http://thisisfutbol.com/2011/07/blogs/why-manchester-city-arent-worthy-of-their-place-in-the-champions-league
Why Manchester City aren’t worthy of their place in the Champions League:
Posted on Monday, 11th July 2011 by George McNeil
European football should be seen as a prize, as a reward for a terrific season for a football club where their league position was impressive enough to warrant a chance to play against Europe’s elite. Yet when Manchester City finished third last season in the Premier League to ‘earn’ a chance in Europe most saw this success as shallow and immaterial. When a club loses over £120 million in a season to break into the so called ‘top four’ then is it a success or is it in fact farcical? In this article I will argue that Manchester City shouldn’t be allowed to play in European competition and that their place should go to a far more deserving team.
As Mike Dean blew his whistle after Manchester City had defeated Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 in May the inevitable had occurred, the club had secured Champions League football and had taken a giant step forward in their quest to overthrow their far more successful neighbours Manchester United. One couldn’t help but feel for Spurs after that night, they had achieved the success of the top four the season before yet City’s ludicrous spending had blown them out of the water. [highlight]Who deserved Champions League football more, the enterprising, exciting and well run North London club or the dull defensive bunch of mercenaries from Manchester? The answer should be obvious to any true football fan.[/highlight]
Just to emphasize what an abomination of a club Manchester City has become, even the biggest mercenaries are trying to facilitate moves away from Eastlands with Emmanuel Adebayor and Carlos Tevez both voicing their aims to leave this week. Tevez has used a myriad of excuses to try and wriggle his way out of the club, from Garry Cook to the number of restaurants in Manchester, yet he still signed a long term deal for £230k a week. Adebayor, one of the most notorious mercenaries in world football, has slammed the club for their disrespect, saying this week:
“This is very hurtful and insulting and says a lot about Manchester City … No one at City is man enough to speak to me face-to-face to explain,”
It is not only the players who Manchester City seem to show little respect to. Ever since hitting the lottery the club has acted like a bully towards other clubs who have fewer resources when attempting to buy their players. The sagas over the signing of James Milner from Aston Villa, and the acquisition of Joleon Lescott from Everton are prime examples of this. With Lerner launching an attack on City’s conduct, explaining:
‘Big, bad Manchester City came along and asked for Milner and we said, “No, he is not for sale”. And under the rules you have to respect that. And Manchester City respected that for two whole days. And then they violated the rules and came in for him again.’
The reason why I think Manchester City shouldn’t be allowed to compete in European competition is due to their lack of respect for the rules. When it comes to signing players Manchester City will tap up and completely unsettle the player like the cases of Milner and Lescott. Moreover, financially City preside over huge losses yet just remedy these with a family friend sponsoring the club for an extortionate amount. It seems that all Manchester City can’t buy is dignity and class.
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