"City dig heels in over Robinho"

[Blue Train]

I tell you what if we stand our ground and Robinho is still a city player come 2nd Feb I think we will see a much improved attitude and performances from the player. Why ? no chance of a move, no first team football at a decent level = no world cup place.
.

Or he might have had a couple more games to get match fit after his injury, like Tevez had to do for the first month or so of the season. Clear signs of it against Scunthorpe. Put in a shift, worked hard and scored a goal.

 

[bizzbo]

I'm exploring ways in which the club can be seen to do the best for 'the club'.

If he isnt going to play then fine, move him on - but don't do it at the cost of the team building we need to do.

The £32.5m has already been spent but we could save many,many millions more by proving a point to any future signings.

EG we know that Ade has issues at the moment and should be provided all the help needed but he has also shown that he can be as bad as Robinho if things are going his way.

Being strong now could save a lot more in the long run.

I personally don't rate Robinho as a long term prospect in any case as he has a history of being flash in the pan, almost a part time genius.

Bring on Messi i say ;-)

there's being strong and there is being stubborn.... it's always a balancing act but I'll keep saying it, there isn't a club in the land that hasn't taken a big hit at some point. it's part of the game, everyone understands it. the most important thing here, for appearances sakes, is to show that robinho can't railroad us.... all this talk about an 18month loan.... don't make me laugh! how could they possibly be in a position to make us accept that? 6 month loan is no problem whatsoever. a good world cup and clubs will be queuing up for him at 20m+. if he accepts a wage cut to join Santos (as he has indicated), he damages his ability to negotiate those wages going forward, i.e. city would be unlikely to have to cover any difference in wages at the next club he joined permanently. this situation is just not as bad as some people are making out. the scheva/crespo deals were different primarily because they were season long loans to older players. even then, it's not damaged chelsea permanently, everyone takes them seriously, just as they do liverpool (keane), arsenal (jeffers & wright), united (taibi, veron, countless others), AC Milan (gourcoff), Real Madrid (countless players) and so on

what this isn't, is the same situation as ronaldo and utd, where real had presumably offered big money for a permanent deal. we can't make it that way until we get offers for robinho, which won't happen until the summer.

 

[Blue Mooner]

I'm exploring ways in which the club can be seen to do the best for 'the club'.

If he isnt going to play then fine, move him on - but don't do it at the cost of the team building we need to do.

The £32.5m has already been spent but we could save many,many millions more by proving a point to any future signings.

EG we know that Ade has issues at the moment and should be provided all the help needed but he has also shown that he can be as bad as Robinho if things are going his way.

Being strong now could save a lot more in the long run.

I personally don't rate Robinho as a long term prospect in any case as he has a history of being flash in the pan, almost a part time genius.

Bring on Messi i say ;-)

there's being strong and there is being stubborn.... it's always a balancing act but I'll keep saying it, there isn't a club in the land that hasn't taken a big hit at some point. it's part of the game, everyone understands it. the most important thing here, for appearances sakes, is to show that robinho can't railroad us.... all this talk about an 18month loan.... don't make me laugh! how could they possibly be in a position to make us accept that? 6 month loan is no problem whatsoever. a good world cup and clubs will be queuing up for him at 20m+. if he accepts a wage cut to join Santos (as he has indicated), he damages his ability to negotiate those wages going forward, i.e. city would be unlikely to have to cover any difference in wages at the next club he joined permanently. this situation is just not as bad as some people are making out. the scheva/crespo deals were different primarily because they were season long loans to older players. even then, it's not damaged chelsea permanently, everyone takes them seriously, just as they do liverpool (keane), arsenal (jeffers & wright), united (taibi, veron, countless others), AC Milan (gourcoff), Real Madrid (countless players) and so on

what this isn't, is the same situation as ronaldo and utd, where real had presumably offered big money for a permanent deal. we can't make it that way until we get offers for robinho, which won't happen until the summer.

Big difference was that both Sheva and Crespo were in the twighlight of their careers. Robinho arguably has his best years ahead.

We will drive up his value far more by him performing in the Premier League and we need Robbie ata minimum as a squad player.

I wouldn't countenance any sort of loan deal. Let him play his football with the blues, have a great World Cup and then evaluate how both parties feel at that point.

