Daily Mail Article (Pep allegedly wants improved atmosphere)

[quiet_riot]

It's almost like the higher-ups are out of touch, having scrapped all communications with real supporters.

 

[willipp]

it wasnt rocking under pelle, i actually thought it was better under mancini. for the most part though we have played some really good stuff. if we get this style right i.e. games like monaco at home, arsenal at home. its some of the most exciting football I've seen in years. it didn't used to matter who played for us or if we played shit, the fans got behind the team, we weren't busy shitting ourselves. our fans have got lazy imo and have forgotten how to support the team especially when we need support.

we are 2-1 down and aren't playing well. do you just not get behind the team ? surely if we aren't playing well and the players need a lift the fans are the answer

I go back to the bournmouth game this season i think to emphasise that if the football on the pitch is right, then the atmosphere follows. Think we won 4 - 0 and it was a great atmosphere that day. We played some sublime stuff and i remember in that second half the whole ground was joining in and almost constant singing. It was nothing to do with who we were playing or ticket prices, it was down to how we were playing on the pitch, and at the time the momemtum we all felt with Peps initial results. The football on the pitch drives the atmosphere and for me, get that right and the atmosphere will improve no end.

 

[fbloke]

There's a generational change that means people of 30+ are now the only ones to have stood, smoked etc but also have been penned in like animals.

The atmosphere from the dark days was more visceral than the more sanitised world we all live in, it's not rocket science now is it?

We were also fortunate that the Kippax was a massive expanse of terracing that ran the length of the pitch and was the home of some seriously bang on lads. Pre-game drinking was easier, people could pay on the gate (at a smaller cost) and there were,iirc a lot more younger people able to go.

What can the club do about it? Well I would start by ending the need to pay to be a fucking Cityzen. It seems to me that the club is run by marketing people who are tasked with making money at every turn. They know plenty about analytics and next to nothing about football.

If I could be bothered to work it out I would do the maths and tell you what it would cost a family of 2 adults and 2 kids go to one or two games a season but I know that before you take the punt on tickets, with the worry about dates/times changes, you have to buy 4 x Cityzens memberships in order to buy early enough - an adult membership is £35 for starters.

Now if KFC can offer a free loyalty card and throw some hot wings in to seal the deal it seems like a sit idea to charge £35 for a loyalty fucking card!

Anyway, I could go on for hours about it but I suspect the move from Cook to Soriano spelt the end of a vision I could have signed up to.

 

[blue62]

I go back to the bournmouth game this season i think to emphasise that if the football on the pitch is right, then the atmosphere follows. Think we won 4 - 0 and it was a great atmosphere that day. We played some sublime stuff and i remember in that second half the whole ground was joining in and almost constant singing. It was nothing to do with who we were playing or ticket prices, it was down to how we were playing on the pitch, and at the time the momemtum we all felt with Peps initial results. The football on the pitch drives the atmosphere and for me, get that right and the atmosphere will improve no end.

To coin a phrase - this would make us 'fair weather fans' Which is something we never were. If we'd had this attitude years ago when we were terrible the banner at the swamp would still be there and reading 41 years.

 

[dave_blue12]

There's a generational change that means people of 30+ are now the only ones to have stood, smoked etc but also have been penned in like animals.

The atmosphere from the dark days was more visceral than the more sanitised world we all live in, it's not rocket science now is it?

We were also fortunate that the Kippax was a massive expanse of terracing that ran the length of the pitch and was the home of some seriously bang on lads. Pre-game drinking was easier, people could pay on the gate (at a smaller cost) and there were,iirc a lot more younger people able to go.

What can the club do about it? Well I would start by ending the need to pay to be a fucking Cityzen. It seems to me that the club is run by marketing people who are tasked with making money at every turn. They know plenty about analytics and next to nothing about football.

If I could be bothered to work it out I would do the maths and tell you what it would cost a family of 2 adults and 2 kids go to one or two games a season but I know that before you take the punt on tickets, with the worry about dates/times changes, you have to buy 4 x Cityzens memberships in order to buy early enough - an adult membership is £35 for starters.

Now if KFC can offer a free loyalty card and throw some hot wings in to seal the deal it seems like a sit idea to charge £35 for a loyalty fucking card!

