Training Awards

[Douglas Higginbottom]

God knows what happened here as I typed a full answer to the most serious trainer only for nothing to appear !!! How I hate doing that and wasting effort.

Will try again later

[Beefymcfc]

Most serious?

[brite blu sky]

Nice one Doug, good to hear you thoughts on the seasons training, as you have chosen the players that you see as giving that little bit extra they really must be committed as I can't imagine that players such as Zabba are anything other than 100% in training or anywhere.

Thanks for the dedication to the cause Doug all the reports were fantastic, I'm sure that you enjoy it and having a season like this one to be able to see the background effort put in towards what the rest of us see must be a privilidge when it pays off like it has.
sideways rain, snow,[strike]scorching sun[/strike], biting winds pah! got to be worth it in the long run.

cheers Doug

[Plain Speaking]

Doug
You deserve a special mention for all your reports.
Thanks for making the effort.
I hope you get well over the summer!
Best week of my life!!!

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Most serious?

I'd love to hear that as well?

Interesting to see you finally give some credit to Mancini, Doug.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

I hate it when I spend time typing an answer only for nothing to appear.

I will try again later re the most serious trainer

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Dougie, you did something strange but luckily your fantastic original post is there in your answer. Just copy and paste it back to your OP.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Dougie, you did something strange but luckily your fantastic original post is there in your answer. Just copy and paste it back to your OP.

Baffled as to what happened and nearly put the pc through the window!!!!!!!!!!!

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Most serious?

I'd love to hear that as well?

Interesting to see you finally give some credit to Mancini, Doug.

Here goes again:
5 contenders this time but again very difficult to leave some out:

Kolo Toure. An excellent work ethic but I cant remember any situations where he has been part of a silly or blatantly fun moment.Strong tackler in training as well as a few found out

Mancini I know not a player but worthy of a mention here. He sees plenty of silliness and I am sure takes note maybe to speak with players behind closed doors if they mess about too much but never involved directly in anything, a la Kolo.Always focussed on the job in hand.

Dzeko.Works hard and does extras but another where I don't recall being directly involved in fun things.Not a criticism at all and there would be a few similar candidates. Smiles a lot but deep down a serious guy.

Silva.I think loved by everyone there and involved in a lot but more of a watcher than leading in any high spirits that go on.Another great smiler ( Dzeko,Sergio)but just gets on with it.

Aleks Kolarov. To suggest he doesnt have fun would be crazy because I think he can be crazy but he also has a very serious side to him.Not alone in that as many others like Milner and Zaba are simliar. I have mentioned many a time that the training and the end games can be very intense and Aleks would typify that. A great desire to win and showed it on many occasions including one where he and Vinnie had a disagreement.Vinnie won of course and it was all over in a flash with a hand shake but he was very very serious at that time.

The winner of this though I am giving to David Silva.

Cant belive Lescott hasnt had a mention anywhere! Most fun would have been where he was a contender! Really settled now and confident in his position at the club and in the team.When he started he was a little in awe I though and it took quite a while to settle but now involved a lot in all the fun and at the front of plenty.

[brite blu sky]

here you go Doug, I used the back button on my browser and found the original. Just copy and re-paste it in the OP

I was thinking about this the other day so here goes:

Hardest Worker
A few contenders here.My top 3 would be:
Joe Hart Manages to have fun along the way but always puts in max effort,throwing himself around and never ever shirking the work.
Gael Clichy Out early and in late.Not just that he puts it in through all the sessions but almost every day stays out for extra work and not just for some shooting practice.He will get a coach to stay with him and do extra defensive work or crossing on the run or whatever.Great pro.
James Milner No surprise here from regular posts through the season but he really is an incredible worker.We see his non stop game when he is playing in games and it's the same in training and from what I hear before and after training as well.As with Clichy and others (AJ/AK and Dzeko to name 3 others)


JamesMilner gets it but only just from Gael.

Most Fun

Again a good few contenders but I will limit to 3 again.

Joe Hart. Gives his all as I said above but does it all with a smile and always up for a laugh in between real effort and concentration.Trains separately from the main group for much of the time but when he does join up his desire to win is massive but still he has a great laugh with the players

Micah Richards.Good trainer but his laughter always helps to make the sessions enjoyable.Even when he isnt close by you can hear Micah's laugh and its very infectious in the group

Nigel De Jong.A real competitor as we all know and it's not just in matches but another who knows how to have fun and work hard at the same time.It might be his attampts to referee games with a big smile or the way he takes over some of the exercises like the keep ball circles but he us a great character to have in a team.The thing that swung it in his favour was the dance he does when he scores past Joe when doing the extra shooting practice.Priceless.

The winner Nigel De Jong

Best Individual Performance in Training

Not an easy category this one.There have actually been so many over the weeks and its hard to remember them all but:

Gael Clichy. A good trainer anyway but I do recall one session where I actually complimented him on his performance.Not only was he superb in stopping crosses that day and made some fantastic interceptions but he was also brilliant in his pressing of the ball to win it back.When I congratulated him he said something like "good wasn't it?"