This is too much of a knee jerk reaction from Robbie imo

 

[alera]

there's being strong and there is being stubborn.... it's always a balancing act but I'll keep saying it, there isn't a club in the land that hasn't taken a big hit at some point. it's part of the game, everyone understands it. the most important thing here, for appearances sakes, is to show that robinho can't railroad us.... all this talk about an 18month loan.... don't make me laugh! how could they possibly be in a position to make us accept that? 6 month loan is no problem whatsoever. a good world cup and clubs will be queuing up for him at 20m+. if he accepts a wage cut to join Santos (as he has indicated), he damages his ability to negotiate those wages going forward, i.e. city would be unlikely to have to cover any difference in wages at the next club he joined permanently. this situation is just not as bad as some people are making out. the scheva/crespo deals were different primarily because they were season long loans to older players. even then, it's not damaged chelsea permanently, everyone takes them seriously, just as they do liverpool (keane), arsenal (jeffers & wright), united (taibi, veron, countless others), AC Milan (gourcoff), Real Madrid (countless players) and so on

what this isn't, is the same situation as ronaldo and utd, where real had presumably offered big money for a permanent deal. we can't make it that way until we get offers for robinho, which won't happen until the summer.

I see where you are comming from if it was only a loan until the end of the season AND they cover all his wages, we pay nothing AND there is an understanding he wont be allowed to stay there and dictate where he goes in the summer (impossible if we let him get away with this but there you go) then I can see where you are comming from - but there is no way I can see any of these conditions being met by Santos and Robinho certainly not all.

Obviously we would also need to bring in at least one other forward if he was to leave as it stands we only have 2 fit forwards at the club with Benjani also likely to leave and Bellamy has a problem with his knee and cant play more than a game a week.

The real problem will be extracting an sort of decent fee with the way he has behaved at Real and city, his form over the last 12 months and the fact he demands a move and gets his own way at every club he has ever played for.

What club could afford and would actually pay £20 million for him and £160K when he behaves like this ?

I have to agree that the only way we can extract maximum value is stand up to him make him play and perform in the prem week in week out. Has a decent world cup then we can negotiate from a position of strength.

 

[fbloke]

Bizzbo

I think what makes Robinho and City's position more unusual is the lack of respect he has shown almost continually, seemingly form day one.

Within weeks of signing for City he was talking about the dream of playing for other clubs, that doesnt sit well with me and I am sure a lot of other Blues too?

The pandering that Hughes and even the Sheikh have had to do is somewhat embarrassing for the clubs end and I see the situation has emboldened him and taken him to where he is now.

If Hughes had had a stringer hand to play (which I assume Mancini has now with HRH's backing) then perhaps, just perhaps we would have seen more from Robinho and he would have been quieter in the press.

But we are where we are and the best way for the club to regain some respect and strengthen their future position is to act decisively and with real, public show of strength.

There is obviously no real options for City or Mancini with the lad now as his mind is made up and he has proven with Santos and Madrid how far he goes to get his own way.

I think it is the moment to draw a line in the sand and the club will benefit for years tom come. Its about more than the money now.

 

[alera]

Bizzbo

I think what makes Robinho and City's position more unusual is the lack of respect he has shown almost continually, seemingly form day one.

Within weeks of signing for City he was talking about the dream of playing for other clubs, that doesnt sit well with me and I am sure a lot of other Blues too?

The pandering that Hughes and even the Sheikh have had to do is somewhat embarrassing for the clubs end and I see the situation has emboldened him and taken him to where he is now.

If Hughes had had a stringer hand to play (which I assume Mancini has now with HRH's backing) then perhaps, just perhaps we would have seen more from Robinho and he would have been quieter in the press.

But we are where we are and the best way for the club to regain some respect and strengthen their future position is to act decisively and with real, public show of strength.

There is obviously no real options for City or Mancini with the lad now as his mind is made up and he has proven with Santos and Madrid how far he goes to get his own way.

I think it is the moment to draw a line in the sand and the club will benefit for years tom come. Its about more than the money now.

THIS. Hes forced our hand at the end of the day, I dont see we have any other option than to make a stand and make an example of him. Hes saying in the press 3 days before our biggest game in 30 years before a crucial FA cup tie thats his last game for the club thats he definately gong back to Santos.

Santos are saying its a done deal, their official rep says he will definately be a santos player and back in Brazil by Thursday.

I cant believe that any city fan is happy for the club to be ridden rough shod over in this manner.