Anyway, I could go on for hours about it but I suspect the move from Cook to Soriano spelt the end of a vision I could have signed up to.

Totally agree !

 

[willipp]

To coin a phrase - this would make us 'fair weather fans' Which is something we never were. If we'd had this attitude years ago when we were terrible the banner at the swamp would still be there and reading 41 years.

Its reality im afraid, football in general isn't what it was 30 years ago. Its the same in every ground in the premier league. If the team plays well and the football is good then there is a direct impact on the atmosphere. We can't deny that the makeup and attitude of a crowd today at the Etihad is extremely different to what it was a Maine Road and on the Kippax.

 

[Lancet Fluke]

Its reality im afraid, football in general isn't what it was 30 years ago. Its the same in every ground in the premier league. If the team plays well and the football is good then there is a direct impact on the atmosphere. We can't deny that the makeup and attitude of a crowd today at the Etihad is extremely different to what it was a Maine Road and on the Kippax.

I agree. I'm fairly sure if we were proper shite again then fans would respond accordingly and try to lift the team in their hour of need but what we have had in the last two or three years is a situation where we are in no danger of catastrophe but haven't been as good as we feel we should be and it has lead to a complacency/boredom. We are in a bit of a comfort zone in the league but without the thrill of a genuine title challenge. Times have changed and in most Prem grounds I think fans sit and wait to be enthused by the football and then start singing. Not saying any of it is right but I do think it is just the way it is and I am as guilty as anyone, I have found myself getting quieter and quieter at matches in the last couple of years. It's difficult to justify being totally not enthused by watching us farting around in third or fourth when I was loud and proud when we were terrible but I'm obviously not the only one who is instinctively responding that way.

 

[MaccBlueSS115]

Its reality im afraid, football in general isn't what it was 30 years ago. Its the same in every ground in the premier league. If the team plays well and the football is good then there is a direct impact on the atmosphere. We can't deny that the makeup and attitude of a crowd today at the Etihad is extremely different to what it was a Maine Road and on the Kippax.

It doesn't mean something shouldn't be done about it though. There are a number of different actions the club could take to improve the atmosphere but the club doesn't have the thirst to do it, they'd much rather cater for the corporates and the kids (although as a kid I loved Maine Road and didn't care about playing video games pre-match, waving at a man dressed as a fat, blue alien or buying all the endless tat the club shop sells, and I haven't missed a home game at the Etihad, all that should matter as a kid is watching your heroes play football and enjoying the atmosphere of the game). You're right football in general isn't what it was, it doesn't mean to say you can't change that though.

 

[willipp]

I agree. I'm fairly sure if we were proper shite again then fans would respond accordingly and try to lift the team in their hour of need but what we have had in the last two or three years is a situation where we are in no danger of catastrophe but haven't been as good as we feel we should be and it has lead to a complacency/boredom. We are in a bit of a comfort zone in the league but without the thrill of a genuine title challenge. Times have changed and in most Prem grounds I think fans sit and wait to be enthused by the football and then start singing. Not saying any of it is right but I do think it is just the way it is and I am as guilty as anyone, I have found myself getting quieter and quieter at matches in the last couple of years. It's difficult to justify being totally not enthused by watching us farting around in third or fourth when I was loud and proud when we were terrible but I'm obviously not the only one who is instinctively responding that way.

I am exactly the same. Find myself watching with my arms folded for large parts of the game in total silence. Only really can recall 2 or 3 games this season where ive come off buzzing from the atmosphere. Then again, our home form this season has been shocking and it wasn't great last season either, so im sure that does impact people. We have drawn / lost so many games at home this season, is it really any suprise people dont go crazy. Like you say, when we were shit, we all knew it and in a peverse way we revelled in how crap we were at times. Then again i remember losing to the like of wimbledon 1-0 on a rainy wednesday night in Feb and i am pretty sure there were just as many glum faces on the Kippax then as there are now when we are only drawing 0-0 with Stoke at home.