Mario.To an extent what you see in games is what you get in training.Does all the work but maybe not as switched on all the time as he could be.But on one occasion I recall he was exceptional. His effort in the end game was total and very focussed for the team. Challenging back and winning balls for the team,using his pace and strength to win balls without it threatening to spill into fouling. Scored at least one and was setting opportunities up for teammates.

Vinnie.,After his injury there was real concern that he would get back and even if he did how fit he would actually be.The session I recall as where he was probably expected to ease his way back in. None of that with Vinnie.Fully at it and efinitely giving the message to his teammates and the boss that he was back.Crunching tackes were the norm and the desire to win even in training totally evident.

The winner has to be Vincent Kompany.

Best Coach

Well obviously the winner is Roberto Mancini.I would love to know how much time and effort goes into training preparation before it happens(and after) but I imagine it's one hell of a lot.They are varied but not too much but they are also focussed.Masses of work was done early and gets repeated on the formation/team shape which is the bedrock of so much of what is done.He takes all the key work personally and is meticulous in everything he does.

Some fane moan about our crap corners but as you know he works on them and it's not his fault some cant cross a ball.BUT our record on scoring from corners is very good and thanks for the equaliser yesterday.I have seen plenty of things straight from the training ground in games.He hasn't had it easy various issues within the squad and here we are as champions.Say no more.

BUT a special mention for Massimo Battara.I know he is highly thought of at City and within football.Hard for me to be able to make comparisons but I like what I see.Another who can have fun and work hard at the same time and he does work the keepers hard.Bottom line is I believe he has helped make Joe a better keeper and I think Costel has benefitted massively (getit:)) from working with him and is a much better keeper than when he arrived.

Winner Roberto Mancini.

Medical Staff

I just wanted a little mention for this lot.It just seems to me we have been blessed with a great injury record this year and they must have been something to do with it.Sergio's blisters aside we have had a fairly full squad for much of the season.There were real worries about Lescott and Vinnie when they got injuries but both got back quicker than expected (I was sworn to secrecy.Congrats to them one and all.

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Most serious?

I'd love to hear that as well?

Interesting to see you finally give some credit to Mancini, Doug.

Here goes again:
5 contenders this time but again very difficult to leave some out:

Kolo Toure. An excellent work ethic but I cant remember any situations where he has been part of a silly or blatantly fun moment.Strong tackler in training as well as a few found out

Mancini I know not a player but worthy of a mention here. He sees plenty of silliness and I am sure takes note maybe to speak with players behind closed doors if they mess about too much but never involved directly in anything, a la Kolo.Always focussed on the job in hand.

Dzeko.Works hard and does extras but another where I don't recall being directly involved in fun things.Not a criticism at all and there would be a few similar candidates. Smiles a lot but deep down a serious guy.

Silva.I think loved by everyone there and involved in a lot but more of a watcher than leading in any high spirits that go on.Another great smiler ( Dzeko,Sergio)but just gets on with it.

Aleks Kolarov. To suggest he doesnt have fun would be crazy because I think he can be crazy but he also has a very serious side to him.Not alone in that as many others like Milner and Zaba are simliar. I have mentioned many a time that the training and the end games can be very intense and Aleks would typify that. A great desire to win and showed it on many occasions including one where he and Vinnie had a disagreement.Vinnie won of course and it was all over in a flash with a hand shake but he was very very serious at that time.

The winner of this though I am giving to David Silva.

Cant belive Lescott hasnt had a mention anywhere! Most fun would have been where he was a contender! Really settled now and confident in his position at the club and in the team.When he started he was a little in awe I though and it took quite a while to settle but now involved a lot in all the fun and at the front of plenty.

Honestly, sounds like we got a good blend. Jokers are always needed as are the more serious types. Football team is like miniature society. There's leaders and followers. Loud people and quiet people. People who take things seriously and people who mostly joke around. Too many or too few of any of those categories and it doesn't function.

I have one more question. Having played football myself for a long time I know people in team tend to form groups of friends which is just natural. Are there any odd friendships? Like people who you wouldn't expect to be relatively close with each other?

[Avalon]

God knows what happened here as I typed a full answer to the most serious trainer only for nothing to appear !!! How I hate doing that and wasting effort.

Will try again later

Do what I do : copy my post before hitting post so that I can go back and paste if something went wrong

[Douglas Higginbottom]

God knows what happened here as I typed a full answer to the most serious trainer only for nothing to appear !!! How I hate doing that and wasting effort.

Will try again later

Do what I do : copy my post before hitting post so that I can go back and paste if something went wrong

Interesting you should say that but that is exactly what I was doing ( and usually do) when it all went wrong!

Anyway it's all there somewhere and I have just come back from enjoying Albert Square and the early part of the parade.

Glad the weather was good and now to amputate my right foot.