Mancini v Cook and Marwood (and zabba signs new contract!)

[ENIAM NAM]

Makes me feel very uneasy this article!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/footba ... trols.html?

[Slim]

This part doesn't...

City announced on Friday night that defender Pablo Zabaleta, 26, has signed a new three-year contract.

[ENIAM NAM]

This part doesn't...

City announced on Friday night that defender Pablo Zabaleta, 26, has signed a new three-year contract.

Agreed. That is great news.

[Whassat]

This part doesn't...

City announced on Friday night that defender Pablo Zabaleta, 26, has signed a new three-year contract.

Agreed. That is great news.

Great news indeed. Pablo have truly earned a new contract.

[lets all have a disco]

Were gonna get Mad Zabba's best years HAPPY DAYS.
He's a warrior of epic size.

[Dameerto]

Good man Zabs, now stop leaking so much. We're going to have to introduce a new claret strip for you otherwise.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

What the FUCK? What does Mancini mean by "Garry [sees]another way [over transfer targets]".

GARRY COOK SEES SHIT WHEN IT COMES TO MANCHESTER CITY TRANSFER TARGETS

We got manager and director of football to think about which players would strenghten us. As Brian Clough once said, chairman is there to write cheques. Garry Cook has ZERO knowledge and experience to be part of player selection process.

Also, Bobby, I love you and all but please stop being rent-a-quote. It has been spiralling out of control this summer mate.

Pablo signing new contract deserves a topic of it's own imo. Absolutely buzzing about it. Loved him basically from the beginning and he has really grown into true Blue hero for me. Never say die attitude, good technical skill and has learned to control his temper and is clearly very settled.

[ant london]

Antti mate, don't be silly. You know full well that Cook has far more involvement than just signing bloody cheques. Sure the technical part of selecting players is something that ought to be handled by Mancini, Marwood, John Whatshisface from Blackburn but Cook ultimately carries the can for the economics of everything and making sure that we operate within the business plan.

My interpretation of the comments is that the "suits" likely wanted some clarity on who was off and what the terms of that would be before fully committing on transfers. I understand Mancini's frustration (as I think we share it all) but if I was Cook/Khaldoon I'd likely have wanted to do the same as we have seen time again now that when we get involved actively on a desirable player early doors the selling club and agents involved just try to spin the process out and pull in the interest of Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan etc etc. The end result is that the price gets driven up, we get made to look like saps and (in cases like Sanchez) we miss out on the player on occasion.

Like I said, I can sympathise with both sides of this and there is no perfect solution. Mancini just needs to focus on what he has in front of him for now, it's not perfect to not have the players he wants in yet but....face facts....even if we'd signed Aguero, Sanchez, Pastore etc a month or so ago....he still wouldn't have them available to work with in pre-season just yet due to the Copa America. Nasri is a different matter but it's Arsenal who are making that drag out.

Onto the positives....am delighted that Pablo has re-signed. Great player, great club man AND a South American with a bit of fucking mongrel in him

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Antti mate, don't be silly. You know full well that Cook has far more involvement than just signing bloody cheques. Sure the technical part of selecting players is something that ought to be handled by Mancini, Marwood, John Whatshisface from Blackburn but Cook ultimately carries the can for the economics of everything and making sure that we operate within the business plan.

My interpretation of the comments is that the "suits" likely wanted some clarity on who was off and what the terms of that would be before fully committing on transfers. I understand Mancini's frustration (as I think we share it all) but if I was Cook/Khaldoon I'd likely have wanted to do the same as we have seen time again now that when we get involved actively on a desirable player early doors the selling club and agents involved just try to spin the process out and pull in the interest of Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan etc etc. The end result is that the price gets driven up, we get made to look like saps and (in cases like Sanchez) we miss out on the player on occasion.

Like I said, I can sympathise with both sides of this and there is no perfect solution. Mancini just needs to focus on what he has in front of him for now, it's not perfect to not have the players he wants in yet but....face facts....even if we'd signed Aguero, Sanchez, Pastore etc a month or so ago....he still wouldn't have them available to work with in pre-season just yet due to the Copa America. Nasri is a different matter but it's Arsenal who are making that drag out.