 

[willipp]

It doesn't mean something shouldn't be done about it though. There are a number of different actions the club could take to improve the atmosphere but the club doesn't have the thirst to do it, they'd much rather cater for the corporates and the kids (although as a kid I loved Maine Road and didn't care about playing video games pre-match, waving at a man dressed as a fat, blue alien or buying all the endless tat the club shop sells, and I haven't missed a home game at the Etihad, all that should matter as a kid is watching your heroes play football and enjoying the atmosphere of the game). You're right football in general isn't what it was, it doesn't mean to say you can't change that though.

Yes but i bet you loved watching Baker Street singing live on the centre circle just before kick off ;)

But yes, i think there is plenty the club can do and i thnk the likes of 1894 are really helping. But unless these initiatives are supported by the club with a long term vision to improve the atmosphere then the reality is it will just stay as it is or get worse.

 

[kippax4ever]

The Bar-coders are in on it now.

Manchester City owners realising should have bought Newcastle as can’t sell Wembley allocation

After looking at buying Newcastle, they instead bought Manchester City, how the owners must regretting it with latest Wembley embarrassment.

19 hours ago by Sam Hepworth
Share

Before they decided on Manchester City, the club’s owners were widely reported to have first looked at buying Newcastle United.

Despite the incredible amounts of cash they have poured into the club, especially when it comes to putting top quality players on the pitch, the Manchester City owners have seen the supporters repeatedly fail to respond in kind.

Pretty much every Premier League match you can see thousands of empty seats at the Etihad, as no matter how much money is spent, the City fans don’t fill the ground.


With the latest news on Thursday, the Manchester City owners will definitely have been wishing they’d tried a bit harder to buy Newcastle United instead.

Sky Sports have revealed that astonishingly, Manchester City have failed to sell all of their FA Cup semi-final allocation.

The glamour game sees them up against Arsenal at Wembley and with one day of sales remaining, the club have confirmed to Sky Sports that just under two thousand tickets haven’t been sold yet.

Considering this is the only competition that Man City could still win this season, it is incredible that the tickets weren’t snapped up straight away and over-subscribed.

Sky Sports say that reasons/excuses put forward on behalf of the Manchester City supporters is that a 3pm kick-off on Sunday means fans would get back to Manchester late that night.


There are allegedly also fears amongst their supporters of extra traffic congestion because the London Marathon is also on that day.

Chelsea meet Spurs in the other semi-final on Saturday afternoon.

The reality of course though is that these excuses are just embarrassing and not being able to sell out this Wembley allocation surely indicates once and for all, that no matter how much money the owners pour into the club, Manchester City fans are never going to truly appreciate it.

Now surely they must be able to get Mike Ashley’s phone number from someone…

(All contributions from Newcastle fans welcome, send articles (as well as

 

[CTID1988]

The Bar-coders are in on it now.

Manchester City owners realising should have bought Newcastle as can’t sell Wembley allocation

After looking at buying Newcastle, they instead bought Manchester City, how the owners must regretting it with latest Wembley embarrassment.

19 hours ago by Sam Hepworth
Share

Before they decided on Manchester City, the club’s owners were widely reported to have first looked at buying Newcastle United.

Despite the incredible amounts of cash they have poured into the club, especially when it comes to putting top quality players on the pitch, the Manchester City owners have seen the supporters repeatedly fail to respond in kind.

Pretty much every Premier League match you can see thousands of empty seats at the Etihad, as no matter how much money is spent, the City fans don’t fill the ground.


With the latest news on Thursday, the Manchester City owners will definitely have been wishing they’d tried a bit harder to buy Newcastle United instead.

Sky Sports have revealed that astonishingly, Manchester City have failed to sell all of their FA Cup semi-final allocation.

The glamour game sees them up against Arsenal at Wembley and with one day of sales remaining, the club have confirmed to Sky Sports that just under two thousand tickets haven’t been sold yet.

Considering this is the only competition that Man City could still win this season, it is incredible that the tickets weren’t snapped up straight away and over-subscribed.

Sky Sports say that reasons/excuses put forward on behalf of the Manchester City supporters is that a 3pm kick-off on Sunday means fans would get back to Manchester late that night.


There are allegedly also fears amongst their supporters of extra traffic congestion because the London Marathon is also on that day.

Chelsea meet Spurs in the other semi-final on Saturday afternoon.

