games.
And the following year Manchester City snatched promotion in that dramatic play-off penalty shootout against Gillingham when Royle’s men were 2-0 down with four minutes left at Wembley.
Fast-forward to today and Royle says: “It’s amazing. And I must say if any fans deserve this then it’s the Man City fans.
“I have to say equally that I was at a City supporters club recently in Crewe and there were fans telling me how they loved those seasons in the lower divisions.”
MUMPSIMUS
mʌmpsɪməs
noun: mumpsimus; plural noun: mumpsimuses
a traditional custom or idea adhered to although shown to be unreasonable.
a person who obstinately adheres to old customs or ideas in spite of evidence that they are wrong or unreasonable.
"When he won the title with Chelsea, Mourinho was lauded as a football genius, but nowadays, he comes across as more of a mumpsimus."
Mikel Arteta wanted by Premier League clubs after impressing as coach at Manchester City
The 35-year-old Spaniard joined Guardiola’s support staff at the beginning of his Eithad reign
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is battling to hold onto key coach Mikel Arteta who has attracted interest from other Premier League clubs.
The 35-year-old Spaniard who joined Guardiola’s support staff at the beginning of the former Barcelona manager’s Eithad reign in July last year has become an integral part of City ’s assault on the title.
Word has spread about his coaching credentials with former club Arsenal keen to bring their one time club captain back to the Emirates to assist boss Arsene Wenger with the possibility of being considered as the Frenchman’s eventual successor.
Mirror Sport can reveal that Everton chairman Bill Kenwright pushed Arteta’s name forward as a candidate to step into the sacked Ronald Koeman’s shoes.
Arteta had originally made a big impression on the Everton staff during his six years on Merseyside as a cultured midfielder and word has spread about his impact as an assistant coach under Guardiola at Manchester City.
In the end Everton went for experience and brought in Sam Allardyce but the club will continue to monitor his progress at City.
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has also made overtures to Arteta to join his coaching staff only for the Spaniard to knock them back.
Guardiola is desperate to keep him on board the City juggernaut which is speeding towards the League title, the club still also involved in three other competitions, the Champions League, FA Cup and League Cup.
Arteta is happy at City but is ambitious and would one day like to become a manager in his own right.
OTHER BOLLOX
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is ready to launch a double January transfer move for Everton midfielder Ross Barkley, 24, and Manchester United full-back Luke Shaw, 22, to revive his side's bid for honours. (Sunday Express)
Olivier Giroud's agent is due in London for crunch talks this week over the 30-year-old Arsenal striker's future. (Mirror)
Arsenal have moved ahead of Manchester United and Chelsea in the chase for 20-year-old £30m-rated Bayer Leverkusen winger Leon Bailey. (Mirror)
Inter Milan want to take out-of-favour midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, 28, on loan from Manchester United. (Mail on Sunday)
Defender Virgil van Dijk, 26, was left out of the Southampton squad on Saturday, but manager Mauricio Pellegrino would not say anything about a possible January move to Liverpool. (Liverpool Echo)
West Ham are ready to ramp up their move for 27-year-old Bournemouth midfielder Harry Arter - but have also sounded Everton out about 28-year-old midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin. (Mirror)The Hammers' opening offer of £8m for Arter has been rejected. (The Sun)
Manchester United's plans to increase Old Trafford's capacity have hit a stumbling block due to the £750m costs. (Sun on Sunday
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is being lined up by Paris St-Germain as the French giants look to replace Unai Emery. (Mirror)
A party of 75 Borussia Moenchengladbach supporters will leave Germany on Christmas Day by coach for their 25th annual pilgrimage to support Liverpool at Anfield. (Liverpool Echo)
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson is convinced forward Wilfried Zaha would be better equipped to deal with a high-profile transfer now than when he joined Manchester United four years ago. (Mail on Sunday)
Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez agreed a deal to stay at the club a year ago but changed his mind after the Gunners lost 10-2 on aggregate to Bayern Munich in the Champions League. (Times - subscription required)
Manchester United are preparing an opening offer of £25m for Fulham left-back Ryan Sessegnon, with Jose Mourinho ready to let Luke Shaw leave Old Trafford in order to sign the 17-year-old England youth international. (Guardian)
Monaco vice-president Vadim Vasilyev says he is not thinking about selling Thomas Lemar, 22, next month with Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool all keen on the France winger. (Daily Star)
EVE's GOLDEN XMAS B*ll*x
by Chinners » Wed Dec 24, 2008 8:15 am
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Real Madrid wanted to sign Jermaine Pennant from Liverpool but his wages demands were too high and he may now end up joining Wigan. (Daily Mail)
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is considering Marcos Senna, Yaya Toure and Mark Noble as a replacement for the injured Cesc Fabregas. (Daily Mirror)
But he is also keen on signing Swiss international Goekhan Inler from Udinese for £10m. (Daily Star)
Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari is desperate for his board to give him some transfer money to buy a new striker. (The Sun)
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce is adamant Manchester City will not be able to offer enough money to sign Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz. (Various)
However, Allardyce is keen to sign defender Tal Ben Haim from City for £3m. (Daily Mirror)
But Rovers have decided against signing Carlos Villaneuva on a permanent basis. (The Sun)
Red Bull Salzburg striker Marc Janko is wanted by Wigan, Blackburn, Tottenham and Middlesbrough. (Daily Mail)
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has dismissed rumours that he is lining up a bid for Fulham midfielder Jimmy Bullard. (Daily Star)
Real Madrid have enquired about the availability of Wigan's Luis Antonio Valencia - and the Lancashire club want £15m for the Ecuadorian. (Daily Mirror)
Lyon striker Karim Benzema is set to turn down Chelsea in favour of joining Real Madrid. (The Sun)
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson wants to sign Swede Rasmus Elm from Kalmar FF. (Daily Mirror)
Portsmouth are preparing an £8m swoop for St Etienne's Blaise Matuidi, but Arsenal are also keen to sign him. (The Sun)
Stoke want to sign Ivory Coast international Aruna Dindane from Lens for £6m. (Daily Mirror)
Celtic boss Gordon Strachan is adamant that Artur Boruc will not be leaving the club in January. (Daily Record)
Falkirk striker John Stewart is in talks about a move to Ross County. (Daily Record)
OTHER FOOTBALL GOSSIP
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola will resist any attempts by his board to sell players in January - and could leave the club if they do sanction the sale of his top names. (Various)
Liverpool's sponsor, Carlsberg, have criticised the club over delays in building their proposed new stadium. (The Guardian)
Meanwhile, Liverpoolstriker Fernando Torres could make a surprise return against Bolton on Boxing Day. (The Guardian)
WAG OF THE DAY
AND FINALLY
An angry Southampton supporter threw 30 coins of silver at Saints chairman Rupert Lowe and called for his resignation at the club's annual meeting. He was thrown out. (Various)