Onto the positives....am delighted that Pablo has re-signed. Great player, great club man AND a South American with a bit of fucking mongrel in him

I agree that Cook is the one who should be saying "boys, we can spend £xxm on players this summer" or whatever but actually choosing which players we sign, he should have NOTHING to do with that.

Having players signed up isn't just about preseason either. It's about tactics and how he is going to set up the team next season. Also, it will enable us to sell players who we have replacement for.

I was under the impression that we got this Blackburn feller (Williamson was it?) to some telemarketing ie try to sell likes of Jo with RSC thrown in as a sweetener or something like that. I don't think he has got much to do with purchases and I get the feeling this might be short term deal for him anyway. Something to do between Chairman jobs. Our squad, as it stands, is actually relatively thin so once we get rid of RSC and Bridge, we pretty much need all our remaining players. So I doubt there's much work left for him after we have shipped off those two.

[john@staustell]

This part doesn't...

City announced on Friday night that defender Pablo Zabaleta, 26, has signed a new three-year contract.

I wondered why this delivery from Elastoplast was heading into Carrington yesterday:

[TheGOAT]

My favourite bit of the article is “Agüero is a good player,” he says, “like Samir Nasri, like Cesc Fabregas, like Robin van Persie."
Purposely listing Arsenals 3 best players just to get at Wenger for his rediculous comments last week.

Love Mancini!!

[Dameerto]

Antti mate, don't be silly. You know full well that Cook has far more involvement than just signing bloody cheques. Sure the technical part of selecting players is something that ought to be handled by Mancini, Marwood, John Whatshisface from Blackburn but Cook ultimately carries the can for the economics of everything and making sure that we operate within the business plan.

My interpretation of the comments is that the "suits" likely wanted some clarity on who was off and what the terms of that would be before fully committing on transfers. I understand Mancini's frustration (as I think we share it all) but if I was Cook/Khaldoon I'd likely have wanted to do the same as we have seen time again now that when we get involved actively on a desirable player early doors the selling club and agents involved just try to spin the process out and pull in the interest of Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan etc etc. The end result is that the price gets driven up, we get made to look like saps and (in cases like Sanchez) we miss out on the player on occasion.

Like I said, I can sympathise with both sides of this and there is no perfect solution. Mancini just needs to focus on what he has in front of him for now, it's not perfect to not have the players he wants in yet but....face facts....even if we'd signed Aguero, Sanchez, Pastore etc a month or so ago....he still wouldn't have them available to work with in pre-season just yet due to the Copa America. Nasri is a different matter but it's Arsenal who are making that drag out.

Onto the positives....am delighted that Pablo has re-signed. Great player, great club man AND a South American with a bit of fucking mongrel in him

I agree that Cook is the one who should be saying "boys, we can spend £xxm on players this summer" or whatever but actually choosing which players we sign, he should have NOTHING to do with that.

Having players signed up isn't just about preseason either. It's about tactics and how he is going to set up the team next season. Also, it will enable us to sell players who we have replacement for.

I was under the impression that we got this Blackburn feller (Williamson was it?) to some telemarketing ie try to sell likes of Jo with RSC thrown in as a sweetener or something like that. I don't think he has got much to do with purchases and I get the feeling this might be short term deal for him anyway. Something to do between Chairman jobs. Our squad, as it stands, is actually relatively thin so once we get rid of RSC and Bridge, we pretty much need all our remaining players. So I doubt there's much work left for him after we have shipped off those two.

If you look at the article in the Telegraph, the bit you seem to have an issue with has been added by the journalist to Mancini's quote, it's basically his best guess at what Mancini was meaning. Mancini starts and ends that paragraph talking about winning, the whole paragraph is one single train of thought. Towards the end he uses the word 'target' which seems to have prompted the journalist to assume he was talking about transfers BUT he is actually meaning objectives - and the differences he talks about between himself and Cook are in their approach to their shared objectives.

[Blue Since 76]

My favourite bit of the article is “Agüero is a good player,” he says, “like Samir Nasri, like Cesc Fabregas, like Robin van Persie."
Purposely listing Arsenals 3 best players just to get at Wenger for his rediculous comments last week.

Love Mancini!!

Yep, what's Whinger going to say "they're not good players"?

