Michael Johnson - 24 Today

[King Kev]

I'd also pick him before I'd pick tevez.

I would pick my nan before tevez!

Johno was a talent, mystery abdominal problem that the doctors couldnt find. He seemed to go off the rails a little and disrespect his body and his responsibilities.

I think a poditive fit michael johnson would have been a huge player for us sadly it will never be.

I just cant get my head around that thinking.You would rather play somebody who would weaken the side and risk losing a game than somebody who would strengthen the side and maybe win a game? Taking it to the ultimate you would rather not win the league than play Tevez!

I understand the feelings about him but I wouldnt go that far.

WW's Nan might be a decent player for all you know!

[Mase]

He had a quality 6 games for us.

[twosips]

Most seem to forget he was VERY young in what was usually a shit team. He went missing, but yeah, that's what young players do. They learn consistency. He clearly had it all tools wise though to get very very good. He was naturally gifted on the ball and if he had continued his upward progression he would have loved playing in a team as composed as ours.

It's a huge shame his career has gone this way. He had so much potential and who knows how far he could have gone? Oh well.

[Alioune DVToure]

I don't ever remember him running the midfield, 50 year old hamman was the most important player back then with johnson popping up with the odd goal.

The most over rated player to ever play for city in my lifetime.

Very harsh. He had many, many more good games than bad and was an important part of a premier league side aged 19.

All this 'he's not fit to clean Colin Bell's boots' drives me bonkers. Neither he nor anyone else ever claimed he was the next Colin Bell.

He was a good player. Could he have been great? We'll never know, sadly.

[john@staustell]

Hopefully the club wont be rewarding any more long term injured players with 60 grand a week contracts? I could accept most of what Hughes did on the grounds he thought he was pulling in the right direction, but that was insanity.

[1950]

The most over rated player to ever play for city in my lifetime.

That would be Bojinov, surely!

Forget the Colin Bell exaggerations for a moment. At the very least, he had the talent to end up where Ireland is right now; regular (more or less) at a decent, top 10-ish Premier League side.

Sadly, I can't see it happening anymore for him.

[Blue2]

Great talent and bags of potential at the time, just feel sorry that it didn't work out for him. Most overrated player ? nah no where near, that title belongs to Richard Dunne or Stephen Ireland.

[Mase]

Great talent and bags of potential at the time, just feel sorry that it didn't work out for him. Most overrated player ? nah no where near, that title belongs to Richard Dunne or Stephen Ireland.

I don't think Dunnie was overrated. I think most City fans knew his skill set was very limited, but the fact that he'd run through a brick wall for the club in a time where no other players would endeared him to most fans.

Ireland though I'd agree with. Robinho made him look half decent during one season.

[Mikhail Chigorin]

The Colin Bell stuff was always bollocks but he was a more talented player than Tom Cleverley or Michael Carrick & would have played nicely for England alongside people like Jack Wilshere.

I wish the las all the best for his birthday & hope he can get his career back on track somewhere.

Perhaps we can get Spews to pay big money to take him to QPR; he could become the new Santa Cruz.

[Dubaimancityfan]

I don't ever remember him running the midfield, 50 year old hamman was the most important player back then with johnson popping up with the odd goal.

The most over rated player to ever play for city in my lifetime.

You're entitled to your opinion, mate.

While he was not Colin Bell, I do think he was a lot better than you and many others claim. He fitted in extremely well alongside Elano and made Ireland (and also barton) look a lot better than he does now. Football is often not about how good a particular player is but how combinations of players work. I still think Johnson as he was was a player who could have played with today's players and not looked out of place. Somewhat like a James Milner in that he wasn't afraid to put his share of work in. A damn shame for him and for City that he has never had the chance to prove himself for an extended period.

I'd like to bump into him and wish him many happy returns and all the best for the rest of his career. But I'd only buy him an orange juice.

I'd also pick him before I'd pick tevez.

That's how I remember him Tokyo. He was not the finished article by far but played well in that mid field and linked well with Elano and Ireland (another disappointment BTW). I think we were excited by his potential more than his actual contribution and that's why we (not all obviously) remember him fondly.
At 24 he can still make something of a career (somewhere) otherwise it will be a complete waste of a natural talent.

[Wonderwall]

I just cant get my head around that thinking.You would rather play somebody who would weaken the side and risk losing a game than somebody who would strengthen the side and maybe win a game? Taking it to the ultimate you would rather not win the league than play Tevez!

I understand the feelings about him but I wouldnt go that far.

What does tevez have to do for you to say you think he shouldnt be here? He would add quality (when on form) to any yeam in the world. When do you say enough is enough? Or do you just keep on giving in to the judas. Please look at your opening statement here and think back to munich, its exactly what he did to us. Bob made the changes with tevez in mind. He wouldnt have taken dzeko off if tevez wasnt available.

