Discussion: Manuel Pellegrini 2014/15 (continued)

[cibaman]

I call it being realistic. No manager is going to wave the magic wand and make all our problems disappear.

I don't think there are that many problems. Slight change in tactics, remove a couple of bad eggs, Yaya and the Balkan boys, replace with younger hungry players.

Less than 2 months ago we were only 5 points behind Chelsea.

The more we cling to this list of a 'lazy players' the further we get from actually realising Zabaleta has been below par, Kompany has been dreadful and Silva has only 5 assists (not denying his goal tally is good, but his playmaking has been lost), Fernando has been below expectations, Milner has offered very little, Nasri has been inconsistent (although perhaps doesn't get the recognition he deserves) and while it's early days Bony hasnt hit the ground running - the likes of Nastasic and Jovetic? Who even knows.

Imo we have bigger issues than a 32 yo midfielder, a back up left back and a third choice striker.

The addition of 2 or 3 quality players can have a positive affect throughout the team. Matic, Fabregas & Costa have made a large impact at Chelsea, the knock on effect being an improvement in performances of players such as Terry. For me its about bringing in a couple of the right players rather than a mass clear out.

 

[Saddleworth2]

Again i woild doubt that would have been soriano's idea, there will be a marketing team with people at various levels who will then get an ad agency to pitch for the mcfc tender, in fact they will have a roster of approved agencies. The marketing ideas will be formulated by a combination of the agencies and internal marketing team.

That's pretty much spot on I'd imagine.

It's odd from my perspective as I think in marketing terms City are very good at every touch point but there's no cohesive message or value behind it.

City needs to find its "Just do it", "Think Different", "The Power of Dreams". It seems abstract for a club, but then there's 'Mes Que Une Club', the 'Theatre of Dreams' etc.

We Are Cityzens was dreadful.

Yep, I think they should build on the fact that we are different from the other 'super clubs' instead of trying to follow suit and become part of the establishment.

The fact that we have a rich history, not of European trophies, but of struggles and strife, excruciating lows, massive highs, undying loyalty and passion in adversity.

That sets us apart from the rest and should be celebrated, not shunned. It would also give us a crucial point of difference in the market as well as ringing true with our fanbase, celebrating the true meaning of being a blue.

Agree this should be and is for the most part our core values which informs the City brand and subsequent marketing. I think the communication of the brand could be tighter and more consistent and should play more on the ' and we play beautiful attacking football' as a core value. What has pissed me off more than anything this season is that we have fallen way short of thes values. We don't appear to fight to the end and our football is insipid. The team /manager has undermined the brand image the owners want to portray and as with any commercial entity that will end in tears. Our owners are above all very experienced businessmen and I would be astounded if this isn't remedied comprehensively. And for those that still believe that branding has no place in football, I'm afraid it is here to stay and is one of the key factors that will determine our commercial and footballing success and dictate how we are portrayed in the media.

 

[NQCitizen]

That's pretty much spot on I'd imagine.

It's odd from my perspective as I think in marketing terms City are very good at every touch point but there's no cohesive message or value behind it.

City needs to find its "Just do it", "Think Different", "The Power of Dreams". It seems abstract for a club, but then there's 'Mes Que Une Club', the 'Theatre of Dreams' etc.

We Are Cityzens was dreadful.

Yep, I think they should build on the fact that we are different from the other 'super clubs' instead of trying to follow suit and become part of the establishment.

The fact that we have a rich history, not of European trophies, but of struggles and strife, excruciating lows, massive highs, undying loyalty and passion in adversity.

That sets us apart from the rest and should be celebrated, not shunned. It would also give us a crucial point of difference in the market as well as ringing true with our fanbase, celebrating the true meaning of being a blue.

Agree this should be and is for the most part our core values which informs the City brand and subsequent marketing. I think the communication of the brand could be tighter and more consistent and should play more on the ' and we play beautiful attacking football' as a core value. What has pissed me off more than anything this season is that we have fallen way short of thes values. We don't appear to fight to the end and our football is insipid. The team /manager has undermined the brand image the owners want to portray and as with any commercial entity that will end in tears. Our owners are above all very experienced businessmen and I would be astounded if this isn't remedied comprehensively. And for those that still believe that branding has no place in football, I'm afraid it is here to stay and is one of the key factors that will determine our commercial and footballing success and dictate how we are portrayed in the media.

Fighting to the end isn't such a bih asset if you're starting with a huge advantage - as people will see the sudden riches. If anything it just looks as though we unduly struggled - which in 12 and 14 isn't totally unfair.

Playing a wonderful attacking style is only really a selling point if it's tactically unique (Barca / Dortmund / Atletico - albeit not attacking) or you're just ludicrously good at it (Real / Bayern).

Globally, at face value, there is nothing genuinely compelling about City. If Aguero left (although I don't think he will) we wouldn't even have a highlight reel sort of player while our biggest competition are packed with them.

 

[Damanino]

Imo the CL struggles are a factor as well. Lots of people follow PL but also lots of them are fans of other league's clubs and all they watch is that league mostly and the CL.

We have not yet arrived in CL. At first we were feared in CL imo, given what our expensive squad could do than slowly but surely under Mancini in turned out we are big flops in CL.