The reality of course though is that these excuses are just embarrassing and not being able to sell out this Wembley allocation surely indicates once and for all, that no matter how much money the owners pour into the club, Manchester City fans are never going to truly appreciate it.

Now surely they must be able to get Mike Ashley’s phone number from someone…

(All contributions from Newcastle fans welcome, send articles (as well as

The Geordie twats can say what they like, end of the day the sheikh bought us and not them. They have fat twat Ashely and are in the championship, i think we can have the last laugh on this one

 

[kippax4ever]

The Geordie twats can say what they like, end of the day the sheikh bought us and not them. They have fat twat Ashely and are in the championship, i think we can have the last laugh on this one

Correct Mate & another trip to Wembley..

 

[Gary James]

Remember the days of the Poznan? And Macini's team that didn't lose a single home game. We were battering everyone at home. Fast attacking football. De Jong & co smashing into the away team. It was f***ing superb! So were the atmospheres. We scored that many goals, in the end we burned the Poznan out. O.D.-ing on the Poznan!

Absolutely true! Lots wrong with atmosphere at all PL clubs and the PL should look at what it does. The Mail are being a bit cheeky here and not comparing like for like. Look at NUFC when they were midtable etc. Look at NUFC's crowds in 90s. Compare them with City.

What we need - and I would be happy to do this or to help - is for us to start boasting about our achievements, our loyalty, our unique atmosphere etc. Pep probably still does not know enough about our (MCFC that is) culture and history and, let's face it, anyone growing up on Barca and CL football will think City had nothing pre-2008. We know the truth and rather than focus on us as the team that scraped through a play off in 1999 we need to start shaking football by saying/boasting what we've done. This Sunday is a case in point. It's the 113th anniversary of our first major trophy on Sunday yet Arsenal will probably try to make out we've not got the trophy winning history they have - we won a major trophy 26 years BEFORE them, so let's shout out about this. Let's tell all about our achievements.

As fans we were always great at knocking our history/self-deprecation and I think that was great, but now... the media seem to delight in the fact that we were once shite and now we're good but our fans haven't grown/moved on or whatever they try to say.

Stuff the Emptyhad - our support is bigger than ever and when I went to AC Milan the other week they had about 38,000 for a top flight game. San Siro or Sans Fans? No one abuses them because, well lots of reasons including an owner (sorry former owner) who controlled the media. They also had plenty of fans leaving ten mins before the end and almost everyone in the stand I was in was a tourist of some sort.

Every week we should be boasting that our 54,000 crowd (or whatever) is a demonstration of a growing, forward looking club.

Atmosphere needs work; people need to stay until the end; but more than anything else we all need to recognise that MCFC is a major club, with a fan base that stayed loyal through a (generally) lacklustre 25-30 year period at a time when it's nearest rivals enjoyed phenomenal success. No other English team (possibly European team) has been faced with this over that period. City fans are loyal and committed, where were NUFC fans when they were sh*t? And they don't even share their city with the so-called World's Biggest Club!

 

[blue44]

Absolutely true! Lots wrong with atmosphere at all PL clubs and the PL should look at what it does. The Mail are being a bit cheeky here and not comparing like for like. Look at NUFC when they were midtable etc. Look at NUFC's crowds in 90s. Compare them with City.

What we need - and I would be happy to do this or to help - is for us to start boasting about our achievements, our loyalty, our unique atmosphere etc. Pep probably still does not know enough about our (MCFC that is) culture and history and, let's face it, anyone growing up on Barca and CL football will think City had nothing pre-2008. We know the truth and rather than focus on us as the team that scraped through a play off in 1999 we need to start shaking football by saying/boasting what we've done. This Sunday is a case in point. It's the 113th anniversary of our first major trophy on Sunday yet Arsenal will probably try to make out we've not got the trophy winning history they have - we won a major trophy 26 years BEFORE them, so let's shout out about this. Let's tell all about our achievements.

As fans we were always great at knocking our history/self-deprecation and I think that was great, but now... the media seem to delight in the fact that we were once shite and now we're good but our fans haven't grown/moved on or whatever they try to say.