He should have followed it up though by saying we need to get rid of the shit, like Eboue, Almunia, most of their defence etc

[Ted Hughes]

Antti mate, don't be silly. You know full well that Cook has far more involvement than just signing bloody cheques. Sure the technical part of selecting players is something that ought to be handled by Mancini, Marwood, John Whatshisface from Blackburn but Cook ultimately carries the can for the economics of everything and making sure that we operate within the business plan.

My interpretation of the comments is that the "suits" likely wanted some clarity on who was off and what the terms of that would be before fully committing on transfers. I understand Mancini's frustration (as I think we share it all) but if I was Cook/Khaldoon I'd likely have wanted to do the same as we have seen time again now that when we get involved actively on a desirable player early doors the selling club and agents involved just try to spin the process out and pull in the interest of Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan etc etc. The end result is that the price gets driven up, we get made to look like saps and (in cases like Sanchez) we miss out on the player on occasion.

Like I said, I can sympathise with both sides of this and there is no perfect solution. Mancini just needs to focus on what he has in front of him for now, it's not perfect to not have the players he wants in yet but....face facts....even if we'd signed Aguero, Sanchez, Pastore etc a month or so ago....he still wouldn't have them available to work with in pre-season just yet due to the Copa America. Nasri is a different matter but it's Arsenal who are making that drag out.

Onto the positives....am delighted that Pablo has re-signed. Great player, great club man AND a South American with a bit of fucking mongrel in him

I agree that Cook is the one who should be saying "boys, we can spend £xxm on players this summer" or whatever but actually choosing which players we sign, he should have NOTHING to do with that.

Having players signed up isn't just about preseason either. It's about tactics and how he is going to set up the team next season. Also, it will enable us to sell players who we have replacement for.

I was under the impression that we got this Blackburn feller (Williamson was it?) to some telemarketing ie try to sell likes of Jo with RSC thrown in as a sweetener or something like that. I don't think he has got much to do with purchases and I get the feeling this might be short term deal for him anyway. Something to do between Chairman jobs. Our squad, as it stands, is actually relatively thin so once we get rid of RSC and Bridge, we pretty much need all our remaining players. So I doubt there's much work left for him after we have shipped off those two.

If you look at the article in the Telegraph, the bit you seem to have an issue with has been added by the journalist to Mancini's quote, it's basically his best guess at what Mancini was meaning. Mancini starts and ends that paragraph talking about winning, the whole paragraph is one single train of thought. Towards the end he uses the word 'target' which seems to have prompted the journalist to assume he was talking about transfers BUT he is actually meaning objectives - and the differences he talks about between himself and Cook are in their approach to their shared objectives.

Mancini did an interview on this subject some weeks ago where he clearly stated that he has the authority in football matters. Cook's involvement is obviously the financial aspect but it appears from these comments & the fact that we may sign another 2 or 3 players, that Bert has won the argument over Cook & possibly Khaldoon as well. It may be of course that they were trying to persuade Bert to get players off the wage bill before spending but that now looks impossible.

I think when he refers to 'control' of the team etc, he is being self critical saying that he thinks he should have put his foot down & exerted more control, like Ferguson does, rather than suggesting he doesn't have the power to do so.

The comment about the 3 Arsenal playes is fucking hilarious. Classic Mourinho in fact.

[BmoreBlue]

Antti mate, don't be silly. You know full well that Cook has far more involvement than just signing bloody cheques. Sure the technical part of selecting players is something that ought to be handled by Mancini, Marwood, John Whatshisface from Blackburn but Cook ultimately carries the can for the economics of everything and making sure that we operate within the business plan.

My interpretation of the comments is that the "suits" likely wanted some clarity on who was off and what the terms of that would be before fully committing on transfers. I understand Mancini's frustration (as I think we share it all) but if I was Cook/Khaldoon I'd likely have wanted to do the same as we have seen time again now that when we get involved actively on a desirable player early doors the selling club and agents involved just try to spin the process out and pull in the interest of Barcelona, Real Madrid, AC Milan etc etc. The end result is that the price gets driven up, we get made to look like saps and (in cases like Sanchez) we miss out on the player on occasion.