Tevez is not required IMO we are doing damn fine without him.

[bernabias_right_boot]

What does tevez have to do for you to say you think he shouldnt be here? He would add quality (when on form) to any yeam in the world. When do you say enough is enough? Or do you just keep on giving in to the judas. Please look at your opening statement here and think back to munich, its exactly what he did to us. Bob made the changes with tevez in mind. He wouldnt have taken dzeko off if tevez wasnt available.

Tevez is not required IMO we are doing damn fine without him.

This is supposed to be about Johnson, not Tevez.

I wish MJ a very happy birthday and hope he sees sense now rather than in ten years'' time and tries, if his fitness allows, to rebuild his career. Otherwise it'll all be ifs and maybes.

[Wonderwall]

This is supposed to be about Johnson, not Tevez.

I wish MJ a very happy birthday and hope he sees sense now rather than in ten years'' time and tries, if his fitness allows, to rebuild his career. Otherwise it'll all be ifs and maybes.

It was. I was answering a point raised. Indeed happy birthday johno

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I just cant get my head around that thinking.You would rather play somebody who would weaken the side and risk losing a game than somebody who would strengthen the side and maybe win a game? Taking it to the ultimate you would rather not win the league than play Tevez!

I understand the feelings about him but I wouldnt go that far.

What does tevez have to do for you to say you think he shouldnt be here? He would add quality (when on form) to any yeam in the world. When do you say enough is enough? Or do you just keep on giving in to the judas. Please look at your opening statement here and think back to munich, its exactly what he did to us. Bob made the changes with tevez in mind. He wouldnt have taken dzeko off if tevez wasnt available.

Tevez is not required IMO we are doing damn fine without him.

Don't disagree that he shouldn't be here and that we can do without him.As I said I understand the feelings.
But the situation now is that he is back in the fold and if we have a choice of a sub that can win a game against one that wouldnt I know which I would choose.All theoretical though as I hope we won't need a sub to win a match.

[ashton287]

He was SHIIIIIIIIIIIT.

[Alioune DVToure]

He was SHIIIIIIIIIIIT.

He really wasn't.

[ashton287]

He really wasn't.

What did he ever do?

The answer is nothing. If he had stayed fit he would probably be at west ham now. He was nothing special at all

[mr_nool]

He really wasn't.

What did he ever do?

The answer is nothing. If he had stayed fit he would probably be at west ham now. He was nothing special at all

He did score one of my favourite City goals ever (the first one in this youtube clip):

[youtube]2pFBhDczIAE[/youtube]

He got injured too soon for us to know whether or not he had what it takes to be a top footballer. I doubt he would be at West Ham today if he'd stayed fit, though. He was quite clearly good enough for the prem at 19-20, and I'm certain he would hva kept on developing if fit.

And a side note: We had a really young and exciting team under Sven - Richards, Onouha, Johnson, Ireland. Could have been the coe of City for many years to come had things developed differently.

[Alioune DVToure]

He really wasn't.

What did he ever do?

The answer is nothing. If he had stayed fit he would probably be at west ham now. He was nothing special at all

Aged 19, he got himself into a team which was in the top three at Christmas and cemented his place. I went to every home game and a fair few away games that season and he almost always shone. He was a very sharp-minded and intelligent player and he had the potential to be an excellent midfielder. I can't believe you'd say he was 'shit' (sorry, 'shiiiiit'). He looked like a belting player at an age at which he had no right to be a first-teamer.

Oh and he also had a hand in some of the goals that kept us in the division the season before. His assist for Mpenza's winner at Newcastle springs to mind. He was already very,very useful then.

[Ted Hughes]

He really wasn't.

What did he ever do?

The answer is nothing. If he had stayed fit he would probably be at west ham now. He was nothing special at all

Aged 19, he got himself into a team which was in the top three at Christmas and cemented his place. I went to every home game and a fair few away games that season and he almost always shone. He was a very sharp-minded and intelligent player and he had the potential to be an excellent midfielder. I can't believe you'd say he was 'shit' (sorry, 'shiiiiit'). He looked like a belting player at an age at which he had no right to be a first-teamer.

Oh and he also had a hand in some of the goals that kept us in the division the season before. His assist for Mpenza's winner at Newcastle springs to mind. He was already very,very useful then.

The clip above shows how a fully fit, fully motivated Johnson would have suited today's City team perfectly. For whatever reason, clips of his performances later that season would show a pale shadow of that player, who would struggle to get in Norwich's team. I particularly remember one goal at Liverpool when he just jogged along allowing their player to run away from him as they scored.

A great pity.