allblues09
Well-Known Member
I know this idea was discussed earlier, but I cannot find that thread. This is a comment piece from MENS which is pretty well written. Even if I am not sure that I agree with all of it.
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co...y/s/1091532_comment_city_victims_of_prejudice
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co...y/s/1091532_comment_city_victims_of_prejudice
Comment: City victims of prejudice
Chris Bailey
20/ 1/2009
SO the deal that would have turned world football order upside down is off - a bombshell development that no doubt will please all those critics of the Blues whose only crime was to compete with the so called top four and bring some glory to what has become known as Middle Eastlands.
It had become open season on City and their Abu Dhabi owner - and it reeked of prejudice.
Never can a proposed football transfer even one at a world record £100m have attracted so many acres of negative newsprint, hours of carping television footage and ranting radio air time as the now concluded Kaka saga.
Abu Dhabi's approach to business is quiet, considered and determined. They are low key and low profile and like it that way.
There is none of the brashness that sometimes comes with super wealth and power, but a firmness of resolve and recognition of local sensibilities.
They plan everything to the last detail and the move for Kaka is no different.
They knew and understood that they are were not trying to buy just a footballer, but a philanthropist and business whose interests can be jointly expanded globally.
The Abu Dhabi owners have been privately stunned by some of the reactions to the audacious bid that they almost pulled off - and remember that not once had they publicly commented on a transaction that was leaked from Milan not Manchester or the Middle East.
The Abu Dhabi owners are correct to feel aggrieved as much, if not most, of the coverage of the Kaka bid has been relentlessly negative. Ignorant at best - jealous at worst.
Nonsense
Most of the arrant and arrogant nonsense came from uninformed sources and commentators that know little about City and their owners. Even less about the ins and outs of the detailed now doomed efforts to bring Kaka to Eastlands.
How easy it was for so-called Fleet Street experts to sit in their ivory towers and sling poisoned barbs at the newly-rich Eastlands.
Blues owner Sheikh Mansour, who saved a proud old top flight club from the jaws of administration when he bought it for £210m in the summer, was being summarily accused of everything from being morally redundant to ruining football - selling its traditions down the river, presumably in a burning Dhow.
"Look how many hospitals and schools you could build with that kind of money," is the tired refrain from those who have suddenly found some hitherto hidden morals.
Well, shock horror, it was not an Abu Dhabi Prince's job to improve the infrastructure of public life in this country - that is our government's duty and god knows they are experts at wasting cash.
In any case, everyone can rest assured that his billions do untold good for the people of his homeland.
Where was all this moralising and pontificating when Madrid were willing to pay £80m for Ronaldo who, whatever this year's poll may say, is an inferior all-rounder to Kaka who won that award himself in 2007.
Where is the rule that says only the English big four and Barcelona and Madrid can buy the best in the world?
Instead of carping and moaning about Sheikh Mansour and the use of his own private funds - there is no debt at City, unlike most of their gaping-mouthed rivals - perhaps all the naysayers should spend a moment or two thinking about the positives.
For a start, Milan were ecstatic that they may have been receiving £100m to rebuild an ageing team that is currently little better than City's and Sheikh Mansour was happy to hand over the fee.
Entertainment
The English game would have got yet another huge shot in the arm, every ground in the country where Kaka plays would have been full to the brim and the rights for the next television deal would have gone through the roof as fans all over the world tuned in.
Others big stars would no doubt have followed, making England the undisputed home of football.
Football is in the entertainment industry and all entertainers, whatever the sphere, know that leading men and women get more than the rest of the cast.
Those who poke fun at the manager saying he has no control over who is coming into City are speaking through their backsides.
Mark Hughes has been an integral part of a process that dates back months. Now the word from Eastlands is that Kaka was a one off so don't expect any further moves for a world-ranked superstar{hellip}not untilthe summer anyway.
He was at the meetings that set up the plan to build a side long-term that included seasoned internationals, home grown academy products and a sprinkling of superstars. He has had a voice at all stages since then.
City have a clear vision of how to develop a team that will find success and more importantly be able to repeat it year after year in the long term.
That is why top-class internationals Wayne Bridge and Nigel de Jong have been on their list of buys and why there will be huge on-going investment in the academy.
The Blues plan was to add Galacticos at a future date until it became clear that Kaka might be available earlier than expected so sparking a unique deal for a unique player.
Silly
Talk of City driving up prices to silly levels and travelling the world cherry-picking who they want are pure fantasy.
They have already walked away from deals where they have been asked £80m for players they think are worth less than one-third of that amount.
And to those who say there is no worth in buying your way to the title there is a two-word answer - Blackburn and Chelsea.
It is nothing new for clubs with rich owners to spend their fortune on their teams.
Not so, say the anti-City brigade that begrudges the Blues bettering themselves.
City should sweat, work and build to win anything they say.
Well, what do they think the club has been doing for 32 years?
No other side has sweated longer or more profusely and the jealous should stop carping at their current good fortune in having an owner that wants measured and sustainable success. City should be applauded for giving it a go. This time fortune didn't favour the brave.