Like I said, I can sympathise with both sides of this and there is no perfect solution. Mancini just needs to focus on what he has in front of him for now, it's not perfect to not have the players he wants in yet but....face facts....even if we'd signed Aguero, Sanchez, Pastore etc a month or so ago....he still wouldn't have them available to work with in pre-season just yet due to the Copa America. Nasri is a different matter but it's Arsenal who are making that drag out.

Onto the positives....am delighted that Pablo has re-signed. Great player, great club man AND a South American with a bit of fucking mongrel in him

I was under the impression that we got this Blackburn feller (Williamson was it?) to some telemarketing ie try to sell likes of Jo with RSC thrown in as a sweetener or something like that. I don't think he has got much to do with purchases and I get the feeling this might be short term deal for him anyway. Something to do between Chairman jobs. Our squad, as it stands, is actually relatively thin so once we get rid of RSC and Bridge, we pretty much need all our remaining players. So I doubt there's much work left for him after we have shipped off those two.

NDQP this Blackburn feller is on a six month contract, and his job is to sell the fringe players - he has nothing to do with transfers in. Your impression is spot on. I'd say he's off to a good start, moving Given and especially Jo on this week. Now let's get RSC, Ade, and Bridge sold, and I'll really be impressed.

[guv111]

Others have already said similar, but we appear to be lacking full disclosure between departments.

Roberto has turned around my opinion of him by the way his team finished 2010-11, with only the predictable Everton result being any kind of blot on a superb end of season. So, why the reticence from Cook and Marwood? I'm not expecting fly-on-the-wall candidness between boardroom and fans, but I would expect it between boardroom and manager. I definitely wouldn't expect Roberto Mancini, City's manager, to be as in-the-dark as we are with regards to available finances. Apparently, he is.

I'm very much hoping this is some kind of temporary blot, and not the way City are going to conduct themselves in the future, when it's so obvious we are several player short of mounting serious challenges to the the Premier League and Champions League.

[BobbyDazzler]

As far as Roberto being unaware of budgets goes, it may be the case that people need to move out before others can move in. Not from a transfer fee perspective, but in order to keep a grip on the wage bill. I know that FFP does not come in for a while yet, but players like Bellamy, RSC, Bridge and others have contracts that would see them through beyond a time when FFP is a concern, and perhaps Marwood et al are simply imagining a worst case scenario where we still have these players on the books, earning big money.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

As far as Roberto being unaware of budgets goes, it may be the case that people need to move out before others can move in. Not from a transfer fee perspective, but in order to keep a grip on the wage bill. I know that FFP does not come in for a while yet, but players like Bellamy, RSC, Bridge and others have contracts that would see them through beyond a time when FFP is a concern, and perhaps Marwood et al are simply imagining a worst case scenario where we still have these players on the books, earning big money.

Of course that's the point. However, as Robbie Manc rightly points out, if he can't get players in he wants we will not be challenging for the title and it's MANCINI, not Cook or Marwood, who will get the boot. If I were him, I'd share his worry. It's easy to make decisions when your own job is not on the line and your toying with someone elses job security. Actually, not exactly unheard of concept in ordinary workplaces either.

[Ted Hughes]

As far as Roberto being unaware of budgets goes, it may be the case that people need to move out before others can move in. Not from a transfer fee perspective, but in order to keep a grip on the wage bill. I know that FFP does not come in for a while yet, but players like Bellamy, RSC, Bridge and others have contracts that would see them through beyond a time when FFP is a concern, and perhaps Marwood et al are simply imagining a worst case scenario where we still have these players on the books, earning big money.

Of course that's the point. However, as Robbie Manc rightly points out, if he can't get players in he wants we will not be challenging for the title and it's MANCINI, not Cook or Marwood, who will get the boot. If I were him, I'd share his worry. It's easy to make decisions when your own job is not on the line and your toying with someone elses job security. Actually, not exactly unheard of concept in ordinary workplaces either.

None of the jobs are safe apart from Khaldoon. If Cook forsees a short term problem then it is his job to try & fix it. If he gave Bob unlimited spending power then Platini kicked us out of the Chump's Lg, you can bet he'd be out of a job. Now Bob has gone above his head with the request, it suits both sides as Bob gets the money to spend & Cook is off the hook if we miss the 'unfair play' targets.

If you look around the net though, people are saying that the Italian journos already predicted Bob would do this once he settled in. He likes a moan apparently. It's just what he does.