Still remember when they made the draw of our first CL group stage they showed a bit of reaction from Ribery when he saw Bayern got City. It was like ohh no they are very strong...

They had that fear because they didnt know what we are capable of. Now after 4 years in CL most of clubs know what we are capable of in CL. its not much given how expensive our squad and how highly paid our players are.
Unlucky draws and all that, but end of the day excuses dont matter.

We hoped from hiring Pellegrini that what he did with Malaga in CL giving them bit of fame with a good quarter finals run, or what he did at Villarreal reaching nearly a final in 2006, he will do this with lot better squad, lot bigger resources.
But he didnt do it at Real (with Kaka, Xabi Alonso, CR freshly signed) and didnt do it here.

He isnt the manager to take us to the important stages of CL. And we have yet to arrive in the later stages of CL.

Also would go back to our wages, why our wage list similar or in recent years it was higher sometimes than the likes of Bayern...
When they are dominating in Europe in recent years and we are miles away from it.

Imo this causes part of a bad image. Here you can paid top dollar without performing to very high level. Likes of Clichy may take home more than Alaba. Nasri takes home more than Schweinsteiger maybe.

 

[simon23]

<a class="postlink" href="http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/manchester-city-strike-force-set-summer-9146066" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/ ... er-9146066</a>

IF this are indeed his rue evaluaion of ou problems then he more deluded than i thought.....he is supoosedly blaming a lack of goals for our failings and has identified a shake up in he striker dept as what is needed!!!!!!

The biggest problem for the whole of his tenure (even last year) was what is going on defensively in midfield when we dont have the ball...he huge gapping gaps that appear infront f our back 4 in the middle and on the wings

IF this article is a rue representation of wha him (and possibly others believe) then they are clueless

 

[Damocles]

I mean, despite what the club are briefing he realistically has to go this summer. You can't allow us to go into a new season with a manager having only 12 months left on his deal. I mean, could you imagine if we did and Liverpool signed him or something on a pre-contract and then we had to play Liverpool? What would the players think?

To be fair though, the same logic can be said for Guardiola over at Bayern ;)

 

[Robinho's Subbuteo]

At the end of the season, we either have to extend his contract (no thanks) or get someone new in - if we don't do either of these things attracting the right players will be almost impossible. Who would want to play for a manager who won't be here in 12 months when his contract runs out. Also, why would we let a manager spend a fortune in the summer with a year left on his contract?

 

[sam-caddick]

At the end of the season, we either have to extend his contract (no thanks) or get someone new in - if we don't do either of these things attracting the right players will be almost impossible. Who would want to play for a manager who won't be here in 12 months when his contract runs out. Also, why would we let a manager spend a fortune in the summer with a year left on his contract?

Txiki primarily chooses the players and spends the money, thats the job of a DOF, Pellegrini and any other manager coming into City are just coaches and will only have a certain level of say over transfers.

That's what I believe to be the typical DOF model.

I think it's nailed on Pellegrini stays and I am expecting a new deal to be signed in May.

We will carry on with this ridiculous Pep dream which for me is holding the club back a little, but I also think the club will feel it could be too much change with 7 or 8 players coming in along withy a new coach.

 

[blueparrot]

I mean, despite what the club are briefing he realistically has to go this summer. You can't allow us to go into a new season with a manager having only 12 months left on his deal. I mean, could you imagine if we did and Liverpool signed him or something on a pre-contract and then we had to play Liverpool? What would the players think?

To be fair though, the same logic can be said for Guardiola over at Bayern ;)

Isn't that one of the arguments for having a DOF, that the managers can be changed, it.s not uncommon on the continent for managers to be successful even though they are going at the end of the season. Heynckes at Bayern, Guardiola at Barcelona, Benitez at Chelsea and currently at Napoli, even De Matteo at Chelsea.
I think Bayern would let Guardiola see out a final year and wouldn't be too surprised if we did the same.It's different at clubs like Arsenal and the rags with ferguson where players signed for a manager.

 

[Ray78]

At the end of the season, we either have to extend his contract (no thanks) or get someone new in - if we don't do either of these things attracting the right players will be almost impossible. Who would want to play for a manager who won't be here in 12 months when his contract runs out. Also, why would we let a manager spend a fortune in the summer with a year left on his contract?

Txiki primarily chooses the players and spends the money, thats the job of a DOF, Pellegrini and any other manager coming into City are just coaches and will only have a certain level of say over transfers.

That's what I believe to be the typical DOF model.

I think it's nailed on Pellegrini stays and I am expecting a new deal to be signed in May.

We will carry on with this ridiculous Pep dream which for me is holding the club back a little, but I also think the club will feel it could be too much change with 7 or 8 players coming in along withy a new coach.

They aren't going to do that. The board will keep Pellegrini on if they are happy with the job he is doing under the circumstances he had faced during the season (the FFPR pinch, the Champions League squad restrictions one of the key players throwing his toys out of the pram at the start of the season and losing all 3 of our strikers at the same time). Not on some flimsy promise that Guardiola will come swanning in 12 months time. You are right about the change factor in the summer. If we did sack Pellegrini in the summer then not only we have to pay up the rest of his staff's contracts the board would have to stump up the compensation on who the new manager will bring in on top of the new players lined up.