As a club - what have we done so wrong?

[didactic]

Its just envy we as fans are now experiencing what all successful people go through to some extent. People do not like to see those they looked down on come up over night. We were the under dogs less than six seasons ago now we can buy David Silva and have Samir Nasri on the bench?. Get used to it, its like what lotto winners go through. You are not allowed to strike it rich over night. People will hate you because they wish they were you.

Add to that the best team in England, playing the best football with only five dropped points and its almost Christmas. Haters are tossing and turning in their beds. I realised it yesterday the way arch enemies spuds and gooners, dippers and reds were all celebrating together like our season was over because we lost one game. We are now the top dogs the team to beat the head everyone wants on their wall. So with great success comes the hate, this is what it feels like to be on top. Even the pundits could not contain their happiness that we lost.

Its difficult for some because we never expected it in our lifetimes but its here.

 

[KillieMitch]

Hello killiemitch, interesting insight; fair play. one thing - I'd imagine the industry that is football needs to have a word with itself, en masse. £200,000 a week to play football is ludicrous in reality, but by the same token so is £2000 a week, and i dare say there are many more earning that sort of money. Ticket pricing is the biggest sham of all, tho, imo.

Anyway, i doubt you'll really see city spend again for a while - and by that i don't mean no signings, but i do imagine we'll slow down dramatically and consistently from here on in. Many might say that this is s reaction to financial fair play, but i honestly believe that at the outset, a big splurge was always the plan, then they'd stop. I wish i had time to synopsis the 'las Vegas' thread you'll see on the main page, but you may get the just that we've been talking about something bigger than football,:happening in east Manchester, for the last 2 years and more on there. Something good for the sport at large, the city and the country.

Good point on the wages - you're absolutely right, just as bad at the bottom as it is at the top. And pricing is just as bad (comparatively worse?) for small clubs like ours. £25 it cost me and 4500 others to watch Kilmarnock v Aberdeen in a near hurricane last week. Too expensive - no wonder folk stay away from SPL games.

I'm desperate for Financial Fair Play to work - how exciting would the Premiership be if the teams were on an even footing financially? Clubs like Spurs, Newcastle, Everton all with huge support/history too - I'd love to see a truly competitive transfer market and league. Would love to see who players chose to sign for if money wasn't the issue.

Nick Hornby has a great line: 'it used to cost me the same amount to get in to see Arsenal as it did to get the train to the stadium.' Changed days

 

[MAXXI]

I’m a Kilmarnock fan but I love reading forums to see what the real fans of clubs are saying. I often read this one and have found the City fans on here level headed and good humoured. Thought I’d respond to the OP here because this is an issue my mates and I always seem to end up debating in the pub.

I’m torn over the Man City issue. On the one hand I support a small club and I know what it’s like to stand in the shadow of bigger ones financially. To that end I can appreciate how fantastic if must be for City fans to finally compete for the Premiership. From a fans point of view I’m delighted that fans that have seen a side go up and down for years are getting success. Also, it’s better than the Chelsea takeover to me as the fans were there all along with City. You’re a big club, with a huge fanbase who deserve to do well.

That said, for some reason I just cannot feel happy about City winning things. I know this makes no sense logically speaking, but there’s just something about the money that leaves a bad taste in the mouth. Yes it’s jealousy to an extent – if someone bought Killie and made us better than the Old Firm I wouldn’t complain for a second. There’s just something artificial and cold about the whole project to me, and much as I enjoy watching Aguero and Silva and have hugely enjoyed have Balotelli in the Premiership I just can’t seem to shake it.

As stated, I am well aware that this makes no sense. The other big clubs are where they are because of money too - but the sheer amount involved with City skews things for me. There’s such a disparity between even City and their next biggest rivals now that when City win my feelings are ‘well so they should’ – and that’s a little disappointing from a competitive point of view.

I’ll try to use an example to show why there’s something about the City takeover that crosses some line for me. Previously a player like Walcott looked at the clubs on offer, considered which club held the most place in his heart and suited his style of play. He chose Arsenal with offers from the others. Nowadays, a player like that almost automatically signs for City – the money makes it inevitable. I don’t blame City and I don’t blame the player – I’d do the same – but as I said it makes the whole thing feel cold.

Compare the situation with Walcott to that of Nasri this summer. If the money wasn’t an issue he’d be an Arsenal player – a club that has shown faith in him, brought him on and with fans who loved him. Or even if he wanted to leave, Man Utd were arguably a better option where he’d play every week. Again, gone to City. I find myself in the situation where I simply cannot applaud a good Nasri performance on that knowledge – the sheer money of it all is frustrating and leaves me a bit saddened by football.

I think, to try and pull all that together, the money/corporate side of football is turning people off football for all sorts of reasons, but City seem to embody all that frustration. When people get really frustrated about City I think it’s often the money situation in football generally that annoys them rather than the club. Unfortunately you’re a magnet for everyone’s annoyance about the way football has gone.

