Making the move to the next level

[Bojinov's left foot]

Having the financial backing of the Sheikh has given us an incredible period at the Club since September 2008. As a City fan of 40+ years (+ S/T holder since 16) it is a fantastic time and the sense that we are on the verge of great things is here every day. Expectation levels are high and rising. Fair to say that there have been mistakes made but there are so many more positives.

The Club will continue to have to make decisions that come under public scrutiny, more than we have ever seen before. Our financial situation, development on the playing side, both at 1st team and Academy levels as well as the growing multi-media will see to that.

When we make top 4 (maybe this season) this will help to take us to a new level. This will enable us to consistently challenge for domestic and European honours. City will need to develop further and improve in all areas. IMO consultation, where possible, with fans is very important.

It will be very interesting to see what the future brings. What will happen with the stadium/local community, ticket pricing/merchandise buying experiences and how the Club could/will use multi-media to develop our Club into one of the biggest and best in the world. How will investment in the 1st team and Academy be managed?

How do fellow fans feel the Club will move forward and what would you like to see?

[john68]

My 1st worry when ADUG took over was that they would use the club for their own ends and though they may give us a successful team, it would become their club and as at the swamp, there would be a danger we would become relegated to being customers rather than fans. An early statement that they didn't pretend to understand our customs and history but would respect it, coupled with their actions of considering the views of fans in many of their decisions allayed that fear.

Something I think we will have to get used to as we become more successful is the number of new fans that could be attracted. We have long taken the piss out of the rags for their bandwagon glory hunters but it is highly likely that this will happen to us as our global appeal takes hold.

I suggest that we welcome them. They will be city fans, albeit a new breed, but City fans all the same. They will fill our ground, buy our shirts, post on our forums, and feel the same emotional turmoil that we feel.

I feel that my club is in very safe hands and under good stewardship...The future is very rosy indeed...no fears.

[brite blu sky]

agree with john.. also add that a lot of extra fans will come from the m/c area as they all come piling out of the woodwork.

i think it is going to be interesting how a lot of the press deals with us, if/when we take 4th and start challenging for the title the press are immediately under obligation to take us seriously and the fact that the press are the biggest glory hunters of all.. cue a lot of positive City stories and previously unheard of admiration. Ha ha, i cant wait to see that shift in the bootlicking press.

Apart from that, i could forsee the owners pushing an agenda to improve the 'football experience', partly at matches and in Manchester, but also in the global TV market. It seems to me that the City owners are by far and away the most ambitious and farsighted of any of the Prem clubs, the sky is the limit for them and they have a seriously good business culture to back them up.
I would also say that this wont centre around marketing tricks to get extra merchandise off the shelf, i see more things that mean something to people.. like the worldwide sponsorship of bars and bringing people home for games. Some high profile stuff as well, but like john68 says they seem to have understood what football is about for fans.. and to see them as fans and not customers.

[john68]

Over the years, I have seen the club move away from fans under some regimes and become closer again under others. our present owners seem very respectful and mindful of how we view and experience City. I also think that the club has been very creative with its marketting too.
It is as though the club is administratively ahead of the game all the time, but as yet held back until the team evolves to catch up. When that happens, I can see the club exploding onto the World scene as no other.
I don't think the media will ever be onside with us. They never were in the past, even when we had our big successes in the 60s and 70s. I don't expect any favours from the them.

[brite blu sky]

Over the years, I have seen the club move away from fans under some regimes and become closer again under others. our present owners seem very respectful and mindful of how we view and experience City. I also think that the club has been very creative with its marketting too.
It is as though the club is administratively ahead of the game all the time, but as yet held back until the team evolves to catch up. When that happens, I can see the club exploding onto the World scene as no other.
I don't think the media will ever be onside with us. They never were in the past, even when we had our big successes in the 60s and 70s. I don't expect any favours from the them.

totally agree with that.. they are definately not the ones lagging behind and am sure they have a lot of stuff ready and waiting up their sleeves..

[lythamblue]

We must ensure that we do not seek to immediately compare ourselves to the ones we are trying to emulate, but keep comparing ourselves to how WE were and seeking continous improvement in every department. That way, we will catch up steadily and be where we want to be before you know it.

As we know, the next level is Top 4 and then we have an opportunity to make some important and massive strides forwards, some of which will work ...... and some of which won't ..... and we will still have to be patient.

Even with a top 4 slot, we will still be light years away from competing with the like of Barca, Real Madrid, and even Manyoo .... on and definately off the pitch. Competing for League Titles and Champs League must become an accepted norm each and every year, almost to the point that we take it for granted.

Off course our fan base will grow, and we should welcome it. However we will all still recognise the 'hardcore originals' the moment we come across them and you will come to accept the new comers for what they are.

Our owners and their current situation is perfect for the Club and it actually does us no harm whatsoever, being what we are to them, which is basically an extension to the Abu Dhabi Tourist Board. It's a perfect trade off, they get OUR Club and we get the success we have always craved. Remember, they want great PR and that will only come if they build and maintain a successful club with a great environment ....... but most of all, an all conquering team on the pitch!! They will also make some mistakes on the way and we have to allow them the time to evaluate them and put them right.

The biggest threat we have ..... is ourselves. Those that think every time we go through a bad patch on the pitch, it will all change with yet another new manager etc are kidding themselves and if those lines of thought are conveyed to the Owners, we will be constantly going from one problem to another and be an even bigger laughing stock.

In any case, on the pitch we have probably gone as far as we can now without breaking into the 'elite'. Top 4 will allow us the opportunity to develop at a much faster pace ...... whenever we achieve it., although I do agree that we may never have a better opportunity than we have now.

[Bojinov's left foot]

I fully agree with the comments about the marketing. The Tevez 'Welcome to Manchester' poster was brilliant.

Equally we need to keep continuity at the top. Keep Mancini and build on the work done so far. Top 4 this season is our best bet to get into Champions League. Next season expectation levels will be higher still.

We need to keep our sense of history and not forget where we have come from and how lucky we are that ADUG chose us.

Fantastic time to be a Blue.

[Patrick]

Im hoping my number plate will become even more valuable and I can sell it to the sheik for one hundred billion dollars



On a less serious note - Barring a typical city uturn to the coca cola league 2 - you still know deep down we could fuck it up - with the success will come quite a few "issues"

Walking into a pub in Timbuktu to watch the derby and seeing a sea of blue shirts

People asking you how long you have supported city with a smirk on their faces

Losing to one of teh best teams in europe away and people calling the team complete shite - oh hang on that started about 20 years ago

Still - all those things will only come if we lift a few pots - bring it on......

[dazby]

Great thread.

Consistently filling the ground and making matchday a real event will be on the agenda.

[razor400]

[quote="john68"]Over the years, I have seen the club move away from fans under some regimes and become closer again under others. our present owners seem very respectful and mindful of how we view and experience City. I also think that the club has been very creative with its marketting too.
It is as though the club is administratively ahead of the game all the time, but as yet held back until the team evolves to catch up. When that happens, I can see the club exploding onto the World scene as no other.
I don't think the media will ever be onside with us. They never were in the past, even when we had our big successes in the 60s and 70s. I don't expect any favours from the them.[/quote]

Thats probably not a bad thing as I reckon it will help keep the rebelious bollocks to everyone streak that blues have, and deter some of the glory hunters.