Stuff the Emptyhad - our support is bigger than ever and when I went to AC Milan the other week they had about 38,000 for a top flight game. San Siro or Sans Fans? No one abuses them because, well lots of reasons including an owner (sorry former owner) who controlled the media. They also had plenty of fans leaving ten mins before the end and almost everyone in the stand I was in was a tourist of some sort.

Every week we should be boasting that our 54,000 crowd (or whatever) is a demonstration of a growing, forward looking club.

Atmosphere needs work; people need to stay until the end; but more than anything else we all need to recognise that MCFC is a major club, with a fan base that stayed loyal through a (generally) lacklustre 25-30 year period at a time when it's nearest rivals enjoyed phenomenal success. No other English team (possibly European team) has been faced with this over that period. City fans are loyal and committed, where were NUFC fans when they were sh*t? And they don't even share their city with the so-called World's Biggest Club!

Brilliant as usual Gary,why are you not working for our club ?

 

[mcfcstu]

Why not entice fans to stay till the end by rewarding them. Maybe after the final whistle do a draw for each stand for maybe a signed shirt or hospitality ticket for 2 and maybe for the family stand a child is selected and can walk out with a player of there choice at the next home game (I'm sure this would stop them wanting to leave early). But you need to be at your seat at the final whistle and show ticket/season card to steward to give details. Just an idea which would cost the club very little.
Any thoughts ? Could this work ?

 

[Gary James]

Why not entice fans to stay till the end by rewarding them. Maybe after the final whistle do a draw for each stand for maybe a signed shirt or hospitality ticket for 2 and maybe for the family stand a child is selected and can walk out with a player of there choice at the next home game (I'm sure this would stop them wanting to leave early). But you need to be at your seat at the final whistle and show ticket/season card to steward to give details. Just an idea which would cost the club very little.
Any thoughts ? Could this work ?

It didn't work when Thaksin did his 'win a car' stunt in 2007-08 so doubt it'd work for a shirt/match ticket. Maybe move City Square on to the pitch post match to keep us in; keep bars open for those that stay; improve transport post match; a bridge over Joe Mercer way past the road to the car park would solve one major issue.

 

[mcfcstu]

Seeing lots of comments about the players performances as well on here which raises the atmosphere, couldn't agree more the players are so far away now from the fans it's embarrassing they can't even bother to acknowledge the fans half the time when they are being applauded before taking a corner. In fact the only time they acknowledge the fans is when Kolarov is berating them for having a go at embarrassing errors from his teammates.

 

[Cheadle_hulmeBlue]

I go back to the bournmouth game this season i think to emphasise that if the football on the pitch is right, then the atmosphere follows. Think we won 4 - 0 and it was a great atmosphere that day. We played some sublime stuff and i remember in that second half the whole ground was joining in and almost constant singing. It was nothing to do with who we were playing or ticket prices, it was down to how we were playing on the pitch, and at the time the momemtum we all felt with Peps initial results. The football on the pitch drives the atmosphere and for me, get that right and the atmosphere will improve no end.

as the poster above says, doesnt that make us fair weather fans then ? only support the team when we win or we play well. never when we are 2-1 down or not playing well. you dont have to go back 30 years, you can go back a few years and most of our crowd got behind the team no matter what.

every crowd reacts to what they see. we need a section that just sings all game no matter what. just like palace have or celtic. we used to have that. if we are only going to cheer or sing when we play amazing or win then we will never have a good atmosphere. you mention the bournemouth game, but there have been plenty of games against smaller teams where we are winning and its been shit.

 

[Eccles Blue]

And if Pep wants to blame the atmosphere on someone else, blame Pellers. We had a manager with the charisma of a door who managed to suck the life out of 2 years of this club.

Ultimately, it's the teams job to get the crowd pumped and not the other way round.

At least Mr Pellegrini acknowledged the fans when they chanted the Sheikh Mansour chant, I've never seen Guardiola acknowledge the fans when they chant about us having Guardiola! He appears more concerned at chopping and changing the team, playing a weakened team against the rags and he definitely hasn't got any more charisma than our last managers! Keegan, Pearce, Ericson,Hughes,Mancini, Pellegrini all had charisma and knew that the fans were important.

I do agree with you though that it is the job of the team to get us excited and cheering and it hasn't been happening but now the Vincent Kompany is back and we've got some leadership on the pitch maybe it will happen again.