johnny crossan said:That's the key issue I think, will Roberto learn from his and others' mistakes? I think he's got the bottle to sort the players he has brought in who aren't up to it (Dzeko, Savic & Kolarov) and also those who he has inherited who aren't up for it (de Jong, Johnson, Kolo) together with the obvious problems (Tevez, Balotelli & Adebayor.)BillyShears said:.. The question the owners will surely be asking themselves, and it's something I've repeated often enough in the last week or so, is whether Mancini is getting the best out of the players he has at his disposal. That's a much more important question than whether we finish first or second in the context of Mancini keeping his job...
bluecityboy said:I shake my head everytime someone tries to discredit Guardiola. Its like saying Fergie is nothing special beecause he's been successful with only one club.
Damocles said:So two time CL winner, three time La Liga winner is just as good as a guy who had a good season in Portugal?
I don't even know where to starty with that.
That's exactly how I view it too.Scooby Blue said:Forget the arguments about who gets in a combined Manchester team etc...
the real point of the article is "long-term principle" vs "short-term" need to win title (to establish credibility).
I'm not an expert on FFP rules...but I think there are certain exclusions for "developing" youth academy. i.e. we can spend money on attracting loads of talented young players that doesn't count against us for FFP purposes.
Combined with investment in training complex...this suggests the "instincts" of the management team + owners favour the Barcelona/Arsenal approach.
In other words...we have acted like Real Madrid / Chelsea in the short-term to get credible + to make our project "attractive"...but the real intention is to look like Barcelona/Arsenal in the long-term, with a reliance on talented young players coming through our academy (even if drafted in from elsewhere).
I'm in the camp that reckons criticism of Guardiola is a bit unfair...
Of course he is blessed with a super-talented set of players...but their work-ethic is hugely impressive + I feel that his whole "approach" to managing a football club lies far closer to the visions of our owner than Mourinho.
"Sorting" includes protecting the owner's investment and subtlety is in the eye of the beholder. We'll see a trophy or two next season I'm sure. Hopefully with Khaldoon & Roberto at the helm.BillyShears said:Doesn't really paint him in a good light when you consider that we spent 75 million on Kolarov, Dzeko, and Balotelli. I also don't think it's a question of bottle, it's a matter of subtlety in handling the players as individuals rather than treating them in a one size fits all way.johnny crossan said:That's the key issue I think, will Roberto learn from his and others' mistakes? I think he's got the bottle to sort the players he has brought in who aren't up to it (Dzeko, Savic & Kolarov) and also those who he has inherited who aren't up for it (de Jong, Johnson, Kolo) together with the obvious problems (Tevez, Balotelli & Adebayor.)BillyShears said:.. The question the owners will surely be asking themselves, and it's something I've repeated often enough in the last week or so, is whether Mancini is getting the best out of the players he has at his disposal. That's a much more important question than whether we finish first or second in the context of Mancini keeping his job...
tolmie's hairdoo said:All a bit frothy for my taste.
We have to be careful in terms of understanding what makes Guardiola tick, his supposed merits.
He retains a certain drive because of his Catalan roots, his desire to prolong the success of the club.
His, is a love affair, as it is for many of their homegrown stars.
It's the same when people were creaming themselves over Athletico Bilbao players the other week.
These kids will die for their region, their club.
They would lose something vital should they leave.
Mourinho has no such linkage, there are no question mark about his ability to deliver elsewhere.
Guardiola has too many question marks, and also, idealism, apart, City, at the present time want to be winning, not waiting ten years for Guardiola's vision to come to fruition.
Scooby Blue said:Forget the arguments about who gets in a combined Manchester team etc...
the real point of the article is "long-term principle" vs "short-term" need to win title (to establish credibility).
I'm not an expert on FFP rules...but I think there are certain exclusions for "developing" youth academy. i.e. we can spend money on attracting loads of talented young players that doesn't count against us for FFP purposes.
Combined with investment in training complex...this suggests the "instincts" of the management team + owners favour the Barcelona/Arsenal approach.
In other words...we have acted like Real Madrid / Chelsea in the short-term to get credible + to make our project "attractive"...but the real intention is to look like Barcelona/Arsenal in the long-term, with a reliance on talented young players coming through our academy (even if drafted in from elsewhere).
I'm in the camp that reckons criticism of Guardiola is a bit unfair...
Of course he is blessed with a super-talented set of players...but their work-ethic is hugely impressive + I feel that his whole "approach" to managing a football club lies far closer to the visions of our owner than Mourinho.