Hope I’ve explained that well – because I know it doesn’t hold together, but it is the way I feel. Best of luck for the season, and maybes send a few young lads to Killie to get experience...

You should resign from the forum with immediate effect - that way you go out at the top after posting what is a top class contribution to the debate!

My own view is that whilst I don't believe that in any way MCFC have done anything wrong, and that any club in the world would love to be in our situation, I see the dilemma that you describe on the face of almost every opposition supporter that I talk to.

I disagree,

United did matched City's offer to snap Nasri and it wasn't based on money ONLY, for Nasri to play every week it isn't guaranteed at any club, Berbatov cl snub was a prime example he witnessed.

Nasri have the option whether to play alongside; Rooney, Evra, Nani, Young, Rio and Pea or play alongside; Silva, Balotelli, Kompany, De Jong, Yaya, Dzeko and Aguero.. he chooses the better Blue option no-brainer.

the fact that when Nasri tells it like it is "good signing, show ambition" Arsène board and Co, did not like it at all had Nasri chooses Untd will Arse* fans still love him? no

Arsène "Whinger"is the biggest L I A R,
he turned the heat and Arse* fans on the lad, made up Nasri's "mega-deal" sounds saga dragged it over and over to long for more money to make a few (planned) cheap deadline dodgy signing, now Arsène a is hero ....NOT

Nasri will win many trophy with City whilst in Arsène "Whinger Arsenal will RUST

 

[Joga Bonito]

I'm desperate for Financial Fair Play to work - how exciting would the Premiership be if the teams were on an even footing financially? Clubs like Spurs, Newcastle, Everton all with huge support/history too - I'd love to see a truly competitive transfer market and league. Would love to see who players chose to sign for if money wasn't the issue.

Unfortunately mate what FFP will do is make the rich richer and poor poorer, if clubs can only spend what they earn then the smaller clubs will be stuck with a small budget while the biggest clubs will have the biggest budgets and thus the playing field will not be equal.

 

[The Pink Panther]

I'm desperate for Financial Fair Play to work - how exciting would the Premiership be if the teams were on an even footing financially? Clubs like Spurs, Newcastle, Everton all with huge support/history too - I'd love to see a truly competitive transfer market and league. Would love to see who players chose to sign for if money wasn't the issue.

Unfortunately mate what FFP will do is make the rich richer and poor poorer, if clubs can only spend what they earn then the smaller clubs will be stuck with a small budget while the biggest clubs will have the biggest budgets and thus the playing field will not be equal.

I will qualify JB's post by pointing out that if a Premier League team enters the champions league, they receive a minimum of £25M.
How will other Premier league clubs compete with that and break the cycle without outside investment?

Going back to Josh's original post,.
Mate, what Charley should have quoted was a bit of "istree"
To the dipperpool auntie - Who won a European trophy first, Liverpool or City?
To the rag uncle - You were going out of business until a billionaire of his day saved you and bought a squad and a new stadium, sound familiar!

 

[Zmajuga]

A genuine question to all City fans - What have Manchester City Football Club done that is perceived as so wrong?

We touched "The Untouchables".

 

[ell]

I'm desperate for Financial Fair Play to work - how exciting would the Premiership be if the teams were on an even footing financially? Clubs like Spurs, Newcastle, Everton all with huge support/history too - I'd love to see a truly competitive transfer market and league. Would love to see who players chose to sign for if money wasn't the issue.

Unfortunately mate what FFP will do is make the rich richer and poor poorer, if clubs can only spend what they earn then the smaller clubs will be stuck with a small budget while the biggest clubs will have the biggest budgets and thus the playing field will not be equal.

FFR Will ruin football. Martin Samuel made a cracking article the other day.

How do you become good you either buy the best players or produce them through your academy.

FFR will rule out the first so you would have to produce players, but let me ask... where is Phil Jones, Adam Johnson, Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge? They have all been bought by the "bigger" clubs.

 

[Hes the left back remember]

I'm just waiting for a bid to take over Everton by some Billionaire is thwarted by Everton fans who despise clubs who have money. They despise us and their vitriolic attacks by their manager and supporters is some of the worst around.So if a takeover is tried at 'the peoples club' i'm sure it will be refused by all and sundry connected to the club because obviously money, and the success it can bring if used correctly, is evil.

 

[Clevers]

Answer to the question - nothing.

I'd rather we be hated for what we are than loved for what we are not.

 

[DD]

I'm just waiting for a bid to take over Everton by some Billionaire is thwarted by Everton fans who despise clubs who have money. They despise us and their vitriolic attacks by their manager and supporters is some of the worst around.So if a takeover is tried at 'the peoples club' i'm sure it will be refused by all and sundry connected to the club because obviously money, and the success it can bring if used correctly, is evil.

No-one will ever want to take over them though because the FFPR has made them uninvestable. :)