 

[bizzbo]

if he plays well, fine.... but if he plays poorly in this league, and we are paying for the privilege, what's the gain for us? we pay his wages AND his value goes down? how does that make us look smart? somebody has to make the call, will he play regularly? will he play well? will he help or hinder the push for fourth this season? he's obviously not settled. I think even his biggest fans can admit the premiership is probably not ideal for him, his next permanent move would be to a Mediterranean country, so why try to prove his worth in this league?.... IMO you loan him out for 6 months, get him happy, get a great world cup out of him, and suddenly he's hot property for the spaniards, portugese, italians.

it's not ideal that it's come up now, and we can't be seen to cave into him... but a 6 month loan could prove a good way of preserving his value and saving on wages, whilst moving an unsettled player on,

 

[tommytheblue]

go on city, fuck him, He cant go anywhere, he can either stay and fight or stay and do nothing!

This deal does nothing for city!

 

[Matt Diablo]

Santos have asked Manchester City to pay about half of Robinho’s wages as they prepare to make him the highest-earning player in Brazil.

Fresh details of the complex deal emerged last night that reveal the strength of the forward’s desire to return to his former team, the lengths that the Brazilian club are going to to secure the signing and the scale of City’s financial muscle.

The forward is ready to take a pay cut of about £45,000 a week from the £150,000 that he secured when he became the most expensive player in this country after moving from Real Madrid 18 months ago. Santos are in talks with sponsors to help to fund about £35,000 of the remaining wage — three times more than their present top earner — with City expected to pick up the balance, about £70,000.

There will probably also be a loan fee payable from Santos to City.

Odilio Rodrigues Filho, the Santos vice-president, is set to arrive in Manchester today to put the final touches to the deal, including its length, which could be completed in the next 24 hours. He will join two Santos marketing directors, Armênio Neto and Eduardo Musa, who have held talks with their counterparts to thrash out contractual issues such as image rights.

Robinho, 26, has made it clear that he wants to move to boost his standing in Brazil before the World Cup finals. He has scored only four goals since the end of 2008.

“It is 90 per cent certain,” Robinho said. “I am bursting to get back to Santos. [The move] is well under way. The clubs are talking about the duration of my loan. Santos would like it to be for a year, but City will only allow me to leave for six months.”

City maintain that their record signing, who cost £34.2 million in September 2008, will not be moving permanently. They received an informal inquiry from Benfica. Santos’ problem is simply to find the money to re-sign the player, who spent three years at the club before he joined Real in 2005.

They have been in talks with local sponsors to raise more than 20 per cent of the player’s wages, following on from similar agreements that have enabled Ronaldo, Adriano and Roberto Carlos to return to Brazil. Ronaldo earns about £80,000 a week playing for Corinthians, some of which is paid by sponsors.

Luís Álvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro, the Santos president, has confirmed that City could be given first option on Paulo Henrique Ganso and Neymar, the playmaker and forward respectively, as part of the deal and said that the weather had been a significant factor in Robinho’s desire to return to Brazil.

“An underlying factor is that in England it is two degrees and in Santos it is 38 degrees [100F],” Ribeiro said. “For technical reasons, he wants to come back. The manager has a plan and Robinho wants to be more near to Brazil for the World Cup. He has accepted a considerable reduction in his salary. I confess that I once thought Robinho returning was just a fantasy, but I believe after I talked with him that it can happen.

“We will have news about Robinho by the end of the week. We have two representatives in England conversing with him and here in Brazil we are going to look for sponsorship.”

As a measure of the inequality that Robinho would bring if the proposed loan move goes through, the club’s present top players, Fabio Costa, the goalkeeper, and Leo, the defender, earn about £17,000 a week.

Emmanuel Adebayor, the City striker, was back in training yesterday after returning from Africa in the wake of the fatal attack on the Togo coach in the build-up to the Africa Cup of Nations this month. It will be left to Adebayor to decide whether to put himself forward for selection for tomorrow evening’s Carling Cup semi-final, second leg with Manchester United at Old Trafford and he has been offered counselling.

City officials are adamant that they have not made an offer for Fernando Gago, the Real Madrid midfield player, and have played down talk that Benjani Mwaruwari, the striker, could be allowed to leave this month.

 

[fbloke]

Don't forget that he has made a quite startling point himself recently, with direct quotes.

I paraphrase here - ' I talked with the manager and he said I will play one game but not another and thats not good enough for me'

So he readily admits his form has been poor and yet he basically demands to play or he to chooses where he goes at the clubs cost.

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.